In her post for week 5, Katrina argues that, “new technologies are blurring the boundaries between the producer and the consumer, where the content is produced by the ‘players’ themselves.” And that opinion is reflected in Casey and Camille’s blog as well.
While it is true that technology can provide means of access to producing and assimilating vast amounts of information, we often question how much is grounded information, and what constitutes “misinformation” (Wyatt S. 2008).
One example, often highlighted is the “Googlearchy”(Hindman, 2009), or “the rulership of Google”. We take for granted the processes in which search engines filter information for our results, often limiting our search to results found in the first two to three pages.
Eysenbach and Kohler in their analysis found out that, “Google reports 150 million searches per day on all regional partner sites combined, which means 6.75 million health related searches per day in Google alone.” (2003, 229)
If you simply type “most effective” on Google, you will find in the “suggested” drop box, “most effective weight loss”, “most effective diet”, “most effective way to lose weight” and “most effective weight loss pill.”
This example is just one of many that indicate the vast market out there for weight control. A simple look at the results in any of the search options will reveal just how many pseudo-drugs and even potentially dangerous drugs are available out there, ranging from “Acai Berries” to “Gastric Bands”.
Yes, new media does facilitate the flow of health information. However, the question of “how healthy” would be more appropriate in such times.
References:
Leong, S. (2011). Lecture Notes: New Media, Health and Well-Being
Lewis, T. (2006). Seeking health information on the internet: lifestyle choice or bad attack of cyberchondria? Media, Culture & Society, volume 28, issue 4: 521-539
Turner, Graeme. (2009). “Revenge of the Nerds : Digital Optimism and User Generated Content Online”, Ordinary people and the media : The demotic turn, London: Sage, pp.123-157.
Wyatt, S., Harris, R. and Wathen, N. (2008). Reflections on the Middle Space. In Mediating Health Information: The Go-Betweens in a Changing Socio-Technical Landscape, Sally Wyatt, Nadine Wathen and Roma Harris (eds), pp. 1-12. New York: Palgrave Macmillan
Blogs -
Camille (2011), “Living in Media”, accessed on 8 April 2011
<http://camillekeating.tumblr.com/post/4331557192/living-in-media>
Casey (2011), “Connecting, Narrating, Branding Me”, accessed on 8 April 2011
<http://caseybrealy.tumblr.com/>
Katrina (2011), “Produsers”, accessed on 8 April 2011
<http://katrina-amy.tumblr.com/post/4333577620/produsers>
Let me start with an intriguing quote that Heidi Cutlack mentioned in her blog:
“When it all come’s down to it, the power lies in the hands of the common Social networker; which do you prefer? The cyber world or the real world?”
The nature of that statement reflects the opinion of many people who’re panicking because of the belief that, “Their life is lived in, rather then with media.” as aptly put by Deuze in his article “Media Life”.
If we begin to look at it from the perspective of media (in all it’s forms) becoming an unextractable extension of our identity, our lives becomes irreversibly modified. (Deuze, 2011). They become objects for communication as manifestations of information, as a form of identity politic, and as sites of anxiety and control. (Bell, 2006)
Our lives are increasingly revolving around communication, in our social lives, in politics, and much more so, in our own personal field. The TSD, or ‘Truman Show Delusion’ is an example of how “one is always aware of (the possibility of) the scripted and broadcasted nature of everything else.”
The merging of personal life with interpersonal displays increases proportionally with the increase of mediated communication.
Google’s April fool’s joke on “Gmail Motion”, tricked millions of users into believing that they could finally send email messages with just a webcam and hand gestures.
;
While they admitted it’s a prank, they also said “Gmail Motion doesn’t actually exist. At least not yet…” - this, is a classic example of how we are becoming increasingly dependent on mediated communication to facilitate our interpersonal displays.
References
Deuze, M. (2011). Media Life. In Media, Culture & Society, Volume 33, issue 1, pp. 137-148
Bell, G. (2006). The Age of the Thumb: a Cultural Reading of Mobile Technologies from Asia. Knowledge, Technology, & Policy, Summer 2006, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 41-57
Bibliography
Gmail Motion Official Website, <http://mail.google.com/mail/help/motion.html> accessed 2 April 2011
Heidi Cutlack “Performing me: Maintaining Visibility on the Social Stage” <http://heidicutlack.tumblr.com/post/4124230030/performing-me-maintaining-visibility-on-the-social>, written on 28 March, accessed 2 April 2011
Katrina Amy, “Social Politics”,
<http://katrina-amy.tumblr.com/post/4150526924/social-politics>, accessed 2 April 2011
Rebecca Newman, “New Media, Influencers and Ethical Approaches”<http://becnewmannewmedia.tumblr.com/post/4149370333/new-media-new-influencers-and-ethical-approaches>, accessed 2 April 2011
We are living in an age where nobody wants to be themselves anymore.
