Online writing: Icrazy or net democracy?

Nevertheless, the Internet has brought negative side effects. So many young people are now addicted to the Internet and gadgets like the iPad and iPhone. According to a recent Newsweek feature, when young people accidentally leave home without their smartphones, they commonly suffer from symptoms like panic, depression and psychosis. The problem is that when one becomes a connection addict, it is easy to be controlled, brainwashed and manipulated by invisible online forces.

The Internet is also problematic because it is contaminated with vulgar language and expressions, since anybody can post anything without much consequence. In the past, only men of letters could publish after careful thought and editing. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. 

On May 18, when people celebrated the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, a number of Korean right-wing Internet sites desecrated the day by arguing that the uprising was nothing but a riot instigated by plain-clothed North Korean troops disguised as citizens of Gwangju. Such accusations must have hurt those who experienced the incident firsthand. Recently we expressed our fury at remarks made by right-wing Japanese politicians to justify Japan’s invasion of Korea in the early 20th century. While condemning those Japanese politicians, how can we desecrate the Gwangju Uprising by uttering equally impudent remarks? 

Some people argue that since we have freedom of speech, we should be allowed to write freely on the Internet. But genuine freedom of speech is not necessarily about writing whatever one wants. Freedom entails responsibility. If your writing disgraces another’s honour, you can be sued for defamation of character.  Freedom does not mean you are free to do whatever you want. Freedom does not come free, and must be protected and defended.

Others maintain that writing whatever you want online is “Internet democracy”. However, demagogues spewing ideological propaganda tend to hide behind the banner of “Internet democracy”. Indeed, one cannot but be disillusioned by the vulgarity of some people writing in cyberspace. One can only be dismayed by the indecency of certain “netizens” who do not understand the responsibility the word “citizen” entails.

Surfing the Internet, one can easily find contemporary Korean society is divided not into liberal and conservative camps per se, but into pro-North Korea and anti-North Korea groups, and into Southwest and Southeast factions. It is lamentable these groups antagonise each other on the Internet, senselessly cursing at each other. One also finds that racial prejudice still runs deep in Korean society. Recent racial slurs proliferating online against the child performer, Little Psy, is a good example of such racism. Why do we see Little Psy as a foreigner? He is a Korean citizen, even though his mother may not be ethnically Korean.

Using privacy protection and freedom of speech as excuses, some Koreans oppose the bill that would make it mandatory to use one’s real name when writing on the Internet. Ironically, it is those who insist on anonymity who invade others’ privacy and insult reputations. And these people want to continue doing such things. But it is cowardly to speak ill of others while hiding behind a pseudonym or ID number. You should have the courage to step forward and reveal your name when you want to criticise. A healthy, true and vigorous “Internet democracy” can only begin then.

 

Kim Seong-kon is a professor of English at Seoul National University and president of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea.