The Issue of Cloaking

This past week our class discussion focused a little on websites published by individuals or groups who conceal their authorship deliberately to disguise a hidden political agenda. These websites are called cloaked websites. These cloaked websites make it hard to distinguish fact from propaganda because these sites usually have a url address that would not be suspicious of being a fraudulent site. Many cloaked website even have .org address's which may give a web user a sense that it could be a scholarly site. Since they also show up in the top search results on search engine sites like Google or Yahoo, cloaked websites are very effective in grabbing the attention and fooling web users. The sites
As cloaked websites were brought to our attention as a dangerous method of propaganda, we also learned how to spot these sites. although authorship is usually disclosed, they can be clues to know that the information presented is false or is trying to convey a different view point. For instance, martinlutherking.org has a link at the bottom to Stormfront's ( a white supremacist group) homepage. However if you didn't click on the Stormfront link could a cloaked website like this one really be spotted. Most people know enough about Dr. King to know that this information can't be the truth, but what if this website revolved around a black figure that wasn't as well known.
The point I'm trying to make here is that myself and my classmates have been studying the ways that new media have been used for several months now. We may be able to point out certain aspect of websites that may not be as obvious to a child or an adult that has little knowledge about types of scams new media can bring. Cloaking can be a very dangerous tool of the Internet, and people should become aware of the misdirection it can bring.

Where are the Parents?

This week we discussed the dangers and harm cyberbullying can have on a person especially on a young teen. With kids having access to the latest digital technologies kids no longer have to be bullied face to face or simply at school. The bullying can follow them where ever they go. Certain threats from online or cyberbullying have even lead to threats that imposing death or suicide. Cyberbullying can involve anything from harassment, embarrassment, or even torture. This is a horrible problem but this is reality. Teenagers everywhere can be victims of this form of bullying.

However, I believe the parents can take some time to monitor their child's activity online to make ensure their child's safety. Most parents are unaware of cyberbullying and whenever serious threats are imposed on their child they always seem to be clueless to why something happened. Parents to take some time to at least talk to their children about whats going on with their lives. Whether it's school, or their friends the parents should have an idea with what is going on in their kids lives. Another idea would be to set up online alerts with their child's name in it. It's simple to use and it will give you updates on websites or blogs that have your child's name posted to it. And if issues get worse makes sure the school is involved in the situation.

Cyberbullying is definitely harmful and their may not be a clear cut way to stop it, but their are ways to monitor it, and it starts with the parents.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sernmvO2454

Is the IPAD worth it?

This week we discussed a new product by Apple called the IPAD.  If you are like myself, you do not have one either because of the price or for the simple fact that you don't really know to much about this new form of technology. In class we watched a clip from youtube.com to get a little insight on what expectations are for the product and its users. This  new Internet fantasy is supposed to revolutionize the way you use technology. This apple product as features of computer but its design to look like a giant iphone or an i pod touch. Its simply just a flat screen without a keyboard, but you can browse the web listen to music and even read a book. A product designed to personalize your life. However after viewing the clip I was not very impressed. In my opinion this is just a bigger version of the Ipod touch. There are some cool and interesting applications that Apple has installed into the Ipad but I don't see the point in buying such an expensive product. The Ipad is trying to be and look like a new style of a computer, but you can't type up a document and print it out. The Ipad lets you read and purchase books with a touch of the screen however Amazon has already invented the kindle that allows you to do the same thing. The product is flaunted as a revolutionized experience but in my opinion I think that since there is nothing we have seen in the Ipad that we haven't seen in other Apple products doesn't make me think that my life will be changed for the better because of the Ipad. I feel that if something is supposed to be revolutionary then it has to bring something new to the table, with the IPAD i simply don't see that.

Second Life for the New Business World

This past week we looked at a clip in class dealing with the online virtual world of Second Life. Before this clip I knew that Second Life was an online virtual world where users create avatars to live and perform everyday life things such as eating, sleeping working and socializing. However, in this video we came across a new way Second life is being used. Companies such as IBM are now using Second Life to hold meetings and to hold other corporate functions. These companies suggest that this idea will save them money on travel, allow people to work from home but still have the face to face contact with people in these meetings. After watching this I found that to be interesting, however a bit strange.
After watching this clip I started to think about a movie I recently saw called, "Up in the Air." The film, starring George Clooney( Ryan), is about a corporate consultant who travels from city to city downsizing companies for bosses who are to coward to do so them self. As Clooney's character begins to fire people left and right, you see just how hard some people take their harsh new reality. When his consulting firm tries cutting cost by conducting these layoffs over the internet, Ryan feels that this form of communication is unprofessional and simply wrong. Having fired many people over his career he knows how devastated people get and how they need someone there for them one news like that gets dropped on them.
Like Clooney's character Ryan, I feel that certain web communication is unprofessional and looses a personal feel. If I were to get fired from my real job on Second Life which was originally intended to be just a game, it would make me feel like they were making a mockery of my life. Although new communications are being added in new jobs all the time, there still needs to be some interaction with real people. Holding meetings in a virtual world is simply relying on and using forms of new media to much.

