Sep 20 2010
The Wealth of Networks – Framing
According to Benkler, ” The first-generation critique of democratizing effect of the Internet was based on various implications of problem of information overload, or the Babel objection. According to the Babel objection, when everyone can speak, no one came be heard, and we devolved either to a cacophony or to the reemergence of money as the distinguishing factors between statements that are heard and those that wallow in obscurity. ”
Benkler basically says that many site go unnoticed, which is true since there are billions of sites, but is it really true that with every speaking, no one is heard? Or does the speaker just need to express themselves in a different way?
Benkler also says that because of the Internet, free information is available everywhere, and easier to put out by anyone.
Thinking ahead to my research project, how does this affect advertising? Does a multi-billion dollar ad campaign run by coca-cola or a small internet run campaign, such as “The Story of Stuff,” gain more attention, if the message is for the betterment of society?
Benkler discusses Wikipedia, and how it is a site governed by the people. He discusses how the website is so well policed by the people that even when acts of vandalism are committed they are reverted back to their original format very quickly. He suggests that this keeps the group on track. Is this true? Is that really why Wikipedia is so successful today? It seems to me that such a website would fail because there are so many people in the world to edit out or edit in content so that it is to their liking. Do social norms really help to police the website?