The Pew Internet and American Life research project has issued another report on the the future of the internet with predictions that by 2020:
- Virtual reality will enhance worker productivity
- Tech ‚Äúrefuseniks‚Äù will emerge as a cultural group, living “off the network”
- People will continue to disclose personal information unknowingly, albeit for some personal benefit
There are other insights as well including the continued social inequalities and 46% agreed that the benefits of greater transparency of organizations and individuals would outweigh the privacy costs and 49% disagreed.
Here’s a video clip of Lee Rainie from Pew discussing the findings on the Lehrer NewsHour show.
The whole idea of a sub-culture emerging that lives “off the net” seems a bit sci fi to me. But then when I think about it, the few times I’ve taken internet-free vacations, it has been very refreshing. However, my business is very much tied to the internet, so there’s no off-network plans for me unless I change what I do for a living.¬† Hmmmmmmm.
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About Lee Odden
I agree with two of the three. I do not think that virtual reality will play as great a role as we think. At least not in it’s current state.
Perhaps some hybrid, or new, type of virtual reality will come into play.
The sub culture living on the net thing, not only seems plausible, it is already in existence. I think those cultures go by “MySpace” and “Facebook” (just kidding… kind of)
I think what would really be interesting is research on how networking on the web actually enhances real-world connections.