Participatory culture – You don’t have to act like an ass, just because I can’t see you.

Every man and women has something that they care about, something that they have a strong opinion about. The internet has brought evolution to the participatory culture, that before was for the strong hearted, networking people with resources or a strong will. The 21th century's network society is bringing peoples opinion open for the world to see. Sharing is the ultimate word for discussion. Participatory culture has different forms, but they all demand that you share. You can share anything your heart desires. On the show "Ellen" she brings people that have shared on you tube, their, maybe, different type of talent. If she thinks it unique, she'll give them TV-time on her show. Like the Norwegian singer Jarle Bernhoft, she thought that his sound was so good and different, that she invited him to sing on her show.

This is how the participatory culture works in a good way. But there are some concerns about how the ethic lines are being pushed further and further away from what is ok. The ethics challenge tells us that kids see internet behavior in a different way than us adults. They are growing up in different world where they have to produce something on the internet. That could be blogging, commentate in internet forums or newsletters or just being on Facebook or twitter. If you don't have an opportunity to share information in whatever kind of form you choose, here will be created a digital divide. The social standard "demands" that you do your part of the social networking that our community relies on. A day, a week, a month away from internet and Facebook is from my side a nightmare. I have to check it every day, every hour and maybe even every ten minutes or so. While I'm at work I check it by phone. I can reach it whenever I want. I'm addicted. Can you say the same? The divide is made from what you talk about, maybe even how you get invited to arrangements.


But my point in all of this is the ethical line. I'm bothered by the way people interact on the internet. How can we teach others how to restrict themselves inside the ethical lines? I think it's weird that we can be so nasty in the way we communicate online. The participatory culture brings so much positivity into the network society, but it has an ugly backside. We talk to kids about the rules of networking, but as role models we don't function at all. It's like we're saying that online you can do whatever you want. Nobody cares or get hurt. If you're engaged in a discussion online there's no restriction on who could join in. That means that you're opening yourself for attacks. They don't care who you are or your feelings, they say whatever they want. There is almost always a leader in these discussions; I'm wondering why they don't set a stricter line for what you can say? If they had been more aware, many participants would have been kicked out. Don't you all agree? In many ways the internet is made for bullying. That shouldn't be the way. We're talking about culture, please; don't drag it down in the dirt.