Express yourself

In the 21st century, in most developed countries anyway, being able to voice an opinion on virtually any issue is seen as a basic human right.

This, it must be said, is very commendable and something the average person in the street has been struggling for hundreds if not thousands of years, although the privilege is by no means universal even in these so-called enlightened times.

Internet advocates would say the availability of websites, blogs, wikis, forums and all kinds of social networks has truly democratised broadcasting generally enabling individuals to truly express themselves and in the process often revealing what most people actually think about issues.

Academics call this characteristic the ‘wisdom of crowds’ which doesn’t really work for me since when I think about large groups of people I automatically think of mobs and riots (but perhaps that’s just me); anyway I would prefer to think of it as ‘the voice of the silent majority’.

Unfortunately, in recent times this new freedom has been accompanied by forms of expression that push the boundaries by imposing an unwanted cost on others.

Perhaps the most visible is the offline / outdoor version - I refer to graffiti.

Graffiti is particularly annoying because it not only sends a message, (often hard to comprehend), but it imposes a substantial cost on the owner of the wall, hoarding, side of train whatever.

Of course, graffiti has been around a long time. There are reputedly numerous examples in the pyramids and many ancient Greek and Roman relics.

So it’s not new, but the online version, spamming, is.

According to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_(electronic) spam is the abuse of electronic messaging systems (including most broadcast media, digital delivery systems) to send unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately.

While the most widely recognised form of spam is e-mail spam, the term is applied to similar abuses in other media: instant messaging spam, Usenet newsgroup spam, Web search engine spam, spam in blogs, wiki spam, online classified ads spam, mobile phone messaging spam, Internet forum spam, junk fax transmissions, and file sharing network spam.

Whether the posting of intemperate remarks on websites and blogs comes under this umbrella term I’m not really sure, but it is an example of an individual imposing their unwanted or appreciated views on many.

The most galling aspect is that, as with graffiti next to a busy highway, stupid or offensive comments on a popular website or forum is often hard to avoid.

There are some who would argue that this is the cost we have to pay for freedom of expression  … I would beg to differ.

NB: YOC has always had a policy of moderating all comments posted on any of its websites or e-zines, unlike many of the larger websites who only remove offensive material once they receive legitimate complaints.