I'm practically salivating at the potential
of something like the internet, it has exploded in the past decade like no
other mass media in history has. I would like to say that it can only get
better, but I actually fear for the internet. It is a medium that governments
have no control over, and governments don't like it when there is a massively
popular medium out there that they have no sway over. The big picture aside
though, I still expect a lot of brilliant innovations for the internet. I shall
gaze into my internet crystal ball and see what both sides of the coin hold for
the future.
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| obligatory futuristic internet picture |
The Good
Removing The Commute
When we think of work now, we think of
getting up early in the morning, forcing ourselves into our stuffy work clothes
and making that crazy and usually frustrating commute to the workplace in an
overcrowded Singapore.
Work will end in the evening and we jostle with the crowd again to get home
after a tiring day. Well, the future might have a solution to end this terrible
cycle. It is entirely possible that most meetings will take place virtually
through video-calling platforms that evolve from current programs such as
Skype. Sure, people will still travel, but it might just be to their favourite
cafes for both online and face-to-face meetings. This will free up more time
and reduce the stress in our lives.
Choosing Your Own Adventure
The forefront of entertainment development
is steadily moving forward with an emphasis on interactivity and being
immersive. "Audience" and "viewers" become
"users" and it is possible that one can start deciding what happens
to certain characters in the show they are watching, and be able to change
outcomes. Decisions could be made in terms of votes in a cinema or individually
when you're watching at home or on a device. Passiveness will be replaced by
constant interaction with what you are watching.
QR Codes
Technology like QR codes will prevalent
everywhere. Information or multimedia will be available at the swipe of a
matrix barcode. Everything will have a tag, oranges in the fruit section might
have QR codes on them and when scanned, it tells you where the oranges were
grown, down to which farm and what pesticides have been used on it etc.. A
dress? Scan the QR code and it'll tell you who designed it, where it was
manufactured and even how it was woven. Once information can be translated
online, companies and people can tell you everything about anything.
Education Without Borders
Education will become more collaborative,
educating people will become the priority rather than making money. It will
also become more accessible for a bigger population of people. Top class
education can be made available to the poorest countries. This could also
potentially break cultural barriers. Children can learn and teach each other
foreign languages online. There will be better understanding, less bigotry and
hopefully a brand new generation of people who will foster good international
relations with an education borne not of any one country, but the world.
Total Connectivity
Household appliances will be connected to
the internet. The fridge will know when we are running out of essential items
and add them to our virtual shopping list. When the list reaches a threshold,
an order will be placed and the goods will be delivered to your doorstep. Televisions
will have an integrated interface showing weather reports, travel information,
sports results, etc, all accessible in real time (basically an upgrade to the
smart TVs that currently exist). Everything can be set on a timer, is
electronic and the whole house can basically work like clockwork. Of course,
there will be limitations that cannot be foreseen right now. Personally, I
would love it if that ideal could be true, but I also do not like the idea of
everything having to depend on electricity to run. A balance will need to be
struck.
The Bad
No privacy
Our information could become part of public
records. When everything is connected, it cuts both ways. We get access to
everything, but anyone can get access to us as well. How we as the public react
to this, only time will tell. I feel that it will be gradual, and that people
will eventually treat it as just part of the evolution of society with the
internet and technology becoming such a big part of it.
IP Address shortage
With so MANY devices in the world today, we
have not stopped to think that most require a unique IP address. Well, on 31
January 2011, it was announced that we have used up all our IPv4 addresses.
Luckily, there are IPv6 addresses available, which are even longer IP
addresses, so as to have more possible number of addresses. I just wonder what
will happen ten years down the road, and if constantly adding numbers to our IP
addresses is a viable long-term solution. As each switch of type of IP
addresses requires a lot of work and is not so straightforward.
Things Hanging in the Balance
Net Neutrality
Net neutrality is an umbrella term that
covers many concepts. Mainly, it is the idea that everyone should be able to
access everything on the Internet equally, no matter what service they use. Some
Internet service providers (ISPs) oppose this philosophy as it gives them less
control over their own services. I say they can shove it, because what they are
proposing means that they can choose what we can or cannot access. Let us say a
certain company pays them a sum of money, the ISPs than slow down or block
access to the company's rival websites or services, and basically only allow
you to access this company's site. It is ridiculous, they want to turn the
internet into television, where you pay for premium content and have to CHOOSE
between certain sites. Let us hope that never happens.
Human-Technology Relationship
This article (linked below) is very thought provoking and
I think brings up a very good question: can
you handle infinity in your pocket? That is to say, smartphones and other
mobile devices are reaching crazy levels in terms of capability, eventually
you'll be able to find and do almost anything via your device. What then? Would
you go crazy with information overload? Throughout the day, one would be
checking innumerable number of things. Now we already have feeds, e-mail,
messages and social networking to contend with. As things become more on-the-go
and instantly updated, how will we handle this constant barrage of new
information? Only time will tell.
The internet might also affect the way we
think. There are constant ongoing studies being done on this, but it might be
awhile yet before we come to a concrete conclusion. I think it makes sense
though, we have a lesser incentive to think of solutions when we encounter
problems, and to be creative. Whenever we have an issue or want to find out how
to do something, we simply google it.
The Penultimate Question: Is Google making us stupid?
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