MYSPACE!

I can no longer, in good conscience participate in the My*Space community. The most important reason is the ownership of the website by Rupert*Murdoch, who has made 4.5 Billion dollars off of the website since the acquisition of My**Space by News*Corps. The dollars made off of My*Space are being used to fund, Fox*News an agency that has promoted agenda in the name of 'journalism'. Regardless of political affiliation, ideology, or personal beliefs: this entity has been utilized to manipulate information, public opinion, and the American people, and it has changed the idea of the role of press and journalism in the US and abroad.

As Thomas Jefferson said:

"I'd rather live in a country with a free press and no government, than in one with a government but no press."

My*Space is quite remarkable in what it has shown the internet can be used for: Networking and the transmission of ideas. I've met people online who I haven't spoken to in years, and who were quite important to me. However, I ask myself what the cost of convenience actually is, and wonder if the cost of free press is worth my ability to conveniently publish my blog, or my favorite Bloc Party song.

It also demonstrates how the internet can be used for less noble means. Forbes* recently published an article on how My*Space messages between individuals were being censored to prevent the transmission of information about the website You-Tube. Many of us are now familiar about the surrender of copyright to our information, art, music, profiles, photos, and writings to My*Space per the user agreement (My*Space 'owns' all of this information now) we all accepted. Finally, I think it is quite briliant how this service has been used to gain the key demographic that probably would have very little to do with the Fox**News Network- young, educated, college-aged adults. Bands who would have nothing to do with this empire are now obligated to post their music and tour info through News*Corp. Nearly 250,000 people a day are signing up to My**Space, and the site now has more hits per day than the websites Google*, or Yahoo*. What a tidy way to gather so much information about a group. And what an ingenous way to hold our attention. How many times a day to you check your own My*Space account?


I challenge you all to consider this today. What is the cost of convenience? Again, this service is an amazing innovation, and I applaud the original concept of the technology. I may seek a similar community in the future. But I encourage you all to educate yourselves, understand where you and others get your information, how you make your own decisions regarding the world, and how your actions effect that world. What is the real cost of managing your 'top 8'?