Crowdsourcing and User Generated Content

Living in the internet infested society we are in today, it is a lot easier to obtain any information with a click of a button. Long before Google and the computer, people and companies had to rely on book research, paying someone a lot of money to investigate or obtain the content for them, some would even have do it themselves by writing articles and photographing. Now, especially with the help of crowdsourcing, people and companies no longer have to waste their time, energy and money obtaining their materials when they can simply get then for cheap or even free.

In Jeff Howe’s article The Rise of Crowdsourcing, he writes about the simplicity of crowdsourcing and how any person, whether they’re professionals or amateur can contribute. “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.” Essentially, what Howe is saying is because amateurs and freelancers  have the access to upload their content, you can download it without over spending, if not for free.

In addition to Howe, Constance Gustke‘s article Crowdsourcing to Get Ideas, and Perhaps Save Money, Gustke writes about how companies benefit from crowdsourcing. ”Harnessing the brain power of outside consultants and focus groups can be costly and time-consuming. But crowdsourcing gives companies a bigger toolbox. Companies can both test new products and develop customer loyalty…” crowdsourcing adds to the versatility of information collection.

Although crowdsourcing has its big upsides, it also has downfalls. According to Meagan McArdle’s The Blurring Line Between Amateur and Professional, because crowdsourcing is either free or non expensive, company’s no longer want to pay for digital content. ”Media companies begin asking whether they really need to pay for content when so many people are willing to produce it for free.” In other words, it’s harder for people who work in the digital media industry because of the lack of economic value. For example, a photographer wouldn’t be able to make as much of a living with stock photography due the financial and time convenience a crowdsourcing website can offer. This could potentially leave the professional broke or forced to diverge into a different specialization, if not a completely different career.

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