In a Different World: The World Wide Web

The World Wide Web According to Me

I was born in 1995, the middle of the 90s and the midst of what we know as Web 1.0. Basically, when people still used landline phones and had to disconnect it to use the Internet. I'm not familiar with Web 1.0 (thankfully) because I grew up when Web 2.0 was developed and launched. In my own terms, Web 2.0 is the connection between social media sites and the World Wide Web. With Web 2.0, users are in control of everything and there is way more stuff to do rather than Web 1.0. In my opinion, Web 3.0 is a more advanced version of Web 2.0 by using the data in your history to tend to your personal needs. I was not aware we were in the Web 3.0 era until I realized that it is based on your personal data collection and I'm not sure how to feel about it. (Evolution of the Webs) From reading this article, I realized we may be too advanced for Web 2.0 as technology progresses daily and we move right along with it. As an avid user of the Internet, Web 2.0 isn't as fast as we thought it was in regards to "technological intelligence" and it has the tendency of giving us too much information when using search engines, often times information we don't need. Web 2.0 changed how we look at the World Wide Web as a whole by giving each person who accessed it more control and being able to communicate with millions of people with one button. It is known as the largest jump in evolutions because of the amount of innovations within the last ten years, the way society communicates with one another will never be the same. Web 2.0 made it possible to do things like meet someone in another country and build a friendship by using social media sites. It also made it easier to learn a new language and build your brand from the comfort of your own home thanks to sites like Youtube! Web 2.0 broke down the barriers that were once there with Web 1.0 and created a new way of thinking within our society. By Web 2.0 being developed it has opened doors in terms of employment, relationships, and networking and that's what technology is about: advancing to the next level. Although there are many harmful effects from using Web 2.0 such as invasion of privacy and lack of human interaction, this is only happening because people ruin great inventions like this. The point of social media is to connect people and create closer bonds, but now it's an argument whether or not it has killed social interaction. Supposedly we have transitioned from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 and this raises many questions in my head. Why is it so important to have access to MY personal data to "fit" my needs? I understand the premise of Web 3.0 however, it bothers me when I just ordered shoes online and when I go on Facebook I see an ad on the side promoting the same shoes I just ordered! This is one of the disadvantages of Web 3.0, there's always a scheme to get you to buy something even when you you just looking something up. Instead of linking people, it links your data which is kind of creepy. Some benefits of Web 3.0 would be that it tailors to your personal taste making it feel like it "knows" you based on your history. It's like the guy  you like remembering the cute little things about you that you swore he wasn't paying attention to. Another great thing about it is not only does it center around you but it connects you with people who have similar interest as you.

From the Inside Looking Out: The Wild Wild World Wide Web

Some would like to call Web 1.0 the dinosaur era, computers screens weren't so flat with thick backs, high speed Internet was nonexistent, and users had no way of communicating with others unless they picked up the phone. Also referred to as the read-only era, Internet users could only read information that was presented in front of them.When Web 1.0 first came around there were about 250,000 websites and 45 million users worldwide in 1996. That may seem like a lot of people at the time, but many people didn't have access to computers or even afford them at the time. In the 1990s, computers were just introduced as the next big thing and who knew it would a necessity to be successful? When users accessed the Internet they were limited to what they could do online, leaving the World Wide Web very closed off. This was the surface of the World Wide Web and after Web 2.0 was developed and launched in 1999, the cyber world would never be the same. Web 2.0 was the next level of technology that took interactive between Internet users to higher levels. Ten years later the number of websites increases to 80 million with 1 billion users globally with the help of Web 2.0. In this time period, social media accelerated in numbers with websites such as Youtube, MySpace, Google+, Flikr, and Facebook. According to The Future Buzz, there were approximately 1 trillion unique Google URLs and over 2 billion Google searches in 2009 alone As time progressed, the amount of Internet users increased because of the amount of accessibility Web 2.0 allowed people to take control of their image online and by doing so it opened doors of communication across the world. During this time blogging, vlogging (video-blogging), online streaming, liking/commenting granted online users to collaborate and connect in just a click. Fast forward to 2016, there are ten times as many websites (800 million) with an outstanding 8 billion+ Internet users globally (Web Statistics). With the the rapid growth of technology, Web 3.0 has taken the modifications of both Web 1.0 and 2.0 and made the World Wide Web even smaller. Web 3.0 offers way more in terms of Web intelligence and is way more personal than ever before. Because 2.0 caused a lot of "information overload." 3.0 narrows down to the specifics of individual needs and offers many solutions. Web 3.0 also offers 3D websites which is what many technology companies are buying more into as technology enhances everyday. By shopping online for something as simple as a new coat, not only will various websites will pop up but coats that may fit the person's style or budget will make it easier to find the exact item.
The evolution of Web 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 is simply living proof that as time progressed, technology progressed with it. Now in 2017, it is believed that society is in the Web 4.0 phase.  This is where technology will be able to detect who the individual is by the front face camera. Snapchat for example, has face filters where users the front camera detects the user and they are able to change to cartoon drawings. This is a fun interactive way for users to be introduced into the future of social media and technology as a whole. 

Many Impacts of Social Media

      I will be the first to admit, I am addicted to social media and I'm okay with that. I would like to consider myself what you would call a "social network junkie." Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr,  Instagram, and especially SnapChat, I use them all on a daily basis and I couldn't imagine not using any of them. As a certified social network junkie, I must admit that I feel as though it is intrusive into people's personal lives because anything posted online is accessible and never goes away.   Although all social media sites have their own set of privacy settings, it is not guaranteed that your personal information will not go public. 
     While being active on any social media site, it is imperative to be responsible of what you post because you never know who is watching you online. Facebook is currently the most used social network site on the planet with over one billion visitors monthly. Out of that billion, it's a strong possibility that your current or future employer is using it as well and will use it to their advantage. I can't remember the amount of times my mom has told me to be careful of what I post online especially on Facebook because people are able to still see what I post even if my information is "private". Which means to make sure your profile picture is decent (no nudity, drugs or alcohol), don't make post too personal so the whole world knows what I'm going through, refrain from posting everything that occurs in my life online and blah blah blah. After the 100th time, I finally listened to her and cleaned my Facebook page because mom knows best right? Although it's important to be mindful of what we post online, does it really matter? There are numerous stories and accusations against social network sites that use your information without your information, even if it's supposedly "private". 
      In August 2013, a class-action suit that lasted two years was settled in favor of Facebook, with the consent of the court, of making a profit of exploited children without their knowledge or their parents. A mother found a picture of her daughter in an online ad one scrolling through Facebook and drew the line. Despite it being prohibited in six states (California, Florida, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin), many parents felt like it was a slap in the face. For example, if a child checks in at a restaurant, there's a possibility that an ad with that child's face will appear along with the restaurants name as a form of advertising. No matter what privacy is privacy and if someone does not give you permission to use their information than you simply shouldn't. 
       In the near future I see social media as the only form of communication. Right now, we are able to send messages, place phone calls, and even send money through social media sites. As exciting as it is to see what else is out there, I will always miss the days when people actually socialized and used their social network accounts... the good days.