The 11 September attacks shocked us all. And the Net bore the burden of our collective emotions as millions jumped online to watch the breaking news, contact loved ones and share their grief. Kim Gilmour reflects on how the Internet united the world on that terrible day.
Internet Magazine
Nov, 2001
The World in union. (opinion piece)
By Kim Gilmour
The terrorist attacks in Manhattan and Washington have numbed us, but the sense of community they generated online was amazing.
And for the most part, the Net didn't fail us, supplying us with seemingly limitless information and support spanning the globe.
Though often thousands of miles away from the US, millions used the Net to find out news as the terrible events unfolded. More importantly, we went online to share our pain, fear, anger and horror through email, chat groups, messageboards and instant messaging services - proving what an important communication tool the Internet has become.
But sadly the Internet is again under the spotlight for its supposed "involvement" in the co-ordination of the horrific attacks. What will this mean for our digital privacy in the future? Much of the media and the FBI are creating hysteria by warning of a surge of vengeful 'cyber-terrorism' attacks. I'm not saying we should get complacent, but it's possible governments will take advantage of the paranoia to justify laws that would make online surveillance even more oppressive than it already is.
A disturbing opinion from The Daily Telegraph's defence editor, John Keegan, on 14 September said: "The World Trade Centre outrage was co-ordinated on the Internet, without question. If Washington is serious in its determination to eliminate terrorism, it will have to forbid Internet providers to allow the transmission of encrypted messages Uncompliant providers on foreign territory should expect their buildings to be destroyed by cruise missiles. Once the Internet is implicated in the killing of Americans, its high-rolling days may be reckoned to be over."
It's excellent that police were able to find a wealth of electronic fingerprints left behind by suspects, but we too must remember where we tread online. Following the attacks, it was natural that thousands of frank online debates ensued about what subsequent action the US and its allies should take. But when we pour out our most personal thoughts to strangers on a messageboard, we're on the record.
Unprecedented amounts of jingoistic Americans will do anything to help. For some, that includes giving up their civil liberties. But we have the right to demand that criminal investigations are done ethically and professionally, and that a code of practice, like the one that's finally been drafted to complement the controversial RIP Act in the UK, is adhered to. We cannot surrender our online liberties.
Let's recall what the Net really did for us on that fateful Tuesday.
The first email alert came into my Inbox from CNN at 8.52am New York time: "World Trade Center damaged; unconfirmed reports say a plane has crashed into tower. Details to come."
Ironically, at that stage my New York-based boyfriend hadn't heard the news. As soon as I'd contacted him he turned on CNN and kept me updated via ICQ.
With the CNN Web site showing an unbelievable photo of a gaping hole in one of the towers, we soon learned this wasn't a hoax. As events unfolded, instant messages were hastily, incredulously, tearfully exchanged. A huge community was soon mirroring relevant information on the Web. Even the coldest of corporations did their bit to assist in the days following the terror. And online marketing almost vanished! Annoying X10.com pop-ups were replaced with links to how you could help.
For me, the Internet worked as a discussion medium. It helped me get things into perspective as this historic disaster unfolded. My mate Phil set up a Web site expressing his condolences - all he felt he could do. My friend Gabi in Argentina emailed her emotions to faraway friends. Highly personal accounts popped up at sites like World New York (www.worldnewyork.com).
The Net also eased the burden on clogged Manhattan phone lines - email was indispensable for finding out whether people were safe.
Most of all, the Net allowed us to purge the utter shock from our systems. It let us witness the world's reactions and add our thoughts to the passionate discussions. We weren't physically there, but the Net transported us to the scene, bringing our emotions together.
Decades from now, we'll be asked where we were when these terrorist attacks occurred. I was glued to a monitor, furiously typing away to distant folk, but I found myself connecting with them as I tried to grapple with the tragic events happening before my very eyes.
Let's hope the Internet's community spirit endures forever.
Kilm Gilmour is Internet Magazine's reporter.