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Social scientists like Elizabeth M. Reid and Marc A. Smith have compared the new virtual world, or cyberspace, with expanding into new territory like Americans «going West» to explore new land. Even if there is no indigenous population to displace, the fact that the virtual world is sparsely populated does not mean it is morally neutral. "Far from it.", states Smith.
"What already exists in cyberspace, the vast collections of data and
technologically instantiated systems of human organizations, are replete
with human interest and ends. We should no more expext cyberspace to be
exclusively a site of emancipation and self-realization than we should have
expected the new world to be." 1
Like in the old days of the «Wild West» the ethical standards of society are challenged. In all its idealism and «neutrality,» the anarchistic Internet is not and never will be morally neutral. The very anarchistic structure itself implies a moral value which on the one hand gives a certain freedom to everyone and set a standard of pluralism, but certainly also gives countless numbers of opportunities for bizarre, morally disgusting expressions of the human nature. Some of them are also considered illegal according to national laws and regulations.
Pornography and sex have already been in the focus of media and government, as well as extremist ideological and/or political groups distributing highly questionable material via the Internet. The question of censorship has been raised together with national governments attempts to restrict and control their users access to the Internet. These attempts at regulation and censorship have been strongly opposed by a majority of the Internet population which does not want an international «Internet police.»
Given its global nature, the Internet may be the first real opportunity
to realize the basic human rights expressed in the United Nations declaration
of human rights, to freedom of speech, religion, political opinion, etc.
One needs to consider how the basic value of freedom can be implemented
inasmuch as possible. Yet the Internet is also a local and national medium
which may interfere with national laws on moral issues such as pornography
as well as ideological and other issues. Retrieving, storing or distributing
such material from a server in one country may be considered unlawful by
the national government. Should this necessarily imply that other servers
located in other countries which do not have similar laws or regulations
must be shut down? It may be proven very difficult to consider the Internet
in a different way than for example satellite broadcasting. Essentially,
the Net is just another channel for sharing information on a global level.
However, the presence of violence and pornography on the Net is a challenge
to Christians as individuals and groups to oppose exploitation by humans
and sin in any form, and to model love and forgiveness through their activities
in «cyberspace.»
On a personal level, the visible expression of a Christian lifestyle in virtual communities will become ever more important. If we believe that the 10 Commandments are not «out of date» or invalid as moral principles in our personal lives or in society as a whole, we need to be consistent in our ethical values for the Internet community. It cannot be claimed that the acts performed on the Net are not «real» and therefore do not have consequences for our everyday life in a human society. Sexual conduct on the Net is not only a matter of stretching moral limits in a world «out there» but has severe implications on real interaction among humans in «real life.» 2 Life on the Internet is in no way morally neutral.
A Christian presence on the Net also implies a clear witness of a holistic
ethical and spiritual lifestyle. In a virtual community where values are
constantly challenged, shaped and reshaped, an inclusive, loving and mature
Christian life is and will be as strong a witness as in real life. It definitely
has profound opportunities for influencing people's real lives. The intimate
and affective attitudes in many virtual forums may provide unique opportunities
for deep-level impact from active believers living out their faith also
in the virtual world.
Furthermore, in the flux of the virtual world (like in the human-made characters in the fantasy-created MUD-worlds), a consistent, holistic concept of moral integrity based upon objective values as they are given in the Bible may present a new way of evangelism through postmodern fairytale communities. Friendship evangelism through MUD's, newsgroups, e-mail lists etc. is definitely a new opportunity for presenting the really good news of everlasting truth. In a postmodern context the Christian alternative proclaiming objective, constant values and not relative, individual one may provoke hostility and strong emotional reactions because it opposes the modern dogma of «tolerance.» Nevertheless, this may be needed to communicate a real alternative in a marketplace of different religions.
It is far beyond the focus of this article to write a textbook in ethics
for the virtual communities. However, some issues are apparently hot topics
and can serve as good examples of how we need to address ethical questions
in the virtual societies.
«Internet addiction» has already become a known
problem. Howard Rheingold refers to a conversation with a French authority
on the Net, Michel Landaret.
"In 30 days, there are 720 hours. How many hours would you say our
first addict spent online in 30 days?" Landaret asked me. I figured
that a truly obsessive user could devote about half that time to chatting
online, given time for meals and normal sleep.
"520 hours," he finally declared grimly.
"What is the maximum number of hours that a single person can spend
in front of a terminal without leaving it to drink, eat, or sleep?"
was Landaret's next question. I guessed a few hours, five or six maximum.
"The maximum we recorded was seventy-four." 3
Dealing with «Internet addiction,» one must remember that this is basically not any different from TV addiction or any other obsessive behavior connected to whichever medium available. The possibility for misuse must not dictate governmental or other «regulations» or «rules» to be enforced explicitly on the Internet population.
Yet, in a Christian context, we always need to consider the theological
implications of destructive influence, also from computer technology. As
human beings. we are created in the image of God and our body is a temple
for the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16). Also, in a very spiritual sense, we have
a responsibility to ensure that our souls are not neglected but may be kept
blameless until the Lord Jesus returns in glory (1 Thes 5:23). Especially
in a highly «technoficated» society, it becomes vitally important
to take time for the needs of the soul. As Thomas Moore writes,
"The soul needs an intense, full-bodied spiritual life as much as and
in the same way as the body needs food. That is the teaching and imagery
of spiritual masters over centuries." 4
Another hot topic is the use of false information on the Internet. False identities are very common in certain virtual communities using IRC, etc. This behavior may consequently also imply a much greater use of false information on the Internet as a whole.
According to the Sixth GVU WWW User Survey, 63.1 percent said that they
had never provided false information to a site while registering, while
3.4 percent preferred not to say. Still, a total of 33.5 percent admitted
having provided false information, although not very frequently (less than
25% according to 66.5% of this subgroup). The survey reveals that one out
of every three persons more or less frequently provides falsified responses
on the Internet. This seems to be an indication that certain moral rules
of good conduct may become less important on the Internet. Since it was
the first time that these questions were asked, we have no real information
about the trend over a period time. Yet this question will certainly be
very interesting to observe in future research.
The result of this survey is more than adequate to emphasize the importance
of a clear Christian witness within the constantly changing communities
on the Net. Especially in virtual reality, the influence of people living
out a consistent moral life, not influenced or determined by whichever tool
one is using, will constitute a continuously challenging alternative that
ultimately may transform ethical values in the virtual world - as it has
done in many societies in the real world.
Endnotes:
1 Mark Smith, "Voices from the WELL. The Logic of Virtual Commons." Paper by the Center for the Study of Online Communities, Department of Sociology, University of Los Angeles, CA, 1992. Available from http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/soc/grads/smithm/ smithm.htm; Internet.
2 See Dibbell, ibid.,380. Turkle writes that "many
people who engage in netsex say that they are constantly surprised by how
emotionally and physically powerful it can be (1995:21). She reports on
how one girl who had lost her right leg was able to accept her real body
after making virtual love. But she also reports of broken marriages as a
result of
sexual affairs in cyberspace.
3 Rheingold, The Virtual Community: homesteading on the electronic frontier, 228-229.
4 Moore, The Care of the Soul, 228.