The Power of WhatsApp
On
Device Research, November 2013
Power is a word that far flung around a lot, is not a
uniform or continuous transmitted across tracts of space and time, it is always
constituted in space and time. Even
though power is constituted in space and time, but people do not take time to analyse
the relationship between power and geography. It is in this sense that Allen
(2003), suggested that geography makes a difference to what we experience as
power and to how it is exercised. (Kuttainen, 2017)
Look at WhatsApp for instance, the network I have decided to
analyse it has over more than 1 billion users around the world. It is freeware and
cross-platform instant messaging service for smartphones. It uses the Internet
to make voice calls, one to one video calls; send text messages, images, GIF,
videos, documents, user location, audio files, phone contacts and voice notes.
There is no definitive answer to explain the power of WhatsApp
but, as noted that authoritative and diffuse techniques needs to be blended
together in order to show the power and goals of network achievement (Allen,2003,p.7)
Now let us see how the power of WhatsApp has changed the world,
think about the cost we used to spend when communicating with our families and
friends through telecommunication and media companies, WhatsApp has introduced
free voice calls from anywhere around the world provided there is internet
coverage available to your smartphone. Although the power of big brother is
more powerful than anticipated, panopticon in today’s world are cameras that
take surveillance but according to WhatsApp, personal moment shared are
protected by end to end encryption so only you and the person communicating
with can access the conversation. Since I joined WhatsApp I have managed to
acquire the power to share pictures, images, links and documents and decide who
to see or share with them. Furthermore, the use of WhatsApp has allowed me to
make variable contacts regardless of the geographical location and time, as stated
that, "geography makes a difference to the exercise of power” (Allen,2003,p.1).
WhatsApp has the ability to connect to everybody straight through
calls, messages or video calls from anywhere around the world and easy to
operate even a person with little knowledge or no knowledge of internet can
operate WhatsApp compared to other social networks. However, WhatsApp like any
other social network is massively over centred and benefit group of people who
can afford buying smartphones but ignores low class group who cannot afford smartphones.
Moreover, WhatsApp can be incredibly useful tool to connect, communicate and even
powerful to share and promote good and bad things but has to be used in the
right way. http://theconversation.com/whatsapp-a-great-idea-for-mates-but-a-terrible-one-for-ministers-66991
Reference
John, A. (2003) Lost geographies of power. Blackwell
Publishing. doi:10.1086/428304
Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our
space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, lecture 2: Power.
(PowerPoint slides). Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au
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