By the end of this article, you should have a clear understanding of what Web 2.0 actually is, how it is effecting our society and you should be able to conclude whether this is a good direction to be heading in or whether such changes can and should be avoided.
Society is the environment in which we live. Society is made up of individuals and it is collective thoughts, morals and beliefs that guide the way in which society moves forward.
Today’s society shows great interest in how technology can help the human race to live an easier and more enjoyable life. Technology has always been invented as a means of creating an item or completing a task quicker than a human being can, saving both time and energy. It now appears that technology is not only helping with us with difficult, labouring tasks but it is now changing the way in which we interact with each other, effectively changing our social-live’s. But is this a positive or a negative advance?
So, what is Web 2.0? And what does it have to do with our society? Firstly, Web 2.0 is a concept thought up by O’Reilley Media in 2004. Web 2.0 is often referred to as “The second generation of the Internet”. Web 2.0 is concerned with developing websites in such a way that they are able to grow as a result of their visitors. Example of Web 2.0 sites are Wikipedia, Google, Ebay, YouTube and online social communities such as Facebook, Myspace and Bebo. Web 2.0 websites are normally ones which have been created after 2000 that allow their website’s visitors to interact with each other and contribute to the way in which the website operates.
Our fast paced society is embracing the Web 2.0 concept as a means of making life easier. Web 2.0 has affected many areas of how we once lived, making processes such as searching for information, shopping, banking, resource sharing, cultural awareness and communication much more easier and quicker. New generations have now become so accustom to using computers and the Internet, there are concerns arising over whether our continued and obsessive use of them are causing, or going to cause, any problems with health and social interaction.
These concerns lead us to wonder whether our society is benefiting from the new culture that Web 2.0 is creating for us and what these benefits actually are. After realising the pros and cons of Web 2.0, it may be possible to decide whether we are benefiting and what Web 2.0 has affected in our culture already.
When the Internet first launched it was meant as a means of communication and file sharing. This is something that has continued into the ‘Web 2.0’ age.
E-mail and static information on web-pages is no longer the only means of communication through the Internet as it once was. Many new forms of communication have been created and developed in the last ten years or so. Instant Messaging is one form of communication that has seen leaps and bounds. Chat rooms, which were once all the rage, have been replaced by application such as MSN and Windows Live. Traditional Bulletin boards have been replaced by social networking software such as Myspace and, more recently, Facebook. Text messaging is quickly developing itself as a new comer in the hybrid technology market, allowing free text messaging through online software.
It is such new technological advances that are making it easier for individuals to keep in contact with friends and family… with many people now moving away from their families to seek better opportunities it is often the case that constant communication is expensive and impractical. The new generation of the Internet is making it much easier for communication to be fluid with already existing technology. Mobile phones have been developing as a means of communicating through many media types. Since the invention of the telephone, the phone first became mobile and included the text messaging capabilities that we are now fluent with. After this came E-mail capabilities which will allow you to e-mail an individual through your phone’s network provider, after this came video capturing capabilities and this is now a popular means of communication, although, a slightly more expensive one – for now. Web 2.0 is encouraging new websites to integrate hybrid technology into the foundations of their existence. You can now connect to the Internet through your mobile phone and check your e-mail, change your Facebook status (to let people know what you’re currently doing, thinking or feeling) and search for information. Society is constantly becoming more and more reliant upon technology as a means of communication and Web 2.0 is encouraging this.
Social exclusion is one area of ‘Internet social integration’ that needs to be considered. Even though access to the Internet has become more widespread, and continues to do so, there are still some that afford the access costs. Is it fair that these people are being denied access to resources that others take for granted? As well as cost, other issues are arising such as technological skills. As the Internet is a fairly new phenomenon, there are still those who lack the knowledge and skills of how to operate the new technology, this is particularly seen in the elderly. New generations appear to be embracing the Internet, however, there are still those that lack the capability to apply the new technology to their lifestyle.
Is encouraging the youth to spend time using computers the right idea? It is apparent that a strong knowledge of the Internet and how it works is important for the future, but are children able to break away from traditional ‘gaming’ habits. Parents are now starting to see computers as a means of helping their children with their homework and allowing them access to information more easily without having to leave the house to visit libraries. The Internet is able to make children aware of the world and what is going on in it. However, is this what the children see? Children know that the Internet holds endless opportunities to play new games and watch new cartoons and online TV shows (which are becoming increasingly more popular). Are they now becoming social-performers with regards to convincing their parents that they need a computer for their studies, when in fact they are using them for entertainment purposes? Is the new species of Internet website encouraging people, especially children, to spend more time on their own in front of a computer? Could this be effecting their behaviour and social skills? In some aspects, yes, it is encouraging people to spend more time in front of a computer, but we should perhaps be taking other issues into account.
Being anonymous allows people to be themselves without having to put on a front. The Internet is allowing the sharing of information that people my usually be too embarrassed to share by means of ‘support groups’. These support groups can allow people to be more confident with any issues that they have and know that they are not alone. When in history has it been possible to do such as thing with strangers?
