With the acceleration of technology development today, we definitely have to stay in the loop. Sydney local Kate Carruthers breaks the ice on the ascent of social media in her media140 presentation.
The Internet has impacted every sector of society, so we need to learn to manage various aspects of the Internet in different aspects of our life.
Carruthers disperses fears of ‘missing the bandwagon’ in regards to popular social networks. They are not here to stay. Some bloom longer than others, but they all wither eventually. Take for example Facebook, which eventually replaced Myspace as the dominant social network. It’s happened once, and this cycle will continue repeating itself.
We must also be aware of our digital footprint. Everything online is trackable and retraceable, hence we must be aware of what we commit to the digital ages. We must also take care that what was previously in the private domain, ie happy snaps from a night out, can move almost instantly into the public eye. It’s important to learn how to manage this transistion.
Economically, the Internet has flattened the field of retail and shopping. Instead of local stores having the upper hand in their community, online stores can operate anywhere and offer a convenient shopping experience. This puts local business in a tight spot. Suddenly, there are many more competitors than previously. Time will tell how this conflict of interests will resolve itself. Carruthers also noted how customers can improve services by using platforms such as Twitter to point customers in the right direction.
Carruthers’ talk raised many issues about the Internet, and where we’re headed, our Brave New World. Do we forgo our privacy on the internet? How can we use it to improve the ways we interact? These are questions that perhaps will be answered by other speakers today.
Follow Kate on Twitter @kcarruthers
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