Prior to the emergence of the Internet, the consumption of news was confined to newspapers, magazines, and television. People relied on storefronts and mail catalogues to buy products and sell goods, while they depended primarily on telephones and mail services in order to connect. As a result, people knew little outside their immediate community since news from other parts of the world traveled slowly.
However, as technology advanced, people became more exposed to the world around them. In the 1980s, the availability of cable television and the arrival of 24-hour news stations allowed people to witness news as it happened, while fax machines provided a cheaper and quicker alternative to traditional mail. The emergence of cell phones enabled people to connect instantly regardless of the distance, rendering phone booths outdated. Now this generation of people are almost completely dependent on their cellphone, using it for instant communication and immediate gratification.
Today, the World Wide Web has surpassed the fax machine and the mobile phone as the most radical innovation in global interaction, and, in the process, it has enlarged the individual's reach in political, social, and economic milieus. Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and other chat rooms allowed people with shared interests to meet and chat in real time across the globe.Along with IRC, people now have the opportunity to voice their opinions and create personalized blogs that line with their brand. These blogs hold the potential to advance social movements and consistently are trusted to be better news sources that mainstream outlets, especially with social issues.
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| Percentages of WWW access |
Blogs are not only a way of providing up-to-date information, they also virtually bring like-minded people together, persuade and activate people, provide both mainstream and offbeat perspectives on persons and events – all which can facilitate mobilization around an issue. Many online “partisan” blogs have been pulled into the electoral process via political conventions and meetings and have been used to emphasis the need for social movements. Bloggers and other social network users are more likely to share knowledge online where the qualities of trust, strong social ties and reciprocity are present. This connection creates new opportunity for mobilization and reach.
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