Paper Summary:

While the expansion of the communication industry (i.e. telecommunications, broadcasting, and internet) has made it is easier for individuals to communicate and network internationally, company owners have used it to surpass the rights of members of society, consequently blurring the line between communications and advertising. The author of this paper argues that there should be clear guidelines and rules when it comes to promoting access to communication products and to prevent any restrictive monopolies or oligopolies that may emerge.

From the Paper:

"Technology over the last century has changed dramatically, creating new opportunities for social growth in society, since a major part of cultural expression is the intercommunication between individuals in a society. Before the creation of communication products and services, the capabilities for the dissemination of information and networking were quite limited. Most times, individuals would have to be physically present at gathering places or residences in order to speak to others in person; however, with advancements in the field of communications such as telecommunications, broadcasting and internet, distance no longer matters. Individuals are able to connect, collaborate and participate with one another over whole regions of space, and through blogs and social networking sites such as Facebook, people now have access to more forms of information delivered in more formats than ever before. Unfortunately, however, with the expansion of the communications industry, there has come another dilemma: The interests of owners have surpassed and overwhelmed the rights of individuals and members of society and have blurred the line between communications and advertising. Even sites such as Facebook, which have created new possibilities for social growth, have come under fire for their blatant disregard for user privacy. In fact, the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC) filed a complaint in 2008 with Canada's Privacy Commissioner, alleging that Facebook has been deceiving its users by failing "to inform members of how their personal information is disclosed to third parties for advertising" and by neglecting to "attain permission from members when disclosing their personal information".2 Even though they portray themselves as a social networking site, they are "in fact a commercial enterprise that is about sharing and using the personal information of its members with advertisers and third-party application developers"2, a dilemma which holds true with many other forms of communication. Since communications products are highly lucrative opportunities for commercial enterprises, there is a "direct relationship between the revenue of these firms and the number of users and their users' value as a target audience for marketers" . "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bates, Regis. Donald W. Gregory. (2007). Voice & data communications handbook. McGraw-Hills Company.
• Charter for Innovation, Creativity and Access to Knowledge. Retrieved from http://fcforum.net/charter_extended
• Jackson, Brian. (2008). Facebook accused of violating user trust, breaking Canadian Privacy Laws. Retrieved from http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/home/news.asp?id=48629.
• Lorimer, Rowland. Mike Gasher, & David Skinner.(2008). Mass Communication in Canada. Oxford University Press.
• Mack, Mary Bono. China's Internet restrictions and censorship hinder economic growth. 2010. Retrieved from http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/technology/78729-chinas-internet-restrictions-and-censorship-hinder-economic-growth-rep-mary-bono-mack

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