This course starts by explaining the important innovations that have driven the acceptance of video games. You will study the developments that influenced the evolution of video games and identify the effect of electronic games on culture. Look into gaming culture, the ways video games affected other forms of media, and how video games can be used for educational purposes. The course also covers the effects of video game addiction and other controversial issues related to modern gaming.

Next, examine the technologies that made the Internet accessible, and study the causes and effects of the dot-com implosion and market crash. The material then discusses the pros and cons of blogs on the distribution of information and the ways privacy is being addressed on the Internet. You will also study the Internet Paradox, the information superhighway as it relates to the Internet, and the different ways to identify credible sources online. Finally, the course will teach you about net neutrality.

The aesthetics and principles of gaming culture and social media have had a massive impact on mainstream culture. This has led to the gradual acceptance of marginalized social groups, increased comfort with virtual worlds, and the pursuit of new means of interaction. This free Media Studies course on gaming, the World Wide Web and social media will give you a much stronger understanding of how the Internet has made pop culture transmission a two-way street and how virtual worlds have been creating new social spaces.