Web 2.0 and Transparency Questions

1. I believe much of the media today is generated by amateurs. Social media and other technology that is readily available for anyone is becoming the basis for many aspects of society, and through making some of their ads look amateur or "homegrown," television is trying to relate to its main audiences. It seems user-generated content will improve as users become more fluent in the programs and applications available, and because more and more people are growing up with this technology, more of the population will be more technology-educated and will continue to improve what's available. Production values are dropping now to meet the demand and relate to the people watching.

2. The social media sites I use the most are Youtube and Facebook. My Facebook account is what I log into the most as it is a place for me to be in contact with almost all of my peers at any hour of the day. I believe Facebook is here to stay; even in the years to come it will still be a norm for people and businesses to have Facebook pages. It has emerged into society as one of the most prevalent form of communication. Also, I believe Facebook is more successful than Myspace because it was created around the desire of people to connect and share photos and events and simply publicize their lives among their friends. People put their lives for others to see on Facebook, which is what the world of social media is leading to.

3. Transparency is important in the social world because people want to create their reality. On the Internet, there is no filter; anything can be posted. On someone's Facebook profile, for example, they can post whatever they feel will best portray the reality they choose. Transparency refers to being open and honest online, which seems like a bigger concept than being transparent offline because in the online community, people have to filter what they see and decide whether it is true or not. It is easy to fool people online, where there are also so many more people who will see what is posted, versus in real life. It is important to be honest online and at the same time to be critical of what you see.