The economy has definitely been affected by the Internet, especially the ‘Web 2.0’ generation of it. Media and marketing appear to have gone through the most changes as a result of the Internet as it has allowed many opportunities that have not been afforded to other industries. Popular websites have the ability to sell focused advertising on their website. This means that the marketing industry is able to sell in areas that were not in existence 10 or so years ago, this has fundamentally created a whole new industry of targeted marketing.
Some information has now become more valuable than physical goods, and it is certainly the case that many intangible goods are more expensive than tangible goods. Intangible goods do not experience any damages as long as their original files remain unedited, therefore, the goods will not reduce in value outside of competition and inflation. Intangible goods sold over the Internet also, more often than not, mean that the provider will gain a 100% return on the goods as there is not normally a cost to them for the information. The fact that more developed countries are now focusing on information rather than technology means that lesser developed countries may now have the opportunity to catch up. Some countries, such as South Africa, are now seeing the gap in development closing bringing them into markets which were once dominated by countries whose focus has now begun to change.
Is today’s society becoming so involved and integrated with the ‘online world’ that it is no longer socially aware of the ‘off-line’ world? The lines of the online and offline world are becoming blurred. We are now becoming dependant upon the Internet as a means of communication and it was this realisation that fed the hype over the ‘Millennium Bug’ – the concept of which was that if all computers were to shut down, would we be able to re-adapt to the world as it was twenty years ago? The economy would collapse as all banks now store their information electronically, most money may not even exist in the ‘real world’, however, it allows many people to live luxurious lifestyles as a result of what the computer says they ‘have’. If all computers were to vanish over night, would new generations be able to interact with each other to the extent that they do? Would they be able to adapt to how it once was?
Culture is changing as a result of the social abilities that the Internet grants us. What was once taboo and unheard of is now common knowledge and acceptable, in some instances. A more information, socially aware culture has been bread by the information age which Web 2.0 feeds. As a result of this new culture, many individuals have found their place in society and been able to accept who they are and how they live. Homosexuality is one topic that has seen reform in social acceptance due to Web 2.0. The Internet has become a place where people with specific interests can exchange messages, and it is this support that allowed many homosexuals to accept themselves and campaign for their rights and acceptance as human beings.
The barriers between many countries has been slowly brought down by the existence of the Internet. Individuals from many different countries can now interact and share their interests with ease. Web 2.0 can only further enhance this capability.
Rob Shields states “information is made available regardless of social and cultural boundaries”. It is not possible to police the Internet thoroughly due to it’s vastness. Information can be reported and removed, however, it may simply re-appear in another virtual location.
Rob Shield’s comment may be applied to many different topics. Each country has different governing laws regarding the Internet and it’s use. What is illegal in one country, or state if in America, Canada or a larger country, may not be illegal in another, or it’s issue(s) may be governed in a different way. One example of such an issue is Pornography; the age of consent differs around the world and it is difficult to regulate the media available. However, due to the controversy that such issues caused, the content and it’s available has been generally accepted as long as it is legal in the country in which it is viewed.
Is it clear that due to Web 2.0 websites are going to continue along the hybrid technology path. The online and offline worlds will continue to become even more blurred meaning that society will continue to grow even more dependant on technology than we already are.
Availability and ease of access to information cannot be a bad thing in the world of education, Web 2.0 will continue to be welcomed in such environments. The world is becoming even more fast-paced and it will be an asset to any company to be able to complete tasks more quickly in order to keep up with their work load. Web 2.0 will continue to be welcomed in this environment.
Exposure to inappropriate sources is something that will be difficult to eradicate. This may only be done through new ‘hosting’ laws being put into place, however, there will always be some individuals who ignore such laws and will continue to upload illegal content to their servers.
Due to Web 2.0, our society has seen many changes. Some cultures may be glad of the changes caused by it as it has helped them become accepted, the education environment is being reformed as a result of it and new industries, providing more jobs, have been created because of it. Web 2.0 has already caused so many good changes in society, bringing families and friends closer and making their lives easier. Can this really be a bad thing?
- Holloway, S.L. and Valentine, G. (2003) Cyberkids : children in the information age, Routledge/Falmer.
- Joinson, A. (2002) Understanding the psychology of Internet behaviour : virtual worlds, real lives, Palgrave Macmillan.
- Keen, A. (2007) The culture of the amateur : how today’s internet is killing our culture and assaulting our economy, Nicholas Brealey.
- Lax, S. (2001) Access denied in the information age, Palgrave.
- Rheingold, H. (1993) The virtual community : homesteady on the electronic frontline, Reading, ma : addison-wesley.
- Shapiro, A.L. (1999) The control revolution : how the internet is putting individuals in charge and changing the world we know, Public Affairs.
- Shields, R. (1996) Cultures of Internet : virtual spaces, real histories, living bodies, Sage.
- “Tell me the future” (2007) The Guardian, Monday, December 03, p.1
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