The Internet is the Greatest Bridge Ever Built

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Added: Mon. Mar 02, 2009 9:31am
Posted in: Technology

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The #AgeOp think tank on Twitter asked its members to write a blog titled, The Internet is the Greatest Bridge Ever Built. This is my response.

The printing press, invented by Guttenberg in 1445, brought the light and power of the written word to everyone in the world. But access to and distribution from the printing press was determined by power, politics, and money.  The flow of information has always been controlled by the powers-that-be. Until now.

The Internet, combined with the latest social media tools, makes anyone and everyone a publisher and a broadcaster.  It gives everyone a voice. There is no longer a gatekeeper. Publish what you want, when you want, without the permission or approval of anyone.

The Internet has the power to bring ordinary people together in unprecedented ways. A woman just diagnosed with breast cancer is now chatting with breast cancer survivors all over the world. Parents of a child with a rare illness are getting advice from the parents of other children with the same disease. Grandparents, unable to travel, are video chatting with their grandkids on the other side of the country. CEO’s are mentoring underprivileged students. Young people are talking to the old. Black and white. Rich and poor. Jew and Arab. The Internet not only brings down borders, it builds bridges from one living room into another.

The new social media tools facilitate one-on-one communication through live chats, videos, blogs, comments, Tweets, and more. These tools enable the creation of virtual communities like Facebook, MySpace and GrowingBolder. The new Internet enables all of this without the interference or bias of the media or the power elite.  Power to the people.

As we’ve discovered in our weekly Age of Opportunity chat (#ageOp) on Twitter, the Web now has the potential to enable this real-time communication while removing the superficial identifiers that can define us in the real world.  An #AgeOp tweet from @sherisaid noted: Love the way the web strips off all the pretense - age, race, income level, and leaves only personality.

Of course, it’s not all good. The power of the Internet is also its potential danger. Scam artists, pornographers, liars and thieves are also trying to engage you. The Internet is a very sharp tool - a dangerous knife in the hands of a thug and a life-saving scalpel in the hands of a skilled surgeon. As we learn to control the dangers, the benefits will only expand.

Alaska made national news this past year with it’s ‘bridge to nowhere.’ The Internet should be making world news as a ‘bridge to everywhere.’ It’s the greatest communication tool in history.

To learn how to add your voice to the Age of Opportunity Chat click here.