The Internet and New Technologies: The Media Converge Chapter 2

The Internet and Cell Phones “A fresh approach to fostering innovation in the mobile industry will help shape a new computer environment that will change the way people access and share information in the future.” — Eric Schmidt, Google Chairman

Of ALL Mobile cell phone users, this percentage are using their phones for and social networking? A. 27% B. 76% C. 52% D. 19%

The Internet’s History Begun by the Defense Department’s ARPA (Advanced Research Project’s Agency) Survivable communications in a post— nuclear war world Nicknamed the “Net” No central authority, therefore no way to decapitate in wartime This effort gave birth to the Internet.

Figure 2.1

Questioning the Media 2. What possibilities of the Internet’s future are you most excited about? Why? What possibilities are most troubling? Why?

Think – Pair - Share Think: On your own: Spend 2 minutes writing down what kind of content you think should not be on the World Wide Web. Pair: Turn to your neighbor and compare notes. Are you concerned kinds of Internet content? Share: Decide on a #1 and #2 Concern

Bulletin Boards Bulletin boards listed information. Health issues Computer programs Employment services As Internet use proliferated, entrepreneurs took notice.

The Net Widens Microprocessors—miniature circuits that could process and store electronic signals— were the first signal of the Net’s marketability. Using microprocessors, the first personal computers were created. By the mid-1980s, fiber optic cables were the standard for speedy data transmission. By the time ARPAnet ended in the 1980s, the foundation was laid for a new mass medium.

The World Wide Web Tim Berners-Lee developed the World Wide Web at CERN in the late 1980s. HTML (HypterText Markup Language): Allows computers to communicate With Web browsers, users can navigate the Web.

Internet Structure Today Internet Service Providers (ISP) = big business Connecting users to their proprietary Web system Interpersonal communication Facebook Twitter Search engine reliability varies. Direct marketing dream come true

What Do you Know?

Media Convergence QTM #3: What are the advantages of Media Convergence? Internet offers unprecedented communication opportunities: Interactive content Hub for converging media Participatory media: People become producers rather than just consumers of content.

Web 2.0 Web 2.0: a rapid and robust environment that has become a place where music, television shows, radio stations, newspapers, and movies coexist QTM 4: Do you think Virtual Communities are genuine communities? Has moved toward being an interactive and collaborative medium Instant messaging (IM) Blogs Wiki Web sites Social networking sites (MySpace, Facebook)

Dividing Up the Web Four companies dominate Web 2.0. AOL: Once the industry leader, suffered setbacks from merging with Time Warner in 2000 Microsoft: Dominated the Internet with the merger of its Windows and Internet Explorer programs Yahoo!: Established in 1994 as the main Internet search engine, now best known for its popular sites. Google: Established breakthrough search engine in 1998, currently dominates search market

On your clicker: Type in 2 of the 4 companies that dominate Web 2.0

The Challenge to Keep Personal Information Private Everything you buy with a credit card Every Web site you search Every form you fill out All can be combined into a database about you. Modern marketing relies on such data. E-commerce’s popularity despite the risks Cookies Spyware Opt-in, opt-out policies

Digital Divide Digital divide The growing contrast between “information haves” and “information have-nots”

Digital Divide The reality of the digital divide In the United States Age and Education determine access  % go online  %  %  %  38% vs 67% vs 93% Access  Dial up vs broadband

Digital Divide Between the U.S. and the rest of the world Surprise surprise…we are among the haves Have-nots are for various reasons  Economics  Infrastructure  Government control Net Neutrality

Will the Internet’s promise be crowded out by commercial interests?