The Internet is said to show our common humanity. Through its data, it is said to provide a kind of omniscience, and through its social networks, a deeper sense of connection. For those without access, it holds the promise of a better life. For those of us who use it a lot, its power to affect our lives is clear — but what is the nature of that effect? How does it change our behavior? The way we see others? The way we see ourselves??Network Effect explores the psychological effect of Internet use on humanity. Like the Internet itself, the project is effectively endless, containing video clips, spoken sentences, news, tweets, charts, graphs, lists, and millions of individual data points. The time you can spend interacting with the project is based on the average life-expectancy where you access it. Co-creator Jonathan Harris has created many fascinating digital art projects including We Feel Fine and I Love Your Work. His work has a way of making us both celebrate and question the wonderful world of the web. In Network Effect the result is a voyeuristic and unnerving experience about our over-stimulated digital lives.
Greg Hochmuth is an artist and engineer based in New York City. He studied computer science and design at Stanford University, then worked as a product manager and engineer at Google, Instagram, and Facebook. Jonathan Harris is an artist and computer scientist, known for his work with data poetics and storytelling. He is the creator of classic interactive projects like We Feel Fine, 10x10, The Whale Hunt, and I Love Your Work.
