Presentation: Blogs and Online Journalism

One needs not look too far for evidence of how life is becoming increasingly more digitized by the day. Social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook have users in the millions who constantly update and check the profiles of their peers. Libraries, newspapers, and academic journals are digitizing books and articles to post on the Internet in greater numbers (refer to an earlier March 1 blog entry of mine that discusses this issue). Even right now, I am using this blog to communicate with anyone who happens to navigate to this page.

Amid this growing digitization of American culture, a fundamental conflict has arisen between Old Media and New Media. Old Media can be defined as the traditional forms of news dissemination—paper newspapers, magazines, journals, etc.—while New Media encompasses the new user-oriented, digital forms of news diffusion like blogs, Wikipedia, and podcasting. I recommend watching this video called EPIC 2015, which paints a very satiric and Orwellian picture of the future of news media. I will not speak too much about this video in this post because I plan to use it as a discussion point in my presentation in class on Thursday.

The rise of citizen journalism—defined by Wikipedia as “the act of citizens playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information”—has made many traditional forms of media worry about the future of their existence. You can view the statistics for the downward trend of Sunday and daily newspaper readership over the years at this website. This kind of participatory journalism has evolved from the time of William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal and accusations of yellow journalism during the Spanish-American War in 1898 to the personalized, always-evolving medium we have today.

It is now possible for anyone with access to a computer and the Internet to create blogs or write news reports. Case in point, a South Korean online newspaper called OhmyNews a website where online users can submit news articles to be published and their motto is “Every Citizen is a Reporter.” With each citizen having the ability to be a reporter, everything is under closer scrutiny. During the CBS “Rathergate” scandal, for example, Internet forums and blogs challenged the authenticity of the Killian documents used to discredit President Bush’s military record and it was eventually determined that the documents were forged. Likewise, a blog named Little Green Footballs exposed doctored Reuters photos from the Lebanon-Israel conflict of Summer 2006 (click here to view the blog entry).

Blogs give every person the opportunity to take an active role in the public sphere and also increase the likelihood of exposing scandals and inconsistencies on all sides of the spectrum. While traditional news organizations worry that the rise of citizen journalism will have an overall negative effect on the nature of news, could it be that this is just what the news world needs? Or does citizen journalism lack the objectivity that many traditional news organizations claim to have? I look forward to discussing these questions and more on Thursday.

Nintendo Wii and Retirees

It's not every day there's a story that highlights the positive effects that video games can have on people, so that's why this article about the Nintendo Wii becoming popular in retirement communities is interesting. Retirees are praising the system for things like its social aspects, competition factor, and the exercise that is involved. It is somewhat ironic that these retirees, mostly aged 65 and above, are taking a liking to video games but that shows that there are definitely positive benefits that go along with video games and especially more interactive video games like the ones provided for the Wii. Games on the Wii give people a chance to do things that they may not be able to do as much anymore due to old age or other factors, and it gives them a much-needed sense of enjoyment. Of course, if it is possible, they should really get outside and play tennis, but if something is preventing them from doing that then the Wii seems to be and acceptable alternative.

Reducing Anonymity on Wikipedia

This CNN article discusses a recent move by Wikipedia to ask a writer who claims to be an expert for their credentials before they can post or edit an article. The move comes after it was discovered that a "high-ranking member of Wikipedia's bureaucracy" who was really a college dropout pretended he was a college professor and claimed to have a Ph.D. in Religion. Wikipedia recognizes that anonymity is a huge reason for the website's success so they were explicit in saying that this new move does not mean that regular users cannot remain anonymous. Jimmy Wales, the creator of Wikipedia, says that it is intended to "give a positive incentive rather than absolute prohibition, so that people can contribute without a lot of hassle." This must add more substance to the argument that Wikipedia is not a valuable source of information since virtually anybody can post or edit articles. The actions of this high-ranking member only prove that given the veil of anonymity, there is a high chance for fraud since there are really no penalties. If this man could so easily lie about his life, what's to stop him from being wrong about certain topics or posting incorrect information? Do you think Wikipedia is correct in taking steps to force people who claim to be experts on a certain subject to provide proof of their claims? Or does this go against the user-oriented philosophy that has made Wikipedia such a huge success?

