New/Digital Media HW - Internet

What is so special about the internet?

The internet is a global network that connects millions of people around the world and the speciality comes from the growing popularity of the internet as the internet can now form thousands-if not millions of features. The main one is reporting breaking news, the new internet phenomenon Twitter has now been the place to hear breaking news and for people to report what is happening when it happens. For example, recently in the news there was an event that occured, a disaster waiting to happen when an american aroplane had to land in one of New Yorks lakes because of a fault but luckily no ione was injured and the first to break this news was users on the social networking site Twitter. What's more the site arguebally became known to alot of user is because famous people have been using them frequently in order to just post how they are feeling and connect with their fans.

How does the internet change audiences?

The internet can change audiences by there perception of people and places. E.g. if there is a specifice report of a certain war-torn place perhaps then immediately the typical way in which things are reported in the media may create a moral panic. The internet can change audiences in many ways, for example their spending habits e.g Amazon- a site in which people can buy from the internet without having to get out of their seat! and also the goods are also delivered to the users doorsteps. Another way it can change audiences is through the method 'Digital Ethnography' is a method that studies people in social situations. This method is effective in conveying how is exactly audiences use and act on the internet. It is said by 2009, a quarter of the earths population will use the internet, estimate= 1.5 Billion people. Finally, a way in which it can change audiences is that the internet can allow students to access their schools site and this can be a faster route to carch up on missed work, in addition the interbnet is a good way in which students can also recieve help form their teachers and gain extra feedback.

What's wrong with the internet?

Aswell as being a useful tool to many people across the world, there is also a Dark Side to the internet. For example, through social networking sites people can pretend to be who they aren't and therefore, this is a useful way in which dangerous people can contact other innocent people e.g. through MSN peadophiles can be trying to contact people and commit crimes, in addition Terrorists use the internet as a source to manipulate people into commiting the dangerous acts that they commit alongside them, also they use the internet as a useful way to threaten the rest of the world e.g. Osama-Bin-Laden used a recorded tape and sent it to Aljazeera to publish, interestingly he is the most wanted man in the world yet even though when he still hasnt been found he manages to come online once in a while.