Camille wrote on her blog on reflection of iPod culture:
“ Therefore, it is easy to identify that technological evolution with humans need to form an identity is sadly preventing people from portraying there true self to the world.”
While this is in reference to the iPod culture, it is reflected very clearly in the prevailing Internet culture as well.
The Internet is a powerful tool that has played pivotal roles in shaping culture in society. “The digital computer creates a virtual reality in which truth and lies, real and unreal can no longer be distinguished.” (Hamelink C. J, 2006)
The fact that I could steal a person’s picture, access his particulars on Facebook and in general, pretend to be him with just a few clicks shows just how easy it is to take on another identity.
An article by The New York Time also highlights this case with stark consequences,In the article, Aided by Internet, Identity Theft Soars, it is revealed that within a short time span from 1998 to 1999, identity thefts exponentially soared by almost 3 times
.
I propose two ways that may help stem this exponential increase:
1) Inculcate a culture of self-pride. The lack of self-worth and esteem could be central to why people so often want to be another person on the Internet as highlighted by Brennan, Geoffrey in the study Esteem, Identifiability and the Internet (2004).
2) Centralize social networks. There are plenty of platforms where people can pretend to be another person. However, if a social network is centralized, it is much harder for a someone to pretend to be another person. Unless he is a social outcast, he would probably be caught on the spot!
While the need for false identities on the Internet may never be completely eradicated, we can work towards a future with greater transparency, and thus, provide deterrence to those that are inclined to do so.
References:
Chapter 7: The Ethics of the Internet : Can We Cope WIth Lies and Deceit on The Net?, Hamelink, C. J, 2006
http://rfrost.people.si.umich.edu/courses/SI110/readings/Privacy/IDtheft.pdf
“Aided by Internet, Identity Theft Soars” The New York Times, Technology, by Timothy L. O’Brien, April 2000
Further Readings:
“Esteem, Identifiability and the Internet”. Analyse & Kritik , by Brennan, Geoffrey (2004) p.139
I’ve been a WoW player for some time now, and I’ll try my best to touch surficially how it uses internet in it’s fullest extent to maintain such a loyal fanbase.
1) Internet Banking:
Inconvenience can turn away many a loyal gamer. By having secure internet banking system, with a click of the button, anywhere in the world, you can continue playing your game! In addition, with just a single payment, you have everything the game has to offer you, no gimmicks. This is in stark contrast to many free-to-play MMORPGs (i.e. Maplestory, Ragnarok Online) which give gaming preferences to gamers who purchase in-game products.
2) No-Shop system
While many games are still hinging on the DVD/Blue-Ray-and-install system, Blizzard introduced a system where anybody with an internet connection can buy the game and download it from anywhere in the world! The accessibility of the game is a big draw to people who are unable to purchase games locally.
3) Patches
Patching is a gaming term where the developer will update the game via internet, frequently introducing new concepts and products into the game itself. With this, the game is constantly evolving, on many occasions according to gamer’s preferences.
While WoW most likely isn’t the end of gaming development, it’s uncharacteristically long life-span of popularity for a 21st century game holds many lessons we can learn from.
… the signalling value of detailed social network information will decline. But that decline will only occur because the signal loses value through repeated deceptive use.
J Donath and d boyd, O 2004, ‘Public Displays of Connection’, BT Technology Journal, Vol 22 No.4, pp 77
According to an ongoing survey by J Campana and Associates LLC, an identity security company, an alarming 23 people out of 84 have responded “Yes” that they have been a victim of identity theft.
In the recent years, like rabbits in spring, “identity security” and “online intellectual property security” companies have been popping out everywhere in response to people’s fears
Deception is prevalent in modern society, and with the advent of social networking platforms like Facebook, Myspace and LinkedIn, it has been made easier.
Facebook, one of the world’s most frequented social networking sites make it easy for users to protect their security by allowing them to limit their information to a few selected friends, or friends in general. These measures taken help to protect users information from being widely circulated around the internet - and as a result risk identity theft.
In criminal history, calls where robbers posing as victims in distress have ended when they were unable to answer private questions. But now, in this age where information privacy may not be so clear cut anymore, this robber might know more about your son, then you, as a parent might even know.
We love having lots of friends, but how high a price are we willing to pay for our security?