Friday, May 22, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Conceptual Research & Reflection Project part 4
Concept 8. The invisibility of difference
When you meet someone who you can see is hearing impaired, you tend to compensate (sometimes too much) for the mismatch between your 'communicative systems' – speech and hearing on both parts. But if you cannot see that the person you are emailing is using a low resolution, slow older computer running a simple ASCII text email program, then you tend to forget that there are such users out there and do not compensate. There are many differences between computers and computer users, but we tend to forget them when, positioned in front of our own computers, we are able to communicate rapidly and - apparently – effectively across time and distance.
One can see this effect most clearly in some websites that have been developed by people with more powerful / different computers to others. Screen sizes and resolutions, for example, differ widely between Macintoshes and PCs and the effect can sometimes be seen in websites that require too large a screen or assume too small a screen as the only possibility
The daily practice of electronic communication is shaped by over-familiarity with one's own computer system, and a tendency to assume that – as with much more established forms of communication – everyone is operating within compatible and similar systems. When in doubt, seek to communicate in ways that are readable and effective for all users, regardless of their particular systems.
All forms of Internet communication are affected, to some degree, by the invisibility of difference. While, at base, the protocols that run the Internet are (and must be) identical, their specific implementation in programs can vary widely. This variation is, however, very hard to see: hence, the ‘invisibility’ of difference. Fundamentally, we need to recognise that Internet communication can trap users into seeing no further than their own monitor, almost as if they are communicating by speaking to a mirror. Certainly, in online relationships, it appears easier for people to see what they want to see (rather than what they ought to see) displayed on their screen. Advanced Internet users are mindful of the way in which communications lose some or much of their original context and appear on their screens ‘as if’ they are coming from the user themselves, rather than the person with whom they are communicating. (Concepts Document n.d.)
Response
Accessibility issues are not just for the disabled
Back in the early days of the Internet when bandwidth was expensive and the tools used to communicate were a speedy 4 bits per second modem, sites were usually text based with little or no images. This has been called the golden age of accessibility. (Goggin, 2004, p58) Today with the intense graphical-user interface, heavy image based sites and ultrafast bandwidth; accessibility standards are seen as an essential bridge to span the divide between different operating systems and new and old computer technology. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has coined the phrase “Web interoperability” (Jacobs, 2007) which translates into—web technologies must be compatible with both hardware and software to gain full access on the web. W3C promote the use of Open Source Software (OSS) to achieve this goal to ultimately enhance user experience. “Open source is a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process” (Home, 2009).
It’s all too easy for software developers to forget about fringe community groups when developing new software applications. A significant example of this is when Microsoft introduced the Window operating platform. The change from DOS-based to a graphics-based system, rendered the screenreaders inoperable, as a consequence the blind society was left out in the cold (Goggin, 2004, p63).
“The benefits of OSS are better quality, higher reliability, more flexibility, lower cost, and an end to predatory vendor lock-in” (Home, 2009). These key principles are to promote innovation at a grass roots level that is driven by Darwinistic community development. Open source by its very nature is open to public use without cost, such as PHP, HTML, SQL and many others (Wheeler, 2009). There have been many arguments that OSS has no place in a commercial world (Perens, 2005) but you only need to look at the success the Adobes Portable Document Format (PDF) has revolutionised the way documents are exchanged. PDF was once proprietary software but is now accepted as an open standard, “Adobe has received approval of PDF 1.7 to become the ISO 32000 Standard” (King, 2007)—a truly altruistic act? That can’t be said about other software manufactures. Look no further than the troubled history of HTML and how developers’, through their commercial interests have de-railed the progress by introducing discrepancies in the code and how this has affected accessibility and given web site developers’ major headaches. The idea of OSS is the software can be modified to enable improvements in the code, which essentially encompass a whole community of developers in creating an accountable standard. “Accountability as a guideline for answerability, which motivates precautionary behavior that, in turn, caters social welfare” (Nuvolari, 2005).
Open source software is not the only solution to increase accessibility standards on the web, it’s only part of the battle. In a world where time is money we are always weighing up our commitment verses quality of communication. Where there is always someone demanding your attention, and with a tendency to rush though familiar jobs without taking the diligent care required—we do because we can, not because we should. (450 word)
Site1:
W3C: World Wide Web. (2009). Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://www.w3.org/
W3C site has a wealth of information for the would-be site designer where it has claims to have published more than 110 web standards and guidelines that can be downloaded free. The site also has numerous active members list for peer-to-peer discussions where you can get involved in developers community. W3C is seen as a peak body to ensure that the development and accountability standards are maintained of open source software for the benefit of the community. The Consortium is represented by over 400 organization form 40 countries to encourage diversity. Surly a wining combinations!
Site2:
Sorry not time to finish this.
References
Concept Document: 8. The invisibility of difference. (n.d.) Retrieved May 13, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=%2Fbin%2Fcommon%2Fcourse.pl%3Fcourse_id%3D_14736_1%26sc%3D%252fwebapps%252fdiscussionboard%252fdo%252fmessage%253faction%253dlist_messages%2526conf_id%253d_23724_
David, S. (2004). Opening the sources of accountability. First Monday. Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1185/1105
Goggin, G. (2004). Net acceleration: The advent of everyday Internet. Virtual Nation: The Internet in Australia. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.
Jacobs, I. (2007). W3C Develops Web Standards and Guidelines. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.w3.org/Consortium/
Home, (2009), Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://www.opensource.org/
King, J. (2007). Inside PDF. Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://blogs.adobe.com/insidepdf/2007/12/iso_ballot_for_pdf_17_passed.html
Nuvolari, A. (2005). Open source development: Some historical perspectives. First Monday. Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1284/1204
Perens, B. (2005) The emerging economic paradigm of Open Source. First Monday. Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1470/1385
Wheeler, D. (2009). The Most Important Software Innovations. Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://www.dwheeler.com/innovation/innovation.html
When you meet someone who you can see is hearing impaired, you tend to compensate (sometimes too much) for the mismatch between your 'communicative systems' – speech and hearing on both parts. But if you cannot see that the person you are emailing is using a low resolution, slow older computer running a simple ASCII text email program, then you tend to forget that there are such users out there and do not compensate. There are many differences between computers and computer users, but we tend to forget them when, positioned in front of our own computers, we are able to communicate rapidly and - apparently – effectively across time and distance.
One can see this effect most clearly in some websites that have been developed by people with more powerful / different computers to others. Screen sizes and resolutions, for example, differ widely between Macintoshes and PCs and the effect can sometimes be seen in websites that require too large a screen or assume too small a screen as the only possibility
The daily practice of electronic communication is shaped by over-familiarity with one's own computer system, and a tendency to assume that – as with much more established forms of communication – everyone is operating within compatible and similar systems. When in doubt, seek to communicate in ways that are readable and effective for all users, regardless of their particular systems.
