money or time, anyone in almost any
place in the world can access the Internet
for knowledge, entertainment, communi-
cation, and other reasons. No longer does
one have to travel to a library, locate an
expert, purchase a book, send a letter, or
even reason out a problem for oneself. A
vast body of knowledge is readily avail-
able. Even when it is written in another
language, a translation can often be
obtained online. The ubiquity and accessi-
bility of information has made “I don’t
know, but I can look it up”the mantra of the digital generations.
The ability to communicate with people around the world is a source of cohesion
as well as polarization. Technology has enabled ordinary citizens to form and organize
groups quickly around a common interest regardless of veracity or social benefit. The
role of social media in the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings that occurred in part of the
Middle East is well known. The Internet and social media also played a critical role
in the 2013– 2014 “Euromaidan”protests, which ultimately drove the Ukrainian pres-
ident from office and set in motion the chain of events leading to armed conflict
between Ukrainian and Russian-backed separatist forces. According to one study,
Internet news sites and social media were central in the dissemination of information
about the protest and are believed to“have been highly influential—perhaps even at
unprecedented levels compared to prior protests internationally—in motivating peo-
ple and framing their protest claims.”^36 Unfortunately, IT is only a medium and is
unable to distinguish between use for purposes of positive or negative gain, good or
evil intent, or benign or malicious content. ISIS, for example, has employed various
modes of IT to distribute videos and messages intended to recruit converts, propagan-
dize its claims, and intimidate opponents. As a result, ISIS has been able to use social
media, especially Twitter, to create a virtual image that exceeds actual capabilities. In
a more positive vein, while almost 90 percent of the residents of Bell, California,
speak a language other than English, the city’s website relies on Google Translate to
translate city documents into 64 different languages.^37
The Internet has also launched“international classrooms”by allowing students
from different countries to meet for online discussions as part of formal class activities.
The“Global Class,” conducted by Durham College, is a “live 90-minute class
between [sic] four countries, typically three different post-secondary classes and a guest
speaker.”^38 During these classes, the role of intercultural communication becomes
especially salient.
In some instances, media technology is also leading to a more polarized society,
particularly in the United States. The availability of varied information sources on
the Internet is enormous, making it quite easy to find material that confirms and soli-
difies almost any conviction. One author ably described this unfortunate trend:Out in cyberspace, facts are movable objects, pushed aside when they don’tfit
beliefs, political leanings or preconceived notions. Everybody’s an expert. The like-
minded find each other and form communities online, reinforcing their biases and their
certitude.^39CONSIDER THIS
The use of social media networks has expanded far beyond
private citizens and now includes government officials, cor-
porations, nongovernmental organizations, and government
organizations. For example, in early 2015 the U.S. Naval
Academy held an important debate on the future of aircraft
carriers. The debate was broadcast simultaneously on
Twitter.^3516 CHAPTER 1•Intercultural Communication: A Requirement for the Interdependent Global Society
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