Shadow and darkness are not far from it. The internet makes no exception. A few years ago, a young woman, not far from where I live, was so unhappy about her life that she searched the Internet for someone to commit suicide with. And with millions of users it is no wonder that she found one. She teamed up with a guy from Denmark, went on a plane and flew to Norway, where both jumped from a high mountain. They did not meet each other in a Bar or on the street; they met each other and even found the location to commit suicide at a place called “Cyberspace”.
This is truly a sad story. I guess there are many more stories like that and there are also horrific stories, such as the one man from Germany that searched the internet to find someone he could eat. He was also able to fulfil his fantasy. Some might remember the news headline back then, talking about the cannibal of Rothenburg.With such stories, some might say that the Internet is a sick, dangerous and pervert place and therefore should be restricted, that certain websites should be forbidden. And if this would make the world a better place, I would be the first one to pull the plug. But who has the right to say what is right and what is wrong? The truth is that such restrictions would not change a thing, in the year 2004 it’s too late for that. The Internet has grown too much.
The more interesting question for me is “Does it makes people sick and pervert?”I would say no, but I have to admit that it makes being sick and pervert much easier. Google, Yahoo, MSN, we all use them to find things we need for work, for university, or simply a recipe for our favourite cookies. But those search engines are used at the same time to find things we wouldn’t even think about. Just like a knife can be used for cutting tomatoes, and at the same time to kill someone, the Internet can be used to do good and bad alike. I guess we all have to live with that fact.