When man first discovered the flame, it forever changed our way of life. When used responsibly, it has enhanced our way of life. Through time, trial, and error, we have learned to harness fire responsibly and create "heat harnessing tools" like the candle, stove, and steam, which utilize and maximize the benefits of heat. Concurrently, however, "the flame" presents an all too real danger. Therefore, we created information and practices to minimize the damaging and harmful consequences that accompany the mishandling of "the flame", and successfully, over time, we have globally communicated a respect for "the flame".
Today, it is no secret that fire can cause widespread devastation, both physically and financially, and yet it is difficult to imagine anyone who does not use some form of "the flame" in their everyday lives (i.e. hot water, a candle, or even a controlled bonfire). The point is, the concept of "if you play with fire, you will get burned" is a uniform and globally understood social concept communicated to us as children to minimize the dangers to ourselves and others from misuse of these heat harnessing devices.
As our understanding of how to maximize the benefits of "the flame" grows, we continue to create new and enhanced "heat harnessing" tools. However, as our tools evolve, the one component that will remain uniform is the understanding of how to respect and utilize the heat component of each of these tools responsibly.
Parallel to mankind's creation of new and innovative ways to harness heat, is the evolution of digital technologies or "digital tools" like computers, cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players, digital (video) cameras, web cameras, websites and more. Similar to "the flame," these digital tools enhance our lives and are used and relied on heavily. Each digital tool (a cell phone, computer and so on) by itself is like a flame-less candle or unplugged toaster...harmless. Digital tools, however, are no longer harmless once they are "lit" with a hard drive or digital memory card, which the Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication (a.k.a. I.R.O.C2 or "I Rock") has dubbed, the 21st Century Flame.
According to I.R.O.C2, current and future digital tools like the cell phone, digital camera, computers, websites, etc by themselves are not dangerous. There is no difference between handing an unlit candle and a digital camera with no memory (card) installed - they are just tools created to enhance our lives.
Once you apply a flame, however, to that candle, or a digital media card (21st century flame) to that digital camera, you now have a very dangerous tool IF the individual using it does not understand all of the potentially negative consequences that can occur from irresponsible or malicious use of these tools.
In general, as a society (young and old) we have a healthy respect for "the flame" and understand the repercussions of "playing with fire," because we have been taught from a young age the dangers of fire and how to handle it responsibly.
Unfortunately, unless this lesson is applied to the "21st Century Flame," our (current and future) digital society will have little to no idea about the vast, life altering, and irreversible repercussions that will befall all of us should we not utilize all forms of digital technology responsibly once they have been "lit" with a "21st century flame".
It is vital we all become "2.1C certified" as soon as possible as rapidly evolving digital technologies continue to be massively distributed to our planet's digital citizens.
If you do not understand, comprehend, and believe that everything you do with ANY form of digital technology is public and permanent, and you do not have a respect for the "21st Century Flame," or "2.1C", you will get burned!
The Institute for Responsible Online and Cell-Phone Communication
Office of the Cyber General
New Jersey
877.295.2005
http://www.iroc2.org
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