It has been an interesting couple of weeks in the news regarding the Internet. A few months back we saw Rupert Murdoch declare he wants to start
charging for online content such as that from The Sun and The Times. This in itself represents a potential huge shift in the way we use the web, as users are accustomed to finding the information they want for free.
However in the past week, two more stories have come to light which could suggest a change of attitudes towards how the web will be used. Not only are we used to free access to news content, but the advent of social media has meant that Internet users are also freer to generate the content themselves. However, Wikipedia announced that they would be introducing
editorial page controls recently which is potentially a massive shift away from their roots as a completely freely editable online encyclopaedia. We have also seen that the UK government is attempting to get much tougher on
illegal file sharers, by proposing that the worst offenders should have their Internet connections cut off (although this has certainly not gone down well in all quarters and is an on-going debate).
All of these stories are fascinating, because they represent a real struggle that is going on at the moment regarding how, and indeed if, the Internet should be policed or controlled in some way, and whether or not all Internet users have to accept that the free-for-all they have become accustomed to is sustainable.
Perhaps things have gone too far, and that controls in some form, are necessary in order to maintain levels of quality on the Internet? Or maybe things should not change, and Web 2.0 is a true manifestation of democracy, allowing real freedom of speech for all? We certainly don’t have the definitive answers to these questions, but it is absorbing to see how the way we use the Internet is constantly evolving, and the challenges/opportunities this can pose for all businesses.
