Crossing The Law - Web 2.0?

The world is changing, and shifting away from traditional stereotypes. For example, children will now be found in the large, not outside, not in front of a TV, but instead, sat at a computer, spending endless hours chatting to friends via Instant Messaging programs such as MSN, AIM and Yahoo! IM. Instant messaging is only one, popular example.

Social networking on websites like MySpace has also been another major hit these past few years amongst kids and adults alike. At Profy, we’ve covered many. There have been some really great spin-off networks, and some not so promising ones. Recently, with the likes of LinkedIn and Aggreg8, we’ve seen networking become a business centered affair, something which many people see as a great way to earn some extra cash.

But is this the future?

Will the Internet replace real interaction? Are children turning away from TV as we know it, and spending more time of viral video media websites like YouTube, Google Video and Revver?

Many Web 2.0 and Internet development experts agree that this is a great thing, building online search skills, learning how to interact online, learning new interesting things, such as quirky science facts through user generated content on sites like YouTube. Though exploding bottles of coke packed with sugary sweets is not perhaps what you’d come to expect from a traditional science lesson, at the current rate, it’s looking like viral videos will soon be making their way into classrooms too, as they become increasingly useful and informative.

So what’s the worry?

In the UK and the US, there’s a serious concern about the amount of time that children are spending on computers. It’s not only this, but copyright breaching is rife, and it’s expected that almost 50% of under 21s in the UK and US have broken the law, by illegally sharing or downloading music via Bluetooth, the Internet, and other emerging technologies.

It’s becoming easier everyday to break copyright, but the problem is that the kids don’t know they’re breaking the law. Schools need to educate children from a very early age about copyright, and what breaking it can lead too. Recently, Russian owned website AllOfMP3 was sued for $1.65 trillion US dollars. Ironically, Russia’s estimated worth as a nation was less than this figure.

The point I’m trying to make, is that if the Internet is to ever move forward, and if it is indeed to play a major role in the future lives of the next generation, how can we harness its power if we don’t know when we are and aren’t breaking the laws?

Something needs to be done, and it’s time for someone to take action. Web 2.0 is coming.