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Who is the Internet For?

Openness

Decorative Image

Why?

Making content open and accessible allows for greater reach and impact. The web’s openness allows for collaboration, which increases the overall quality of any information or creation. Individuals can also look to others for inspiration to create their own work. The internet’s ability to share and learn increases collaboration and inspiration, enhancing users’ knowledge and creative works.

How?

There are a few ways to make the Internet more collaborative. One example includes using Open-Source Code. This code allows anyone with a computer to edit or add information to make an article more inclusive or correct any wrong information. This means that no special qualifications or access are required to contribute. Wikipedia is famous for using Open-Source Code, you can see it in action in this Wikipedia article about Cats

Accessibility

Scene from The Lego Movie where Emmett forgets to put clothes on before leaving the house. The closed captions read: "Wear Clothes. I almost forgot."

Why?

Providing accessible content is morally right because it makes the Internet more inclusive and easier to use. Making content accessible also ensures that people with disabilities can access and understand the information, which allows for a more inclusive and diverse audience reach. Lastly, many countries have laws requiring web accessibility to prevent ableism.

How?

Accessibility on the Internet takes many forms. One example is adding closed captions to movies, episodes, and YouTube videos, such as the picture above. Another example includes color contrast, which ensures that text is easy to read for people with vision impairments. Both of these examples not only make the Internet more accessible but also improve the user experience for everyone.

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Who is the Internet For?

The web accessibility icon that should be used on most websites.

Openness

Why?

The open web is important because it can start a chain of ideas as anyone is able to see what is posted and build off of it. It creates a collaboration factor that allows people to view anything and become inspired from it, creating their own ideas based off of it.

How?

Openness can be achieved through public posts such as Wikipedia articles, recipes from a blog post, or restaurant reviews. Through these public posts, viewers are able to take the information into consideration when writing a paper, or making dinner, or choosing where to go out to lunch. For example, see if you would want to eat here with this Restaurant Review of Rey Azteca.

Accessibility

Why?

Accessibility is important to ensure that each individual is able to view the content. Making information accessible for all promotes an equality factor, that allows those with disabilities to have the same abilities as those without. Providing accessibility is not only just the right thing to do, but it is also mandatory according to the law in some countries.

How?

Ways to make content accessible can vary from headings and subheadings, to the use of subtitles on videos, descriptive link texts, colors for graphics and more. There is no way a person can make content 100% accessible, however there is always something that can be added in order to allow a higher accessibility level. While those with disabilities will benefit greatly from these tools, others will also find them useful as it is an extra way to gather information needed.

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Who is the internet for?

Openness

Why?

The open web was and is a pioneering discovery of our time. It invented the ability to connect with anyone from anywhere at anytime and share anything- a truly remarkable creation! The openness of the internet allows us to share quite literally anything with everyone who has access to the web. Recipes, solutions to problems, event planning inspo, how-to’s, and the list could go on forever. The openness of content on the internet has created a certain kind of convenience that there has never been before.

How?

Much open web content is made possible through open-source software like GIMP or WordPress. Another example of open content would be blog groups like Reddit, where individuals are able to ask a question they have or state a problem they’re having and people can respond with answers and feedback to help (or just share chicken recipes). Take a look for yourself. Reddit chicken recipes thread.

Accessibility

Why?

To those who have never heard of ‘accessible’ content, it might be hard to understand what it is, and why or how it is made. In plain English, accessible content is going to be able to be viewed not just by people without disabilities, but also people with disabilities. Take someone who is deaf, for example, trying to watch a video without subtitles. That piece of content is inaccessible for them. Creating accessible content allows your content to reach a broader audience, giving you a greater chance of reaching whatever goal you have, and is just straight up the right thing to do, even if it creates an extra step and takes some extra time to do.

How?

There is no straight forward ‘how’ to make accessible content. It depends on things like what kind of content you’re making and what you’re trying to accomplish and it requires you to be considerate and think about how someone with disabilities may or may not be able to view your content. As Professor Cartland said, “Nothing is ever 100% accessible, or 100% open. But creators can make choices about what level to aspire to, and work to reach that goal.” Some common features of accessible content include things like alt text for photos, closed captions on videos, and choosing high contrast colors for word graphics.

View over the should of a man who is sat at his desk browsing the open web on his laptop.
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Coni

Coni is a sophomore at the University of Mary Washington pursuing a double major in marketing and digital communications. Outside of class, she is a peer mentor and works for Student Activities and Engagement. Coni grew up in Virginia with her family, which consists of her mom, dad, twin sister, & younger sister. A fun fact about Coni is that Dancing With The Stars is her favorite show.

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