(Image over the headline changed on 2023/08/31)
Once upon a time, it was added the influence of the Press to the “Three Powers” which should be operative in any true democracy – Executive, Legislative and Judicial – as the old Montesquieu referred to them. Newspapers have been considered since then on as the “Fourth democratic Power” in a metaphoric sense.
Then they came the Radio and later the Television, both media which, despite their undoubted influence, nobody has ever dared to separate from the Press, enclosing them three under the “Fourth Power” umbrella.
Now, we are living a quite different phenomenon. It is at everyone’s reach, wholy democratic, provided that one can afford it, interactive. This phenomenon is called The Internet.
Multiple developments for this modern digital tool, such as social networks – Facebook, Twitter among others – the email along with mobile phones give citizens an huge power, a power as never experienced before.
All these developments put in the hands of almost anyone a revolutionary weapon, which can give the fret with long-established political systems, because with the Internent in their hands people can push together for their reform.
Social networks have played an important role in Barack Obama’s campaign, who has become into the first President of the EEUU with Facebook and YouTube dwellers’ blessing. His “yes we can” was adopted as a flag by Internet users in the five continents. Obama was voted for the presidential elections at the States, but also, and till boredom, thoughout that online archipelago, that Internet is.
Now we have before our very eyes what is happening in Egypt, despite the efforts by the established goverment to prevent contagion, through the ISP close and subsequent communications cut. This cut was able to hinder the access to Internet, but hardly to supress it totally. Nobody can put doors in the fields, especially when it rains on wet.
The case of Tunisia is recent as well. And when I am writing these lines, it comes to my ears that the Cuban Government has launched a counter-offensive on the Internet, fighting with the same weapons to face the messages against Castro’s regime which are spread throug the Net from the United States. At least that’s what the Cuban government says.
Citizens are aware of the huge possibilities offered by Inernet. Governments know this also, and know it for good and evil. Companies use and , at the same time, show respect for the Network among networks.
Although, as it happens usually, advantages and disadvantages come thand in hand.
Absolute democracy brings what it brings with, that not all citizens of the Internet archipelago act with respect to their fellow Net dwellers. Because Internet can become into an actual reputation disposer, when not into the best tool for a bank account thief. And those here above are just two examples.
The ability to communicate at a large scale, Internet’s inherent interactivity and the subsequent influence and dragging power that the Net generates is more than proved. China, Cuba, Egypt and other “Big Cyber Brothers” have taken note, and this is not “a witches tale” either.
Given the scenario described above, shouldn’t we consider the citizens of the Internet archipelago as the “Fifth Power” and act bearing this fact in mind?
Image over the headline.- Women using their mobile phones to capture and share whta’s happening in social networks while participating in the demonstrations against Hosni Mubarak’s government in Egypt on 5th February 2011. Image by Mohamed Adel through Wikimedia Commons. To watch the original photo and the terms of the lisense, click here.
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IJMA3 urges the Egyptian Government to fully and immediately re-ensure complete connectivity
