The Users

In this day and age of information and technology, it becomes easier and easier for the users of the web to add their own voice to the mix. All you need to express yourself is a computer and maybe a few programs on the side and then boom. It's up on the site of your choosing.

Because of this sweep of average internet user create material, the 'amateurish' style has started to creep into the entertainment industry.  A few that come to mind off the top of my head: The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activities, Cloverfield,  District 9... The list goes on. Additionally, we see the same style in TV shows and Ads.  I'm thinking of any reality TV show and the baby E Trade commercials. This very raw way of filming hasn't been a bad thing, in fact its been a refreshing change from the synthesized and smooth flash and bang of a lot of media.  I believe that this new genre of media style will only grow and improve as time goes on.  As new technology becomes available and younger generations take their place among the working world, this style will live on through those who made their own web material in their teens.

Personally, the social media sites that I'm interested in are those that create something like flickr and youtube.    However, my favorite is with out a doubt deviantART.com.  A social network for artists to post their work, receive feedback, even sell prints of their pieces.  More can be read here: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/217859
I have a few of my new digital works up there including the one I posted earlier on this blog.

Will Facebook last forever?
I don't know.  Its easy to say that no one does it as good as Facebook does at the moment, but most are catching up.  Slowly.  Yet, at the same time Face book is very smart.  They have integrated themselves across the web.  How many sites have you been to that have that little blue -F- at the bottom to post something you've seen onto facebook? So for the foreseeable future, Facebook is here to stay because it's everywhere. Who knows how long that will last.


Transparency?
In regards to social media, transparency is to social networks as Anti Communism is to the 1950's.  Seriously, it's seems crazy how everyone, including the president ("Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this Presidency" ~Barack Obama), is all for transparency.  People, who are already overloaded with information, are asking for more.  
Yes, I see the point.  If something isn't transparent, then the message is corrupted somehow.  However this can't be true.  People are selfish and I found the bit on different types of currency fascinating (http://www.searchenginepeople.com/blog/the-illusion-of-transparency-in-social-media.html).  


How important is transparency in the real world?
I believe that the value of open information is growing.  We as a society are becoming so used to having an endless amount of information at our fingertips.  It's an easy switch to wanting that in our non-digital lives.