Future of the Internet

I've learned so much about the internet through this module: the history of the internet, how the internet can be used for businesses, how the internet can be used for information searching, help people shape communities, and even aid politicians in their campaigns.

Similarly, the internet is like a double bladed sword; with pros, there will definitely be cons as well. Due to the high number of viruses, worms and other malicious software created by hackers online, internet security is very much a necessity. The loss of personal information and even identity have both become very real problems since the birth of the internet. Social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace has allowed us to create relations and communities - at the risk of putting up too much personal information of ourselves. Such information can be kept indefinitely by Facebook, until they wish to eliminate it themselves. On Google, whenever you make a search, your IP address, the time, and what you search is store in their database forever. Such information can then be used in a court of law against you. (http://hackerslife.blogspot.com/2007/08/documentary-about-dangers-of-google.html)

What does the future of the internet hold for us?

1) Globalism

Sharing of information and knowledge will come at a lower cost as time goes by. People will become more knowledgeable and smarter, and be more aware of the things that is happening around us. The world can soon become a global village - where everyone in the world is a citizen, and international relations can improve. On the other hand, this could lead to a loss of culture in countries, as we get more and more integrated with each other.

2) Virtual Reality

As 3d graphics become more sophisticated, virtual reality interfaces will also become more realistic. This technology will be applied in many ways, such as gaming, advertising, and even for home use. People can feel like they're meeting each other in person, even though they could be miles, or countries apart.

3) Communities

The internet can unite communities, and can be used for communication within communities and even across countries. Communities can be organised in virtual space, and make use of tools such as newsgroups, websites and mailing lists. Towns and cities can be more organised and empowered at the neighborhood level. Isolated individuals can also be brought together through similar interests, hobbies and political ideas.

4) Integration

The internet could integrate with other technologies, such as phones, television, refrigerators, ovens, and perhaps even the common table. Perhaps one day, when our refrigerator is out of food, it can automatically order our food from online. People could be able to access the internet easily with anything, from anywhere. The internet will truly be portable and easily accessible.

Social Networking Sites

A social network website is about building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people. It usually consists of a representation of each user, such as a profile, his/her social links, and additional services. Most social network services are web based and provide means for users to interact over the internet, such as e-mail and instant messaging. Social networking sites are hugely popular these days, such as Facebook, MySpace, Hi5 and Friendster.

Being such a popular phenomenon, social networking sites are a goldmine of information for companies.

1. Social networking sites are very good place to set up profiles, as they are a great way of communicating with your target audience (for example, in Facebook, people could "become a fan" of a public profile, and keep up with all the relevant news of that organisation). Organisations can interact with their target audience, get feedback from them, find out about their needs and wants, and release important information about themselves, so that people will find out more about them. Such a tactic could build awareness about the organisation, and even customer loyalty if done right.
2. Despite the apparent danger about releasing too much information about yourself on social networking sites, some organisations have relied on looking for potential talent on social networking sites. “If we were going to attract the candidates with the skill sets we wanted, they had to be active within social media before they even came on,” says partner and co-founder Jason Throckmorton of LaunchSquad, a San Francisco PR firm working with freshly minted startups. (http://www.bnet.com/2403-13070_23-219914.html)
3. Many people post factual, and some even rather personal, information about themselves on the websites. Such information can be used for marketing purposes so that organisations can better frame their ads to appeal better to their target audience. Organisations could also also post such ads on the social networking sites themselves.
   
4. Entrepreneurs and small business who are just starting out, can expand their contact bases through social networking sites, as social networking sites can be used at little or no cost at all.