So Much to Say: The Power of Web Communications

The Internet, most notably Web 2.0, is the world's oyster when it comes to interactivity and individual representation. Web 2.0 refers to user-generated web applications that allow users to share information, network, and collaborate, and it has forever altered the way we communicate. In their books, Axel Bruns and Clay Shirky discuss the ways in which this realm of global interaction has changed the communication dynamic in modern society.

In Blogs, Wikipedia, Second Life and Beyond, Axel Bruns explains the shift from production to "produsage." Produsage refers to the result of the blurred boundaries between creation and consumption. The term was coined by Dr. Bruns himself, and it describes the way in which we, as consumers of information, are now wearing several hats when it comes to online information exchange. Not only do we search the Web in search for information, but we are oftentimes the actual originators of the material. The information is always changing, and it is never complete. The very nature of online distribution allows for unlimited individualization and collaboration among users. This type of participatory culture creates an environment where users can "inter create" to the point that it becomes unclear where the information began. This is an integral trait of Web 2.o and is important because of the way it subverts control of information administration.

Clay Shirky explores similar subject matter in his book, Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations. In it, he examines these profound changes in information distribution by noting the way in which the changes have seamlessly revolutionized communication. Shirky notes that the changes seem nearly invisible because of how pervasive they have been. Web 2.0 is so simple-- it's free, it's global, and it's accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. Shirky explains the uniqueness of user-generated content, in that users no longer have to receive permission before they distribute messages. He quotes former Internet Society trustee, Scott Bradner, "The Internet means you don't have to convince anyone else that something is a good idea before trying it" (77).

Another unique feature is that all of this information distribution occurs without any sort of financial motivation from the originator. Collaborative production sites, like Wikipedia, are the result of various levels of contribution from like-minded participants. This collective action "widens the gap between intention and action" (149).

The power of the Web is immeasurable. We are constantly finding new ways to wield this power-- resulting in both positive and negative outcomes. Both Bruns and Shirky do an excellent job of explaining the way in which this evolution of communication has quietly changed our lives forever.