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[Prev|Next|Index] 2/22/96, vngolveo@uci.edu,Irvine, CA USA
[Image] Freedom of Expression on the Internet
By Vince Golveo,
http://art.fin.uci.edu/individuals/vince/vince.htm,
vngolveo@uci.edu.
Freedom for me is the opportunity to meet and exhange my dreams,
visions, desires with like-minded individuals. Freedom allows one
to have a sense of community even if the community may be between
two people typing messages over telecommunication wires. This
impulse to create a bond, a sense of community, is what I think
"freedom of expression" is all about. The internet has grown and
has become such a rich part of our culture because it has always
been open to freedom of expression.
Unlike any other social space, the internet allows for even the
smallest communities (e.g. newsgroup fans of Hong Kong popstars,
Filipinos in Africa, Gay and Lesbian Teenagers, etc.) to create
virtual public spaces for friendship, discussions, community. I'd
like to know that if some day I lose a leg, develop a penchant
for cross-dressing, need advice from other parents on changing a
baby's diaper, whatever, that there is a highly accessible and
content-rich space where I can conveniently access and meet
others like me without feeling threatened. I also like knowing
that there is a place that is safe for dreamers and visionaries
to offer their insights, however odd or offensive they might be,
because unchecked and sublimated desires are I think more
threatening to society than those that are made visible in public
spaces like the internet.
As a multimedia professional, a university graduate student, and
a community volunteer, I use the internet frequently for
gathering information and resources for my work and education.
That the content of the internet is so rich, vast, and
far-ranging is its greatest asset; it would be a pity to
prematurely limit the internet's information explosion from
reaching its potential.
Before the sudden conservative fear, loathing and attention
focused on the internet, which has led to the recent revision of
the Telecommuications Act, I really believed that the internet
had the potential for establishing freedom of expression as a
functional social reality and not just a pipe dream of America's
forefathers.
Thanks for taking time to read.
Vince
[link to 24 hours of Democracy]
GO TO 24 HOURS PROJECT OR BACK TO VINCE'S HOMEPAGE