Social Media and Web 2.0

1. Today many TV shows and advertisements try to look amateurish or "homegrown" to emulate what is often seen on the Web. Do you think professional production values will continue to drop, or do you think amateur user-generated content will get better over time? WHY??

   I believe that as the web changes, tv shows and advertisements will continue to change to reflect what is seen on the web. With how fast aspects of the web are changing, I do not believe that it will stay looking as amateurish or homegrown as it does now. For example, Paranormal Activity did well in the box office because people were interested to see how a movie would be looking as though it was shot on an everyday video camera. However, the next big visually exciting movie may not be looking ameteurish, but something new entirely. When this look fades and something else comes along for the internet, this will be the new way to shoot these tv productions.

2. What social media sites do you find yourself using the most, and why? In your opinion why is Facebook so much more successful than MySpace, and do you think Facebook is "here to stay" for the long term.

   I use facebook more often than any other social media site, and I believe that as it is so popular, it is here to stay. However, I believe that as our technology continues to grow, websites that are popular will develop even more. I have had a facebook for three years, and it looks much different now than it did when I first joined. I believe that once I have children and they get facebooks that how they use the site, how they access it, what the website does, and how it looks will be foreign to me. I think that facebook is so much more popular than myspace because it is a lot safer and more easily controlled by its user.

3. Why is transparency such an important concept in the Social Media world? Is it MORE or LESS important in the offline world? Why?

   I am very confused as to what transparency is, however it is defined as openness, communication, and accountability. From reading the article, I do feel that it is an important concept because I think it allows for people to communicate with people they may not know and make themselves seem different than they actually are and this should not be taken lightly. It is less important in the offline world than it is in the online one because so much of our communication today is online that our true "selves" could potentially become abolished with how much we use our social medias. If a person spends most of their time online and creates this new persona there, then face to face communication will continue to slowly decrease.

Effects of Online Television

Online Television serves the general public in a way that is entertaining for all. It is easy to use, and it gives one the power to basically watch any show they would like at any given time. This kind of freedom is making many people of this generation shrink away from the standard television to turn their attention to their personal laptop. The picture above depicts how the world is at our fingertips with our laptops. The information that can be found on a laptop far exceeds the use of just being able to watch shows, but it certainly is a large factor in changing the way we entertain ourselves.

Effects of Twitter

Twitter has become a place for people of all ages to express themselves. The tweets are all public, and anyone can comment or discuss someone else's post. This picture above expresses a tweet of Bo Burnham's, a comedic singer, that launched an interest in another aspiring artist. This aspiring singer, Momo the Sheep, had posted a cover of Bo's song "Art is Dead" on YouTube. Bo saw the video, and posted a tweet telling those who follow him to take a look. In a matter of a few days, the Sheep's video was watched an incredible number of times more than it had been. Because of Bo's public announcement of how much he enjoyed her version of his song on Twitter, the Sheep's publicity skyrocketted. This is a small example of how Twitter is a new medium that helps connect millions all over the world. Momo the Sheep is from Germany, and Bo is from Boston, and yet so many people listen to both because of communication mediums. A simple, public post can make a huge imapct on someone's life. Twitter has revolutionized publicity in that its content is being used in ways not previously done before. This new medium has been an public expression for the individual.

Current Mediums of Communications

Online Television- The internet has slowly started taking over as this generation's main form of television entertainment. Things like YouTube, Hulu, and other television channel sites post shows for a more convient way of watching.

Twitter- People now are able to share any thought they have with the use of twitter. Anyone can see what people post, and comment on others' tweets.

Texting- Instead of having to call friends for conversation, people are able to use texting to connect with more people than ever before. It enables its user to do multiple things without distracting them as much as a phone call would.