The New WWW

According to an AP article posted in SiliconValley.com, “Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday banned the latest generation of mobile phone services in Cambodia to curb the dissemination of pornography.” Of course 3G provides essentially broadband speeds to mobile devices making them capable of displaying high-quality video and images in the privacy of your own pocket.

The prime minister’s wife launch the call for consideration stating in a petition the the obscene images present “gravely negative consequences for social morality” and could increase the “sexual exploitation of women and children and other vices that would cast our society as a very dark one.”

Prime Minister Hun Sen agreed with his wife stating that while Cambodia is still unable to cope with pornography on the Internet, “how can we go for video phones?”

My point is not one of prudishness, but suggesting, like Cambodia’s PM, that we stop and think about what we really want. Really want.

While we’re looking at the overlap of technology and relationships, I bumped into this on a blog the other day. It seems there are lots of variations on the theme and unclear authorship, but the wit and analogies are cutting. How about this one as an example:

Wife 1.0 is a great program, but very high-maintenance. Consider buying additional software to improve the performance of Wife 1.0. I recommend Flowers 3.1 and Diamonds 2K. Do not, under any circumstances, install Secretary with Short Skirt 3.3. This is not a supported application for Wife 1.0 and is likely to cause irreversible damage to the operating system.

According to the article Internet undermining marriage in theage.com.au, “new university research shows as many as 50 per cent of people dabbling in online romances are already in relationships and many are having multiple affairs.” A poignant remark:

Spouses generally strayed online when intimacy and communication broke down in their off-line relationships.

Notice the human need for intimacy and communication, but then opting for an easy virtual replacement. Also interesting is the reference to “off-line relationships” as if they are on par with cyber flings. As technology brings “opportunity,” humanity, perhaps, needs extra exercise in “character.” I think it was Shakespeare’s Macbeth who said, “I dare do all that may become a man. Who dares more is none.” A tricky time to be alive.

The New Scientist reported recently on a new study of links between playing viloent video games and subsequent agression. Quoting from the article, “A brain mechanism that may link violent computer games with aggression has been discovered by researchers in the US. The work goes some way towards demonstrating a causal link between the two – rather than a simple association.” Of particular interest are the findings related to EEG measurements after compensation for participants’ pre-existing tendency to violence. According to lead researcher, psychologist Bruce Bartholow from the University of Missouri-Columbia,

“As far as I’m aware, this is the first study to show that exposure to violent games has effects on the brain that predict aggressive behaviour.”

The point is not to “just say no” to video games but to empower children to do the hard work of making choices. Another, comprehensive analysis of related research is in the aNew3Rs.com database (or go to it directly: Violent Video Games: Myths, Facts, and Unanswered Questions).

The New York Times ran an article today (I Screen, You Screen…) stating how music videos have evolved from the exclusive domain of MTV to a more suitable delivery method on the Internet. This is essentially recapping how things like YAHOO – Launch, myspace.com and iTunes Music store now allow music lovers to watch “Whateverâ€? videos they want “Whenever, Wherever.â€? A few choice quotes:

“Online, you can superserve the audience,â€? he says.

I couldn’t resist the “SuperSize Meâ€? analogy to this new phrase: “superserve.â€? See if it becomes a buzzword.

Another little quote tossed in :

Dave Goldberg, general manager of Yahoo! Music, adds, “Not counting porn, music video is clearly the most popular video content online.â€?

Like, “Oh, by the way…â€? And then there are the staggering number of music video viewers: “Visitors to the Yahoo site watch more than 350 million videos per month.â€? And so porn would be MORE popular than this? And we will all get it Whenever, Wherever we want? On phones? On mp3 players? PSPs? Does anyone feel that our red-blooded, appropriately hormone-charged teens are at risk? And of course, music videos never use sexual imagery or inuendo to entice youth into the Candy Shop…

The best alternative to “Amusing ourselves to deathâ€? is the “Joy of Learning.â€? And this is where we come in.