Information rich and poor

XSIQ
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Geography - Information rich and poor

Information rich and poor

Information is still an unaffordable luxury for much of the world

In China, in early 2000, the government has become wary of the freedom of
information and services available on the Internet. The government has
started to monitor Internet usage in an attempt to censor their people's
access to information. Obviously, to any country which has internal civil
disputes or particularly strong censorship of opposition political parties,
the international dissemination of information on the Internet can be
damaging to their international reputation. Groups like the Kurds of
Turkey, the Karen of Burma, the Chechnyan fighters and the opposition in
Malaysia all have Internet sites which allow their views to be made
available to the world.

The government of any country can be embarrassed by Internet reports of
massacres, assassinations, harassment, beatings, bombings, censorship or
discrimination against any opposition groups within the country

Prepare a table which identifies and compares the positive and negative
impacts of two of the following global phenomena; Internet, tourism, green
politics, global warming, sea level change or a topic you have studied in
class.

From your study of global phenomena, do you believe that human or natural
phenomena have greater negative impacts on people and places?

From your study of global phenomena, do you believe that human or natural
phenomena have greater positive impacts on people and places?

List four factors that may influence the politics, global warming, sea
level change or a topic you have studied in class. Explain why you have
selected these factors.

To identify and compare the positive and negative impacts your table
should look something like this;

Internet
Tourism

+ve
Ready access to information
Provision of global purchasing power
Advertising of products globally
Censorship free news serviceIncrease understanding of foreign places
Provide jobs at a local and global scale
Improve services
Increase income for poor countries

-ve
Ready access to pornographic material
Ready access to gambling services
Access to often incorrect information
Access only available in wealthy countries
Transmission of viruses
Access for hackersSpoiling beautiful places
Causing environmental problems such
as waste disposal, clearing forests or
mangroves and finding water supplies
Making traditional cultural practices
into stop overs or attractions
Reducing access to local inhabitants

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