Internet Real Name System

     Online privacy and freedom of speech are still controversial. I don’t agree with internet real name service. People who agree with it assert that real name system helps to create a sound online environment. It means that people are reluctant to post malicious comments on websites. I think internet bullying problems could be prevented by applying a system which censors or filters some bad words when people write a comment on a website.

     One serious problem that internet real name system causes is data spill, leaking personal information. This problem has already happened several times. Korean tends not to take data spill serious, but it is a really serious thing. I think the Korean internet environment is quiet unique. We are required to provide excessive personal information when we join a website. Some people think there’s nothing wrong because they get used to it for a long time. However, as websites have personal information, it is more likely to be target by hackers. The result is what we’ve seen so far, Nonghyup and Nate problems.

     Furthermore, internet real name system infringes freedom of speech and freedom of expression. One major characteristic of the internet is anonymity. Compared to other countries like Libya, China, or North Korea, South Korea is really safe and don’t have many serious social problems. So Korean don’t realize the importance of internet anonymity. But in many countries, internet is playing important role to practicing social justice. And to do this, anonymity is really important to protect people.

     So, I think accept some run by government or banks, websites shouldn’t apply internet real name system.

Social Commerce

I’m an everyday user of social commerce. I like it because I can buy a ticket of a wide range of products or services from cosmetics to restaurants at an inexpensive price. However, social commerce makes me have a personal problem. Social commerce is also a kind of shopping, so it is addictive. I check and visit social commerce site every day to see which new deals come out. And they send me a daily email catalogue and keep me informed. Therefore, it is problem that if there are some good deals which I’ve wanted to have or been interested in, I buy a ticket on impulse although I really don’t need to have that now, which is definitely unplanned shopping. On the surface, it seems that I save money, but actually I overspend, and plus, I’ll even spend money in the future because sometimes I should pay extra money when I use a ticket.

Social commerce has both of advantage and disadvantage, and I see that it depends a lot on a type of the products or services or who a ticket seller is. People could buy things at a discounted price, but on the other hand, sometimes that discounted price turns out not to have any merits. In addition, some restaurants offer great services and a great food, but some don’t. I’ve heard many complaints about this problem. Of course, social commerce should pay more attention when they make partners and provide a good deal to consumers. But at the same time, consumers also should make a good choice and spend money wisely for themselves.

We can see this ‘social commerce trend’ from the viewpoint of corporations, sellers. For sellers, social commerce is a marketing strategy. They want to build consumer awareness about their products, but is it really working? When I use my ticket, sometimes a seller whines that it is a losing business. And they are not sure that there are potential buyers who make a purchase in the future. It’s because a seller provides really good products or services, consumers wait a better, cheaper deal coming out. In other words, similar products and services keep coming out on social commerce, so consumers don’t need to buy things at the normal price. There are already gloomy pictures of social commerce. I really wonder how long this trend goes and how it is going to be developed in the future.

Marihuana

     In the presentation, Marijuana is better than cigarette at all aspects. Presenters said Marijuana doesn’t damage people’s health and doesn’t lead people to death. However, in many countries, Marijuana is classified as a drug and I think there must be reasons for it. So, I searched internet myself and found some problems of Marijuana easily.

     As far as I learned from the internet, Marihuana should be banned for several reasons. One criterion for classifying whether something is drug or not, is that it is a habit-forming or anaclitic. A habit-forming is psychiatric problem and anaclitic is about our withdrawal symptoms. Cigarette is a habit-forming, so it is not a drug. One of typical drug is delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol(THC), and Marijuana contains it. Although a person takes a really small amount of it, it causes hallucination. Presenters said Marihuana has no hallucination, I think it’s wrong information. It causes serious effects on brain. And there are so many kinds of Marihuana so that it’s hard for me to tell one by one and get right information.

     Marihuana causes memory loss, hallucination, depression, and committing suicide. In addition, I think people who take Marihuana once will want to take a harder one as time goes by. Marihuana definitely has harmful effects on our body. And if it is legal, it will cause many serious social problems. For example, smoking isn’t allowed for teenagers under 19, but so many young students smoke. If Marihuana becomes legal, young students want to try it. So, I think Marihuana should be banned in Korea.