All forms of Internet communication are affected, to some degree, by the invisibility of difference. While, at base, the protocols that run the Internet are (and must be) identical, their specific implementation in programs can vary widely. This variation is, however, very hard to see: hence, the ‘invisibility’ of difference. Fundamentally, we need to recognise that Internet communication can trap users into seeing no further than their own monitor, almost as if they are communicating by speaking to a mirror. Certainly, in online relationships, it appears easier for people to see what they want to see (rather than what they ought to see) displayed on their screen. Advanced Internet users are mindful of the way in which communications lose some or much of their original context and appear on their screens ‘as if’ they are coming from the user themselves, rather than the person with whom they are communicating. (Concepts Document n.d.)
Response
Accessibility issues are not just for the disabled
Back in the early days of the Internet when bandwidth was expensive and the tools used to communicate were a speedy 4 bits per second modem, sites were usually text based with little or no images. This has been called the golden age of accessibility. (Goggin, 2004, p58) Today with the intense graphical-user interface, heavy image based sites and ultrafast bandwidth; accessibility standards are seen as an essential bridge to span the divide between different operating systems and new and old computer technology. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has coined the phrase “Web interoperability” (Jacobs, 2007) which translates into—web technologies must be compatible with both hardware and software to gain full access on the web. W3C promote the use of Open Source Software (OSS) to achieve this goal to ultimately enhance user experience. “Open source is a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process” (Home, 2009).
It’s all too easy for software developers to forget about fringe community groups when developing new software applications. A significant example of this is when Microsoft introduced the Window operating platform. The change from DOS-based to a graphics-based system, rendered the screenreaders inoperable, as a consequence the blind society was left out in the cold (Goggin, 2004, p63).
“The benefits of OSS are better quality, higher reliability, more flexibility, lower cost, and an end to predatory vendor lock-in” (Home, 2009). These key principles are to promote innovation at a grass roots level that is driven by Darwinistic community development. Open source by its very nature is open to public use without cost, such as PHP, HTML, SQL and many others (Wheeler, 2009). There have been many arguments that OSS has no place in a commercial world (Perens, 2005) but you only need to look at the success the Adobes Portable Document Format (PDF) has revolutionised the way documents are exchanged. PDF was once proprietary software but is now accepted as an open standard, “Adobe has received approval of PDF 1.7 to become the ISO 32000 Standard” (King, 2007)—a truly altruistic act? That can’t be said about other software manufactures. Look no further than the troubled history of HTML and how developers’, through their commercial interests have de-railed the progress by introducing discrepancies in the code and how this has affected accessibility and given web site developers’ major headaches. The idea of OSS is the software can be modified to enable improvements in the code, which essentially encompass a whole community of developers in creating an accountable standard. “Accountability as a guideline for answerability, which motivates precautionary behavior that, in turn, caters social welfare” (Nuvolari, 2005).
Open source software is not the only solution to increase accessibility standards on the web, it’s only part of the battle. In a world where time is money we are always weighing up our commitment verses quality of communication. Where there is always someone demanding your attention, and with a tendency to rush though familiar jobs without taking the diligent care required—we do because we can, not because we should. (450 word)
Site1:
W3C: World Wide Web. (2009). Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://www.w3.org/
W3C site has a wealth of information for the would-be site designer where it has claims to have published more than 110 web standards and guidelines that can be downloaded free. The site also has numerous active members list for peer-to-peer discussions where you can get involved in developers community. W3C is seen as a peak body to ensure that the development and accountability standards are maintained of open source software for the benefit of the community. The Consortium is represented by over 400 organization form 40 countries to encourage diversity. Surly a wining combinations!
Site2:
Sorry not time to finish this.
References
Concept Document: 8. The invisibility of difference. (n.d.) Retrieved May 13, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=%2Fbin%2Fcommon%2Fcourse.pl%3Fcourse_id%3D_14736_1%26sc%3D%252fwebapps%252fdiscussionboard%252fdo%252fmessage%253faction%253dlist_messages%2526conf_id%253d_23724_
David, S. (2004). Opening the sources of accountability. First Monday. Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1185/1105
Goggin, G. (2004). Net acceleration: The advent of everyday Internet. Virtual Nation: The Internet in Australia. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.
Jacobs, I. (2007). W3C Develops Web Standards and Guidelines. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.w3.org/Consortium/
Home, (2009), Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://www.opensource.org/
King, J. (2007). Inside PDF. Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://blogs.adobe.com/insidepdf/2007/12/iso_ballot_for_pdf_17_passed.html
Nuvolari, A. (2005). Open source development: Some historical perspectives. First Monday. Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1284/1204
Perens, B. (2005) The emerging economic paradigm of Open Source. First Monday. Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1470/1385
Wheeler, D. (2009). The Most Important Software Innovations. Retrieved May 16, 2009, from http://www.dwheeler.com/innovation/innovation.html
Conceptual Research & Reflection Project part 3
Concept 5. The mobility of electronic digital data
Email and similar forms of asynchronous communication carry with them the possibility for rapid, efficient, almost invisible 'multiplication' of the addresses to which communication is being sent. Functions such as carbon copying, forwarding and so on enable the most rapid form of communication 'expansion' - bringing other people into communicative circuits - yet seen. It is very easy, with forward for example, to simply 'pass on' information without processing it or, without processing the dynamics of the communicative relationship between you and the forwardee or without realising that you are establishing a third relationship - between the original sender and the final recipient.
Moreover, once people begin to use email and realise that information can be copied and forwarded very easily, there is a tendency for this 'mobility of data' to become a cultural given in which, routinely, we include more people within circuits of communication than are necessary; or include them in ways that are inappropriate.
Advanced Internet communicators always think about the ways in which their own exploitation of the technological ease of mobile data can impact on other Internet users, seeking to ensure that technical possibility is not simply substituted for effective communication requirements.
Another complex aspect of the ‘mobility of data’ can be seen in the way internet users routinely send each other URLs. The addresses, or reference points, of Internet information are incredibly mobile, then. But, to exploit this mobility requires a little work prior to sending, or after receipt. For example, sending URLs to work colleagues without any ‘contextualising’ information is not very useful. You can assist recipients of your URLs by briefly indicating why it is being sent, what is ‘behind’ the URL, and how useful it might be. You should also recognise that passing URLs around may be less effective than passing around summaries of information or comments. For example, would you prefer to receive a short precis of an important article 9and the URL) or just the bare URL? While the ability to move data rapidly and simply, and the cultural sensibility of constantly forwarding and sharing information, is to be valued, it does have certain problems. (Concepts Document n.d.)
