cybersociety

how are the internet and the emerging internet media going to change society in the coming years? after some reading, a few hours of thinking and two or three stiff drinks my version looks about like this:

• less private sphere: the world will see a remarkable increase of transparency. all information that has been publicized once will be stored and remains accessible on some public server somewhere in this galaxy. people will get used to becoming more and more transparent, having to live with their publicized past and trade in their privacy for the convenience of publicity and their internet presence. all my thoughts publicized in this blog will remain stored in some database...
  
• efficient markets: the increase of transparency, informative liquidity and the reduction of asymmetric information distribution will lead to a more efficient and fair allocation of resources (only for people with internet connection). people looking for goods, services and people will have a much higher comparability (only for people who know where to search and having the money to pay for increasingly commercialized internet services). and therefore – with a higher probability - spend their time, money and efforts on what they really want. for example when they’re looking for the right partner on the internet...
  
• less human intermediaries: the increase of transparency and the user-friendly internet tools furthermore lead to a world of increased “self-control” with less (human) intermediaries and less transaction costs. for example when people book their flights with easy jet...
  
• more intercultural communication: people are increasingly communicating with people that live outside the cultural unit in which they’ve been socialized. the world’s geographic cultural differentiation will melt down in favour of global networks of people living the same values and interests. wherever they live, people will meet up virtual societies, and maybe one day decide to build up a real society somewhere in the world. for example a real cyberpunk community in the black forrest...
  
• social collaboration: more and more goods and services will be produced by peer groups on a not (directly) profit oriented base. well known examples are open source software such as Linux, Drupal, the online encyclopedia Wikipedia or the Human Genome Project. in this work mode, primarily enabled by the increasing digital interconnectivity, hundreds or thousands of dispersed volunteers can create fast, fluid and innovative projects. for example a new open source application or the realisation of a charitable project. non-commercial and internet based social collaboration will become the strongest reformer and transformer of global society.
  
• modular collaboration: people will choose the topics they want to get involved more selectively. instead of joining a “horizontal” organization such as a political party, people will more and more focus on “vertical" activities and specific goals that are in their very interest. these projects and initiatives will be presented and promoted on dedicated internet platforms that allow people to publically collaborate.
  
• virtual collaboration: society is shifting from closed and hierarchical workplaces with rigid employment relationships to increasingly self-organized, distributed and collaborative human networks. these global workforces will meet on an ad-hoc or an ongoing base and assemble the intellectual, financial and physical assets required to realize their common goals with their working unit (firm, political party, project group etc.). people will be free to work in the environment that enspires them most; in vibrant manhattan or laid-back surfers paradise jericoacoara...
  
• increasing pace of problem detection and problem solving: due to the efficient information flow, people will be able to resolve problems more efficiently and effectively. this will give them more time to relax. or look for further problems, for which the web again will provide more solutions. the pace of “social renovation” will therefore increase
  
• governments remain to protect rights and enforce duties: internet based, democratic and global “massive social collaboration” initiatives will more and more replace many national, governmental efforts. “netizens” will partially take over what used to be the duties of “citizens”. especially with regard to global problems. Cp. John Perry Barlow’s Cyberspace Independence Declaration (http://www.eff.org/): “...We will create a civilization of the Mind in Cyberspace. May it be more humane and fair than the world your governments have made before.” let’s see...
  
• dematerialization of society: society’s mindset will shift from deriving social recognition and status out of material possessions (except for the most trendy information accessing tools such as handhelds, PDAs et.) and reward those with fame who are fast and flexible in accessing whatever material and immaterial goods required to live a fast, fulfilled and fun life.
  
• fusion of real and virtual world: the dichotomous construction of real vs. virtual life will become more and more obsolete. the more realistic virtual experiences get, the more will real-life experiences take place in virtual spheres. the game in the game will become the game... cp.”Total Recall” or “The Matrix”...
  
• cybercrime: governments and critical infrastructures rely increasingly on network computing technologies and are thus ever more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. crime, terrorism, wars and other violent confrontations will more and more be transferred to the net, including the “infovasion” of other countries...