"We The Media" Includes Me Too, Right?

Quite honestly, I get my CCT readings mixed up. When reading Dan Gillmor’s “We The Media” I think I’m reading Lawrence Lessig’s “Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace.” There are several reasons for this, most notably that everything is interrelated/interdependent (and Gillmor actually mentions Lessig throughout the text, so I’m not completely insane).

Grassroots journalism and traditional media are interdependent. Without the inadequacies of traditional media, grassroots journalism would not have flourished; without grassroots journalism, major news outlets would not be replicating “new media” techniques (see my previous post). Because traditional media are taking hold of these new ways to involve readers, one has to see citizen journalism- or grassroots journalism or new media or whatever you want to call it- as a viable source of information now, and for the future.

Something I think Gillmor would want you to come away with from his book is that YOU have the ability to hold news makers and sources accountable. The internet truly is about democratizing the media, turning traditional media’s “top-down hierarchy” on its head. It is very exciting, indeed, but also problematic.

The two most salient issues I identified over the course of reading Gillmor follow below:

HOW CAN WE TRUST THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVE ONLINE?
The internet is a veritable source of information, but how can we confirm its accuracy? Not surprisingly, Gillmor devotes an entire section to Wiki sites, the largest being Wikipedia. Though by and large helpful, Wiki sites are prone to inaccuracies and web vandalism, demonstrated by Stephen Colbert’s urging his viewers- the Colbert Nation- to literally change history. Wikiscanner has grown out of this concern of authenticity, but Gillmor clearly believes in the online community’s ability to self-govern, highlighting especially the Technorati site, which helps one authenticate information and identities through authority ratings.



HOW LONG WILL THE INTERNET TRULY BE FREE?
Honestly, who knows? Gillmor stands for participation and free access, demonstrated most graciously by his posting his book online for free. A growing trend of (attempted) regulation may make free access like this a relic of the past. Issues such as jurisdiction, libel, and copyright especially are being discussed in courtrooms right now. The culprit is not the government but American corporations that pressure the government into enacting legislation, and most mind-bogglingly, bully their own customers to make their businesses a little more profitable. Personally, I believe the internet will eventually be regulated. The infrastructure is in place already- login IDs, passwords, Cookies. Perhaps Gillmor is a little more optimistic than I am. Lessig is more realistic: “liberty depends on…regulation remaining expensive” (Code, 56). Unfortunately, technology cheapens and advances so quickly that regulation may be nearer than we think.

By and large, “We The Media” is the most reliable compendium of “new media” and its issues in existence. It also serves as a great how-to guide on everything from starting your own blog to subscribing to RSS feeds. More than anything, though, Gillmor urges you to question everything you read, do your research, and be responsible.

That goes for what you read here, too. You have no idea how much of this I just made up.

Wink.