Social Media and Web 2.0

1.) I think that amateur user-generated content will continue to get better overtime instead of professional production values continuing to drop. I think that the technology required to make higher quality "productions" will become more accessible to the general public when prices on technology come down, as they always do. Even websites like YouTube that feature amateur productions are adding new features for HD viewing. I think that if professional productions were to sink to an amateur level they would become less attractive for most people who count on a certain quality from them. I think that currently both have their place in the media. For example "reality t.v." is popular because of the amateur quality of production but that is only because it complements the whole idea of it...people want to believe that what is happening in these shows is not staged and that it could therefore just as easily be captured by a friend or relative picking up a video camera. While the concept of reality t.v. may be around for a while because it is very popular and inexpensive to produce, I think the quality will begin to improve. On the other hand, people are more likely to go to The New York Times to get quality, reliable coverage of the news, as opposed to a video someone uploaded to YouTube.

2.) The social media site that I use the most is Facebook. I log into Facebook daily to feel more connected to all the people in my life whom I'm not able to see on a day to day basis. I like that Facebook has so many different features available for communicating with people: Facebook chat, wall-to-wall, and messaging. Facebook can also be used to share pictures and videos. I never had a Myspace...I wasn't allowed to because my parents didn't think that it was safe. I think one of the reasons Facebook is more popular than Myspace is because it is much more secure and has a lot more privacy options. I think that Facebook is also easier to use and has a lot more options for communication. I think Facebook is here to stay for the long term because it is user friendly and has something for everyone.

3.) Transparency is extremely important in the online world of social networking. Without transparency sources would no longer be trustworthy. How would we believe that someone meant what they said if they were getting paid or compensated in some way to say it? We obtain so much of our information from the internet that we have to be able to trust that the information we are getting is the truth. I think that transparency is even more important in the offline world because being an open and accountable communicator is necessary in order for people to be interested in and believe what you have to say.