Seminar Debate: The Internet is NOT a Public Sphere

The topic for the debate on Wednesday (19th October) was ‘The Internet is NOT a Public Sphere’. Here are the key points from the debate.

Team 1 - Spoke for the topic
Chosen Model: The Normative Model
While engaging with the internet, people retain their individual identity - internet usage is still very much a private activity for most people and the sense of being part of a public doesn't really come into play. The question of discussions, debates and finding supporters therefore does not arise at all. The internet to most people is just entertainment, an escape from the pressures of the real world. In fact, for precisely this reason people don't want to engage in any public activities online because that would remind them of the real world.
The team's witnesses claimed that they had no interest in politics and being emotional they did not want to engage in any public movement. They believed that the internet was solely for one’s private use and while they did read posts on social/political issues, they were never goaded into action by them. The internet was for them, by and large, a social medium to connect and interact with friends.

Team 2 - Spoke against the topic
Chosen Model: The Normative Model
The internet is the most accessible medium today. There are no obstacles to its use and it is widely available. Considering the time people spend on the internet and the messages they come across, it is hard for people not to be political. Everything is political...if one comments on someone's status update on a socio-political matter or even 'like' it, they are indeed making a political statement.
The witnesses claimed that the anonymity accorded by the internet made it possible for people to assume whatever identities they wanted to and therefore be free from judgement and fear. This nature of the internet made it ideal for debates. The ability to get immediate feedback was considered to be another factor that contributed to the internet's appeal as a public sphere. The team cited the example of the Green Movement in Iran, the success of which was almost completely attributable to the internet.

The Judges
Chosen Model: The Descriptive Model
From the arguments put forward by both teams, the case for the internet as being a public sphere was deemed stronger. Citing the example of the recent London riots, the question was also put forward as to whether the internet was growing to be a counter public sphere?