Response
The affects of mobile data on journalism
It is estimated that there will be over two billion users in the Asia-Pacific region who use telecommunication technologies to connect to the Internet in 2010 (MacManus, 2004). This explosion in popularity will be from a direct result of the “Portable Internet” as a communication tool which efficiently relays information to the masses. With an estimated 80,000 Wi-Fi hotspots (Perez, 2008) and the low cost of mobile phones with cameras anyone can embrace the technology and become a citizen journalist. A combination of this new technology and the amount of people accessing the Internet has forced a shift in the way big corporation news publishers will function in the future "our Internet site will have to do still more to be competitive. For some, it may have to become the place for conversation [...] We need to be the destination for those bloggers." (Murdoch, 2005) Empowering the community as contributors, not just Internet users will “revitalize citizen-based democracy” (Rheingold, 1993). The immediate access through mobile phones to the Internet gives the means for people upload stories faster than CCN can get there. A recent example was of the plane crash into the Hudson River, images were posted onto the web within minutes of the plane crash and were being viewed around the world before any of the major news networks were able to broadcast (Silitoe, 2009). It’s also evident that professional journalists are sourcing their stories from social networking sites to aid their work, "On Wednesday evening, I was traveling home from a night out, glanced at my phone and saw one of the people I follow on Twitter talking about Apple's new statement on Steve Jobs' health. That meant I could get straight to work on filing a radio piece." (Cellan-Jones, 2009).
Citizen journalist are everywhere, remote parts of the world can now bring international attention into trouble spots where before government control was absolute (Ehrlich, 2007). The down side to citizen journalism is stories like the 9/11 World Trade Center terrorist attacks in New York where voyeuristic scenes of people falling from the towers were shown around the world without consideration of the people involved (9/11 The Falling Man, 2009). Without the usual “gatekeepers” of professional journalists and editors this approach encourages a wide panorama of public views far greater than the main networks could or would broadcast. This effectively stops news being filtered, censored or news networks putting their political pervasive views on the topic (Brun, 2004, p179–188). This has changed journalism from a “top-down storyteller” to “bottom-up facilitators” (Deuze, 2005).
YouTube and CNN have now started to take advantage of this mobile data revolution to engage would-be journalists to participate in their new ventures of “Citizen News”. The Internet is changing the media industry by encouraging a participation culture. Criticism has been raised about the accuracy of the blogging news but there have been many stories of bloggers uncovering news that may have been overlooked. Senators have been forced to resign from office, movie stars embarrassed by their anti-semitic views and major news outlets have been caught doctoring photos to make a bigger impact (Usher, 2008).
Power to the people—the affects have been wide spread, news bloggers are the new online vigilantes that will continue to demand accountability and transparency through their actions as citizen journalism. The professional media has labeled new bloggers as “anti-globalisation activists” but bloggers are the “gatekeepers” for professional news outlets by enforcing a type of industry self-mediation to “keep the bastards honest” (Chipp, 2004). (510 words)
I have purposely cited both referenced material and news outlets to try and receive a broad picture on the topic. Most of the news outlets do not reference their work but that’s the nature of the media. Never reveal your source.
Annotation
Site 1:
Usher, N. (2008). Reviewing Fauxtography: A blog-driven challage to mass media power without the promises of network publicity. Retrieved 15 May, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2158/2055
Nikki Usher reports on the blog news media to highlight the potential for ‘new opportunities for openness’ in the media industry. It’s a timely reminder that propaganda still flourishes in the media and bloggers are acting as public informers. The report goes on to warn the aim of news bloggers is to increase the amount of traffic to their site and monetise their products, which just makes them a competitor supplying an alternative source to mainstream news. However, Usher users well know examples to convince the reader that there is a place for this type of reverse investigative journalism.
Site 2:
Little Green Footballs. (2009). Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/
Little Green Footballs is a citizen journalist news blog site that relies on controversial news stories to keep up the hits on their site. Most of the stories are not necessarily mainstream news items but are design to grab your attention with keys words like Fascist, Synagogue Bombing and Torture. The blog also acts as an aggregate, featuring news from other sites and blogs. The success of the site depends on people looking for sensationalism and a shock factor. The site fills a niche news market but fails to appeal to the greater audience unless it hits on a once in a life-time major story.
Reference:
9/11 The Falling Man. (2009). Retrieved April 6, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXnA9FjvLSU
Brun, A. (2004). Reconfiguring journalism: Syndication, gatewatching and mulitperspectival news. Virtual Nation: The Internet in Australia. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.
Concept Document: 5. The mobility of electronic digital data. (n.d.) Retrieved May 13, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=%2Fbin%2Fcommon%2Fcourse.pl%3Fcourse_id%3D_14736_1%26sc%3D%252fwebapps%252fdiscussionboard%252fdo%252fmessage%253faction%253dlist_messages%2526conf_id%253d_23724_
Cellan-Jones, R. (2009). Twitter and a classic picture. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2009/01/twitter_and_a_classic_picture.html
Chipp, D. (2004). Keep the bastards Honest. Don Chipp Enterprises
Deuze, M. (2005). Towards professional participatory storytelling in journalism and advertising. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1257/1177
Deuze, M. (2005). Online Journalism: Modelling the First Generation of News Media on the World Wide Web. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/893/802
Ehrlich, R. (2007). Bloggers in Burma keep world informed during military crackdown. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/28/MN8QSFFUD.DTL
Silitoe, D. (2009, January 16). Hudson plane crash. BBC News, Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2009/01/twitter_and_a_classic_picture.html.
Perez, S. (2008). Mobile Web Use Growing Faster than Ever. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/mobile_web_use_growing_faster_than_ever.php
Perez, S. (2008). YouTube Launches Citizen Journalism Channel, Citizen News. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/youtube_launches_citizen_news.php
MacManus, R. (2004). Portable Internet. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/portable_intern.php
Murdoch, R. (2005, April 13). Speech by Rupert Murdoch to the American Society of Newspaper Editors. [Press release] Retrieved May 17, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1257/1177
Rheingold, H. (1993). The virtual community: homesteading on the electronic frontier. Reading: Addison-Wesley
Usher, N. (2008). Reviewing Fauxtography: A blog-driven challage to mass media power without the promises of network publicity. Retrieved 15 May, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2158/2055
Email and similar forms of asynchronous communication carry with them the possibility for rapid, efficient, almost invisible 'multiplication' of the addresses to which communication is being sent. Functions such as carbon copying, forwarding and so on enable the most rapid form of communication 'expansion' - bringing other people into communicative circuits - yet seen. It is very easy, with forward for example, to simply 'pass on' information without processing it or, without processing the dynamics of the communicative relationship between you and the forwardee or without realising that you are establishing a third relationship - between the original sender and the final recipient.
