Melanie Beltran
MCS 244
February 17, 2019
Crowdsourcing changes the way that companies approach creating content by selling goods and services that equally appeal to consumers. Technology has only advanced over the years and has both benefited and hindered businesses by trying to attract consumers. In the article, “The Rise of Crowdsourcing” states, “Technological advances in everything from product design software to digital video cameras are breaking down the cost barriers that once separated amateurs from professionals. Hobbyists, part-timers, and dabblers suddenly have a market for their efforts, as smart companies in industries as disparate as pharmaceuticals and television discover ways to tap the latent talent of the crowd. The labor isn’t always free, but it costs a lot less than paying traditional employees. It’s not outsourcing; it’s crowdsourcing.” Cameras at an affordable price have the same abilities and features that professional cameras have (usually photographers use). Its only geared consumers to purchase the affordable camera as opposed to the expensive professional ones. In the article, “The Decline and Fall of Tech on Digg,” popular stories have declined over time for the company Digg. Popular stories like gaming and entertainment were once at the top in 2006, have not trended as much as they used to. The competitor, Slashdot, have increasingly great numbers. Digg’s audience has migrated to Slashdot and other sites that are beneficial to them. In the article, “The Blurring Line Between Amateur and Professional,” states, “The 20th-century media industries divided us into two distinct classes. There were professionals who produced content and were paid for their trouble. And there were amateurs who consumed content and paid for the privilege.” Since the media is constantly evolving, trends are never the same and have different effects on people. It has become unpredictable. This article also states, “Seasoned journalists and credentialed experts have to compete for attention with Daily Kos and RedState.com. Media companies begin asking whether they really need to pay for content when so many people are willing to produce it for free.” It is so much easier for an amateur to profit as opposed to professionals. The line between amateurs and professionals is truly blurred because nowadays anyone a profit with or without experience or tools earned.
Crowdsourcing has been useful to users that receive content from those that are and are not expert professionals. People have benefited from crowdsourcing because of its affordability and access. It has only made way for other competitors to offer the same benefits. Crowdsourcing has only increased over the years because it challenges companies to compete against one another to get consumers and users to buy their products and use their services on a consistent basis.