SUBCULTURES

Subcultures

                Subcultures are cultures that are outside the mainstream.  The mainstream culture has a tendency to support the status quo.  With the rise of cyber space subcultures can develop with little risk of the people involved becoming discovered.  Yes, we all have digital footprints but there is the element of anonymity that cyberspace provides.  You can say anything with in in reason and be anyone you want and if you do it carefully enough you will not be found out for what you are.  Since subcultures often times disagree with the mainstream population this element of anonymity serves the purpose of those who wish to be unique in their acceptance of government and corporate strongholds.  Many of these individuals express themselves through the internet and other technologies others go much farther and actually commit cybercrimes.

  Cybercrimes actually can range from hate inducing speech to credit card fraud and identity theft.  Any type of subversive activity can be found on the internet.  For example there are web sites that fish for personal information so that they can use that information to invade a bank account that is not theirs.  There are web sites that promote all types of adherent sexual behavior.  Including but not limited to child pornography, incest, and other taboos. 

 Crime and subversive criminal practices are similar as technology becomes more sophisticated so does cybercrime.  Cybercrime requires more technological advances to assist in the control of the offenses made against the unsuspecting victim.  One of the more recent applications available to the general public is an application that will change your voice and allow the perpetrator to register a different number when they call.  For example a man calls using a women’s voice from what appears to be A Domino’s Pizza Parlor.  He can say that you won a pizza but he needs the credit card number to pay for the tax and delivery charge.  The call will actually register for the Dominos store when in fact the caller is just trying to get the card information so that they can use it for themselves.  This is just one of the scams that the subculture of cybercriminal can use in their arsenal to get personal financial information.

   There are legitimist means of voicing ones opinion if you do not agree with the structure and principles of government and corporation.  One of these methods is blogging.  Blogging is not really a subculture anymore because of the diverse topics that are communicated on the World Wide Web in this media.  Blogs are a form of writing that expresses the views of others on line.  Blogs can present oneself in a persona that is acceptable to the author.  Unfortunately blogs can be factual or primarily fiction.  That depends upon the writer and their need to present facts that have been verified.   Blogs are only as good as the writer regardless of the focus of the blog.
            Webcams are an extension of the blog.  The technologies of self-representation can now use the Webcam adds to their autobiographies.  What does this mean the Commentator can show who they are as well as tell who they are?  They can also tell and show how others are.  Many people have been captured on phone video and their secrets have gone viral.  Reality TV could be considered part of the webcam sub-culture.  Webcam sites run by women have gained popularity in the last several years.  Many of these sites are run by women as self-representation.  Women can decide to place themselves in pornographic situations but they control what they present to the world.  This is a way of altering gender power whether it objectifies women or not.

            Hacking is another undesirable sub culture of the cyber world.  Hacking represents a more dangerous form of sub culture.  The computer and Internet generate a more novel threat to individuals, corporations, and nation-states.  Person details may be stolen and sold to third parties, emails can corrupt your hard drive by spreading viruses and messages/information without any truth may be spread by placing them on websites.

Stealing identities by stealing a password can allow a person to steal an entire identity.  Cyber stalking has resulted in cases of child molestation.  Many hate groups such as whit supremacist and extreme right –wing groups run hate campaigns using the Net called cyber hate.

        

    New technologies bring new methods of perpetuating subversive subcultures.  The technology comes first, the abuses second, and finally a way of dealing with the abuses third.  The legislation for the restriction of internet offenses is not yet a part of our world.  Many do not want regulations because they feel that our first amendment rights are being violated.  Others want controls on everything.  There is one thing for sure to keep up with the subversive subcultures there must be some type of controls levied upon the internet community.