Moreover, once people begin to use email and realise that information can be copied and forwarded very easily, there is a tendency for this 'mobility of data' to become a cultural given in which, routinely, we include more people within circuits of communication than are necessary; or include them in ways that are inappropriate.
Advanced Internet communicators always think about the ways in which their own exploitation of the technological ease of mobile data can impact on other Internet users, seeking to ensure that technical possibility is not simply substituted for effective communication requirements.
Another complex aspect of the ‘mobility of data’ can be seen in the way internet users routinely send each other URLs. The addresses, or reference points, of Internet information are incredibly mobile, then. But, to exploit this mobility requires a little work prior to sending, or after receipt. For example, sending URLs to work colleagues without any ‘contextualising’ information is not very useful. You can assist recipients of your URLs by briefly indicating why it is being sent, what is ‘behind’ the URL, and how useful it might be. You should also recognise that passing URLs around may be less effective than passing around summaries of information or comments. For example, would you prefer to receive a short precis of an important article 9and the URL) or just the bare URL? While the ability to move data rapidly and simply, and the cultural sensibility of constantly forwarding and sharing information, is to be valued, it does have certain problems. (Concepts Document n.d.)
Response
The affects of mobile data on journalism
It is estimated that there will be over two billion users in the Asia-Pacific region who use telecommunication technologies to connect to the Internet in 2010 (MacManus, 2004). This explosion in popularity will be from a direct result of the “Portable Internet” as a communication tool which efficiently relays information to the masses. With an estimated 80,000 Wi-Fi hotspots (Perez, 2008) and the low cost of mobile phones with cameras anyone can embrace the technology and become a citizen journalist. A combination of this new technology and the amount of people accessing the Internet has forced a shift in the way big corporation news publishers will function in the future "our Internet site will have to do still more to be competitive. For some, it may have to become the place for conversation [...] We need to be the destination for those bloggers." (Murdoch, 2005) Empowering the community as contributors, not just Internet users will “revitalize citizen-based democracy” (Rheingold, 1993). The immediate access through mobile phones to the Internet gives the means for people upload stories faster than CCN can get there. A recent example was of the plane crash into the Hudson River, images were posted onto the web within minutes of the plane crash and were being viewed around the world before any of the major news networks were able to broadcast (Silitoe, 2009). It’s also evident that professional journalists are sourcing their stories from social networking sites to aid their work, "On Wednesday evening, I was traveling home from a night out, glanced at my phone and saw one of the people I follow on Twitter talking about Apple's new statement on Steve Jobs' health. That meant I could get straight to work on filing a radio piece." (Cellan-Jones, 2009).
Citizen journalist are everywhere, remote parts of the world can now bring international attention into trouble spots where before government control was absolute (Ehrlich, 2007). The down side to citizen journalism is stories like the 9/11 World Trade Center terrorist attacks in New York where voyeuristic scenes of people falling from the towers were shown around the world without consideration of the people involved (9/11 The Falling Man, 2009). Without the usual “gatekeepers” of professional journalists and editors this approach encourages a wide panorama of public views far greater than the main networks could or would broadcast. This effectively stops news being filtered, censored or news networks putting their political pervasive views on the topic (Brun, 2004, p179–188). This has changed journalism from a “top-down storyteller” to “bottom-up facilitators” (Deuze, 2005).
YouTube and CNN have now started to take advantage of this mobile data revolution to engage would-be journalists to participate in their new ventures of “Citizen News”. The Internet is changing the media industry by encouraging a participation culture. Criticism has been raised about the accuracy of the blogging news but there have been many stories of bloggers uncovering news that may have been overlooked. Senators have been forced to resign from office, movie stars embarrassed by their anti-semitic views and major news outlets have been caught doctoring photos to make a bigger impact (Usher, 2008).
Power to the people—the affects have been wide spread, news bloggers are the new online vigilantes that will continue to demand accountability and transparency through their actions as citizen journalism. The professional media has labeled new bloggers as “anti-globalisation activists” but bloggers are the “gatekeepers” for professional news outlets by enforcing a type of industry self-mediation to “keep the bastards honest” (Chipp, 2004). (510 words)
I have purposely cited both referenced material and news outlets to try and receive a broad picture on the topic. Most of the news outlets do not reference their work but that’s the nature of the media. Never reveal your source.
Annotation
Site 1:
Usher, N. (2008). Reviewing Fauxtography: A blog-driven challage to mass media power without the promises of network publicity. Retrieved 15 May, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2158/2055
Nikki Usher reports on the blog news media to highlight the potential for ‘new opportunities for openness’ in the media industry. It’s a timely reminder that propaganda still flourishes in the media and bloggers are acting as public informers. The report goes on to warn the aim of news bloggers is to increase the amount of traffic to their site and monetise their products, which just makes them a competitor supplying an alternative source to mainstream news. However, Usher users well know examples to convince the reader that there is a place for this type of reverse investigative journalism.
Site 2:
Little Green Footballs. (2009). Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/
Little Green Footballs is a citizen journalist news blog site that relies on controversial news stories to keep up the hits on their site. Most of the stories are not necessarily mainstream news items but are design to grab your attention with keys words like Fascist, Synagogue Bombing and Torture. The blog also acts as an aggregate, featuring news from other sites and blogs. The success of the site depends on people looking for sensationalism and a shock factor. The site fills a niche news market but fails to appeal to the greater audience unless it hits on a once in a life-time major story.
Reference:
9/11 The Falling Man. (2009). Retrieved April 6, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXnA9FjvLSU
Brun, A. (2004). Reconfiguring journalism: Syndication, gatewatching and mulitperspectival news. Virtual Nation: The Internet in Australia. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.
Concept Document: 5. The mobility of electronic digital data. (n.d.) Retrieved May 13, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=%2Fbin%2Fcommon%2Fcourse.pl%3Fcourse_id%3D_14736_1%26sc%3D%252fwebapps%252fdiscussionboard%252fdo%252fmessage%253faction%253dlist_messages%2526conf_id%253d_23724_
Cellan-Jones, R. (2009). Twitter and a classic picture. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2009/01/twitter_and_a_classic_picture.html
Chipp, D. (2004). Keep the bastards Honest. Don Chipp Enterprises
Deuze, M. (2005). Towards professional participatory storytelling in journalism and advertising. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1257/1177
Deuze, M. (2005). Online Journalism: Modelling the First Generation of News Media on the World Wide Web. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/893/802
Ehrlich, R. (2007). Bloggers in Burma keep world informed during military crackdown. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/28/MN8QSFFUD.DTL
Silitoe, D. (2009, January 16). Hudson plane crash. BBC News, Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2009/01/twitter_and_a_classic_picture.html.
