The Benevolent Web

The Benevolent Web

Throughout this course we have discussed several aspects of technology and culture. We have carefully looked at the effect technology can have on culture. Recently, we have been focusing on more dystopian effects of technology; however, there are several benevolent services on the Web. Here are some examples:

1. ipl2 - a great service created by librarians for anyone doing research who are looking for reliable information and sources. ipl2's motto is "information you can trust". You can use their search engine, directory or ask a librarian service and get reliable information. This service is great because through the "ask a librarian" service, you can get reliable sources from a resource librarian trained in the information sciences. Librarians were Google before Google existed, that is, you would ask them what you were searching for and they would give you the best answer possible. With ipl2, you get to ask a librarian a question and get the best possible answer again.

2. Kickstarter - the largest funding platform for creative projects. The NYU students who are attempting to create the anti-facebook, social networking site, Diaspora used Kickstart to fund their project. The way it works is that a creative project needs to be defined. The amount of money needed to fund the project also needs to be specified. Anyone can donate any amount of money to any project. Once the goal for funds is met, the people doing the creative project can start their work. This site is one of many that promotes a new kind of patronage to the world through online mediation.

3. 23andMe - genetic testing for health and ancestry. 23andMe provides a genetic testing service to anyone that's willing to spend almost $500 to find out more about their health and ancestry. The site has testimonies of people who found out what diseases they are prone to through genetic testing and were diagnosed early with pancreatic cancer or celiac disease because of the service. Their lives changed because of science. The site aslo includes a trace of your mitochondrial DNA which traces the roots of your ancestry. You can connect with people who are "family" through this. But I think the information it provides about pre-existing conditions can be very helpful to some.

4. Smarty Pig - it's kind of scary to use credit cards these days. Smarty Pig is an option for those who want to save money before spending. It's pretty much a savings account for planned, future spending. Say that I want to purchase a new car. I would set a goal amount to save and transfer money to the Smarty Pig account, acting as an online piggy bank that earns interest. When you want to spend your money, you use a debit card they provide or gift cards from specific retailers to get more savings/free money.

5. Cute Overload - it's an oldie, but a goodie. The best site to visit when I'm feeling down. After looking at some cute animals for a few minutes, all my troubles seem to go away.