Is the Internet Making Us Smarter, or Dumber? A controversial new book by journalist Nicholas Carr makes the bold claim that the Internet is not only changing how we think, but that it’s also lessening the quality of our thought. Amid the many changes the Internet is bringing to our cultures, a new questions arises: […]
What Is Wikileaks?
Posted July 26th, 2010 at 2:15 pm (UTC-4)
How One Website is Changing Journalism Wikileaks first came online in 2007, promising any individual a forum to anonymously publish previously classified, hidden or sensitive documents and make them publicly available. The idea was relatively simple: given the viral nature of the Internet – and the ease of duplicating digital documents – once secret information […]
From Fantasy to Reality
Posted July 22nd, 2010 at 2:34 pm (UTC-4)
How Virtual Gaming is Changing Real War PC Gamers – from dungeon-crawlers and dragon slayers to all-out World of WarCraft fanatics – are often dismissed as being out of touch with reality. But the allure of PC games and their ability to engage and transfix have become a powerful recruitment and training tool. VOA’s Aida […]
When Information Goes Bad
Posted July 21st, 2010 at 3:06 pm (UTC-4)
And How the Internet Can Make It Worse The recent online posting of part of a government official’s speech – and her subsequent firing – have created a firestorm in the United States around the always sensitive issues of race and responsibility. But it’s raising serious questions about the Internet as well, and what some […]
Virtual Life and Digital Death
Posted July 15th, 2010 at 3:18 pm (UTC-4)
As social networking websites grow more popular and complex, users develop something like a virtual life online. People meet, argue, have relationships, and mark major life events. But what happens to your digital self when you die? VOA’s Jessica Stahl has this exploration of digital life beyond the “Great If” here.
Opening Up the Middle Eastern Internet
Posted July 1st, 2010 at 3:40 pm (UTC-4)
For millions around the world, the Internet is less a super-highway and more an obstacle course – complete with virtual hazards, roadblocks and detours. As more and more governments start filtering content – or blocking access outright – users are left with an Internet full of holes. Now there’s a new anti-censorship tool – called […]
