The internet has crossed the line. No longer can a user innocently “browse” or “surf” on gentle information waves; they are sucked into a hurricane of blogs, tweets, and streaming video; the “websurfer”, whenever logged on, becomes an unwilling participant in a web of economic stratagems. Google Chrome logs the time, date, and position of every mouse click or content search; ads target preferences listed on Facebook; and almost every business, large and small, must have their own website. In fact, government agencies such as the IRS or the copyright office prefer the use of the “easier, more manageable” online forms, and God forbid if you don’t have a Blackberry or iPhone (my condolences to the Palm).

The difference between the internet at the cusp of the millennium and the present is that businesses have caught up to the demands of its users. They have designed a “social media” strategy that can supply a service while generating profits, even in the face of torrents. And it harkens back to the basics of economic evolution.

Instead of trading three chickens for a goat, one can exchange a red pen for a house on Ebay or Craig’s List. Let’s say you pay in cash. But how do we make sure this trade is secure? Forget banks; Paypal is the way to go. How do we get more customers? Through freemium services: 97% of users can enjoy basic services for free, while the other 3% pay the premium fees and enjoy the luxury of being on the “inside”; maintaining, funding, and policing these sites out of a strange dedication bordering on obsession [Twitter, Wikipedia, Flickr].

But what happens when businesses give into the pressure? They begin to outsource. But this is not the “oh-that-is-so-2008″ outsourcing crisis: this is a proactive solution to the overflow of information, one that is wiser and less invasive than information hoarding.

For example, Mixxchannels (www.mixx.com) is a unique online service dedicated to online businesses [not the average user] that “give publishers an easy way to cut through the swirl of social media and create an engaging experience with their brand and design.” This website takes the physical language of “brand” and “design” and recontextualizes their function within the context of online advertising. This service, which of course, supplies “personalized quotes”, has a catchy slogan: “Gather the chatter”. It will use search engine technology, much like a census, to find all the social media websites, chat rooms, and message boards that talk about your brand or topic and organize them neatly onto one page.

Another example of outsourcing information is Rdio, which is in its infant status of being pre-launch. This service will supply “unlimited” access to music from your computer and mobile phone, even when you’re offline. The information is separated from its source, your home computer, which is further distanced from its original creator. In effect, the consumer is paying for information freedom.

Which brings us back to economics. Convince a consumer that your product is not only better than the rest, but also necessary, and you have a sale. But convince your consumer that your product is more than necessary – customizable, shareable, and personalized [Pandora allows users to create their own radio stations and stream it live to their friends] - and hopefully the consumer will become part of that 3% who are personally invested in the welfare of the company.

We are approaching the era of Open Source, where users actively engage with companies to “perfect” the product [website] through manipulating the computer code and submitting their ideas. Outsource your information to those who know best: the customers!