more power and freedomThe first development, and often the most praised advantage of the internet, is that it has given the Dutch more power and freedom. Thanks to the internet, we can find out and compare infinitely more things ourselves. It also enables us to share much more by word of mouth thanks to social networks such as Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. We can give reviews and take those of others. The internet gives us a dashboard for the world and what is for sale in it. The internet ensures that we have a strong sense of control, we have the feeling that we are in control.
The power of online means that you can not only express yourself individually, but also find supporters, in order to list to data achieve something collectively. A good example is the Chinese Twitter, Weibo , which last summer ensured that an accident with a Chinese HSL train could not go unnoticed and that the authorities could not possibly keep it quiet. The power of Weibo forces the Chinese government to be more directly accountable for its responsibility to its citizens than before. Many corruption cases are also exposed in a timely manner with Weibo, so that more action is taken than before.
Another example is that nowadays everyone can start their own business very cheaply. Everything is free: e-mail, Skype, Google Docs. Google has made advertising accessible to the 1-pitter. He can purchase free software to open a webshop, professional mailing programs (for example Mailchimp ) and do market research . He has free wifi in the library or at Seats2Meet . Actually, you only have to pay for your own coffee (and even that is not necessary at Seats2Meet). And investors are also not only attracted by asking larger companies, but by appealing to the general public ( crowdfunding ).