Perez, S. (2008). Mobile Web Use Growing Faster than Ever. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/mobile_web_use_growing_faster_than_ever.php
Perez, S. (2008). YouTube Launches Citizen Journalism Channel, Citizen News. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/youtube_launches_citizen_news.php
MacManus, R. (2004). Portable Internet. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/portable_intern.php
Murdoch, R. (2005, April 13). Speech by Rupert Murdoch to the American Society of Newspaper Editors. [Press release] Retrieved May 17, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1257/1177
Rheingold, H. (1993). The virtual community: homesteading on the electronic frontier. Reading: Addison-Wesley
Usher, N. (2008). Reviewing Fauxtography: A blog-driven challage to mass media power without the promises of network publicity. Retrieved 15 May, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2158/2055
Conceptual Research & Reflection Project part 2
14. Cyberspace is informationally created 'space'
MUDs (and derivative graphical worlds) are the pre-eminent form of 'spatialising' on the Internet: they are not merely about communication, but about the construction of a 'shared hallucination' of spatial context. This sense of space, and the capacity of the talking human body to be represented within it, is formed out of descriptions and word-pictures (real pictures in the case of graphical worlds).
The sense of space is essential for humans - or at least many humans - to be able to express their identities in special and rich ways.
In most online, realtime communications (IRC, even ICQ) people tend to make ‘spatialising’ comments: they don’t just communicate, they also provide cues to an imagined physical space around them. For example, someone will, in an IRC chat, occasionally comment that they are ‘doing’ something (not in the physical world, but in the virtual space of wherever they are on IRC). Websites, indeed the Web generally, tend to work most effectively when they consciously declaim themselves as a space through which you move. However, we should also be alert to the way that the metaphors of navigation, moving, visiting, etc which make the web a ‘space’ can also mislead us: metaphors do not describe an experience but, rather, are one aspect of trying to understand it. (Concepts Document n.d.)
Response
Conceptualising interaction in a conceptual space.
George Berkeley claimed, “the world is nothing more than an idea in the mind of God”, (Stangroom, 2006, p.20) so virtual reality (VR) or informationally created space is nothing more than an idea in the mind of man. However, Immanuel Kant suggested the mind shapes and structures the known world—we impose forms of space and time upon sensation (Kemerling, 2006), which takes form, and manifests itself in VR.
Vivid fantasies, daydreaming, movies and books are all forms VR, but online VR has dramatically increased in popularity because we can interact with other people online. “The tyranny of distance” (Blainey, 1975) is no longer an obstacle, “science annihilates distance” (Waugh, 1949, p52) by giving us tools to interact and communicate with people around the globe. The ‘space’ has no physical boundaries or real world geographical location to identify with our being, but we perceive and interact with the surrounding and inhabitants as part of our normal online lives. Avatars symbolise these disembodied narcissistic online selves that reside in a “City of Bits” (Mitchell, 2000), and portray us through a technological extension of our consciousness (McLuhan, 2001, p63). However, even though these spectral identities are free to move without physical borders we still envisage spatial constraint by moving in and out of technologically induced theatres and follow similar social mannerisms to external life. It was found when people using Second Life, a VR world, they still needed to position their avatars face-to-face when communicating with others. The web feels more depersonalised and our face-to-face interaction is weakening by the increased time spent alone on the computer. Children are creating their idea world with beautiful images of them-selves and the environment—they don't deal with personal physical differences so hiding behind deception. (Gillispie & Gackenbach, 2007, p20–53) If they experience problems in one ‘space’ they simply move into the next or generate a new personality. Research has shown that our children have greater skills in analysing spatial information but at a cost of greater social anxiety. (Gillispie & Gackenbach, 2007, p46–57) Research also has shown that children learn behaviour through media and technology (Okita, 2004, p471) and by playing violent VR games they are significantly more likely to shoot another human offline. (Gillispie & Gackenbach, 2007, p124)
As the line blurs between realities, our perception of ourselves becomes more fluid, we create ‘liquid identities’ (Tofts, 2004, p147) online to experiment with self-expression that personifies our hidden nature, ideas or our most desperate desires. (Fink, 1999, p25) Berkeley also said, “to be, is to be perceived”, but this perception of ‘space’ is a type of sensory deception where the non-existent becomes reality that affects our physical life deeper than we understand. If we immerse ourselves in a fantasy world we may eventually “rewire our brains” and evolve through the use of VR by generating controlled schizophrenia. As people congregating in a metaphysical world the place become more important than the method of communication for people to relate to and identify a place for human habitation (Kalay & Marx, 2005). Descartes said, “We should concern ourselves only with those objects for which our minds seem capable of certain and indubitable cognition” (as cited by Garber, 1949, p31). Cyberspace exists by design, our surroundings identity who we are, so where will the next generation come from?
Maybe the only way to safely use VR is to compared the space with to a religious experience—only by have faith can you believe in an object that has no physical form, and with faith comes physical benefits of contentment. (Fink, 1999, p35) However, I don't think I will find enlightenment through a computer screen.
(540 words)
Annotation
Site 1:
Kalay. E., & Marx, J. (2005). Architecture and the Internet: Designing places in cyberspace. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1563
This article suggest virtual reality has become such an integral part of our lives that cyberspace is more that just a communication tool but an extension of our temporal existence. The authors’ argue that users of cyberspace have a fundamental need to connect with the space culturally is needed to maintain a socially acceptable environment. By looking at how we interact in the physical world of architecture and landscape we maybe able to design cyberspace that “give meaning to our actions and behaviours”. Making these connections clearer, cyberspaces will enrich our lives and stop the rot, which has infected our face-to-face social communication skills.
I found it difficult to decide whether this would make a significant difference in distinguishing reality from imaginary, given that the study of Ontology since Pythagoras times have not resulted in enlightenment. But off course it’s always useful to see the flip side of the argument.
Site 2:
Fink, J. (1999). Cyberseduction. New York: Prometheus Books
Dr Jerri Fink summarises a number of problems concerning the effect of living online and places it in context of how man has developed. The book investigates how our actions online relate to actions offline— being in “another place” while sitting in front of the computer has confused our sense of perception that may leads to multi-personalities. The book then discusses where cyberspace, who is in there and how these culminate into a postmodern world of social anarchy. Fink cites numerous case studies and references research into the affect of cyberspace on our subconscious.
