Produsage and the produser

Due to the ever expanding field of digital technology, new terminology is sometimes required to describe emergent phenomena. Another term that has been proposed to better define the new age Internet user is ‘Produser’. A Produser is basically a ‘user’ who can contribute to the production of content. ‘Produsage’ describes a new mode of user- led content development, distribution, and consumption. In contrast to the traditional industrial- age model of producer- distributor- consumer, the term ‘Produser’ refers to the individual, a.k.a. the user, who now has control of the means of production and distribution. It is a hybrid process that allows the individual to act as producer, distributor, and also the user.

Wikipedia is probably the best example of Produsage, as the user is also the producer of the content. Most web2.0 interfaces are becoming platforms for Produsage, as collaborative content production, distribution, and consumption of information in particular, is becoming more widespread in public domains. The means of production and the control of content are directly passed on to the consumer. This innovative development of ‘Produsage’ sheds new light on the traditional industrial- age models or the Marxist view that industries are predominantly driven by those who own the means of production.

The advent of Produsage therefore demands a new perspective on the modes of production, distribution, and consumption. Collaborative development and interactive production is the foundation of many emergent technologies on the Internet. Some domains such as Wikipedia, Flickr, YouTube, MySpace, and many more are purely reliant on user-led practices. The production of content, distribution, and the consumption is dependent on the individual users, and in most cases, completely manageable by the individual. It is due to the onset of new phenomena arising mainly from web2.0 interfaces that, the role of producer, distributor, and consumer are rolled up into a hybrid concept termed ‘Produsage’, in which all users are called ‘Produsers’.