For someone like me, a relative newcomer to the world of new media and technology, the answer to “What is your vision for the future of media?” can be a tough one to attempt. But that is the question I have been asked to write about as part of my digital media class, and so attempt it I shall.
Recently, our class assignments and discussions have centered around the topics of net neutrality and universal access. I tend to agree with a point of view presented in an article from Wired, which stated that the natural path of industrialization was, “Invention, propagation, adoption, and control.”
It’s not that I’m in favor of restricting access to the internet, but I do think open access is something that most of its users take for granted. My generation has grown up with this resource that, by and large, they accept as the status quo but do not understand. As other forms of media become less viable channels for corporations to profit from, they will turn their attention to regulating the internet in ways that benefit them.
I don’t believe, as Mark Suster predicts in this article, that the era of “The App Internet” will cycle from its current hyper-usage into obsoletion. The generation who is utilizing social media at such high levels that it eclipses other aspects of their lives isn’t going to suddenly peak in usage and then grow bored of it. For them, it is as real a component as any daily face-to-face activity, and a major tool in their careers as well as their personal lives.
In terms of regulation, however, the success or failure of restrictive laws depends very much on how they are presented, and at what intervals. There is already so much regulation in every other area of our lives, that, if introduced in seemingly reasonable increments, I can definitely see people rationalizing the passage of laws regulating the internet. Gradual change is rarely met with much resistance, except by those who are knowledgeable about what its implications really are. If, however, a blatant and obvious threat is detected, there will be backlash, as was the case with SOPA and PIPA.
I can’t say what the next wave of innovation to sweep the internet will be, but until some huge need presents itself to be filled, or a major threat prompts complacent people to act, I think federal regulation of the internet will prevail to some extent. The best way to combat this is to educate internet users about the technology they are using, and in doing so turn passive users into innovators and activists.
Image via ryanatdurham.blogspot.com
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