Driving Forces

I'm ready to put this blog to use, I'm going to talk about driving forces effecting the internet. There will be a lot of unanswerable questions as what I'm going to say is perhaps informed speculation.

Today in class we threw many ideas around, too many to perhaps relay here with any degree of success but i will try my best.

Lets begin with social networking sites, this tool has a detrimental effect on how we socialise, share and consume media. Yes it may be a tool where by you simply fill in a profile and then search for hot girls, but in reality its so much more than that.

A whole new culture has been created, an element of casual interaction and voyeurism. Its a secretive method of communication and consumption, we share a space with other users yet we don't come into physical content with them, its convienent, casual and private. Once we become friends with user's on a social networking site we can see how this person changes and develops over time.

We don't so much ask how someone's day was as we are free to view there online space whenever we please. Has her page content changed? has a friend voluntarily filled out a survey inadvertently satisfying my curiosity? We now understand and learn things about friends we wouldn't otherwise think or ask about in person. Its almost as if there's the illusion that the content a user submits wont be seen by others, but in reality the information is shared far more than first life gossip.

Its inevitable that integration will be a major factor in terms of the development of networking sites. Video content, mini game applications and instant messaging may all fall under one roof and in real time, all in just one space, your favourite music playing whilst instant messaging friends and browsing others.

So what happens when the build up of content clutters our online space?
will there be a time when we no longer find social networking enjoyable or useful?
what are the effects on face to face communication?
Can social networking sites be a positive influence on society?
Will today's youth suddenly grow out of this cyberculture movement?
Are we aware of our diminishing privacy?