Consumers: Will the definition change?

As of today, a consumer is a person who possesses a free will and a right to choose and select products that satisfy his inner desires. It is about 'Taking ownership of who you are'. The free market is free to target the consumer and to sell its products.

This very definition of a consumer may undergo transformation. Rather than extending a consumer's ability for more and accurate information, the state may step in limiting the consumers choice of products. In such a case, the consumer's choice may be limited to those imposed by the state.

Another aspect that may change the current consumer is the fact that the average consumer increasingly chooses what he sees and interacts with. E.g. Social networking sites and even Google targets consumers based on their preferences. Consumers on MySpace choose which groups to join. Hence, consumers in future will become increasingly specific thereby creating silos of experts and narrow expertise. Currently on television a consumer watches advertisements that is shown to the consumer thereby increasing the range of inputs the consumer is receiving, this will narrow down as the consumer gets to chooses thereby cutting off advertisements which are off his preference list.