Reference:
Blainey, J. (1975). The Tyranny of Distance. London: Macmillan.
Concept Document: 14. Cyberspace is informationally created 'space'. (n.d.) Retrieved May 13, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=%2Fbin%2Fcommon%2Fcourse.pl%3Fcourse_id%3D_14736_1%26sc%3D%252fwebapps%252fdiscussionboard%252fdo%252fmessage%253faction%253dlist_messages%2526conf_id%253d_23724_
Fink, J. (1999). Cyberseduction. New York: Prometheus Books
Garber, D. (1949). Descartes’ Metaphysical Physics. Chicago: University of Chicago. Retrieved May 15, 2009 from http://books.google.com.au/books?id=fWmQUbsPedUC&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&dq=metaphysical+direction&source=bl&ots=N7qk1O6SyB&sig=SS8QwumAF-IB126kNbH1-dEjK_U&hl=en&ei=4lMRSpfvHpS-tAOD7ujmAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10#PPA31,M1
Gillispie, J., & Gackenbach, J. (2007). cyber.rules. New York: .W. Norton & Company.
Kalay. E., & Marx, J. (2005). Architecture and the Internet: Designing places in cyberspace. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1563
Kemerling, G. (2006). Immanuel Kant: 1724–1804. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/kant.htm
McLuhan, M. (2001). Understanding Media. Retrieved May 15, 2009 from http://books.google.com.au/books?id=R2bqSaC5TlkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=understanding+media:+the+extensions+of+man&client=firefox-a
Mitchell, W. (2000). City of Bits. Cambridge: MIT Press
Okita, S. (2004). Effects of Age on Associating Virtual and Embodied Toys. Retreived May 15, 2009, from http://faculty.tc.columbia.edu/upload/so2269/Okita_embodied_toys.pdf
Stangroom, J. (2006). Philosophy. Sydney: ABC books
Tofts, D. (2004). Cyphers of the virtual. Australian Net art and the metaphysics of telepresence. Virtual Nation: The Internet in Australia. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.
Waugh, E. (1949). Brideshead revisited. London: Chapman & Hall.
eshead revisited. London: Chapman & Hall.
MUDs (and derivative graphical worlds) are the pre-eminent form of 'spatialising' on the Internet: they are not merely about communication, but about the construction of a 'shared hallucination' of spatial context. This sense of space, and the capacity of the talking human body to be represented within it, is formed out of descriptions and word-pictures (real pictures in the case of graphical worlds).
The sense of space is essential for humans - or at least many humans - to be able to express their identities in special and rich ways.
In most online, realtime communications (IRC, even ICQ) people tend to make ‘spatialising’ comments: they don’t just communicate, they also provide cues to an imagined physical space around them. For example, someone will, in an IRC chat, occasionally comment that they are ‘doing’ something (not in the physical world, but in the virtual space of wherever they are on IRC). Websites, indeed the Web generally, tend to work most effectively when they consciously declaim themselves as a space through which you move. However, we should also be alert to the way that the metaphors of navigation, moving, visiting, etc which make the web a ‘space’ can also mislead us: metaphors do not describe an experience but, rather, are one aspect of trying to understand it. (Concepts Document n.d.)
Response
Conceptualising interaction in a conceptual space.
George Berkeley claimed, “the world is nothing more than an idea in the mind of God”, (Stangroom, 2006, p.20) so virtual reality (VR) or informationally created space is nothing more than an idea in the mind of man. However, Immanuel Kant suggested the mind shapes and structures the known world—we impose forms of space and time upon sensation (Kemerling, 2006), which takes form, and manifests itself in VR.
Vivid fantasies, daydreaming, movies and books are all forms VR, but online VR has dramatically increased in popularity because we can interact with other people online. “The tyranny of distance” (Blainey, 1975) is no longer an obstacle, “science annihilates distance” (Waugh, 1949, p52) by giving us tools to interact and communicate with people around the globe. The ‘space’ has no physical boundaries or real world geographical location to identify with our being, but we perceive and interact with the surrounding and inhabitants as part of our normal online lives. Avatars symbolise these disembodied narcissistic online selves that reside in a “City of Bits” (Mitchell, 2000), and portray us through a technological extension of our consciousness (McLuhan, 2001, p63). However, even though these spectral identities are free to move without physical borders we still envisage spatial constraint by moving in and out of technologically induced theatres and follow similar social mannerisms to external life. It was found when people using Second Life, a VR world, they still needed to position their avatars face-to-face when communicating with others. The web feels more depersonalised and our face-to-face interaction is weakening by the increased time spent alone on the computer. Children are creating their idea world with beautiful images of them-selves and the environment—they don't deal with personal physical differences so hiding behind deception. (Gillispie & Gackenbach, 2007, p20–53) If they experience problems in one ‘space’ they simply move into the next or generate a new personality. Research has shown that our children have greater skills in analysing spatial information but at a cost of greater social anxiety. (Gillispie & Gackenbach, 2007, p46–57) Research also has shown that children learn behaviour through media and technology (Okita, 2004, p471) and by playing violent VR games they are significantly more likely to shoot another human offline. (Gillispie & Gackenbach, 2007, p124)
As the line blurs between realities, our perception of ourselves becomes more fluid, we create ‘liquid identities’ (Tofts, 2004, p147) online to experiment with self-expression that personifies our hidden nature, ideas or our most desperate desires. (Fink, 1999, p25) Berkeley also said, “to be, is to be perceived”, but this perception of ‘space’ is a type of sensory deception where the non-existent becomes reality that affects our physical life deeper than we understand. If we immerse ourselves in a fantasy world we may eventually “rewire our brains” and evolve through the use of VR by generating controlled schizophrenia. As people congregating in a metaphysical world the place become more important than the method of communication for people to relate to and identify a place for human habitation (Kalay & Marx, 2005). Descartes said, “We should concern ourselves only with those objects for which our minds seem capable of certain and indubitable cognition” (as cited by Garber, 1949, p31). Cyberspace exists by design, our surroundings identity who we are, so where will the next generation come from?
Maybe the only way to safely use VR is to compared the space with to a religious experience—only by have faith can you believe in an object that has no physical form, and with faith comes physical benefits of contentment. (Fink, 1999, p35) However, I don't think I will find enlightenment through a computer screen.
