IM: The Cultural Divide

We use Instant Messaging all the time. It has reached a point where it has become so reliable in the Philippines that we use it not only to chat with friends but also for work functions, such as meetings and business conferences.

In our country, the software of choice appears to be yahoo messenger. Practically everyone uses it. Even in work places where YM is prohibited, people would take the risk of opening up their meebo* accounts if only for the chance to slip in a reply to what has become a messageboard conversation.

My bias for communication will allow it. No big deal. It’s all good.

But there's a problem: YM is not the only messaging software in town.

There was a time when I met law students from Malaysia, China and Hong Kong. I looked forward to chatting with them once they got home. But as I was about to add their names to my contact list, I realized from their calling cards that not one of them had a yahoo account. I found out later that no one really uses yahoo in their respective social circles. They all used MSN.

In fact, there are cases when I met people who have not heard of yahoo at all. Take the case of Korea for example. Koreans use the Korean language in all aspects of their culture. As such, they are not comfortable with the English language and have developed their own messaging software called NateOn. NateOn is a Korean messaging software that uses Korean characters. And since a lot of people in Korea prefer to communicate in Korean, everyone is forced to use NateOn, even those who speak excellent English. I am thus no longer surprised whenever I meet a Korean who has not heard of yahoo messenger.

This fact brings about the issue of cultural divide in technology. The difference in culture breeds incompatibility between computer programs - and vice versa. Internet is supposed to be a venue for communication and convergence. It is thus ironic to find aspects of it that create lines within the Internet populace. It is a problem that runs counter to the concept of connectivity, one that works to the inconvenience of the end users.

I am curious as to how technology will adapt to solve this problem, as I am almost sure that it will at some point. The problem is against the nature of the Internet, and I am sure that the Net, as the great phenomenon that it is, will prevail. Until then however, I will simply have to make do with opening multiple messaging programs, sacrificing speed for versatility, until such time when a more direct solution is available.

Elgene L. C. Feliciano


*meebo is a web messenger that lets you access instant messaging software through a website