The Pew Internet & American Life Project's recent release of The Future of the Internet is well-worth a look. If you're a time-constrained "A-"type personality, then let me suggest at least flipping through the deck quickly and visit the key themes beginning on slides 16 & 17.
But, if you're even more anxious to "just get to the bottom line" about the future of the internet, then here are some of the highlights that jumped out at me.
Key Highlights (paraphrased)
- On knowledge and education:
- Nicholas Carr was wrong - Google will not make us stupid.
- New literacies will be required. The fourth "R" will be "Retrieval".
- Technology isn't the problem here. It is people's inherent character traits.
- There will be a new emphasis in media creation.
- "Screen literacy" will become important.
- On hot new gadgets:
- Mobile connectivity and location-based services will grow.
- On privacy:
- The law and new regulations will give people some privacy protections even though they are required to disclose more.
- Confidentiality and autonomy will replace yearning for anonymity.
- Reputation management and "information responsibility" will emerge.
- On the impact upon institutions:
- Data will be the platform for change
- Workarounds, facilitated by social media, will be common
- On access (cloud vs. desktop):
- The advantages of ubiquitous access and mobility will trump other things.
- Most will work on internet-based applications.
- Security problems will results--and new kinds of privacy disputes are inevitable.
- Three camps in the social media spectrum. Which one are you in?
- Where we turn to for answers
- BMW's Augmented Reality...not new but still cool.
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(Camtasia? Articulate? Captivate? Final Cut? Yeah, I do that.)
