Digital Media Chapter 2: The Internet Today

The Internet Today

• The Internet comprises a global network of fiber-optic lines, wireless connections, and satellites linking digital devices to substantial data centers.
• Highest Internet access rates are in Europe, North America, and South Korea, with rapid growth in Africa, parts of Asia, and the Middle East.
• Digital communication has transformed and absorbed traditional industries like film, television, and radio.

Development of the Internet (1 of 5)

• ARPAnet was established by the U.S. Department of Defense to enable researchers to pool computing resources, evolving into a publicly funded utility in the 1970s and 1980s.
• Early Internet users created bulletin board services for discussions on various topics.
• Advancements in microprocessors and fiber-optic cables paved the way for the Internet's commercialization.

Development of the Internet (2 of 5)

• Web 1.0 marked the inception of the World Wide Web, early web browsers, and an increase in Internet service providers (ISPs).
• Tim Berners-Lee developed the World Wide Web at CERN in the late 1980s, aimed initially at aiding physicists in document management.
• HTML allows the display and linking of text, images, and multimedia, enhancing navigation through web browsers since 1993.

Development of the Internet (3 of 5)

• ISPs provided Internet access via dial-up modems; broadband connections later enabled faster download speeds.
• Search engines emerged as automated tools to facilitate content discovery online.

Development of the Internet (4 of 5)

• Web 2.0 introduced interactivity, evolving the Internet into a read-write platform where user-generated content flourishes.
• Wikis serve as collaborative platforms where users can jointly create and edit content.
• Social media capitalize on Web 2.0 capabilities, allowing detailed user profiles and personalized content feeds.

Development of the Internet (5 of 5)

• Web 3.0 focuses on the Semantic Web and the Internet of Things, allowing computers to understand and respond better to user needs.
• These advancements aim to redefine interactions within our media environment.

Our Complex Digital Environment (1 of 4)

• The Internet diminishes the power of traditional gatekeepers, reshaping message dissemination.
• Unrestricted communication promotes diverse voices while complicating efforts to manage misinformation.

Our Complex Digital Environment (2 of 4)

• Online communities facilitate connections among like-minded individuals.
• While positive, they risk creating filter bubbles, limiting exposure to differing viewpoints, and reinforcing confirmation bias.

Our Complex Digital Environment (3 of 4)

• Analog refers to pre-digital methods of encoding information; digital media allows for easier manipulation.
• This manipulation fosters a remix culture, where users create and share content by altering existing works.

Our Complex Digital Environment (4 of 4)

• Remix culture empowers user expression and challenges traditional consumer roles in mass culture.
• The concept of fair use protects the ability to use copyrighted material without permission, provided it doesn’t affect its market value.
• Concerns arise with deepfakes—manipulated content that appears genuine but is misleading.

The Business of Controlling the Internet (1 of 4)

• Major corporations like Google, Amazon, and Facebook engage in surveillance capitalism, leveraging personal data for profit.
• Practices like data mining and the use of cookies help track user behaviors and preferences.

The Business of Controlling the Internet (2 of 4)

• Social media employs addictive design strategies, such as infinite scrolling and emotionally engaging content, to keep users engaged.
• Governments also collect personal data under the pretext of national security, leading to systemic mass surveillance.

The Business of Controlling the Internet (3 of 4)

• Walled gardens refer to controlled environments on apps and social media platforms limiting user experience to within the app’s framework.
• Net neutrality advocates for equal treatment of all data, while some companies argue for tiered pricing to support infrastructure improvements.

The Business of Controlling the Internet (4 of 4)

• Growing data security concerns have prompted users to seek control over their information through strategies like opt-in policies and the use of open-source software.
• Nonprofit digital archives initiated by librarians aim to enhance data accessibility and privacy.

The Internet, Digital Communication, and Democracy

• Universal access encompasses the belief that all citizens, regardless of income or location, should have equal access to the Internet.