John Fiske notes how we make meanings from the texts we consume can be liberating when we have the discursive competencies to form our own meaning from it. Back in 1987, he was talking about television, but fast forward today we have powerful ICTs that allow participation in that process to anybody with an internet connection. Whether that be updating Wikipedia, or uploading a remixed video compilation onto YouTube or even a remix of a song (eg. hip hop etc).
Is this semiotic democracy a defining characteristic of the internet age?