It’s clear that the Web has altered how we as a society consume information. Not only has Internet communication made information more accessible, but social media has made it easier to organize, filter, and most of all, create. Yet with innovations like Twitter and microblogging, we’re reaching a point where the flow of information has become so heavy that the only way to really keep track of it is via real-time web tools.
With FriendFeed recently switching over to a real-time interface and demand for faster information, is real-time the future of the web? Can we as a society keep up with an ever-increasing amount of information? Or will we have to find better alternatives to filter out the information so only the most important stuff reaches us first?
The real-time evolution
Information’s growth and absorption has grown at an exponential rate. 500 years ago, information didn’t travel across the world in a single lifetime, more or less half a second. Just two decades ago, the primary way we received news was via television and newspapers. Today, the newspaper is in danger of becoming obsolete in favor of digital media which can break stories in a matter of minutes.
But minutes are not fast enough for our information-hungry society anymore. If it takes you several minutes to break a story, you may be out of luck - Twitter probably has already broken the story and thousands of people are already discussing its ramifications.
But there are some major disadvantages to the real-time evolution. With faster information, we have less filters and checks to be sure it’s correct. Rumors about swine flu or any other noteworthy story, can be spread and retweeted without a proper fact check. And some deeper stories require research and dedication that only journalists and other professionals can provide.
Social media is even moving toward’s real-time information. Facebook’s redesign is meant to bring the information stream into focus. Friendfeed now updates in real-time. And there are several Twitter applications that auto-update as well.
Is real-time a sustainable phenomenon?
This trend brings up two very important questions. First, is the Web going to become more and more of a real-time phenomenon, where speed matters most of all? Secondly, is it sustainable? And finally, can we filter the information so that it does not overwhelm?
On the first question: the trend seems to be towards real-time. As long as demand for information exceeds supply, faster information will be valued by our society. Faster social tools and new innovations make real-time Internet possible.
The answer to the second question is the most difficult one to answer. We can only read and listen to so much at a time. There may very well be a tipping point where we have to find a way to quell the information flow, but as long as the Web technology exists, real-time will continue to move forward.
And on whether or not there are ways we can filter the information, the answer is a definitive yes. There are already technologies and measures for filtering information, as well as choice. On Twitter, you can choose to follow as few or as many as you want, helping you control the flow. On FriendFeed, there are lists for diving up your subscriptions. We can choose to see information by just experts or from recommendations given to us by our friends.
We should expect faster information, faster technology, and more filters to help us control it. How much real-time Web we can handle is another question entirely.
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Via Mashable
Personal comment:
On évoquait cette question du temps réel ou du temps différé dans un post précédent (voir Social computing beyond Facebook & Twitter). Voici cette question développée succintement par Mashable.