The World Wide Web (www) is not synonymous with the Internet. Many people like me use the terms Internet and World Wide Web (aka. the Web) interchangeably, but in fact the two terms are not synonymous. The Internet is a massive system of networks. It connects millions of computers together globally, forming a net in which any computer can communicate with any other computer as long as they are both connected to the Internet. I got these definitions from Webopedia – an online dictionary and search engine you need for computer and Internet technology definitions. I use my computer every day, but my computer genius teens know much more about the working of the Internet, www, protocols and IP addresses than I. I just recently learned how to use hyperlinks in my electronic writings. I am not an expert by any means.
According to the 2007 U.S. Census Bureau, 40% of all U.S. homes don’t have Internet connection. It also includes those homes that use dial up technology. In hard financial times, many household will eliminate hi- tech Internet connections and /or purchasing a computer as part of the budget plan. Yet most transactions are encouraged to be paperless from college applications to email. To send correspondences by U.S. Post Office is considered “snail mail.” Most applications today ask for an email address. Newspapers, magazines, libraries, research, medical records, shopping and much more is on the Internet. Lack of access to the Internet could seriously handicap a young student or older adult. People panic when they can’t print their boarding pass. Yet there are households that have to get to a library, community center, school or church to use a computer. This task may not be too difficult where there is public transportation or ready access to computers. In rural areas or towns with poor or no public transportation, individuals may have to wait to car pool.
President-elect Barack Obama has some good ideas. He’s made widespread broadband deployment a major component of his technology agenda; his platform pledges to achieve this goal through reforms such as better use of the nation’s wireless spectrum. The birthplace of the Internet, the United States now ranks higher than 15th in world rankings of broadband adoption, according to the International Telecommunications Union.
In December, FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin proposed that free wireless Net access be made available to everyone as part of a sale of public airwaves. At the same time, he wants filters put in place so that no smut slips through to impressionable young Web surfers. There seems to be groups around the world who censor the Internet. So the Chairman’s proposal is not new. What is new, this would be the first time such filters have been imposed by an Internet service provider rather than individual users, allowing government officials or a private company to decide what can and can’t be seen online.
Other countries around the world have taken up the task of Internet filtering which some say is too ambitious and doomed to failure. Would the same apply to the FCC Chairman? What of the civil liberties issues? Many feel that censoring is the responsibility of parents. Parents should know what their children are doing on the Internet. There is much evil and danger awaiting immature, innocent children. There is the influence of predators in chat rooms, pornography, Internet suicides, and adult material not suitable for children. So is the FCC’ a help or hinder?
ilove this………..