Is The Active Audience Still Passive?

Over the past few weeks we have focused on the many ways in which journalism has evolved. We have talked about the increasing role and validity of citizen journalists. We've talked about how the audience is no longer just a set of eyeballs passively consuming news. And we discussed expanding sphere of legitimate debate in regards to privacy. While discussing the pros and cons of these factors, it was argued that such changes in journalism has actually allowed for a more honest debate (in any given topic) and has disseminated more power to the people.

Snowden's leak was an iconic moment in history and a disrupting moment for the government, corporations and journalists. Since the leak there has been changes in the way journalists communicate with their sources and it has also given hope to other whistleblowers to want to become sources. We, as a class, have expanded our knowledge on the issue of privacy and have been provided with a few encryption options to combat the mass privacy breach we've recently learnt about. But how many students our age, or everyday Americans, know what we know? How many would be convinced that they should also use encryption? It just seems that while some -- mainly journalists -- are deeply invested in this issue and fighting a daily battle against higher powers, the masses still haven't caught on or are convinced that this is an issue. It seems that only those who have an invested interest -- journalists, the government, corporations, online providers -- care.

As noted in class, google searches in relation to the leak focused on what Obama had to say on the issue. However, an article by Motherboard sites a study that found a "chilling effect" in google searches post-Snowden leak.

According to a new study of Google search trends, searches for terms deemed to be sensitive to government or privacy concerns have dropped "significantly" in the months since Edward Snowden's revelations in July. -Alex Pasternack 

This shows a general awareness and an overall care from the public, but is this care being expressed in the wrong way? Are we turning back into that passive audience? Caving into a state of obedience at a time when we should be becoming more active? This is one of the main arguments centered around the leaks and one that Glenn Greenwald makes in his ted talk, "Why Privacy Matters." 

I just can't seem to shake this feeling that we haven't come as far as we thought. At this point, unless the masses, the active audience, stands up against corporations, our feat for more power will fade away.