So I don’t know about everyone else, but I for one am obsessed with the Internet.  Whether it be Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook or Shockwave, I am constantly distracting myself with videos, images, and articles on a variety of subjects, from the inane to the intellectual.  Cat jump fails?  Yes, please.  The latest science news?   I’m there.  Vlogs and online serials?  The perfect distraction.

            Maybe it’s the mix of the droll and the didactic that leads me to ponder the phenomena that is the Internet Age.  Especially for teens like myself, it is hard to imagine a time when a wealth of information and global communication was not available with a few clicks of a mouse.  I mean, I love books, but to have to head to the library just to find the name of the King of England who was named “defender of the faith” by the pope and known as “the golden prince of Europe”?  Inconceivable.   And using card catalogs to possibly find this king’s name?  Ummm…Count me out.  (It was King Henry VIII, by the way.  Learn something new every day!)

            Yet it is not simply the wealth of information available and the ease with which this information can be obtained that amazes me when I look at the Internet; in fact, the one thing that truly floors me is how much of ourselves we can find on the Internet, how much we participate through comments, forums, and social networking sites.  Stressed about a test?  Commiserate with fellow students on Facebook.   Have a picture or video to share with a few friends or the world?  So many places to choose from.  Watching a video that you love or hate?  Post your opinion underneath for anyone to see.

            But what are some of the greater implications of this kind of online participation?  For one, if you Google search yourself you are bound to find something about you.  Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, media is being geared towards a new generation of people who spend an exorbitant amount of time online.  And at times it seems as though producers of content adapt media to fit the consumers themselves.

            Alright, so really, the concept of gearing writings, shows, content, etc. to a specific audience isn’t new or revolutionary in any way.   However, now more than ever, people have a direct influence on the creation of media (aka source materials).  Watching The Voice on NBC?  Vote online to save your favorites!  Also, sync your device while watching your favorite shows to participate in online conversations with other fans, producers, and actors.

            Seriously, though, when have viewers and fans ever had this much power to comment and critique on the objects of their obsession?  I myself am a huge fan of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube, and I must say that the fact that I could directly interact with the producers and actors of this online serial completely blew my mind.  My questions could be answered in later videos posted by the actors.  My critiques could affect the production of future posts and videos.  I, from the comfort of my dorm room, could participate in an interactive fandom that engaged viewers and producers alike in discussion about online source materials.

            “You’re exaggerating,” you say, “besides, what do a few answered questions or discussions matter?”  Well, I respond, maybe my questions and comments won’t cause a dramatic rewrite of the series, and maybe my questions are relatively irrelevant.  What matters, though, is that my personal questions and comments result in new material, and in shows such as The Voice or certain episodes of Psych, fan votes and comments can in fact determine the outcome of the show.  The Internet has drastically increased the impact fans and other viewers have on media, and who knows?  Maybe someday a simple comment from a single viewer will be the deciding factor in later plot twists, or even be the difference between a show’s continuation or cancellation.