Dear Editor,
We live in the era of convergence. Information is fluid and is available to many by simply clicking a button. Convergence has made multimedia technology available to mass users worldwide. As a result, I can live in Dubai and be kept abreast with all the developments in Guyana even as they unfold. The Blackberry, iPhone and all the third generation smart phones come with features and applications that put the internet in the palm of your hand.
Social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube allow for the easy dissemination of information. On the internet, a lot of information is passed virally. Hence there are now new marketing theories that focus on Viral Marketing.
Many times I have had heated discussions with persons concerning the use of the internet and would ask the following questions: Who owns the Internet? Who regulates its content? The true answer is no one. The internet is basically a technology that allows information to be transferred through cyberspace. The internet is not owned; websites are.
I strongly believe that if one creates a website for a particular purpose, then it is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that the integrity of that website is maintained. Stabroek News has a website that deals with news. Therefore it would be highly illogical and irresponsible for Stabroek News to be selling footwear on their website. Stabroek News is not in the sports apparel business.
I raised that hypothetical example to highlight a very disturbing encounter I had with a Guyanese website www.gtvibes.com.
Those of you who have the time to follow the Gully-Gaza interaction in contemporary Jamaican Dancehall Reggae music will know of Vybz Kartel, otherwise referred to as the ‘Teacher’. Recently Kartel claimed that he lost his Blackberry phone after a number of pornographic pictures were virally spreading across the internet. Many entertainment sites on the internet had stories on the photographs, but the pictures were censored. Even YouTube had some of the pictures posted, but they were all censored. However our very own GT Vibes website carried a similar story, but the pictures they used were not censored. How unprofessional, unethical and morally irresponsible can people get. (Accessed on Sunday 28th March, 2010; http://www.gtvibes.com/article_index. php?articleID=2014)
For the almost 10 years since it has been in existence, I never knew that GT Vibes was such a site. I thought they specialized in highlighting and promoting local entertainment and talent. This disgusting display of irresponsible and reckless journalism is sickening to say the least.
While no one owns nor controls the internet, it is still the responsibility of Website owners to ensure that the content they provide meets the ethical standards of society. Information posted on the internet knows no geographical boundaries. Therefore one must ensure that proper journalistic responsibility is exercised at all times. Moreover, the owners have a moral responsibility to their sponsors to ensure that unsavoury connections are not established. Is this how we want Guyana to be portrayed? Do we want our local entertainment and talent sidelined because of this breach of journalistic ethics? I should hope not.
I hope the owners of the GT Vibes Website find it fit to issue an apology to its followers and remove the offensive pictures from its Website. GT Vibes has come a long way from its humble beginnings. I don’t believe they should squander their hard work through reckless sensationalism.
Yours faithfully,
Richard Francois
Dubai U.A.E