Navigating Space: The Gatekeeping of Cyberspace.

 Navigation Story

The term cyberspace means ‘navigable space’ and is derived from the Greek word kyber (to navigate) (Dodge & Kitchin, 2001, p. 1).  Cyberspace broadens our socio-spatial range and introduces another dimension of spatial interaction.  Just as the world is mapped into political, economic and cultural territories (Dodge & Kitchin, 2001, p.1), so too is the Internet and online social networks.  In particular, Facebook provides a space/territory that participants attribute meaning and importance to.  In doing so, the site then becomes a place, a virtual community where people inhabit.  These places expand our home range and can extend across political, economic and cultural boundaries.  In our locality we perceive and understand where we are situated within our home range, our city and our country: Our place is known and constructed (Petray, 2013).  However, the extended online home range is a different medium of experience and may require a new social skill set to help navigate (Rheingold, 2012).

We continually navigate:  navigate our streets, networks, workplace politics and even our emotions.  To do this we employ a knowledge base, comprising of tools and/or narratives.  These tools have developed from socio-spatial interactions, the handing down of elder knowledge, ethos and understanding.  Rheingold (2012) was referring to librarians when he spoke of gatekeepers. Yet if we consider home ranges, elder knowledge and ethos as gatekeepers of how to navigate off-line life, who then, Rheingold (p.53) asks, are the gatekeepers of the online participatory culture? 

Technological interfaces have gatekeepers that map what is allowed/denied/controlled in a program (Jets3t, 2012).  However, when it comes to navigating information, misinformation and Facebook, where are the codes that are required to ethically participate?  Perhaps this requires oneself to become the gatekeeper.

As our online communities, networks and socio-spatial ranges broaden, our known maps and networks change.  Successfully navigating this place (Facebook), may prove challenging to achieve with our known narrative and knowledge base.

Reference List

Dodge, M., & Kitchin, R.  (2000).  Mapping Cyberspace [DX Reader version].  Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com.elibrary.jcu.edu.au/lib/jcu/docDetail.action?docID=2002446

Jets3t. (2012).  Gatekeeper Concepts.  Retrieved from http://jets3t.s3.amazonaws.com/applications/gatekeeper-concepts.html

Petray, T.  (2013).  BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, Lecture 3.  Maps:  Seeing and Representing the World.  [Power Point slides].  Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/

Rheingold, H.  (2012).  Stewards of Digital Literacies.  Knowledge Quest, 41(1), 53-55.  Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.elibrary.jcu.edu.au/docview/1076085514/fulltextPDF?accountid=16285

Image Reference

Meeks, Arone (Artist).  (2013).  Navigation Story [Image of painting].  Retrieved from http://www.cicada-trading.com/artWork.do;jsessionid=90E532635D7BA44155C2CDE9D796E62C?lang=en&artWorkID=449&artistID=132