Erasing @race

In Beth Kolko’s Erasing @race, Kolko examines the effects of cyberspace on race. Kolko tells of how computer programs use calculated data to build virtual worlds, and many times the data collected does not involve race. Information that can be seen such as age, race, and gender cannot be seen in virtual reality and therefore makes the internet “raceless” and “irrelevant or homogenous” according to Kolko. Some of the negative effects, Kolko argues, of not being able to claim a race is that an “ideal” user is made to fit all characters and therefore makes race “irrelevant or homogenous.”
Kolko argues this claim buy telling of how the “ideal” user character in an interface always seems to be white. The way an interface builds a character is through the use of data entered into a computer by a character’s user. While the interface itself does not ask what race a user is, the Kolko believes the interface does tend to build a “self-replicating and exclusionary category of “ideal” user, in some very particular instances of cyberspace, is definitely a white user.” By putting information about age and gender together with a user’s writing style, interface programs segregate who talks to whom. Even though the program does not ask for its users to declare a race, Kolko believes that race is assigned through interface programs.
It is interesting to see how the internet and computer programs can be used to segregate groups of people. Everyone who uses the internet can be put into some type of category based solely on race, age, gender, etc. I never understood completely what Facebook activity was about until reading this article. Facebook, much like interface programs and RPGs, does not directly ask for its users to declare a race but yet it can construct groups of people.
I feel that the internet or technology for that matter is not designed to be discriminatory against anyone, but rather it can be used for discriminatory purposes. Internet programs such as facebook or video games such as Halo were not designed to oppress or discriminate against others but rather to keep in contact with others and for entertainment. Yes it is possible to search for different races or genders on the internet through sites such as facebook, but is that truly discrimination?

Facebook

For my Facebook profile assignment I looked at the profile of a white female student attending BGSU. Based on her pictures, she appears to be both mentally and physically able and middle class, she participated in Dance Marathon and her clothing is typical of today’s college students. She did not provide her age or birthday but she is a freshman so it is a safe bet she is 18-20 years-old. She appears to have a diverse group of friends added to her Facebook including many African Americans and Hispanics. Her friends are diverse but the comments people leave her are from mostly white friends and over 90% of her pictures are with other white friends. Under her activities she states “hanging out with mis amigos” which shows she has an interest in Spanish language or friends of Spanish ancestry. While her friends show she enjoys learning about different cultures, her interests show that she is middle-class and white. Her favorite TV shows are That’s 70’s Show and CSI, two shows that I do not follow but believe are directed towards white middle-class teens and those in their mid-twenties. While she does have a diverse group of friends, it appears that her closest friends are mainly white possibly because of her status.

I'll Take My Stand in Dixie-Net

In Tara McPherson’s I’ll Take My Stand in Dixie-Net, McPherson examines why people support the Confederate ideology over the internet. McPherson examined the phenomenon and refers to these actions as “Cyber-whitening.” Cyber-whitening represents the belief of internet users that Confederate south will once again become an independent nation. McPherson attempts to explain why there are groups who use the internet and attempt to make it white.
McPherson starts to explain early in her article that “neo-Confederates” use the internet to preserve the heritage of the Confederacy. According to McPherson, Those who attempt to preserve Southern heritage are predominately in two different classes. The first is white males between the ages of eighteen to thirty and the second class is forty-five to sixty-year-old group. Most of the sites have information on the civil war and merchants, but McPherson discloses that some of the websites have an area in which they report so-called “Heritage violations.” Heritage violations according to McPherson generally are reports of removing Confederate images. While some websites just inform Confederate supporters information on “Heritage violations,” other website offer information on the ideal that the South envisions another succession from the North. On one website that McPherson came across, McPherson described a map that had the original eleven states of the Confederacy in Confederate grey and the rest of the states in the United States filled in with a different color. Furthermore, McPherson discloses that she feels, “a new Confederacy and a virtual secession at precisely the moment that black Americans are moving to the South in greater numbers than they are leaving it for the first time since the Civil War.” McPherson also notes that many of those who are part of this virtual-Dixie believe in “Lost Cause” sentiments. These sentiments are used to remember the Civil War through celebrations such as “Civil War Memorial Day.” These celebrations show there is still Confederate pride. One may wonder why anyone would want to build a virtual Confederacy. Well by building a virtual Confederacy, McPherson believes supporters will be able to regulate who is included and can discuss the South and its heritage. In other words they are attempting to segregate the internet.
It is clear to see there is an attempt to rebuild the Confederacy, but not in reality. Rather through the internet Confederate supports are able to hold on to the beliefs of the South and discuss their beliefs with others without outside interference from anti-defamation groups. I feel this is disturbing because there is potential, although unlikely, to segregate the internet. Here is an example if the internet would become segregated. Time Warner, for example, would sell internet service in two different packages based on race. The white customer would receive high speed internet and free roam to any webpage while the African American customer would receive the dial up internet, be charged the same price for the lesser service, and be limited to what websites he/she could view. It is clear to see there is still a want for the South to be an independent nation and that is very troubling.