“Web 2.0 …The Machine is Us/Using Us” is a video presentation created by Professor Wesch that demonstrates the power of Web 2.0. I believe that through this video, he is placing value on two viewpoints of the internet. Taking the portion of the title, “The Machine is Us”, Professor Wesch plays up the importance of the interactive nature of Web 2.0. Through the use of hypertext, we create and choose what is presented to us online. We click and Google our way to instant information. In this case, we are the machine. We are determining where we will go and what we will see, not the computer. This is what defines Web 2.0 – the interactive, social network. We create the pages and sites and upload the music and videos. We are the machine because so much of the internet is user created content. The second viewpoint that I believe Professor Wesh identifies is related to the “The Machine is Using Us” title. Due to the fact that the computer is aware of where we have been on the internet, it begins to know us and our interests. Now links and ads and emails are solicited to us on a daily basis based on our habits. The computer has learned who we are and money is made and websites prosper because it’s smart enough to lead us in the direction it wants to. We taught the computer and now it uses us for its benefit. Software companies, advertisers, and webpage designers all rely on the fact that the computer is capable of this. Professor Wesch does a great, innovative job of examining the benefits and potential flaws of Web 2.0.
