Virtual Revolution Movie
Feb 18, 2010 Comments Off
“the internet has become our brain”- while I agree that the internet is capable of an incredible number of functions, i still think its important to remember that the individual is key to making the internet function. Yes, the internet can solve math equations and search newspaper archives, but without an individual to order these operations nothing would occur. Individuals need to have sufficient educational background and understanding of the internet to know how spell (to use search engines) and understand how use technology’s different functions.
“Wikipedia is becoming the most important information source in the world“- My high school was very anti-Wikipedia because anybody can create or edit an article, regardless of factual knowledge. I find it interesting that so many people are willing to trust such a site as it is not completely trustworthy. However, I do think my reaction to the site is similar to that of the man who said he hates it yet he uses it every day. Though I know that every time i use Wikipedia for information the facts I am getting could be completely wrong, deep down I still assume that the information I’m getting is factual. For me, the ease in using Wikipedia outweighs the possibility of getting false information.
“You can control what they believe if you can control what they have access to”- I think this quote embodies the idea of conformity created by the Internet. When people become completely dependent on the internet and use it to get all of their information, they are all exposed to the same sources. And while the internet is more expansive than we can imagine, some cites are certainly more popular than others, and chances are that people will use many of the same sites to get their information. As people conform to using the newest and most popular social networking sites or technologies, it makes it easier and easier for companies to force information onto their users.
the online world should be a world of sharing- I think the concept of ownership in cyberspace is interesting because in reality, even the most personal things that somebody could post on the net are neither private nor “theirs”. Anything posted on the internet can be viewed by other people online. However, even people’s actions when using the internet are no longer private. Regardless of whether somebody posts on an online site, their path can still be traced by other people. In my mind, there is essentially no privacy in cyberspace. Regardless of how much people try to erase their trail, I feel like the most sophisticated technologies can retrace their steps.
over 90% of blogs created a few years ago are now dormant- I would assume that this shift is most likely due to the growth in popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. While these sites, like blogs, also allow individuals to post their thoughts and connect with other users, they provide the option of instant communication. Facebook has merged social networking with instant messaging, allowing individuals to chat directly with their friends who also happen to be online at the same time. I feel that people as a whole are impatient, and when presented with the option for instantaneous results, they will take it. Therefore, while both Facebook and a blog allow an individual to post and share information with his network of cyber friends, Facebook extends the individual’s abilities.
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