yup
the expectation was that the internet would even out a lot of the problems we had, like the way that the old order started collapsing implied.
suddenly, you didn’t need a big record label, you could just put your music online and everyone could access it.
but the record labels adjusted, and now have the ability to drop what they want on to the spotify playlists that millions of people put on without really listening to them.
so the income of those at the top is astronomical now, remember reading a piece about how the superstar size artists can put out 15 versions of a track (the dance version, the latin version, the acoustic version) and get on to every big playlist.
meanwhile, those at the bottom have got totally fucked.
the start of the internet was an exciting time cos everyone could set up their own website and sell stuff, but now about half of all online sales are through amazon.
imagine if one high street shop had half the sales.
the start of the internet meant that everyone could be a journalist, but now you just have the big name websites copy pasting literally any interesting story from the smaller outlets, meaning all the traffic and clicks go through the large papers.
the BBC allow the agenda for discussion to be set by the tabloids. that’s one of the reasons question time is so shit
two thirds of online ad spend is via facebook and google.
imagine if you started a company 40 years ago and within 20 years you had 1.7 billion people interacting with you EVERY DAY.
it’s fucking insane.
