This week, my classmates did a presentation on Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 which represent the evolution of internet or two distinct stages of the World Wide Web’s development. To be frank, I hardly had any idea about the given terms unless I discovered from the presentation that Web 1.0 allowed us to access information whereas Web 2.0 made it possible for us to interact, communicate and connect with each other. The presentation paved way for me to reflect on how Web 2.0 or the “social web” is reshaping our world through positive and negative influences to our lives and society.
“The Social Dilemma” a documentary film on Netflix reveals how Web 2.0 has led to making meaningful connections and knowledge-sharing although it brings along challenges concerning social media.The article The internet: Can it really influence social movements? shows how Web 2.0 has enabled social movements like political advocacy, environmental campaigns, raising awareness on issues of inequality etc to gain pace by giving a voice to those who may not have been heard otherwise. Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram allows users to raise their voices for causes they care about, even from across the globe. This underscores the role of social media in enhancing civic engagement through its capacity to mobilize quickly and reach a wide population fostering social change.
However, the dark side of Social media platforms is also portrayed perfectly in the “The Social Dilemma” revealing the fact that they operate on business models designed to maximise user engagement, growth and advertising revenue. The documentary discusses how companies track and analyse every click, scroll and share leveraging AI algorithms to keep users engrossed. The ill effect of this is on young people who experience increased mental health challenges, anxiety and depression. The characters Ben and Isla in the show are negatively affected by social media addiction and unrealistic beauty standards and illustrates how these addictive algorithms can lead to social isolation, manipulation by misinformation and even radicalization.
Decoding the impact of these issues on schools and young learners reveal that Web 2.0 ‘s interactivity and social features allow students to collaborate, learn and share information through platforms like Google Classroom. Such platforms provide a digital space where students can work together, and teachers can facilitate interactive learning experiences. However, it is to be noted that misinformation and “fake news” through social media further complicate the educational landscape advocating schools to emphasize digital literacy and critical thinking skills to help students navigate online content responsibly.
Finally, reflecting on the influence of Web 2.0,I believe that while it has made learning more accessible, engaging and relevant it brings alongside responsibilities for educators and institutions to educate students in wise and responsible usage of these tools.Down the line we must design strategies to maximise the benefits of Web 2.0 while mitigating its negative impacts to create a balanced digital landscape for future generations.
Hi Aysha, it’s true that social media is continuously shaping our lives in a very drastic way. People are easily swayed by what they see on social media, which may have negative impacts on us. Like what you mentioned, social media addiction is real, when people can’t live without it and spend too much time on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram.
To be honest, I like social media and the internet in general; it is very useful in my everyday life. That is why I believe that it is still up to us, as individual human beings, to be able to discern right from wrong on what we see and read on the internet. We can use it as a tool, and we should not let it rule and ruin our lives.
Hi Aysha
Just like I normally say, there is no innovation that does not have its positive and negative sides. When Web 1.0 was first introduced, I want to believe that people also complained about the technologies that emerged back then. Yes, the introduction of Web 2.0 is more like a catastrophic release of tools aimed at destroying the lives of youths and teens in particular. However, I feel it’s important that we start teaching kids the responsible use of these Web 2.0 tools and only then can issues related to mitigation of the pervasiveness and misuse of these tools be curbed to a certain extent.