I think that Russell’s point about essential workers is quite interesting and one I hadn’t previously considered. The Internet and access to it are a privilege. I feel like the internet is so normalized in the US, to the point that many people are trying to get away from it, that we forget just how lucky we are to have such a resource. Although online school can be draining, it is really quite incredible to think that even a pandemic can’t stop school and work from happening thanks to the internet. I think that this pandemic has created more appreciation for essential workers, but society still fails to acknowledge the limitations that come with a minimum wage job. Internet and computers/phones are so expensive, some students may not have access to school during lockdowns. My aunt is a teacher in a low-income elementary school, where children were given the option of going online or coming back in person. Every child at the poverty line had to come into school, because their parents couldn’t afford to take off work to watch them during the school day. Many of these kids didn’t have access to the internet either, so online school was never an option, placing them at more risk for illness.
Russell also mentions an argument that states that the internet holds no one accountable. I think this is absolutely not true, specifically for celebrities. People will go through celebrities Tweets/ videos from ten years ago, looking for something offensive to cancel them for. People hold celebrities accountable for things that they maybe shouldn’t be accountable for anymore- society has come a long way in 10 years. That being said, the internet is also great at holding celebrities accountable who should be held accountable. One example of this is James Charles. James Charles (21) recently came under fire for messaging underage boys yet again. He has apologized before but with few consequences besides losing a few subscribers. This time, however, he admitted to his crime. His YouTube channel has since been demonetized and he has lost a lot of his sponsorships and brand deals, and his products have been pulled from many stores. This has happened to James before, and he has always recovered. Perhaps the internet is not good at sustaining accountability, but at least there are consequences for incorrect actions.