We live in an era where
networked media culture has become the norm and the popular source of
communication between others is though online resources. The digital realm we
refer to as the Internet, enables users to communicate with one another from
all over the world. No longer are there geographical boundaries holding us
back.
The reason for this is the
change in the way users used web after the dot.com era. Web 2.0 as we know it
today, has been shaped by users, rather than business. The technology used has
not changed, it is the level in which the user practices and the number of
users that are now online. “ Web 2.0 is not a technology, it is an
attitude.”(O’Reilly, 2005). This online attitude
that O’Reilly refers to has
been accepted and incorporated into everyday life. The social networking sites such
as Facebook, Twitter, Bebo, and YouTube, have aided in this communication and
made communication for most, an interactive two-way conversation. Due to the
popular nature of this new social communication tool business and organisations
now use social networking sites to communicate to their consumers, as it is
easy and effective.
What has enhanced this online
communication? The main change to the way we use to Internet is the way we now
use hyperlinks. Hyperlinks have been adapted into every day online use. It is
used by all search engines, by your email account, even your word processing
document uses hyperlinks within the web browser. Hyperlinks make it easy and
efficient to communicate to the user or for the user to communicate to their
chosen source. Halavais (2008) writes that hyperlinks or citations were initially
used as tools for navigation, transporting attention from place to place within
the internet. He acknowledges that with the rise of user created media, hyperlinks
play a major role in social navigation.
“Hyperlinks have become the default user interface for the internet” (Halavais, 2008).
Hyperlinks have been incorporated into smart phone applications where the user can take a photo and upload it to their chosen social media site by a click of a button, they can be taken to their Facebook or twitter notification’s by clicking on the link that is sent to their phone. Facebook uses hyperlinks all aspects of their site, for example they use hyperlinks in their online advertising for businesses, or as a way to rapidly move to a person’s page by simply clicking on an image of their face. The hyperlinks provide immediate comparison and an opportunity to gain a more comprehensive understanding of products, events and people. You can follow individual people now by clicking on certain pictures or status updates. All social networking sites, web search technologies and web pages for private use or businesses and online promotions for shopping or holidays rely on the structural property of a hyperlink to enhance communication.
Hyperlinks have been incorporated into smart phone applications where the user can take a photo and upload it to their chosen social media site by a click of a button, they can be taken to their Facebook or twitter notification’s by clicking on the link that is sent to their phone. Facebook uses hyperlinks all aspects of their site, for example they use hyperlinks in their online advertising for businesses, or as a way to rapidly move to a person’s page by simply clicking on an image of their face. The hyperlinks provide immediate comparison and an opportunity to gain a more comprehensive understanding of products, events and people. You can follow individual people now by clicking on certain pictures or status updates. All social networking sites, web search technologies and web pages for private use or businesses and online promotions for shopping or holidays rely on the structural property of a hyperlink to enhance communication.
Deuze (2008) writes about the changing effects
of online communication and the new way in which we now use the internet. Deuze (2008) states “Online, media participation is the defining characteristic of internet in
terms of its hyperlinked, interactive and multiple-way networked infrastructure”
The new age of smart phones 3G
and 4G wireless networks enables the
users to be online all the time. This allows the user to share and upload
pictures, videos or their general thoughts whenever they feel like it. Everything
that could once only be performed from a computer can now all be done on your
smartphone, a take anywhere mobile computer and communication device that
provides and demands immediate online responses.
Hilton & Hjorth (2013) view the
new Web 2.0 as an environment where free speech is unlimited. Creating and
sharing content is vastly less complicated. Anyone, any business or corporation
can publish information on the Internet.
Multimedia elements such as videos, pictures,
along with file sharing have become increasing popular in online communication.
Sites such as YouTube, Facebook, twitter, tumbler, Webpress and smartphone
applications such as Instagram and Snapchat all revolve around using the
internet to share, send, upload, view and communicate with one another. It is a
never-ending cycle of pictures, videos and status updates that has enhanced the
way we now communicate with one another. According
to Hilton & Hjorth (2013) “personalisation and content creations are the
fundamental concepts for Web 2.0”. 
O'Reilly,
T. (2005) What is Web 2.0: Design Patterns and Business Models for the next
Generation of software. Retrived from
http://oreilly.com/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html. Viewed 20/09/2013
Halavais,
A.(2008). The hyperlink as organizing principle. In J. Turow & L. Tsui
(EDs), The hyperlinked society: Questioning connections in the digital age
(pp.39-55). USA: The University of Michigan Press.
Deuze, Mark (2008), “Corporate Appropriation of
Participatory Culture,” in Nico Carpentier and Benjamin DeCleen (eds.),
Participation and Media Production: Critical Reflections on Content Creation.
Newcastle upon Tyne:
Hinton,
S., & Hjorth, L. (2013). What is Web 2.0? (Ch. 2). Social Network Sites
(Ch.3) Understanding Social Media (pp. 7- 42). SAGE.
Images:Chris Chavez, (2013), Trouble updating instagram with a video [ONLINE]. Available at:http://phandroid.com/2013/06/20/instagram-for-android-video-download/ [Accessed 23 September 13]
http://mashable.com/2010/11/16/twitter-iphone-push-support/
No comments:
Post a Comment