Metcalfe’s Law and YouTube

In class we discussed several laws associated with Internet communication and the value of networks. Of the laws we discussed, I found Metcalfe’s law to be the most interesting. Metcalfe believed the value of networks should be determined by the number of connections that can be made within that network. For example, if there is a network of ten people, there are ninety connections possible within that network. The more people you have within a network, the greater the number of potential connections and the greater the value of the network. This law is often criticized based on the idea that people do not connect and share with everyone the same. Critics believe that people connect with certain people more often than others. However, YouTube is a perfect example of Metcalfe’s law. On YouTube, people have the chance to interact different people each and every day. Through subscriptions and channels, people are able to filter the content they see. However, there are still millions of connection possibilities available on YouTube’s network. Viewers usually don’t focus on one person’s content. People using YouTube often look at several different kinds of videos posted by people with whom they have no prior connections. Therefore, possible connections should still have value within the network. This is why I agree with Metcalfe’s law, and believe the number of possible connections should determine the value of a network.

In five years, I believe YouTube will be the world’s most valuable network. More and more entertainment programs are abandoning traditional television and moving towards online streaming. Soon, I believe broadcast television will be a thing of the past. Television networks will become channels on YouTube, posting shows, news, sports, and other events online. Live streaming will replace live broadcasts. People will be able to access YouTube for all their information needs at any time using smart phones, tablets, and computers. If this comes true, YouTube will become our daily center for information.

Why We Blog

Blogging is not mindless, and the answer to why we blog is deeper than it seems.

Blogging allows people to post their creative content to a willing and active audience. People are not forced to read blogs, but they chose to read them. Therefore, audiences are more responsive and engaged in the content that is posted. Bloggers can post poems, stories, and other content they’ve created and share it with a worldwide audience.

 Blogging also gives people a chance to relate and empathize with one another. Blogs allow people the opportunity to express themselves without fear of exposure or judgment. This feeling of anonymity causes people to share deeply personal items they wouldn’t share with the people they know. This in turn forms a tight-knit community within the blog. Bloggers can relate to one another and compassion and friendship can be shared between people who have never met.

Blogs can also be used as an outlet. People often post daily reflections and stories, sharing both the good and the bad. Perhaps a blogger has a family member who is dealing with serious medical complications. Blogs give this person a chance to express themselves and talk about their struggles. People can also blog about joyous occasions. If someone is planning a wedding and they want to share that process, they can post about it in a blog. Ultimately, blogs are a channel that allows people to vent or express themselves.

While blogs provide people with a channel for expression, do we hide from life using blogs? Bloggers can easily hide behind their computer, avoiding life. It’s so much easier to blog about a problem than it is to deal with that problem. We must be sure that we use the blog, and the blog doesn’t use us. We can share our secrets and stories, but we shouldn’t allow blogging to dominate how we express ourselves or deal with our problems.

1st Blog Video