Week 3: The Network
Web 2.0 has for sure took over the traditional media outlets. Every thing we do now concerning the internet is all multi-integrated. For example, recently Facebook bought Instagram, so now Facebook has the ability (and does) target user’s ad space with even more accuracy through major marketing companies by collecting data on both the apps.
One of the 4 insights that stuck with me was ‘User Generated Content Affects Us All’. After having a discussion with my friends over iMessage, we discussed how much data we actually all have online and how we have such limited access to how companies use it. So users are aware companies collect our data but the only thing we can really do is manage our cookies.
Ease-of-use is definitely an important part to the development of user generated content. Our days and lives are so busy, we wouldn’t give our limited time and attention to things we find difficult. This is why traditional media outlets have explored being online and the rise of social media and specifically user generated content apps in the 21st century. One of these apps include Tik Tok, an application i use myself, as it’s very easy to create videos and share them with my friends and strangers that also create their own videos. No one taught me how to use the app, i applied my own logic and understanding of other apps to figure out the logistics. Also, it is very easy to make our own memes across the web. We can use apps such as Twitter to share memes across the world, connecting us to so many people with similar humour. This is such a benefit of the internet as without it, lots of people wouldn’t have these experiences that might make their day positively interacting with people.
It is correct to assume media making and sharing has an exploitative edge.
“Between the dawn of civilsation and 2003, 5 exabytes of data was created. That much information is now created every 2 days.” (Youtube, 2014, 2:20)
This quote proves how much data we collect and how much material companies have to access. They are flooded with our free data that we give away without a second thought. Through learning about this week’s topic, i am reminded of the brilliant documentary, The Great Hack on Netflix.
It looks at how the data company, Cambridge Analytica collapsed after it was discovered to be mis-using Facebook data, using it to impact the voting of the UK Brexit referendum and U.S. 2016 Presidency election of Donald Trump. Even the ‘powerful’ Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s founder, testified in front of the United States surrounding Facebook’s involvement with exploiting user’s data for targeted marketing strategies. We really don’t have access to our data and how it’s used, and something needs to change about it because user’s aren’t going to stop creating content and using the internet just because they don’t know where their invisible data is going.
References:
Image from my iMessage group chat with friends.
The Great Hack (2019) Netflix.
Youtube (2014) Dangers of the Internet. [Online] Available from: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uquRzrcwA18>.
Youtube (2019) The Great Hack Trailer. [Online] Available from: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX8GxLP1FHo>.