Rebuild the Internet

I began my project by drawing familiar internet symbols and icons that represent themes or popular websites. Many icons I decided to include portray my own use of the internet. For instance, most of my screen time is spent on apps like Netflix, Canvas, and Spotify. I also included some general and popular symbols that almost every internet user can recognize and relate to. I didn’t think too hard about these; it was just a stream of consciousness of what I associate with the internet. I also added words that come to mind with the internet.

The importance of my project was my use of thread that shows the many pathways one can take on the internet. It starts with the mouse icon; the little arrow that gives everyone the power to go anywhere you want. I included this intentionally because I wanted to iterate that the internet is different for everyone; it all depends on what you click on. Most people first find themselves on popular websites like Google or Youtube, so I put these closest to the mouse. But as the paths get further from the initial starting point, two different “sides” of the internet become apparent. One shows the great things that can come from using the internet: education, art, medicine, new connections. The other path shows the potential harm of the internet: privacy breeches, viruses, anxiety, corruption. I used colored thread to connect the web. The green thread connects the good parts of the internet and the red thread networks the bad. The broader, popular icons were connected by both colors since they can potentially lead you down a multitude of paths. No one starts using the internet with the intention of becoming addicted to an app or getting malware on their computers, but the more someone uses the internet, the higher the risk is for them to stray down the wrong path.

With my project, I wanted to show the many possibilities of the internet and how everything interconnects. I wanted to demonstrate the importance of HOW each person chooses to use internet. Because the way I see it, the internet can be absolutely anything you want it to be.