Accessibility closing the digital divides

The most important social effect in technology is the opportunity for social interaction. Through this concept we can then develop cultural effects as we include an interactive platform for all a general audience for interaction.
First, I will talk about Wade Roush’ article, Social Networking 3.0 as he went in depth into applications that allow connectivity such as MySpace, Facebook, Blackplanet, etc. All of these networks allow for interaction of all kinds socially. It allows companies to establish clientele as well as a name for themselves, which is “rich media.” With the encouragement of sharing online content, photos, videos, music and digital files, opportunities are to be received and profits are to be collected since “social networking has become a real business with a convincing product.” Companies like LinkedIn that helps job seekers find companies through social networking and makes money by a $10 charge.
I was intrigued by the cultural effect on technology or the “publishing platform.” Here it is where cultures connect and the basis for learning and recognition of identity is achieved. The conflict with achieving a more in-depth cultural effect on technology is the means, in which accessibility to a computer. In WIRED, an article called the Digital Divide? It‘s Still There, breaks down the demographics of ethnicities on who is able to access computers. The statistics showed that white people easily outnumbered Hispanics and African Americans easily over demographics and financial situations. The only way for minorities to have access is only by schools. Institutions allow the culture divide to be closed and accessible for minorities where users can then establish identities and communities.
The most disturbing social/cultural effect is based off if the lack of accessibility, because we don’t have a common ground.
Companies such as !Meem attempts to open accessibility by acquiring messenger. But it’s obvious that it is just a duplication of Yahoo. Networks need to continuously formulate new ideas and structures so that there could be an attraction to the social platform.
Molly Holzschlag’s Integrated Web Design: Social Networking - The Relationship between humans and Computers is Coming of Age talks about how are computers and machines are advancing, but questions whether machines/tools will be beneficial for a greater good.
I think it pretty evident though that companies like MySpace and facebook revolves around new ideas for open social networking. One example, MySpace and Facebook mobile allow the opportunity for the gap to be closed in all aspects. Instead of networking through the computer, companies have branched off to other semi-mediums or technology to supplementing everyday, real-life interactions as there is an over stimulation with the way people use those web-sites. There needs to be more in-depth human relationships between humans and computers, which in some aspect are very scary.
This was achieved by Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook, when he introduced a social networking site that he would rather categorize as “utility,” which his creation facilitates the information flow between millions of users and their friends, family a profession outside of colleges.
In Facebook Grows Up by Steven Levy, he notes how Zuckerberg took Facebook in a new direction by not only establishing the second best social interaction in the world, but also allowing developers to unilaterally install applications designed to take advantage of Facebook’s people connection. Ideas such as this nullify the lack of accessibility and open the door wide. “In five years, we we’ll have everybody on the planet on face,” Karel Baloun Face book engineer.