Can cyberspace be cluttered with trash and is it biodegradable?

On Monday, a lecturer from my university days wrote this on my FB wall...

Are you a blogger now? Everyone seems to have something to write. So cyberspace will be cluttered with trash but thankful it is biodegradable...

Of course I would have replied to the first question and further concurred with the second. But the statement "So cyberspace will be cluttered with trash but thankful it is biodegradable.." stunted my usually quick reaction to reply anything on my FB wall.

I wasn't angry at the statement she made, but it kept me thinking. She could be right, but she could also be wrong.

For two days, I kept the status as it is. I do not know why, but I simply could not answer her, as if the statement is so BIG and it made me dumbfounded.

I asked myself again, will cyberspace be cluttered with trash and is it (blogs or any write-ups on the internet) truly biodegradable?

First I would agree that cyberspace can be cluttered with trash if the contents of the blog or a certain write-up are filled with insignificant things, trashy materials and malicious lies about others. And this includes excessive politicking, promoting bias and injustice, racial intolerance, religious bigotry, finger-pointing or backstabbing others and the like. 

The internet is like any other medium or publication, be it print or any other electronic publications like TV, film and radio broadcasting. Wrongly utilized or used excessively, it can backfire and become a hindrance to peace, harmony and democracy.

Is it biodegradable? Meaning if we want to reduce clutter in cyberspace, can we degrade all the thrash material by deleting or reformatting them?

First of all, the term biodegradable is usually used with another word -- waste -- as in biodegradable waste. This type of waste typically originates from plant or animal sources, which may be broken down by other living organisms 

According to wikipedia, the origination of the word comes from Bio-degrade or Biodegradation

Another word usually used with it is -- matter -- as in biodegradable matter. Biodegradable matter is generally organic material such as plant and animal matter and other substances originating from living organisms, or artificial materials that are similar enough to plant and animal matter to be put to use by microorganisms. Read the whole article here

So, can the word 'biodegradable' be used to describe the point raised here?

Nope! 

Is it a misnomer?

Yes, I suppose!

So, what's the correct word?

If you are talking about computer data -- it can be deleted or formatted. But if you are talking about materials written on the internet, it can be ignored by not accessing the web-page, as usually you are duly warned of the contents by the name of the page.

Be mindful of what you are reading. And if you accidentally did (access it), you can ignore it by not reading them. But if do want to read them, be very skeptical of the contents. Verify everything you think is dubious with another website that is credible. Try not to access any website that you think is offensive or sensitive to your belief.

For example, if you are offended or sensitive with write-ups about politics by bloggers, try not to click on anything that has a political connotation, blog or wordpress on the URL/address.

So, the correct word that should be used is either "IGNORED or VERIFIED" or both.

"So cyberspace will be cluttered with trash but thankful it (the contents) can be ignored or verified.."

And may I add..by right thinking, well-informed and educated people.

Unfortunately, not everybody can be well-educated, as having a well-rounded education nowadays can be very pricey. 

But thankfully, with the dwindling cost of owning a computer and accessing the internet, one can surely be well informed. But that depends if you know how to (verify them). 

So, that's my "short" reply to my dearest lecturer, Ms Monica Chn'g. Thank you for being my teacher and helping me develop my critical mind into someone who likes to think out-of-the-box (although it does not usually work).

p/s: please do visit my FB and write on my wall once in a while. I do appreciate that. Thanks.