Inspired by the original article I wrote regarding online immaturity, I felt the view it took was not mature in itself and needed a revision or two. Oh, who am I kidding, it needed a complete re-write. Having said that, I have removed the original.

Millions of people access the internet in plethoras of ways daily, and I think everyone has had a good laugh at the expense of the idea that "everything you read on the Internet is true". Social networking sites, question & answer websites, game forums, even any type of forum in general are playing fields for people who appear to have slightly too much time on their hands and choose not only to be completely unproductive, they have to be destructive with the business of others. I'm sure if you were running through Yahoo's Q&A pages, you would find single questions with dozens of ridiculous answers, many which surely have nothing to do with the topic at hand.

So who exactly are we dealing with, and what are they doing that it is so disruptive to other users? (Completely aside from the fact that many venues have no form of moderation or policies in place to prevent this disruption of use). Consider this. If you had the ability to walk down the street, cursing, humiliating, and acting in complete disregard of the people around you, with promise of no repercussions or consequences and no way of being identified, wouldn't you? For most people, probably not, however the perpetrators in this situation get some sort of twisted enjoyment out of being blatantly contrary and immature. With no fear of reprisal, attempts to bring sense and logic into their minds are futile and as a matter of fact, only fuel their incentive to continue messing with your head. The Internet is a magnificent wealth of information, although being careful about what you trust and rely on is important, it is constantly being plagued by users with no respect whatsoever for anyone.

The interesting thing about these individuals is that as much as you believe them to be delinquent teens who snuck on the computer when they weren't supposed to, chances are just as good that it's someone far above the age at which you understand that "trolling" simply isn't something one should expect from a grown adult. It's hard to say now, since the "current" generation is the generation of technology, but at what age does someone finally realize enough is enough? Does a switch flick on one day, and all of a sudden they are a responsible, mature member of society? Even in prior years, I didn't believe myself to be on the low stoop of maturity some of these people are, it's almost as though someone with reading and writing abilities adopted the mindset of a toddler.

Where else does this happen, other than common community websites? Some may have experienced this more than others, I know I have dealt with it a fair bit over the past several years, but Instant Messengers and social networking sites can be a notorious breeding ground for this same behaviour. Saying things that are possibly malicious and spiteful, over IMs or Facebook for example, things you know this person wouldn't dare leave their tongue if you were out to coffee with them. The anonymity of the Internet (even when there clearly is none) and the concept that they are not face-to-face with the individual they are talking to, leads to insincere conversations, misunderstandings, and avoidable conflicts. The ability to slew whatever we want to whomever we want without consequence and not having to feel that burning shame and embarassment in person, that is what communication has turned into for many. I would like to think that others see how utterly ridiculous such behaviour can be, but it's impossible to speak for the masses.

Lack of control and censoring on the Internet has brewed hundreds of social problems and conflicts, to the point where it is becoming a widespread issue. It harbours deceit, impoliteness, and overall an inhospitable environment for children and adults alike. This includes both the outside environment and the Internet itself. With a little bit of a shove in the right direction, the web has potential to be an incredible source for creativity, intelligence, and ground for sharing of information. All that is missing now is the positive reinforcement from the media, as opposed to focusing on the negative issues yet doing nothing about them.

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•     |70.89.206.xxx |2009-02-19 04:10:29 neildittmar - The "art" of technology imitates life
  I agree with your position on anonymity being a catalyst for some of the attrocious behavior seen on the Internet. It's similar to how some people will treat you differently on the phone as opposed to in-person. There is a layer of disconnect where the person doing the screaming/yelling/cursing/namecalling doesn't have the burden of the persons visual reaction or body language to potentially inhibit such nonsense. Same with the Internet, but because there is (in many cases) no reactionary sight or sound from the target, there is an added layer of disconnect which can make the behavior that much more abhorrent.
  
  As far as the resolve to the problem being a general "control or censoring" of folks actions on the Internet, I respectfully disagree. Certainly a "self-censoring" or "self-control" policy would be appreciated, but that's not really experienced in any other communication avenue. Some people generally say and do what they please, consequences be damned. Why would the Internet be any different?
  
  While I feel it is the right of every site owner, server admin and even "forum nazi" to run their slice of the Internet the way he/she feels it should be, a more general control or censoring of folks cannot and will not work. Who makes the general rules as to what is censored and controlled or what is not? What about things like community standards or in the case of the Internet, global standards for things like decency and morality?
  
  Ultimately, my stance on the Internet is the same as for television, radio, or any other communication medium. Let the individual channel/station/site owners decide what is acceptable and what is not. As a viewer/listener/participant, if I don't like what I'm seeing/hearing/reading, I'll change the channel or browse to a different site. If enough people share my opinion on the matter, that channel or station or site will go away. If not, I've still solved the problem for me and my family by not allowing that particular media to permeate into my home, car, or office.
  
  Which leads right back to self-control and self-censorship, not only of the individuals themselves but of what they choose (or don't choose) to consume.

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•   |64.231.87.xxx |2009-02-22 16:10:26 Malakov
  I was fairly vague in support of the idea for Internet moderation, I would tend to agree with you that it would be an impossible task, one where there would always be outliers.
  
  At the same time though, even the media forms you listed such as television and radio, have some sort of discretionary system to warn viewers or a board of control to dictate what is or isn't allowed.
  
  The futility of trying to impose a system on such a free place as the web would be pretty immense, but serving as food for thought more than anything, it would be nice to see more people taking moderation and censorship into their own hands.

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