Online Networking

Concerning the three networking laws; Sarnoff's Law, Metcalfe's Law, and Reed's Law, I agree that they all hold application when applied in a specific context. The Internet and networks which run off of the Internet, such as social media, gain value depending on the number of users. We saw an example of Sarnoff's Law in the PBS documentary "Generation Like," where interactions such as likes, page views, and subscribers added value to the specific network and in turn provided companies an outlet to invest in individuals as a means of advertisement. Once reciprocated interaction takes place, the linear model is broken and Sarnoff's Law no longer applies. This interaction means that we, as an individual are able to connect with an infinite amount of content and an unlimited number of other users. Although I agree with Metcalfe's Law the least among the three, I believe in his concept that more connections create more value. In that sense, the more content and interpersonal connections (even over a computer) we are exposed to, the more invested we are in that content. The law that I most agree with is Reed's Law which encompasses the expansiveness of the Internet and the true value of its content. Reed's Law is built upon the idea that the more networks a user is involved with, the more power that network holds. "Generation Like" shows an example of this with the multi-network advertising campaign of The Hunger Games. The more Tweets one Retweeted, the more points one received on the official Hunger Games website. These multiple platform and networks take powerful hold of users in the absence of mindful, critical Internet use.

Five years from now, I believe that we will get our information through the same mediums in which we use now only in more unique and creative ways. Much of our information sources that exist today, such as television, Internet, and radio, will exist in five years. These mediums will eventually crossover onto electronic mediums, for instance e-printed newspapers, however "old-time" mediums will always exist, for instance record players. Mass media will continue to grow and find new ways to reach audiences on the Internet and face-to-face interpersonal communication will continue to taper off in favor of video conferences, text messages, and social networks. Until a mass communication medium is developed that is more expansive, more easily accessed, and cheaper than the Internet, the Internet will continue to grow as an important information exchange location.