Social

Social Networking
Social networking gives the internet reason for growth as everyone uses social networking, mostly due to it's simplicity and the ease of connecting with vast amounts of people.
The two biggest social networking sites are Facebook and Twitter, Twitter is used more commonly for people to 'follow' people more than to communicate with people, Twitter is used by most celebrities so that they can keep in touch with their fans and tell them what they are doing etc.
Before social networking, the internet was seen as a place where people would go on to find a source or some information, a one way place, where as social networking is communication between two people on the internet, making it a two way place. Some people would also argue that social networking gives people a reason to be on the internet, so that they can communicate, thus contributing to the growth of the internet.

This is a screenshot of mobile tweeting, social networking on phones has become very popular, due to the increase of smartphones over the past few years, people can now connect with social networking sites wherever they go, this is another reason for growth of the internet, people can connect with other people wherever they go, meaning more people are starting to use this technology.

This is a screenshot of twitter as seen on a computer, twitter is seen as microblogging, and the site is evident of this, it is very easy to use and is quick to post a tweet, this is a reason for growth of the internet, as people have become more busy, they want the sites they use to become quicker to use.

YouTube is a site on the internet used to post videos on, almost anything can be found on youtube, the reason it has grown with the internet is that many people use youtube to source educational sources, especially for people studying computer science or ict. People will often post tutorial videos on youtube or solutions to a problem found on a piece of software.
Many people also use youtube to listen to music, this is probably one of youtubes main target audience, with the release of vevo, a youtube channel that has all the music videos on it, with high quality sound.
YouTube has also created a new era of vlogging, vlogging means that people are creating blogs, but via video, for example when the american president is running for election, people will 'vlog' with there opinions of what they think, in a video. The internet has to grow for youtube to work as more and more people are starting to use it, this means it has to accomomodate itself into different countries, where perhaps content will have to be restrcited, this is not a problem for YouTube at the moment as they onlly opertate in countries that do not restrict what the population views.
Another reason that YouTube has contributed to the growth of the internet is music videos, renowned artists will often post there videos on YouTube before they are released for people to download, this creates a vibe around the artists and the song. Millions of people view this, and some would say that it has replaced the music industry, a problem with the way YouTube functions is that people can easily convert the music videos into MP3 format, meaning they can listen to them on iPod's, this has forced the internet to grow as people are using it to illegaly download content, however if YouTube were to implement a program to stop this from happening, YouTube would not function as it does today.

Skype is VOIP (voice over ip) technology used to communicate via the internet, Skype is a piece of software that can be used to communicate with a single or groups of people using voice or video, or both.
This gives the internet reason for growth as people can communicate with anyone anywhere in the world for a very cheap price.
Before the internet was created, people had to pay lots of money to contact people from a different country, with the technology of VOIP, it has become very cheap from using internet infrastructures, the cost of a credit in Skype cost pennies, where as ringing someone across the world would costs tens on pounds, also this technology means that they can use video as another form of communication.

Online gaming are virtual spaces where people play games between each other on games consoles, with the ability to speak to people and in some games view a video feed. Due to the nature of these games these rooms can become an abusive place, however they still have a massive target audience, this gives the internet reason for growth as technology for games consoles is advancing, and more users are being created, more people will want to access these virtual rooms.
Gaming used to be seen as a hobby for people to 'be alone' and play against fictional characters, however as the internet has grown gaming is now seen as a place on the web where people play against other real people shown as fictional characters. Online gaming has contributed to the growth of the internet, as online gaming requires high speed connections, prompting more people to establish broadband connections in there homes.

