A new advanced generation of Web 3.0 is supported by smarter websites, powerful mobile devices and incredibly fast speed internet. Providing Individuals with innovative ways to access data and new tactics for businesses, that are trying to reach out to certain consumers. The new Web is making peoples lives more convenient by giving the users exactly what they are looking for and predicting what the user wants to see next… scary right predicting our future actions? Just like when I’m browsing online every site I go on, a little side bar pops up to remind me I haven’t made that purchase yet of the dress I have had my eyes on for some time, trying to entice me to re-visit the page again and complete that unfinished purchase. This week we focused on the reading ‘Understanding New Media’ which is expected to lead to as understanding of changes and transformations in social processes, norms, ideas and practices. (Siapera, 2013).

Let’s take a moment to see how far we have really come in the worldwide web and the delevopment of collaboration and engagement:

Web 1.0: It is the “readable” phrase of the World Wide Web with flat data. In Web 1.0, there is very limited engagement between sites and users of the web. Web 1.0 is purely an information portal where users passively receive information without any opportunity to post reviews, comments, and provide any sort of feedback, how crazy right? Imagine in today’s society how different it would be not having the ability to interact personally on sites and provide your opinions and feedback!

During our class alongside my group we engaged in discussions regarding the breakthroughs of Instagram and how businesses utilise our data to assist in personalisation and customisation at a different level. As I discussed above regarding certain products I have searched on google appearing on different websites, similar situation occurs when I’m scrolling through my Instagram newsfeed and the explore page. I sometimes find the brand of the product appearing as a sponsored advertisement, sometimes its not the exact item however its connected to other products which I would also take an interest in. When you really think about it, it’s scary to contemplate how much of our personal information is being given to companies, but as we do it so frequently, it doesn’t seem like a big deal for us! Roughly we can see Instagram is well and truly around Web 2.5ishhh Instagram is well and truly on the way to the four drivers of change- which include, globalisation, digitalisation, personalisation, and mobilisation. It achieves the infamous sweet spot of mapping where we users feel acknowledged and are given total control. As well as improving the features accommodate more for the users and listen to what it is they really want.

Siapera, Eugene. Understanding New Media. SAGE Publications, London 2013.(pp.1-16)