(540 words)
Annotation
Site 1:
Kalay. E., & Marx, J. (2005). Architecture and the Internet: Designing places in cyberspace. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1563
This article suggest virtual reality has become such an integral part of our lives that cyberspace is more that just a communication tool but an extension of our temporal existence. The authors’ argue that users of cyberspace have a fundamental need to connect with the space culturally is needed to maintain a socially acceptable environment. By looking at how we interact in the physical world of architecture and landscape we maybe able to design cyberspace that “give meaning to our actions and behaviours”. Making these connections clearer, cyberspaces will enrich our lives and stop the rot, which has infected our face-to-face social communication skills.
I found it difficult to decide whether this would make a significant difference in distinguishing reality from imaginary, given that the study of Ontology since Pythagoras times have not resulted in enlightenment. But off course it’s always useful to see the flip side of the argument.
Site 2:
Fink, J. (1999). Cyberseduction. New York: Prometheus Books
Dr Jerri Fink summarises a number of problems concerning the effect of living online and places it in context of how man has developed. The book investigates how our actions online relate to actions offline— being in “another place” while sitting in front of the computer has confused our sense of perception that may leads to multi-personalities. The book then discusses where cyberspace, who is in there and how these culminate into a postmodern world of social anarchy. Fink cites numerous case studies and references research into the affect of cyberspace on our subconscious.
Reference:
Blainey, J. (1975). The Tyranny of Distance. London: Macmillan.
Concept Document: 14. Cyberspace is informationally created 'space'. (n.d.) Retrieved May 13, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=%2Fbin%2Fcommon%2Fcourse.pl%3Fcourse_id%3D_14736_1%26sc%3D%252fwebapps%252fdiscussionboard%252fdo%252fmessage%253faction%253dlist_messages%2526conf_id%253d_23724_
Fink, J. (1999). Cyberseduction. New York: Prometheus Books
Garber, D. (1949). Descartes’ Metaphysical Physics. Chicago: University of Chicago. Retrieved May 15, 2009 from http://books.google.com.au/books?id=fWmQUbsPedUC&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&dq=metaphysical+direction&source=bl&ots=N7qk1O6SyB&sig=SS8QwumAF-IB126kNbH1-dEjK_U&hl=en&ei=4lMRSpfvHpS-tAOD7ujmAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10#PPA31,M1
Gillispie, J., & Gackenbach, J. (2007). cyber.rules. New York: .W. Norton & Company.
Kalay. E., & Marx, J. (2005). Architecture and the Internet: Designing places in cyberspace. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1563
Kemerling, G. (2006). Immanuel Kant: 1724–1804. Retrieved May 15, 2009, from http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/kant.htm
McLuhan, M. (2001). Understanding Media. Retrieved May 15, 2009 from http://books.google.com.au/books?id=R2bqSaC5TlkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=understanding+media:+the+extensions+of+man&client=firefox-a
Mitchell, W. (2000). City of Bits. Cambridge: MIT Press
Okita, S. (2004). Effects of Age on Associating Virtual and Embodied Toys. Retreived May 15, 2009, from http://faculty.tc.columbia.edu/upload/so2269/Okita_embodied_toys.pdf
Stangroom, J. (2006). Philosophy. Sydney: ABC books
Tofts, D. (2004). Cyphers of the virtual. Australian Net art and the metaphysics of telepresence. Virtual Nation: The Internet in Australia. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.
Waugh, E. (1949). Brideshead revisited. London: Chapman & Hall.
eshead revisited. London: Chapman & Hall.
Conceptual Research & Reflection Project part 1
22. Public space and regulation
Originally, Usenet was a very useful place for shared communication because the only people using it were, by and large, committed to the maintenance of the system and were careful (mostly) to observe rules of good practice. As the size of the Internet grew however, Usenet has become increasingly 'uselessnet' with its news groups deluged by spam and inconsequential 'noise'.
What we can learn from this history is that public spaces often operate best when there is some form of regulation: who can speak, what sorts of things can be said etc. For example, binary files (mostly pictures) are very much larger than text files. Hence, some newsgroups ban binaries so as to ensure that people downloading the newsgroup's contents are not paying for very large data transmissions. These bans are only partly successful, but indicate that - in pursuit of a useable communication system in public, regulation is sometimes appropriate. Of course, the question then becomes: who decides and how. (Something for you to think about).
Advanced Internet users are alert to regulatory processes in public discussion and ensure that they do not break them without good cause
One could make similar comments about the vast number of websites: who is regulating all that content to see if it is acceptable, accurate, up-to-date etc. No one is, frankly. Aside from some regulation of ‘obscene’ or ‘illegal’ content in some countries, the Internet is a very unregulated publishing space. (Concepts Document n.d.)
Originally, Usenet was a very useful place for shared communication because the only people using it were, by and large, committed to the maintenance of the system and were careful (mostly) to observe rules of good practice. As the size of the Internet grew however, Usenet has become increasingly 'uselessnet' with its news groups deluged by spam and inconsequential 'noise'.
What we can learn from this history is that public spaces often operate best when there is some form of regulation: who can speak, what sorts of things can be said etc. For example, binary files (mostly pictures) are very much larger than text files. Hence, some newsgroups ban binaries so as to ensure that people downloading the newsgroup's contents are not paying for very large data transmissions. These bans are only partly successful, but indicate that - in pursuit of a useable communication system in public, regulation is sometimes appropriate. Of course, the question then becomes: who decides and how. (Something for you to think about).
Advanced Internet users are alert to regulatory processes in public discussion and ensure that they do not break them without good cause
One could make similar comments about the vast number of websites: who is regulating all that content to see if it is acceptable, accurate, up-to-date etc. No one is, frankly. Aside from some regulation of ‘obscene’ or ‘illegal’ content in some countries, the Internet is a very unregulated publishing space. (Concepts Document n.d.)
Response
John Perry Barlow, an American poet and co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation wrote the paper The Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace, believing that no government has sovereignty or moral right to rule cyberspace. (Barlow, 1996) The notion that “Big Brother is watching you” (Orwell, 1977, p7) is intimidating but the Internet without regulation is fraught with dangers. The Internet is littered with online hate groups, fraudulent scams, Flames, Trolls, Spammers, Spoofs and Cybersmears. Most techno-geeks understand the traps, but the average user ‘Joe Citizen’ needs protection. (Allen & Long, 2004, p.233) Research has shown Australians want the Internet policed (Given, 2004, p.220) to protect children against inappropriate material, but this would appear impossible while nations like America oppose any restriction to their freedom of speech as claimed in the Bill of Rights, first amendments. (Gillispie & Gackenbach, 2007, p73) The right to free speech has created a septic tank of deception—regulation is aimed at encouraging confidence and certainty for consumers and users. It’s a simple matter to hide behind a computer screen and be abusive and defamatory with little risk and inconvenience to yourself. (Dare, 2005) A major stumbling block to upholding legislation in this truly globalised environment is enforcing laws outside governments' jurisdiction. (Given, 2004, p.218) However, without regulation the Internet makes it all too easy to evade the law. (Goggin, 2004, p.209). The answer may be self-regulation by the users, but the danger to this system would be to quell differences of opinion which results in sites with like minds, no fresh ideas and stifled communications if the mediators becomes vigilantes. (Dare, 2005) A stable and safe Internet environment needs to be balance innovation and free thought against regulation. (Rennie & Young, 2004, p253) ‘Free thought’ and sharing ideas and information is the foundation of the Internet. (Lessig, n.d.)