Technological

The internet has grown massively since it was developed, mostly due to technologies making it faster and safer to use, some of these are listed below:

• Packet Switching - Packet switching is a technology that splits data as it is being sent, when it arrives at its destination it is reformed, this made the internet grow as it made transfer of data quicker and safer. Without packet switching the internet would be an unsafe place to be, and people would not use it, therefore packet switching has contributed massively to the growth of the internet, also because it has made it quicker, even with using dialup connections.
• DNS - DNS stands for domain name server, which is a series of numbers such as 172.19.168.4, this is an address of a server, which as we know, servers make up the internet with sites on them, but this address was hard to remember and use for each site, so servers were named for example instead of, 172.19.168.4, it would be replaced with server2.co.uk, this is much easier for people to remember.
  Nowadays, the internet is seen as a place to access information quickly, without DNS the quick access would not be possible, as people would have to remember a series of numbers, just to access Google. Therefore DNS contributed to the growth of the internet massively, as it has made it quicker for people to access websites, and also it is much easier for people to remember URL addresses than a series of numbers, some web designers will select 'qwerky' URL's so that they stick in consumers heads, meaning they will remember the URL.

Search Engines

A search engine is a website that searches the web for websites that fit the criteria the user has entered. These can be very simple searches containing one word, or can be specialised in an advanced search, which means the search engine will only search for very specific results, for example 'remove this word', 'in english only'.
The reason search engines have contributed to the growth of the internet is because prior to search engines, people had to find websites from other sources such as directories, where as search engines, the first commercial one being mosaic, revolutionsied the way people use the internet.
Another reason search engines have changed the internet is because the most famous search engine Google, has become a common term in everyday language, if a person does not know the answer to something they will sjmply 'google it'. This also shows how Google contributes to the internet, as all web developers want there website to be at the top of Google, as everybody uses it.

Mobile Devices

Mobile devices have chnaged the way that people use the internet, with mobile technology and smartphones, anyone can connect to the internet and the services it provides anywhere.
The way mobile device shave contributed towards the growth of the internet is that because people can access the sites on the mobiles, web designers have had to start making mobile versions of their sites that work on mobile devices, this is because most standard webstites do not ergonomically work on a mobile phone screen or are not supported by the software the phone runs. A mobile version of a site tends to have less images on it, with larger links that can be easily used on touch screen devices.

Commercial

E-commerce, or as some have come to know it as - electronic commerce is the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks. Over the last ten years, E-commerce has become even more popular and has developed with the help of large firms such as Ebay and Amazon. With the help of other firms and development projects such as the Apple iPhone, they have enabled the average consumer to do their shopping ... Whenever, Wherever, and with anyone at anytime. E-commerce have many advantages and disadvantages. The main benefits of it are that users can buy/sell their products 24/7, anyone can carryout the necessary procedures, customers have more choice because they can chose between multiple shops which they otherwise don’t have access to, finally the running costs of the sites are a lot smaller than owning a shop on the high street.
The main reason that e-commerce has contributed to the growth of the internet is due to people becoming more dependant on computers, people are now expecting computers to do everything for them, including their shopping, this is why e-commerce has being such a success... it means that people do not have to move out of their home, and people like this.
The main disadvantages that arise when talking about e-commerce is that it is easy to commit fraud especially because all details of that person has to be sent over the Internet. When buying something you are unable to see the product which you are actually buying and therefore might get scammed into buying something different to what you want, it is quite easy to have some kind of technology problems while carrying out the sale made worse if someone is educated in the world of hacking then it would be very easy for them to gain access to all you information and become you while also committing credit card fraud and taking your cash.

QR Codes

QR codes are a marketing tool used by companies all over the world and are a fun way of making you visit their web site and also a way of sub -consciously making you read around their own specific product or service. To make the QR codes work all that is needed is a smart phone or tablet with a QR code reader app. These work by reading the pattern of the black squares on the white background, and then convert them into a URL address or a piece of text which the owner has written. You are able to find QR codes anywhere and are used on places like billboards, bus stops, web sites, TV ads, sides of buildings and anywhere also you can think of which a large black and white image can be displayed. If you have you own smart phone with a QR code reader or you have to borrow someone else’s.
They have contributed to the growth of the internet because people are always looking for a new way to engage with the internet, also with the fact that they can be placed anywhere and people are using them with mobile technology, it has also contributed to the growth of mobile technology.

