Internet not an anathema for democracy

To answer Sunstein's question, "Is the Internet really a blessing for democracy, " I would have to say that although its role as a blessing can be debated, it certainly is not an anathema for it. In order for the filtration and fragmentation present in this new media to become a threat to democracy, we would all have to live hermit-like lives. Every day we are bombarded with information, wanted or not, from numerous media sources. Many people cannot even look outside their window without seeing some sort of media message. Even if we only choose to look at specific web sites that share our beliefs, views, and interests, we still encounter people each day who would disagree with us. It is simply not possible for a new information source, such as the Internet, to pose such a threat to democracy. Instead, it allows us, as members of the audience, to practice our democratic rights, gaining more knowledge and information about the topics that interest us.