Online Communication: The Church Can Help
ONLINE COMMUNICATION: THE CHURCH CAN HELP
23/11/20
By: Mia Copeman-Hill
You could call the
internet a different planet. By the click of a button, the whole world is at
your fingers.
The digital world is a
place of citizenship and connection. To put it simply, a definition can be
“changing the place we work.” (DigiLeaders, n.d.) Although we can easily live
and learn without the help of our good friends “Google” and “Instagram,” the
internet is an effective, efficient and simple way to assist our needs and
wants.
57% of the world have
immediate access to the internet daily leaving 43% without. This split is known
as the “digital divide.” The divide can be assessed by an individual’s age,
education, status, location, policies or beliefs (Medium.com, 2017). When
associated with digital communication, the divide negatively links to the
reality of the internet: it doesn’t necessarily bring people together. On the
other hand, the internet allows many to become present in certain global
politics and involved in our rights as humans. For example, the recent
presidential election in America. Thousands of Non-American citizens around the
world hung onto their seats waiting for the result because of the news woven
throughout the internet all year. If it weren’t for social media or the
internet, this news wouldn’t be available for as many people and, when
associated with digital communication, is positive.
This year, 2020, the
Black Lives Matter campaign and protest (BlackLivesMatter, 2020) became extremely
relevant, especially after George Floyd was murdered for no reason. This made the
significant Catholic Social Teaching (CST), Solidarity, prominent worldwide as
many joined together to fight for their brothers and sisters, regardless of
their differences (Caritas, 2020). The event helps to prove that by influencing
prominent CST’s into our daily actions, we can assist major events and demand
justice. Through countless posts and reposts, dispersed all over the internet, the
whole world proved that, when working together, we can accomplish great things
and make necessary changes (Pew Research Centre, 2020).
Making it Real (MIR) is a booklet made by the Australian Catholic
Bishops Conference (ACB) that states the Churches stance on digital problems. In
the section “Loving Your Neighbour,” MIR gives the example: the Parable
of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). As people who have easy and immediate
access to the internet daily, we need to influence the Common Good upon others
no matter our privileges. Pope Francis always encourages young people to “pass
from virtual contact and instead offer good and healthy communication” when
online. MIR is a great source of information for us to learn about the conflict
we can encounter online, although it doesn’t necessarily provide tips regarding
being affected by negative online experiences. If you are dealing with a negative
online situation and need support or help, local churches and government action
groups usually offer online websites which provide services and help to anyone
who seeks it (ESafety, 2020).
The online world is
full of positives but it is suggested to keep your eyes open as the internet
isn’t always the greatest world to be a part of.
If you see anything
negative or morally wrong on the internet be sure to tell someone or report it.
By doing this you are helping the online world improve. Have you ever
experienced something negative online and have you done something to resolve
the problem?
Be sure to leave a
comment down below or follow me on Instagram for more updates.
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