I disagree. Few things are truly neutral. What people usually consider neutral is just what’s normal at the time. The structures within which we live and express ourselves are shaped by people and institutions.
I’m not taking about neutral as in in the middle. The medium through which you communicate doesn’t favor any message over any other. So it should only be judged based on how good it is at relaying messages, not who has more access to the medium or what they use it to relay.
It does favor messages over others though. Technically mostly anyone with an internet connection can put something out there, but what actually gets to be seen by many depends largely on the communication infrastructure. Yes, the platforms we use, and who controls them.
Maybe you don’t understand the point? The post says that internet used to be a force for democracy and is now ‘weaponised’ against it. I’m pointing out that internet itself was never a force and it is silly to try to assign such values to it
Or maybe mediums are inherently neutral?
I disagree. Few things are truly neutral. What people usually consider neutral is just what’s normal at the time. The structures within which we live and express ourselves are shaped by people and institutions.
I’m not taking about neutral as in in the middle. The medium through which you communicate doesn’t favor any message over any other. So it should only be judged based on how good it is at relaying messages, not who has more access to the medium or what they use it to relay.
It does favor messages over others though. Technically mostly anyone with an internet connection can put something out there, but what actually gets to be seen by many depends largely on the communication infrastructure. Yes, the platforms we use, and who controls them.
You think Twitter is inherently neutral right now?
No? Twitter isn’t a medium, it’s a platform.
So your comment was just completely pointless then?
Maybe you don’t understand the point? The post says that internet used to be a force for democracy and is now ‘weaponised’ against it. I’m pointing out that internet itself was never a force and it is silly to try to assign such values to it