29/3/2011 Digital divide.

It seems wherever you go technology and the internet is evolving in front of our eyes.When the internet was created it seemed as it was limited.You either had the choice of using your landline or the internet,and even when accessing the internet sights were limited and lifeless.



In previous blogs i have talked about web 2.0,this is where the 21st century really began with the creativity of the users are expressing themselves in ways which didn't seem the norm in web 1.0.Whereby over the top graphics and bright colouring was used to draw in various target audiences.As we live in a society whereby the internet plays a huge way in the way we live our lives from social to running a business.We don't think twice about logging onto the internet to check out emails either on a computer or on our smart phones.But how has such a great creation divided the world in such a way.


Raymond Williams stated the three idea's of culture are;

1. A general process of intellectual, spiritual and aesthetic development

2. A particular way of life

3. The works and practices of intellectual and especially artistic activity

(Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction John Storey)

but when looking at the present climate can we really complain about the boom of the internet.It has allowed us to access such great and wider products.From shares all over the world for businesses to communication with long distance relatives for free.

                                         But without the internet what would we miss?

(www.dailymail.com 8.4.2011)

12th March 2011,the day the world sat in front of their televisions and watched of what could only be called the worst earthquake in the history.Whereby thousands of innocent people were swept away from their homes for miles on end.But what does technology have to do with this natural disaster?

'A powerful 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck the coast of Japan on Friday, causing widespread power outages, fires and a severe tsunami that was reported to be up to 10 meters high in places. It was the seventh most powerful earthquake in recorded history.The reaction on Twitter, quickly becoming the go-to service in emergencies, was immediate and intense. Less than an hour after the quake, with the country’s phone system knocked out, the number of tweets coming from Tokyo were topping 1,200 per minute, according to Tweet-o-Meter.' (www.mashable.com 8.4.2011)

This just shows the impact the internet has on the society that we live in,with the ability to update a status just to assure family and friends that after such a disaster that we are safe,is mind blowing.What would have happened if this earthquake his before the invention of twitter? 

Citizen journalism is whereby the public has their say on topics,this is mainly down to blogging and status updates.Citizen journalism played a huge part in the broadcasting of the earth quake on the 12th march,mainly down to the fact that it happened so quickly that the only news feed was eye witnesses account.This would have also not been possible without the use of technology and the internet.So is the internet a positive or a negative? and are we being controlled or are controlling?

Social change also plays a huge role in the way that we think about the internet.As the growing popularity of technology lovers,why is there really any need to school the digital divide from happened?

We are living in a society where the norm of reading a book is being taken over by an electronic tablet and that we don't have to meet up with friends anymore we can just log onto a social networking site and communicate with no emotion or sense of satisfaction of meeting loved ones anymore.With the majority of people know using Facebook, is the divide really make much affect from the society that we live in or is the only impact that is happening is the way in which we think about ourselves.