new media

With the introduction of new media, comes a new form a freedom of speech. High hopes are placed on new media that people would be able to speak up so that things can be done to make the world a better place. Ironically, because people get to speak what they want, threat to stability arises. Taking both consequences of new media into account, I support new media because I believe its benefits outweigh the negative side of it.

Like Mark Klempner said in “The internet: our last hope for a free press”, new media “performs the vital function of promoting honest discussion and analysis”. In more conventional forms of media, such as radios and newspaper, there is always a form of control over it. These forms of media tend to face pressure from government or dominant organisations to not publish reports that would tarnish their image. On the other hand, new media does not have any form of censorship. In fact, it has made it convenient for people to give their honest opinions. Through such means, people can make their voices heard and influence the people around them. This is why new media is such a powerful tool. One example that permeates the power of new media can be seen in America’s expenditure. In 2004, America was spending about the same amount of money on pornography as it does on foreign aid. However, thanks to the website globalpolicy.org, people become aware of the situation and began pushing for a change for this situation. As a result, America is now spending far more than it did on overseas development assistant, while the porn industry has deflated slightly.

Of course, I cannot deny that the new media has it dark side. Just as Mei Yi has commented in the previous blog, “internet can be a power to people but if misused it is a threat to stability”. New media has been used for terrorists movements as according to Ustaz Mohamed Bin Ali in “Countering the threat to self radicalization”. However, the percentage of unfriendly websites that can threaten our safety is relatively low to the wide varieties of good websites that the internet can provide. How often do you come across a terrorist website or one that threatens our stability? I have yet to. Moreover, even if new media does not exist, terrorists are still capable of looking new means to recruit new members and to facilitate terrorist movements. Hence, we cannot entirely blame new media for any terrorist-related actions that threaten our stability.
In conclusion, threats to our stability have already existed for our long time and are not invented by new media. On the other hand, new media has invented new means for people to broadcast themselves, giving greater power to the people, something that would be quite impossible to achieve through any other means.


With reference to:
“Countering the threat of self-radicalisation” by Ustaz Mohamed Bin Ali
“The Internet: Our last hope for a free press” by Mark Klempner
“50 facts that should change the world” by Jessica Williams