Gated Online Community

This article really opened my eyes as to how the "free" internet that promises a voice for everyone is starting to become more and more exclusive. The author mentions a number of different "friendster-esque" sites that have begun limiting their members in a desire to increase profits. The idea here is that free sites based on ads (like friendster) take a long time to start making a profit. These sites ask their members to pay for more specialized content and options and hope that the users will feel this is worth their time and money. If this works they certainly will begin to make a profit, however, if they can't get enough members their just looking at going off the net. Interesting stuff but scary at the same time. With more and more of the internet becoming a "pay to play" environment, it just means that the poor masses aren't going to have the same options as the rich elite. Creating a cast system on the "free internet" creates a serious problem to the new voice of the world.

URL: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=829191271&Fmt=3&clientId=8991&RQT=309&VName=PQD

Jennifer Saranow. (2005, April 29). Gated Online Community; New Wave of Exclusive Sites Tout A-List Networking; A Revolt Against Friendster. Wall Street Journal (Europe), p. A.7. Retrieved 2005, May 5th