Online Book Browsing

Book publishers like Random House and HarperCollins are using a new service called Insight to post up more than 5000 of its books on the Internet. These companies are hoping that the ability to browse various titles online will raise interest in books and drive people to read more of the books it publishes. They are also adding a feature that allows people to add information to their profiles on social networking sites. It looks like these publishers are trying to increase their revenue by delving deep into the market where young people are most likely to be. It's better for people to be reading books even if they are doing this electronically, and I think this move to post up more books for preview can help boost revenue and interest in book reading. It enables people to preview many different kinds of books and if they find it interesting, they can buy the book to read the whole thing. When searching for books on Amazon.com, I came across a book that was not required for a class, but after reading the first few pages I found it interesting enough to buy so there is a good chance this marketing scheme can work well. I am under the impression that this move by Random House and HarperCollins will provide more comprehensive and numerous previews of books than on Amazon.com, for example, where limited previews are available.

Can the Internet Help Erase the Global Divide?

The Internet has the potential to be a powerful tool in helping to erase not only the global digital divide, but also the so-called North-South divide that sets apart the wealthy nations from the impoverished. Nations that are left behind in the dust of technology are essentially being left behind altogether. This is because of the overall increasing reliance on technology that countries all over the world are experiencing. For those of you who say that technology doesn't play a big role or doesn't matter at all when it comes to a nation's prosperity, consider this following example.

Country A is a place that utilizes the power of computers, the Internet, advanced weapons systems, and where each individual has the opportunity to learn about or make better virtually anything they please. Country B does not have the capability to use computers or the Internet. Which country do you think is going to be more prosperous in today's time? Clearly, Country A will be the stronger of the two. The fact of the matter is, the Internet does have the potential to erase this divide or at least make the problem better because conditions will get better as more individuals and companies take the initiative (like a farmer researching online how to make his growing process more efficient or Intel pledging to connect 1 billion more people to the Internet). The Internet provides a way to transcend the troubles of life in third world countries and enables the user to connect with people and information all over the world (as long as it's not censored by the government). It will not yield immediate results; it will be a gradual shift towards prosperity. The problem is providing these people with Internet access. It will be difficult, but it is certainly not impossible.

MySpace Shipping out to Japan

Apparently, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. is planning to provide a Japanese version of MySpace but will face stiff competition from the most popular social networking site currently in Japan, Mixi. Mixi has about 8 million users and has a significantly different appearance from MySpace. You can view the original article here. The main difference between the two is said to be representative of the clash of cultures between America and Japan. America's MySpace is known for its flashy and "teen-magazine-like" layouts while Japan's Mixi is known for its clean, organized design. Tony Elison, senior vice president at Viacom International Japan, argues that "In Mixi, it's not all about me. It's all about us." As opposed to MySpace where the dominant impression is that the complete opposite is true. Do you think these differences in design are representative of the different cultures, Japan being viewed as more refined and the U.S. as more flashy and full of teenie-boppers? Or is this view invalid and making a broad generalization that may not neccesarily be true? Just some things to think about.

Farmers Use Web Forums to their Advantage

Going along with our discussion regarding online communities, I came across an interesting article on CNN, which you can access here http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/internet/02/12/online.farmers.ap/index.html. The article talks about how an increasing number of farmers are using forums to help them increase productivity and run a more successful farm. Apparently, as of 2005, 51% of farms have Internet access even though 2/3 of them use a dial-up modem. So it would seem that they are not using the most advanced technology available (DSL, Cable, fiber-optics), but they are still using the Internet to help advance their professions. This story is another testament to the good that can come out of forums in that sense that these farming forums have saved many farmers across America money, time, and embarrassment.

When used correctly (not abused or rife with spam/flame wars for example), forums provide a venue where people from all different places can benefit and where all can become more prosperous. I do wonder, however, what this will do to farming competition and how it will affect consumers. Not all people would like to see their competition becoming more prosperous than them so it will be interesting to see how this turns out. All in all, though, it is a good thing when online communities are used for beneficial means.

Social Networking Goes Mobile

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, it happens. I'm of course referring to the fact that now, according to this CNN Technology article: http://www.cnn.com/2007/BUSINESS/02/14/barcelona.boulden2/index.html
technology executives in Barcelona are developing social networking sites designed specifically for mobile phones. As if social networking isn't already big enough. Seriously, is it so bad that people can't even wait before they get back to a computer before they check their profile? Social networking online is already doing a great job of usurping precious time from people, so do we really need the ability to access social networking from our phones now too? As enticing as this sounds, I would think that this wouldn't become too popular because I imagine when using a phone for such a thing there would be some limitations and sacrifices to be made (cell phones don't have easy to type on computer keyboards). Ah, I remember the days when a phone was used to actually call other people. I just hope that in the wake of all these new additions and advancements that they don't forget to program in the calling feature into the phone, but I wouldn't worry too much about this because after all, it seems to be becoming obsolete.

