Considering the Internet

A major report of the future of the Internet is published today and is reported by the BBC.

For most people this is not of great interest. It is after all about what will be happening in 15 years time.

For policy makers, such as the CIPR, which is about to embark on policy making in relation to social media, this document is important calling, as it does, on 742 of the best informed experts world wide.

There will be 'bubbles' on the way but this report is about the long run. Its insights infest the core of organisation and the way we manage governance and defend our way of life. It has to be noted that this is about the Internet. Riding on this wave will be the communications platforms and multitude of channels for interaction (not just communication from now on) that will mediate all PR programmes.

If the institutions where to identify how these developments will be affecting organisations in 15 years time and were to put some goal posts between now and then, policies and plans for influence over the legislative regime, education institutions and so forth can be developed. It takes five years for legislation to be changed. Education programmes are just as unwieldy, investment cycles are still this long and so, using the agenda provided by the 742, we can see what has to be achieved over the next five years.

On the agenda:


Mobile

Application online not on computers

Luddite counter culture

Ownership of the network

Embedded/near field technologies

Interoperability

Regulation

Powerful will be less transparent

Privacy

Virtual worlds

This should lead to considerations as to what is sensible for future developments in education, practice, tools and technologies, business practice, risk assessment (and insurance).