Has the internet ruined creativity, politics and society as a whole.

[DrNewGod]

Bottom line: The Internet, and more specifically, Social Media has absolutely no accountability mechanism. In the US it should have come under the FCC years ago.

I won't speak to other countries, but The US, once upon a time, was wise in subjecting Radio and it's successors too regulation that made them responsible for what content they carried.

Does that bias the media toward TPTB? Absolutely. Especially in the case of a PTB that's a ruthlessly oppressive dictator.

However, it also gives a society a mechanism to thwart a ruthlessly oppressive insurgent that would love to disrupt your (admittedly, flawed) democratic republic in favor of their preferred theocratic and/or socialist wet dream.

[shooshoomanjoe]

Humanity has always been terrible. I'd argue that we are more humane now than we have been in the past.

[Crazy Diamond]

Bottom line: The Internet, and more specifically, Social Media has absolutely no accountability mechanism. In the US it should have come under the FCC years ago.

I won't speak to other countries, but The US, once upon a time, was wise in subjecting Radio and it's successors too regulation that made them responsible for what content they carried.

Does that bias the media toward TPTB? Absolutely. Especially in the case of a PTB that's a ruthlessly oppressive dictator.

However, it also gives a society a mechanism to thwart a ruthlessly oppressive insurgent that would love to disrupt your (admittedly, flawed) democratic republic in favor of their preferred theocratic and/or socialist wet dream.

Yet with that regulation certain viewpoints (ex. initial support for the Civil Rights Movement, labor strikes, etc.) didn't make the news. Or if they did the owners of the major press and networks framed the as threats to the country and a 'stable' society.

Considering who currently runs the FCC (Ajit Pai) and his class interests, why would the FCC have any interest in regulating what content is distributed online?

[MyriVerse]

Bottom line: The Internet, and more specifically, Social Media has absolutely no accountability mechanism. In the US it should have come under the FCC years ago.

Um. No. In fact, dismantle the FCC, effective yesterday.

[Midnighter]

I would argue that's more social media than the internet in and of itself, though.

I remember the BBS days and dialing into people's phones to access their bulletin board, sharing info, and downloading/uploading stuff. Wasn't really a popularity contest then, just info sharing.

I also miss the old internet. I miss having more message boards and forums like this.

At the end of the day ,I feel, the internet is like techno magic. It can be used for good or bad , it just depends on how the individual chooses to use it. It's also up to the individual to decide what to listen and pay attention to on it.

The internet is neutral. It's people that are suspect.

[mathew101281]

I also miss the old internet. I miss having more message boards and forums like this.

At the end of the day ,I feel, the internet is like techno magic. It can be used for good or bad , it just depends on how the individual chooses to use it. It's also up to the individual to decide what to listen and pay attention to.

The internet is neutral. It's people that are suspect.

Yes the old internet was better in alot of ways. I feel messageboards facilitate more interesting conversations then social media. I also feel the darker elements of the internet were segragated to their own segments of the web and not vomited everywhere like today.