History of Internet (contd..)

Date: 20/06/13

The concept of cyberspace

Let's see what the below mentioned website has to say about cyberspace.

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/cyberspace.html

Cyberspace is used a metaphor to assign the non physical world created by computers. The concept of cyberspace is an extension of the imaginary world. Online systems create an environment where one user can communicate with another through various forms like email, chat, video call and many more. The ideology which cyberspace carries is virtual in contrast to the physical movements happening in the real world. Unlike in real world, where there is movement in a physical space, in cyberspace the movement doesn't require any physical space.

To get a better understanding on cyberspace and virtual world, let's see what philosopher Karl Popper has described in his philosophy coined 'Popper's Three Worlds". Popper had splitted the world in 3 categories and they are as follows:

• World 1: The world of physical objects and events, including biological entities

• World 2: The world of mental objects and events

• World 3: Objective knowledge

So, World 1 and World 2 try to look into two different aspects. The World 2 objects are real but do not have any casual action on World 1. The Third World contains the products of thought.
The term cyberspace has originated with the help of internet, networking and digital media. In that context, there is another important term called Network Gatekeeping which needs to be discussed.


Network Gatekeeping

Let's try to analyze the Networking Gatekeeping Theory from the below mentioned website:

http://schrodingersdog.com/2010/07/01/network-gatekeeping-theory/

It states that Gatekeeping theory was developed by Kurt Lewin in the 1940s. It was later applied in many other fields especially it became very effective in print media. The editor of a specific newspaper has the full control to choose the news for publication over other news. In Network Gatekeeping Theory, the important attributes are:

• Gate: The entrance to or exit from a network.
• Gatekeeping: Process of handling and controlling the information.
• Gatekeeping mechanism: Various tools, technology or methodology are carried out to start gatekeeping mechanism.
• Network Gatekeeper: People, organizations or government has the power to control the dissemination of information in a network. 
• Gated: Entity which is subjected to a gatekeeping process