[Azzi_Kahlila]

Reverse effect means that people actually KNOW less.

Couple of hundred years ago, what did an average person know? Maybe information worth of 10 books? Less? What about now, an average person with an internet connection "knows" bits of information from various areas probably multiple times of 10 books in a day, excepts it's tiny bits and various areas. Which is better though?

1000 years ago, what did a person know, especially if that person could not read? All they knew was what other people told them. At least then you can see that other person, decide if that other person is reliable. Now? People fall for phishing so easily it's not even funny.

In the old times, you could at least know you don't know. Now? You think you know, when you in fact don't know, which might be a state of happiness for some, but it also plays into your decision making and view of the world. What I'm saying is, that big media will dumb the whole internet down, and we'll be all dumber as a result.

The equal opportunity part doesn't work, because big companies plays nice with China and others when it counts, and others don't even have electricity, let alone computers OR reading ability.

[TSVIDeo]

The Net has been co-opted into being just another extension of the same information sources as the other mass communication vehicles. The intense concentration of search rankings has resulted in the "bigger voices" (moneyed interests) gaming the system so that the same views found on TV, radio and newspapers are reinforced online, concentrated into the top results. I'm tempted to blame Google, just for being so dominant.

While we do still have some measure of independence in terms of net neutrality, the fact is that small independent voices are less and less likely to be noticed, especially in areas like pop culture and politics. On TV, it's Fox vs. MSNBC. On the Web, it Huffington Post vs. a range of righty sites.

Those cool "lone blogger" voices in the Web wilderness of just a few years ago have been absorbed into the mainstream for the most part, just as MMOGs have moved from quirky sideshows to corporate money-makers. Sure, there's still room for outsiders, but only the truly net-savvy will rise into easily found search results, ensuring they will be left to find their audience in the ghetto of social networking (which will be the next cool tool to be dulled into blandness).

So yeah, Pekka, you're right. The corporate oligarchy has taken over, and will decide what news, views, and entertainment is fit for first-page Google rankings. And yes, we can all look forward to a less-informed, more homogenized future as a result.

Thanks for bringing this up. It reminds me how pissed off I am.