Improving democratic boundaries through the internet Essay

Introduction The internet has changed the way many things are done. The traditional methods have been scrapped and newer more efficient and effective means are constantly being offered through and on the internet. The unique ability of the internet to render geographical boundaries obsolete allows anyone to access an almost infinite pool of information and to also share that information without regulation or control (Kalir 2002). The speed with which this information and exchange of ideas is facilitated by the internet makes it a potent medium for democratic plans. Given these benefits and advances that the internet has offered, it comes as no surprise then that the internet has also allowed democratic boundaries to improve by allowing for better communication and exchange of ideas. This discourse on the effect of the internet on improving the democratic boundaries will therefore attempt to show that the ability of the internet to bypass traditional boundaries and barriers to a free exchange of ideas and information has improved democratic boundaries despite the attempts of government to restrain or control this medium. Bypassing Traditional Boundaries As mentioned previously, the internet allows any person to access information from any place and also access any information available online. The ability of this medium to encourage the free exchange of ideas between people of any race or culture makes it easier to cross and overcome whatever boundaries may have been set in place traditionally (Lessig 2000). â€Å"Digital Democracy† which is the â€Å"use of digital communication technologies to enhance the democratic process by, among other things, making the process more accessible, increasing and enhancing citizen participation in public policy decision making, and increasing government transparency and accountability† plays a vital role in bypassing these traditional boundaries and improving the existing democratic boundaries by inviting democratic participation (Lim 2006). One of the reasons why the internet has been so successful at bypassing and improving these barriers is because of the fact that through the internet, â€Å"convergence† is achieved at a relatively low cost (Mitchell 2002). This means that people from all walks of life are not necessarily constrained by finances and such as to hamper or inhibit them from participating in the democratic process or in digital democracy. This in effects allows for a more mixed lot of participants and allows for a richer exchange of ideas and a greater participation from a wider demographic base (Lim 2006). Put simply, the relatively low cost of access to the internet at the present allows for more people to participate and also increases the amount of information available that is vital to the success of â€Å"digital democracy:† The greater scope for freedom, autonomy, creativity, and collaboration that the internet provides makes it a successful tool in bypassing the traditional boundaries and constraints that have prevented people in participating in the democratic process and thus by providing for such the existing democratic barriers are improved. Free Exchange of Ideas and Information Governments realized that as the internet was maturing there would be a need to control and regulate access to the internet as well as to control the content of the information on the internet (Simon 2001). Most of the regulations however have proven to be ineffective as more and more people were able to find means to bypass them (see bypassing traditional boundaries) and thus led to the formation of â€Å"social movements† on the internet which is a key to the improvement of democratic boundaries (Lim 2006). Social movements are broad social alliances of people who are connected through a shared interest in blocking or promoting social change (Trippi 2004). On the internet, with the amount of information available and the number of people participating, it is but a natural result that people who share similar beliefs form their own â€Å"societies† or those who do not have any firm beliefs are able to find something which they do subscribe to. According to Lim, â€Å"The ability of the internet to provide many people access to forums for deliberation on a range of public issues and the involvement of decision-makers in online forums assure participants that their voices will be heard. Their efforts contribute to building a new public sphere where rationality rules, citizen voices are heard, and public officials heed the demos. (Lim 2006)† By allowing more people to participate and exchange ideas freely, support for proper movements to improve the democratic situation of any state, can quickly be generated thus ensuring the success of the democratic process. Yet as pointed out by one writer, the limitations of such actions are still determined by the effective sphere of influence and control of the government over the geographical and political terrain (Barlow 2001). Improving Democratic Boundaries As shown by the arguments above, the internet indeed improves democratic boundaries and presents the opportunity to eventually create a world democracy. The boundaries that have traditionally existed to bar or hinder any interaction between peoples has been bypassed by the internet and thus allowing more people to interact with each other and to mobilize despite the geographical distances of each other. The convergence that this allows makes the generation of any support necessary to improve the democratic process easier and also allows for access to a larger support base. Another factor which has led to the success of the internet in improving democratic boundaries is the fact that it allows for faster and more exchange of information. This then allows more people to interact with each other and also form â€Å"social movements†. These social movements allow people to voice out their ideas collectively and thus improving the chances that their rights are not suppressed and that their voices are heard. The future of democracy on the internet is bright indeed. With the number of people and countries that have access to internet increasing, it is guaranteed that the democratic process will survive despite attempts of certain governments (China) at regulating this medium (Longworth 2001). Still, time and again, it has been shown that whatever controls and regulations governments attempt to set in place have always been bypassed thus ensuring that the future for democracy lies in the internet, in cyberspace. References: Barlow, J. (1996). A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace. Retrieved November 2, 2006, from http://www. eff. org/~barlow/Declaration-Final. html. Davis, S. , Elin, B. and Reeher, G. (2002). Click on Democracy: The Internet’s Power to Change Political Apathy into Civic Action. Boulder CO: Westview Press. Kalir, E. and Maxwell, E. (2002). Rethinking Boundaries in Cyberspace. The Aspen Institute: Communications and Society Program. Lessig, L. (2000). â€Å"Innovation, Regulation, and the Internet. † American Prospect 11, no. 10. Retrieved November 2, 2006, from http://www. prospect. org/print/V11/10/lessig-l. html Lim, M. and Kann, M. (2006). Democratic Deliberation and Mobilization on the Internet. Annenberg Center for Communication University of Southern California. Longworth, R. (2001). â€Å"Government Without Democracy. † American Prospect 12, no. 12. Retrieved November 1, 2006, from http://www. prospect. org/print/V12/12/longworth-r. html. Mitchell, W. (1995). City of Bits: Place, Space, and the Infobahn. Retrieved November 2, 2006, from http://cyber. law. harvard. edu/people/reagle/inet-quotations-19990709. html. Simon, L. (2001). Democracy and the Internet: Allies or Adversaries? Woodrow Wilson Center Press. Trippi, J. (2004). The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Democracy, the Internet, and the Overthrow of Everything. Regan Books. â€Å"Political Influentials Online in the 2004 Presidential Campaign. † (February 5, 2004). Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet, Graduate School of Political Management, George Washington University.