More work needs to be done in protecting children from inappropriate content. Games like Postal 2 advocate virtual reality scenarios where characters can make sexist and racist comments, urinate or pour petrol on women and children and then set fire to them. (Gillispie & Gackenbach, 2007, p47) Research has shown that young children cannot differentiate between advertising and programming content on television, similar results have suggested the link for virtual reality games. (Gillispie & Gackenbach, 2007, p122–123)
Once the Internet came into the average family room it needed to fit into our social systems of values and acceptable behaviours. So under the banner of morality the Australian Government has tried to regulate content in a vain effort to clean up the anarchist space. (Rennie & Young, 2004, p251) Laws have been created to try and control content from gambling and offensive material, give consumers protection, encourage open and free information exchange by strengthening copyright laws and protection against defamation, but general privacy laws have skirted around directly protecting individual’s rights. (Given, 2004, p.222–225) So was there any surprise when the CEO of Sun Microsystems Scott McNealy said, "You have zero privacy anyway". (Sprenger, 1999) Privacy becomes a bigger problem when the user doesn’t understand it’s intrinsic value. Research has shown that children are particularly vulnerable in supplying to much detail online; half of all blogs are by children of whom 70% give their name, age and contact information usually without parent’s knowledge. (Gillispie & Gackenbach, 2007, p54–55)
I think regulation unites our social beliefs and creates a safe environment online and off. Regulating will place some restriction on using the Internet but will ultimately bring “liberty in cyberspace” to people who use the web constructively. (Lessig, 2006) The question is how much before regulation inhibits the creative process. (540 words)
Annotation
Site 1:
Dare, J. (2005). Cyberharassment and Online Defamation: a Default Form of Regulations? Retrieved May 13 2009, from http://www.transformationsjournal.org/journal/issue_11/article_04.shtmlIn this journal Dare explores the justification given by advocate groups to the right for freedom of expression on the Internet and how this has developed through the history of the web into an aggressive, confrontational style of communication in which "libertarianism favours the most aggressive individuals". Dare suggest that this form of abusive malice is in itself a form of regulation that impacts on the very nature of democratic online society where only the strongest survive. Dare cites a number of well know authors, respected websites and case studies that give an unbiased view of the fight for freedom and its social cost.
Site 2:
http://homes.eff.org/~barlow/Declaration-Final.html
John Barlow argues in verse that cyberspace has no boundaries or physical constraints, and is growing by an organic process of natural selection through the contributors’ collective actions. He advocates for a cyberspace free from regulation and government control and portrays “lovers of freedom and self-determination” as enslaved freedom fighters, fighting the virus of government authoritarian rule. Barlow claims freedom will lead to a Utopian cyberspace where everyone is welcome without fear of persecution and self-expression is of the utmost importance. He has based his ideas on ideology and uses emotive language to impose fear if the fight for freedom is lost.
Reference:
Allen, M., & Long, J. (2004). Domesticating the Internet. Content regulation, virtual nation-building and the family. Virtual Nation: The Internet in Australia. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.
Barlow, J. (1996). A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace. Retrieved May 11, 2009, from http://homes.eff.org/~barlow/Declaration-Final.html
Concept Document: 22. Public space and regulation. (n.d.) Retrieved May 13, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=%2Fbin%2Fcommon%2Fcourse.pl%3Fcourse_id%3D_14736_1%26sc%3D%252fwebapps%252fdiscussionboard%252fdo%252fmessage%253faction%253dlist_messages%2526conf_id%253d_23724_1%2526forum_id%253d_47938_1%2526message_id%253d_558527_1%2526thread_id%253d552622%2526nav%253ddiscussion_board%2526course_id%253d_14736_1
Dare, J. (2005). Cyberharassment and Online Defamation: a Default Form of Regulations? Retreived May 13, 2009, from http://www.transformationsjournal.org/journal/issue_11/article_04.shtml
Given, J. (2004). Evolutionary Constitutionalism: Australian Law and the Internet. Virtual Nation: The Internet in Australia. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.
Gillispie, J., & Gackenbach, J. (2007). cyber.rules. New York: .W. Norton & Company.
Lessig, L. (n.d.). Code. Retreived May 13, 2009, from http://codev2.cc/
Lessig, L. (2006). The Future of Ideas. Retrieved May 13, 2009, from http://www.the-future-of-ideas.com/
Orwell, G. (1977). Nineteen Eighty Four. New York: Signet Classic
Rennie, E., & Young, S. (2004). Park Life: The commons and communications policy. Virtual Nation: The Internet in Australia. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press.
Sprenger, P. (1999). Sun on Privacy: Get Over It. Retrieved May 13 2009, from http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/1999/01/17538
Monday, May 4, 2009
Software Development
This links back the the question of application development in Module Three citizen journalism. My comments were directed at how unforeseen circumstances can have a huge influence on the development of communication methods. I'm adding further comment to back this up.
The accessibility of pornography on the web has seen sales of printed magazine decline at a rate of 10% a year since the mid-1990s. (Flamm, 2002) "Pornography has been an important driving force in the development and uptake of many modern communication technologies" (McKee 2004)
The development of the web was for exchange of scientific information, but has also been an efficient tool to satisfy some peoples urges.
References:
Flamm, M. (2002). A Demimonde in Twilight. Retrieved May 4, 2009 from http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/02/nyregion/02FEAT.html?pagewanted=1
McKee, A. (2004). Virtual Nation. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press Ltd.
The accessibility of pornography on the web has seen sales of printed magazine decline at a rate of 10% a year since the mid-1990s. (Flamm, 2002) "Pornography has been an important driving force in the development and uptake of many modern communication technologies" (McKee 2004)
The development of the web was for exchange of scientific information, but has also been an efficient tool to satisfy some peoples urges.
References:
Flamm, M. (2002). A Demimonde in Twilight. Retrieved May 4, 2009 from http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/02/nyregion/02FEAT.html?pagewanted=1
McKee, A. (2004). Virtual Nation. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press Ltd.
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