Fox Shows on MySpace

FOX has recently launched a new advertising campaign via MySpace (both under the ownership of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.) in order to keep interest in the fall lineup of its shows. The fear is that during March Madness and other televised events, interest in shows like 24 and Prison Break will wane and they will lose viewers. To combat this problem, FOX has launched this site http://www.myspace.com/fox on which people can watch full HD-streamed episodes of their favorite shows with the simple, painfree download of the FOX Full Throttle Player. This is just another example of how powerful the Internet is becoming in regards to advertising and its potential. If you were to miss an episode of 24, for example, you would be able to watch it at any time online. People might argue that TIVO does the same thing, but the difference is that this is free. Now since I'm a little weary of "free" stuff because rarely is there not a catch, I wonder if the full throttle player comes with some sort of adware or spyware or if this is just an honest attempt to advertise for the shows. I realize that the shows are free to watch, but I'd like to remind you that in order to watch the show someone has to have purchased that TV, that antenna or cable, and also these shows usually come out on season DVD's. So I would think that the ability to watch the episodes online would decrease future DVD sales as well as increase the show's popularity.

A Completely Uncensored Internet?

In her book Virtually Obscene, Amy E. White makes the case for an unregulated Internet using pornography as a specific example in the wider argument of Internet censorship. She claims, among other things, that censorship defies the Constitution and breaks the 1st Amendment right for people to post and view such material. She believes that pornography on the Internet does not corrupt children and even makes the argument that it can be educational and therefore should be viewed as a positive thing. White lays blame on the parents of children who view inappropriate material because, as she notes in her book, that "computers do not connect to the Internet themselves" and the underage child had to have a computer plus Internet access to view the material so it's not like it was so easy to get a hold of. These are her main arguments and she feels strongly about her position, whether you agree with her or not is a different story.

Video Game Censorship in Germany

I came across an interesting article on Wired.com (http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,72619-0.html?tw=wn_culture_5), which talks about how Germany's troubled history is still affecting the country today in the form of video game censorship. The article describes "Germany's dilemma [as] how to reconcile its determination to apply the lessons of the past to educating and protecting its youth, while remaining a free and open society as set down in its version of the U.S. Constitution." Germany's sensitivity to violence and the perpetuation of violence in different mediums has led it to prevent the sale of games like Counter-Strike unless the blood and gore features are disabled. Do you think this video game censoring is the right thing to do to adequately protect society or is Germany just being extremely sensitive to violence at all costs? It's interesting to compare this with video games in the United States and the relatively wide range of games available on the market (although the argument for censorship in the U.S. certainly can be made as well). This kind of government intervention or influence also plays an important role in issues of online anonymity as well, in the sense that companies can subpoena ISP's to release names of people using the service if they are suspected of offenses like music or software pirating. Does this somewhat erode the idea of online anonymity in some cases or is it justified to limit a person's online anonymity in certain cases?

“Internet Purification”

This post is inspired by the vow made by Chinese Communist Party chief Hu Jintao to “purify” the Internet. For more details, you can view the original news story from Reuters here http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/internet/01/24/china.internet.hu.reut/index.html. This outlandish claim by Jintao stumbles onto another very important issue regarding technology and this issue is the feasibility and legality of Internet “purification,” or in other words, censorship. Is it even technically possible for a government to censor material on the Internet? Won’t the information that was censored keep reappearing in different places? How could it be possible for anybody to successfully track information to all the vast corners and far reaches of the Web? Besides, even if it were possible, it would open up Pandora’s box. There is no regulatory committee that can oversee this process. The Internet would become entangled in a web of lawsuits and quarrels, which would eventually cause the demise of the Internet. Certain information is not always going to be favorable to everybody and if the entity that is offended can bring about its removal, then suffice it to say that there will not be very much information out there on the Internet.

