In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Internet was first introduced and distributed to the public. And has since been ever-changing. We are all witnesses to the plethora of things in digital spaces that have gradually evolved and been modified to facilitate easy consumption. We’ve watched as platforms become an online phenomenon and when they reach their bitter deaths. Swept clean under the rug for the next wildfire spread of information platforms to infect culture.

In modern times, users fall victim to the new standards of digital spaces. What we are force-fed becomes what we “want”. Hence, the repeatedly nuanced expectations and values we hold against new media.

As Applen writes, “We think we are making unique choices that reflect who we are as individuals, but this is illusionary.” (Applen, 12). In saying this, Applen highlights digital rhetoric, insinuating that every move made by digital rhetors is extremely purposeful. Our supposed autonomy in digital spaces is illusory. Every action and choice we make is done through influence. Through persuasive techniques embedded within digital rhetoric.

Modularity and Its Craze

The World Wide Web flourishes due to seemingly obvious factors. In Defining and Locating Digital Rhetoric, Eyman introduces Manovich’s five principles of new media: numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability, and transcoding.

New media is certainly modular, but what that means clarifies the intricacies of its craze.

Modularity is explained by Eyman as the composition of discrete units that can be combined into larger objects without losing their independence (Eyman, 53). In consequence, modular units on the web are constantly being interchanged, disassembled, or combined to create something larger than itself. Take an online blog post as an example. It’s not as simple as black text on a white screen, but there are plenty of modular units that make the page come alive. Things such as the featured image or hyperlinks to resources. As avid web users, we know the draw of a perfectly curated online site and always fall for its practicality. These factors insert a direct meaning for the readers, a meaning made with full awareness.

This leads to another key term: variability. Applen describes the Manovich term as “the characteristic of new media, which means it is never “fixed” but exists in “potentially infinite versions” (Applen, 8). In simpler words, the combination of modular units becomes something larger than itself alone. For instance, a student is doing homework and needs clarification on a certain topic. They search for this topic and rashly choose a link. There, they are met with a brief explanation. But they need more explanation, so they click on the bolded key terms accompanied by hyperlinks, which leads them to even more articles that provide them with endless information. Hyperlinks on one page led to a multitude of tabs.

A Prequel

It is undeniable that the evolution of information presentation has modified our expectations. We’ve seen content transform itself through different kinds of mediums.

To illustrate, take the world of fine art as an example. A piece is characterized by its medium: oil painting, watercolor, acrylic, graphite, a photograph, etc.

Let’s say we have artists painting a seaside landscape in Italy. One uses oil paints, and the other uses graphite pencils. Different devices attempt to display identical content. However, the viewers of the completed work may receive different messages. The colors of the oil painting make viewers optimistic, wishing they could someday walk through the scene. The scale of grays in the graphite piece brings viewers nostalgia. Making the scene look quite sad. They don’t feel the same way, and that has everything to do with the medium being the message.

These two mediums paint the same picture but maneuver you to take very distinct actions. This example maps out the effect the medium holds on content.

The Interplay

What does this have to do with digital spaces and new media? Well, funnily enough, fine art systems are a perfect way to explain the ways new media is being presented on the web.

Just as traditional painting and drawing techniques and mediums have evolved over time, adapting to new tools and technologies, so too has the world of digital spaces. The evolution of digital spaces has revolutionized the way we create, share, and interact with content.

Let’s think of how people in the past planned their trips and created travel itineraries. How? Well, using travel guidebooks. They, of course, continue to exist despite no longer being the most popular route travelers take when planning a trip. These guidebooks are information-saturated, small, and do not usually exceed more than 250 pages.

The people picking up guidebooks receive in-depth descriptions of countries or regions with detailed descriptions and recommendations tailored to the needs of travelers. They are made for you to skim through the chapters and absorb whatever information is needed. Pick what piques your interest and move on. It isn’t incredibly expansive. Purposefully curated to be the only reference reached during one’s travels.

In modern times, for the average digital technology user, this could not be farther from the truth.

It is no secret that we have entered a “How can I get as much information with the least amount of mental work?” kind of decade. This kind of need is a direct outcome of the hasty information presentation of this age. Guidebooks may not delve into or be updated on every aspect of a particular destination. This is something that can be easily done on social media platforms. For that reason, travel guidance flourishes on “keeping up with the times” platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.

Videos labeled “Three must-try spots in Barcelona,” “Sunday afternoon in Lisbon,”  or “I spent two months in France: Here are places you shouldn’t miss” do things a printed image is incapable of executing. They are visually captivating to watch. The engaging formats of these platform mediums allow for the rapid absorption of the content: travel tips, recommendations, and experiences.

The makers of these fast-paced videos want you to click the hyperlinks, expand the caption, and check out their profiles to find more videos with a similar format. The information you find is expansive. Consequently, you save them in your folder and plan your trip based on what you see. Because it’s a video and its maker is simply a name on the front cover, you may even trust these sources more. This depicts how users of the web today search for certain mediums that provide convenience and satisfy our cravings for fast-paced consumption of information.

Information Hunt

Applen writes,

“What we fail to notice, or perhaps do not notice at the time of a new technology’s inception, is that eventually it has other effects on our culture, and this is the “message” that McLuhan refers to: “the ‘message’ of any medium or technology is the change of scale, pace, or pattern that it introduces into human affairs.” (Applen, 22).

The mediums we choose to use or consume do affect culture. We take fast-paced content and normalize it. Yet, many people are unaware of the intricacies beneath why society accepts it. We think we are making conscious choices when we decide to click on hyperlinks. We think social media platforms promote individuality because you have free will and limited customization options in settings.

No, these creators are rhetors, and every choice you have made was already predetermined. You are one more number that accumulates to be their success story.

Modularity and variability promote the normalization of this kind of information presentation across all corners of digital spaces. It makes it easier for robots to receive user compliance. As we click, we believe we are making an independent decision, one without outsider influence. This could not be farther from the truth. Web users of the digital age have been repeatedly lured into clicking during an information hunt. Taken by the reins placed by digital rhetoric.

In conclusion, fast-paced content and the normalization of its consumption conceal the underlying mechanisms that shape our digital experiences. As we continue to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of digital media, it becomes crucial to critically and cautiously examine the structures that control our interactions. If not, we surrender to becoming pawns in a game of digital manipulation.