The Web is nowadays a part of everything: school, crime, entertainment, bullying, news, work, fraud and government. It’s in our mobiles; we ‘embrace’ it; and so do our children and friends, teachers and co-workers. It is everywhere, it is complex and it is contradictory. How can we make the most of this new environment and what can we expect from it? How can we live harmoniously with the Web?
Being a parent, a teacher or a professional nowadays presupposes the daily juggling of unfamiliar and increasingly complex situations, as well as continuously gaining new skills. The Dos and Don’ts, or the old ‘recipes’, are not sufficient as the Web is affecting every aspect of our modern lives.
It is high time we discuss the Web dish and its main ingredients. Advising parents to “allow up to two hours of Web-browsing and keeping the computer in a central area of the house” is not adequate any more. Why? Because this amount of time might not be sufficient or might be disastrously abundant; because our children might be browsing the Web from their classmate’s mobile, and from anywhere else they might wish to.
This is where we come to the stage of discussing all the basic knowledge that every parent, teacher or user must have about the Web. Every single one of us. Of course, it is of no use to simply enumerate the information, so we shall combine it with current affairs and ideas for immediate application. Besides, like in the case of food, it is rather boring hearing about proteins and carbs without doing a bit of tasting as well. However, it is also dangerous to mix ingredients and to play the sorcerer’s apprentice, just to satisfy your appetite.
Consumers enjoy more options and connect through social networks. The price to pay is the time spent on advertisements, and the exploitation of consumers’ personal data.
Traditional industries (e.g. media) are shaken to the core by the subsequent opening of the productive process to all users. The prevalence of the Web creates new disciplines and a third path to property, production and administration. The prosumers (i.e. producers-consumers) actively participate without strong ties or direct reward. The predominance of only a few providers and businesses, even in the online environment, may be improving services, but it is also increasing privacy-related risks and preventing innovation. Most businesses are striving to comprehend and take advantage of the rapid change to their operating context.
Edition: 1st Edition
ISBN: B01MY0A0EP
Posted on: 12/24/2016
Format: Pdf
Page Count: 105 Pages
Author: Michalis Vafopoulos,: --------------------
