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The Attention Age is an idea that the current period of time, which overlaps and builds off of the Information Age, will be characterized by the increasing commoditization of attention as it relates to the increasing abundance of information available, particularly on the internet. The Attention Age is marked by the ability of individuals to create and consume information instantly and freely as well as share it on the internet using social media. The period is believed to have begun with the emergence of social media in the first years of the 21st century.

[edit] The Internet

It was with the invention of the World Wide Web in 1989 that the Internet truly became a global network. Today the Internet has become the ultimate platform for accelerating the flow of information and is, today, the fastest-growing form of media.

[edit] Search vs. subscription

Searching for information via search engines like Google and Bing are believed to play a less prominent role in the Attention Age as they do in the Information Age because of the rapidly increasing quantity of information. Information consumption in the Attention Age is believed to be more user-focused and targeted based upon preferences discovered by previous activities and user profiles. Tools like RSS allow users to subscribe to content that they feel is valuable.

[edit] Social media

Social media platforms play a key role in commoditizing attention because they allow users to share valuable content freely and instantly. Blogs and other user-created content locations serve a key role in adding to the abundance of information of varying quality, reliability, and source on the Internet. Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and others allow people to create and share content with friends. Twitter is an example of an Attention Age social media tool that allows for real-time transmission of content and news. In 2008 and 2009, Twitter received notoriety for its staggering growth rate and its users' breaking news before traditional media outlets. Sites like del.icio.us and Digg allow users to tag and organize content that they find valuable for others to consume.