Web Publishing for Journalism, Spring 2015: 2015

I believe the web is a place where people feel they can escape and express themselves openly, free from government interference. Its rise to fame was providing the opportunity for people to create, innovate and share thoughts with anyone in the world. The Virtual Revolution gave us the, sometimes forgotten, insight to its roots. From the basic text-only pages to having the ability today to share a video with someone we may never meet, just shows the true power and ability of the open web.

Virtual Revolution Response - Andre Monteiro

The film reminded me of a debate that took place in Brazil when Congress discussed a bill regulating the Internet in the country. Before that, the regulation of the Internet was based on resolutions issued by a government agency. But under pressure from different groups, Congress discussed the issue for four years and finally passed the bill and the rules entered into the Brazilian Civil Law system. The main innovation of the law --which is considered the "Constitution of Internet" in Brazil-- was to ensure net neutrality, that is, the web connection providers should give the same treatment to all data packets traveling over the network, not importing content, origin or destination. You can check the complete text of the law here (original in Portuguese with English translation).

The Virtual Revolution

This video rightfully deserves this name as its title: the Virtual Revolution. This is because over the years, the internet has battled its way through generations of different ideas, people, challenges and struggles. It was intriguing to walk through its timeline and learn the series of problems and solutions the internet and web have created. For starters, the biggest takeaway from the evolving internet and web is how its effect on society has evolved as well. Initially, the web was created to connect easily different people from other places. This has been the most beneficial and revolutionary belief because to this day we rely on the web so heavily, it affects us in more ways than we can imagine. But the web took a turn as outside figures feel it must be monopolized or like with all things in this world it should have a line of power behind it to control it. This is a serious notion because since the web has so much interference in our lives, placing someone in charge of the web also puts them in control of your life.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Virtual Revolution

The Virtual Revolution film revealed the power of how the Internet and the web both work together to create a home of sharing and collaboration for its users. From the Internet's early stages, communities such as the The WELL helped define the online world. Today Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites have transformed the way users, especially college students, access information. Journalism students like myself have the web to thank for providing a voice and space to openly express opinions while also offering the ability to provide information to others. Although LimeWire, Grokster and other sites have come and gone, the Internet itself will never die. The Internet and web are revolutionary components to daily life and they will continue to shape the digital world.

Virtual Revolution

The Virtual Revolution film brought to light just how important the web is in our everyday lives. As stated in the film, the web is similar to human nature in that it has some good and bad parts. Most of the good includes giving us the ability to connect with people in an easier way, as well as providing a platform for the exchange of information, whatever it may be. Though the web was founded on the basis of having no authority and empowering everyday people, some feel that a lack of authority will allow the "biggest voice to shout the loudest." Many people worry that the web may fall victim to monopolization, limiting the amount and type of information available for users, and some argue that it has already began. Still, what can be agreed upon by most is that the web has revolutionized and enhanced our way of life.

The Virtual Revolution

The Web is more complicated than just logging onto your favorite social media and connecting with your friends. Although social connection sites were among the most prominent in its early stages, the Web has been used to amplify the power of individual voices and create equal opportunity for all that have access. While all of these opinions have a chance to be heard, there is still a battle raging over the hierarchal structure of the Internet. What should and shouldn’t be free? What is certain is that the power of the Web and Internet has forever reshaped mankind’s future.

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Virtual Revolution

You don’t have to watch Virtual Revolution to understand that the web has taken more power over our lives in the past few years. It’s a medium that has shaped the way we communicate with one another, and has even introduced new etiquette among web users. We’ve come a long way since the early 2000s when MySpace was the primary tool for college students to connect. Just a few years later Facebook was introduced, gradually kicking MySpace out of competition. With new ways of interacting, for example Twitter, the once powerful Facebook is no longer the elite source of communication. It seems as though websites just come and they go, but the web itself will never get out of date. The platforms it carries may dissolve away but there is no chance that the web itself will die out. It's essential for website creators to continuously be creative and innovative in order to keep up.

Friday, January 30, 2015

The Virtual Revolution - Lauren Schneider

In the Virtual Revolution, there several ideas and questions discussed, but perhaps the most pertinent question posed is, is the World Wide Web the 'great leveller'? The BBC documentary series notes that the internet began as a counter to government and power and an overall affront to authority. The advent of the world wide web has paved the way for what seems like equalizing opportunities for all, from major corporations expanding their businesses online, politicians bolster their campaigns, bloggers share their opinions with people around the world, and various forms of fetishes, both legal and not, are given a private forum in which to exist. So the good, the bad, and all that is in between is given an opportunity to have a voice in the online world. But as the documentary notes, just because you connect a country doesn't mean it will become equal, and I have to agree with that. We live in a world where everything has some hierarchal system, why should, or even, how could the world wide web be excluded from this? And there are outside factors which weigh into who has access to this resource to begin with. It's much more complicated than just connecting the world to the web and letting the equalizing process begin.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

The Virtual Revolution

Google, Facebook, Amazon, Ebay: are all larger than life companies, connecting millions of people together every day. In “The Virtual Revolution” these companies are regarded as monopolies of the web. In Western society, monopoly has a negative connotation; it is seen as something too powerful and detrimental to the idea of a free and open market, or in this case a free and open web. The definition for monopoly is the exclusive possession or control of the supply or trade in a commodity or service. These companies are not monopolies. Yes they hold a large part of the market but the beauty about the web and the changing of generations is that something new, shinier, and better always comes along.

Talk to anyone currently in high school and middle school and I promise, very few students will have a Facebook account. Facebook just isn’t cool to them; their parents, grandparents and teachers have accounts. Ebay and Amazon are able to connect millions of people to sell their goods but the newer site, Etsy, has found a niche for truly vintage items and homemade crafts and clothing.

These large companies have vast user bases but they do not have exclusive control of such services. They launched at the right time, they have a business model that works, and users support them and continue to do so daily. (I personally cannot wait for the reign of the House of Google.) While I do not see these websites dying out anytime soon (RIP MySpace), as the number of people with access to the web increases, new companies will find a niche or a new problem to solve, and they could be the next big thing.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Net Neutrality

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpbOEoRrHyU

Virtual Revolution Response - Will Cobb

The web as it exists today is much more of a fundamental part of life than it was in its early stages. The web is now the medium through which we socialize, learn and shop. As one of the last interviewees stated, the web is simply an amplification of human nature, including both the good and the bad. It does not necessarily enhance or detract from society. It is a universal tool for humankind, and like any tool, should not be judged without consideration for those that wield it.