What does your underwear have in common with your internet?

THIS JUST IN: Things change!

Now, I haven't researched this theory thoroughly, but I am prepared to stand by it. Over time, everything changes. Four years ago I was entering college for the first time, now I am less than two weeks away from leaving the educational system forever. People change, relationships change, the colors of leaves change, underwear changes (so we hope), yes the point is things change, and so will the internet.

Picture: my own

Although I may be considered part of the internet generation, it wasn't all that long ago that I too was living without the internet. I remember when there was Dial Up and when AOL told me "You've Got Mail" everyday, and you would have to wait to hear that for ten solid minutes while the internet connected. Ah yes those were the days. So much about the internet has changed since then, even things as simple as how quickly we can access it.

There are changes to the internet that I could never foresee back when AIM was the only way to chat with friends. And I am fairly certain, that there are still changes coming that I cannot predict now. I'm sure social networks and user generated content will become as ubiquitous as air (as mentioned in my last post), I'm sure we will be connected to the internet everywhere we go, and I'm sure there are many other changes yet to come.

All this evolution seems to happen naturally though, the internet responds to the changing needs of the consumers, and though it may seem like a shock at the time, eventually all the changes sort of just lump together seamlessly until we don't even notice it anymore. Just like someday soon the fact that I will no longer be a "student" will somehow be normal too.

I can't breathe without my social network

picture from http://www.grooveking.com/

So what's next? Did we really expect that this was the end all, be all of social networks? Every new technology continues to evolve to the point where we look back at our brick like cell phones of the early 90's and think, "i wouldn't be caught dead carrying that now." The same holds true for social networks, someday we are going to look back and laugh at it's primitive nature back in the good old days of 2008.

According to this article, Charlene Li believes that social networks will become as ubiquitous as air. Li writes that there will be four components to the social network development: 1) Universal Identities, 2) A single social graph, 3) Social context for activities, and 4) Social influence defining marketing value.

So instead of having profiles all over the web (on our flickr accounts and on our facebook accounts and everywhere in between) we will have one identity that we can manage from one place. Instead of incomplete social networks, our friends and acquaintances will be tracked and added to our network. And so forth with the technological advances.

I think it's true that it's only a matter of time and technology before social networks become just another part of the internet that we hardly think twice about, like googling. We can no longer sit back and pretend that social networks are just the toys of the global youth, social networks will soon be the means to and/or the control of our every connection.

Mobilizing the world

Image from http://www.textually.org


Across the world, mobile phones are much more than a way for Mom and Dad to check in. In India for example, mobile phones are helping to improve their socio-economic situation.

This article in IndiaPRWire, is written about the benefits that mobile phones can bring to rural areas in India. The article argues that mobile phones have the ability to connect Indian citizens in ways that can vastly improve everything from transportation to financing to education.

Mobile phones give people the opportunity to connect to other people and " bridge the growing economic and social digital divide between rural and urban areas," according to the article. If people from different areas can contact each other they can improve their efficiency and productivity. Mobile phones offer people the tool to change their economy.

In the same way, the internet can have this effect on various places throughout the world. Like mobile phones, the internet can connect people and help to increase productivity. Of course, neither the internet or mobile phones are perfect, nor are they the solution, but they are certainly a worthy means to that solution.

A Path to Social Change

In today's world the internet has become a much needed tool for social change. The internet can be used as a way to connect people, organizations, and countries. The internet can help to bring resources to those in need. The internet isn't the solution though, it is the means to a solution.

Picture from http://images.jupiterimages.com

This report from the Social Science Research Council points out four main uses for the internet within civil societies. These being collaboration, publication, observation, and mobilization (you know...all the ations). However, not all organizations are using the internet to their benefit in this way, especially because of some issues like inequity, lack of trust, and difficulties with sustainability.

It is important that organizations learn how to use the internet though as a tool for achieving their goals. If organizations are able to collaborate in an open forum and engage in mutual exchanges, there would be a lot to gain. This may sound a bit like a hippie revolution, but really it's more of a virtual hippie movement... peace, love, and universal internet- here we come!