The first chapter of Ethan Zuckerman’s chapter shed some insight on how the Internet played an integral part in containing the SARS virus, even in the early 2000s. Dial up (and therefore ridiculously slow speeds) was still prevalent and if I remember correctly, DSL was beginning to emerge as a cost-effective, higher speed alternative to dial up. I remember these days vividly and even at 8 and 9 years old, I didn’t have the patience to wait five minutes for a page to load, or for someone to get off of the phone so that I could use the Internet. In my ignorance, even a decade later, I believed that everyone felt the same at the time. This book helped solidify the idea that people and organizations with more abundant resources (World Health Organization and its top doctors, for instance) have access to more advanced technology, such as higher speed Internet to spread information back in 2002-3. Who would have thought that DARPANet would have evolved into the phenomenon that it is today – the Internet, the World Wide Web, the “information super highway?”
Modern social media has impacted my relationships, both personal and professional, in a myriad of ways. You have to be extremely careful with what you put on social media because it can make or break personal relationships, cause trouble or inspire a promotion at work, and overall affect your reputation. With most information being available at a click of the “I’m Feeling Lucky!” button, diligent self-monitoring is key.
My favorite Ethan Zuckerman insights for the week:
.@rashadrobinson "Just because we talk about race doesn't mean we'll benefit from that talk." Who leads that conversation matters.
— Ethan Zuckerman (@EthanZ) January 30, 2016
.@rashadrobinson of @ColorOfChange: "Too many people are making too much money off of black pain, and no one is holding them accountable."
— Ethan Zuckerman (@EthanZ) January 30, 2016
It’s nice to see that Zuckerman is “woke,” and not turning a a blind eye to race relations and disparities that people of color face.