Geo-marketing

Geo-marketing is another new way of e-marketing, as more people are starting to use phones, companies can track these devices and send ‘push notifications’ to the user dependant on their location. This means that wherever you are you could receive an update which you could potentially not want but something which would catch you attention. For example if the user was located near a Pizza Hut and the users smart phone contained a Pizza Hut app then it could potentially suggest meal ideas and update the customer on any deals or offers which are on at that store. This enables people to advertise their offers without drawing the customer towards the premises, the reason this has contributed to the growth of the internet is because people are becoming more dependant on their smartphones, it has become common knowledge that if a user enters a certain area there phone will notify them of offers in restatuarunts etc. People also enjoy this technology as it keeps them 'in loop' with what is going on in the high street.

Google Ads

Every one sees Google Ads but don’t really realise what they are looking at. In most cases it is the top three results shown with a yellowish hue behind them. Its an online feature within Google and uses a technology that will only target the marketing power towards the audience. It carries out this procedure by looking at what the user is searching for. For example if a person searched for online groceries, then Google Ads will promote ASDA, Ocado and Waitrose. This could also work on a pay per hit basis, where each time someone clicks on the linnk, the compnay has to pay Google a certain amount.

Academic

As the internet has grown, more people have started to use it for different purposes, one of the new ways the internet has being used is in academic situations.

Google Scholars

Google scholar is a geat tool used by academic students to find reliable information on the specific topic they have searched for, these can consist of legal documents, snippets from books, definitions etc.
Scholar works in the same way as a search engine but does not give the user a series of websites back, it instead gives a series of articles.
The reason that Google scholar has contributed towards the growth of the internet is because as the internet has grown under its own elements, people have started to use it for homework, people have also become more reliable on the internet, meaning it has had to adapt to students seeking information.

VLE

A VLE is a virtual learning environment. They are used throughout all educational faculties, from universities to primary schools. However they prove to be most effective when used in secondary schools, as tutors can be hard to track down and they can set work using this online technology. Students can then submit work for it to be marked. However some people have criticised the use of VLE's, as they believe that it removes the need of a teacher, this is a true fact and can sometimes affect the quality of the students work. Another factor that can be a problem with VLE's is the lack of contact between the tutor and student, students may feel that the tutor is less approachable, therefore not asking of help if they just post work on a VLE.
However, VLE' s have proved to be hugely successful, especially in IT rich subjects. Students no longer need to carry around subject specifications as they can access them on the VLE, another good use for a VLE is that students can post coursework on there, not just to be marked but also an online backup.
VLE's have being very helpful for open university students, who undertake a degree from home, this system means they can access all materials on the web, and some more complex VLE"s offer a chat service between the tutor and student.
Because of these factors, VLE's have contributed largely to the growth of the internet, this is because they have become a vital factor in educating students in the modern age, they offer students an option that students 50 years did not have, however some people would still argue that students no longer have an option to use this technology.

Digital Libraries

Digital libraries is a library consisting on computerised books, the most common and widely used is kindle store and iBooks.
Like real libraries, users are given an option to browse thousands of books and borrow them for a set amount of time, however unlike in a real library there is no risk of late returns, as the book is automatically removed from the library for that user.
Digital libraries, like all libraries are free but you have to subscribe to the store so the company can keep track on the books you have. However there is also an option for people to buy the books that they borrow, this is a reason that digital libraries have contributed towards the growth of the internet, as people have become more dependant on computers and mobile technology, people quickly adapted to being able to take thousands of books with them anywhere they want on a very thin device such as the iPad or an Amazon Kindle.
Digital libraries are very simple to use, meaning that older generations, whom tend to visit libraries will be able to use this technology, if it did ever become dominant over paper libraries.
Another reason digi. libraries have contributed towards the growth of the internet, is because they use wi-fi connections to connect with the library, this means that wi-fi hotspots have had to be increased (bt openzone etc)so that more people can access them.