To better put this into context, I am going to refer to a case study from the Georgetown Institute for the Study of Diplomacy entitled “Globalization: France, Nazis, and the Internet.” Unfortunately, copyright laws prevent me from posting the original article up online but another article from this website talks about basically the same ideas http://www.probe.org/current-issues/current-issues/globalization-and-the-internet.html. The Georgetown article basically describes the motives of the French government and its attempts to force Yahoo! to block the sale of Nazi propaganda to French users even from Yahoo!’s American website address. The main thing to note about this article is that it discusses the same thing that Jintao is proposing: censoring information on the Internet for whatever reason. Yahoo! did end up removing the listings, but its representatives said it was not because France demanded it, but because it was the right thing to do. If mass censorship was implemented on the Internet how could any information out there survive?

Johnny Mnemonic and The Air-Ship

Even though the Johnny Mnemonic “cyber-punk” short story was a little hard to get through, partly because of the dolphin addicted to smack and all the technical terms, it still brought up some interesting points. The same goes for the much less convoluted story, The Air-Ship. I know we covered a lot of the themes and implications in class, but I just wanted to quickly highlight or underscore a few important points. On page 59 of Johnny Mnemonic Johnny says, “I’d spent most of my life as a blind receptacle to be filled with other people’s knowledge and then drained, spouting synthetic languages I’d never understand.” This quote paints a very eerie picture of the future in which the definition of human thought as we know it now would no longer apply. If this special courier ability (hard drive in the brain) was a reality, then a person could have information in their heads without actually “knowing” it. As the story details, this poses very serious risks to humanity. In short, the second story (way ahead of its time) is really a commentary or cautionary tale about human dependency on technology and what could happen if we become too reliant on it. Can you imagine where we would be without all the technology we depend on today (alarm clocks, cell phones, and computers to name a few)?

Further Discussion on the Class Readings

In class we didn’t get to talk too much about the second article by Charles Platt, partly because we had so much to say on the first article, so I wanted to go back and revisit something I found to be interesting. The paradox occurs when Platt is being told the rules of the competition and learns of the rankings of most human human and least human human. After realizing that he does not want to be classified in the national press as the “least human human,” Platt resolves to seem 100 percent human. He then poses a couple of interesting questions: “I am human, so why should I need to fake it? Is it possible for me to seem more human than I really am?” It seems that as more technological developments are made regarding artificial intelligence, the more we as humans fear becoming inferior or submissive to the very things we have created. The questions I pose to you as you read this are these: what would it mean for society if artificial intelligence was developed until the point where a human user was indistinguishable from a computer program? What implications would this have or what would this say about the state of our society?

The Internet and E-Commerce

The Internet is becoming one of the most important tools in today’s society whether it is for escaping to a different reality (in the case of video games), or as a vehicle for delivering the voice of the individual to the masses. This taken into account, it is interesting to look at the development of electronic commerce (or e-commerce for short) and how this ability to buy and sell goods over the Internet affects the economy. The main point to take away from this is that the Internet is no longer reserved for the select few and is continuing to evolve. Speaking specifically about the U.S. economy, it is not completely certain what effect e-commerce will have, but it most likely will help in boosting and strengthening the economy. I can say this with ease because e-commerce provides consumers with the concept of convenience. People who don’t feel like going out to a local mall and pushing their way through the throngs of people to shop can now avoid that and shop from the comfort of their own homes. E-commerce has made shopping more convenient and available to more people, which is why I believe it will have an overall positive effect on our economy.

Upcoming PC Game: World in Conflict

For the most part, the real time strategy (RTS) game genre is dominated by games that focus on the past (with the exception of games like Act of War: Direct Action). Companies usually produce games that simulate events during World War II or during the age of conquest. Massive Entertainment is shattering that mold with the development of its new, amazing game World in Conflict. The premise of this RTS game is: what if the Cold War never ended and the Soviets launched a full-scale invasion of America? IGN.com describes it best when it says, "Players take on the role of field commander, leading the era's most powerful military machines in the campaign to retake America's cities and suburbs." There will be no base building and resource gathering in this strategy game, the focus is placed on fast-paced, hard fought battles. The graphics for this game look simply outstanding. This game differs from others in its genre because it is truly unique and drawn from real events in history. This game also provides a scary glimpse into what could have been. Another interesting fact about this game is the fact that if you build up enough tactical points, you can purchase a nuclear bomb to use against your enemies that can provide the possibility for a decisive victory on your side. It is refreshing to see unique ideas arising from the game design world and this game could prove to be one of the best, most realistic strategy games ever created. For more information on this game you can visit http://pc.ign.com/objects/821/821566.html.

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