Digital Encyclopedias

A digital encyclopedia is an encyclopedia condensed onto a website, or a porgamme on a computer, this removes the need for users to search a full paper encyclopedia for a piece of information, a digital encyclopedia works like a search engine, the user searches a topic and relevant articles and information are returned from the encyclopedia. The most common digi ecnyclopedia used is Encarta, developed by microsoft, is a piece of software that is downloaded from the internet or a disc onto the computer, this piece of software then gives the user full use of an encyclopedia, with pictures etc.
Encarta can be used offline without an internet connection meaning that people who do not have internet connections or can not afford it can use the encyclopedia, this can cause a problem however if the version of encarta is old, as the article son it may become outdated, then the whoel point of an encyclopedia is gone, to provide up to date information.
For people with an internet connection, they can receive packages from the internet to make sure that the encyclopedia is up to date, the packages download from the web and keep all articles up to date, or remove irrelevant information.
Online encyclopedias can also be used on tablet pc's, meaning they can be taken anywhere, due to the fact they can be used offline, or with 3g technology can be kept up to date.
The reason that digital encyclopedias has contibuted to the growth of the internet is due to other technological factors, such as digi libraries and the cloud, people are becoming more reliant on technologies to do everyday jobs for them, also they want to be able to access information everywhere they go. For this reason I believe digi encyclopedias have grown due to people becoming more reliant on online document sources.

Political

Politics is an old insititution, that many people see as a bunch of men sat in a room debating, however in recent years technical advances have changed the way that politics function. It is now easier for people to contact the government, by email ,forums etc.

Online Petitions

In the past, petitions have being a sheet of paper that is sent of to the government and signed by the person, this was a lengthy process and took a long time for the government to recieve the petition.

Since the government has introduced online petitions, the amount of people taking part has massively increased.

The reason this technology has contributed to the growth of the internet is because more people can coomunicate with the government, which everyone wants to do. Another reason online petitions have contributed to the growth of the internet is due to social networking, there is no actual site for people to access online petitions, so they are shared on facebook, if there is no social media behind an online petition, the question has to be asked of how people will access it. Another advantage of putting online petitions on facebook is that they can target certain demographics.

e-Mail

email is not a new technology, but one the government use a lot, for internal and external communication. The reason email has contributed to political growth of the internet is due to external email, with the country current state with the government, people are constantly wanting to talk to government via there MP, however this is not easy to do, so people tend to email them instead, a quick, easy and free method of communication to the government.
Government also use internal email to transfer documents between each other, however this has recieved a lot of criticism as highly confidential documents have being lost.
Number 10, has it's own email account so people can directly contact the prime ministers office, however due to security reasons, he himself can not have a personal email account that can recieve external emails, this can be a problem as messages can take a long time to travel to certain people through different departments, removing the original purpose of email.

Social Networking

Many people now use social networking sites to communicate with people, it has become the new way to communicate with people. So most political parties noe have twitter and facebook pages, to communicate with their constituents. This is a modern way of communication, and gives people the options to talk back to the parties, voicing there opinions.
The Royal family have their own facebook page so they can inform people of public engagements and what they are doing. The government using these technologies has contributed to the growth of the internet, as mor epeople have started to use social networking in order to communicate with the government and main political parties, this tends to be mostly older people who are joining social networking sites for this reason.
As we know, social networking itself has contributed massively towards the growth of the internet, so with politics integrated into this, the government and political parties presence has massively increased on the internet.

Open Publishing


Open publishing is where anyone can post on the internet, under certain guidelines, this means anyone can create a web page etc.
This has become particularly common in the world of politics, where people can publish a website going against what government have proposed or are doing. The most recent open publishing site that is questioning government is stop Kony, this started with a video on youtube but went viral when the website was published. This just goes to show that people do have power when publishing on the internet,