Up In the Air Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7k6FwXJhNk

Group Organization

This week in class we focused on a Clay Shirkey article that discussed how new forms of media have helped people form new groups on the Internet, mainly through social networking sites. Facebook is somethin that was mentioned in class. From the time this social networking site was started up, the sites popularity has grown in users as well as applications which help internet groups form easier. While on facebook you can create a group for an upcoming event, or join a group in a club/ sport or organization you are a part of. But Facebook isn't the only social networking sites that is bringing people together in new ways. I recently signed myself up for a LinkedIn account to help find my post college job. I was amazed at how you can narrow down your job search and request in the field you want and in what area of the country you want to work. On this social networking site there are both small business and fortune 500 companies seeking employees and even willing to refer you to other companies. What is amazing is how fast and easy setting up both a LinkeIn and a Facebook profile was. Within minuetes you can become a user to two of the most popular online groups known.
Creating an account on LinkedIn may help me find the career that I am looking for, and new updates to Facebook may help me expand my group ties but I definetly feel that social networking groups like this one are benificial and will further grow in the future to form more groups and bring people together.

Digital Nation

 This week we watched a click from a PBS documentary, "Digital Nation," which gave some insight on what the future of the digital world may have in store for us. This one part of the documentary took us to an inner city school in the Bronx, where students were performing well below average before each student was given a laptop to help them complete there school work. The students who struggled with reading and math before given a laptop, started to improve drastically. The students knew how to blog and even perform proper research techniques along with improving their test scores while having their own personal laptops. However, their were some distraction due to this new way of approaching teaching. Students began to go on websites or listen to music during class time even though the students were obviously not supposed to do during class time. The school can monitors the websites that the students go on by blocking sites and even by having the principal remotely monitor each students computer via web cam, but  the student still access the sites and music.

As I watched this I thought to my self is this really necessary? These students are young and should have some sites that may be inappropriate to use blocked, but for the principal to have direct access to everyones computer is over the top. I feel like this is crossing the boundary a little bit. Sure the school doesn't want their student playing games while they are supposed to be doing their work, but this could be a breach in privacy. Every young kid gets distracted in class at one point regardless if they have a computer or not. If this school think that these students are old enough and responsible enough to be given a computer, they shouldn't be monitoring them so strictly. As long as the students are doing their work the school should be more lenient towards the students.

One Laptop Per Child

For quite some time now we have been discussion the digital divide and it's effects on other countries. Countries who are living in poverty or have low income don't have the technology advances that most people in our country have. Recently our country has not only realized this but also has a plan to try and eliminate the problem through the One Laptop Per Child project. This project intends to give affordable technology to country who are not as economically stable as the United states. Although this seems like a good idea, some may think that this is not the way we should be helping this country. Countries who are strongly, like Nigeria, can use the help but they need to have the help come in different ways. They country needs more food, water and clothes; worrying about laptops may not be people's or a government's first concern when assisting countries that are struggling. 

However, I think a lap top maybe the tool that a country can use to start rebuilding their country step by step. Not only will a laptop be able to help students learn and develop, it will make it easier to communicate with people when they need food or water.  Food and water is essential and may be something that is needed more than a laptop for countries in poverty. But what we want to do is help these countries advance and get on the same page with other countries who are more advanced in technology. Without certain technology, this just can't be done.

Digital Divide

Digital Divide can refer to the gap between people with a high access and availability to the digital technology to people with limited access to digital technology. This gap can obviously refer to people who have higher or lower income throughout the world but it can also refer to a gap on a smaller scale, mainly a generation gap. Digital information has become more accessible and is easier for a younger generation. Also what is important to adults is not as important to a younger generation. Privacy is a big issue with digital technology the generation gap. Being active on websites require a lot of users to give up some personal information. For instance to join a social networking site you first have to create a user name and password; one's user name being their email address. For some, giving out email addresses can alarm older online users. Many adults have a fear of giving out their email address online for the fact of receiving countless unwanted emails, spam, or viruses. Along with conversations, pictures, and videos that other users to see, many users upload their living address, interest, favorite movies, even their relationship status. For a young generation, this information could be put up without hesitation. However, adults wouldn't display this information or would at least think twice about what is put on their profile. Digital technology has certain perks, but there are definetly some features to this technology that will always create a digital divide.

Facebook

This past week, I was sitting in the library with two of my friends studying and having a conversation about our test coming up when suddenly both of my friend's blackberries went off because of a new message they had received. They had just both been tagged in facebook photos from the previous weekend. They began to laugh, chat and recapture the memories of the previous weekend by going through all of the photos in the new picture album at that very moment. Not having been tagged in any new photos I became an outside to their new conversation and was only left at the table sitting as if i was the only one there. As I sat and watched them go through picture after picture on the blackberry devices, I began to think of my MDIA 393 class discussion/ video we had recently watched. The video and discussion pretty much recapped how much time we really spend doing things we feel important as well as how tech savvy we have really become. With this in mind, I began to target these two girls I was sitting with as examples of our class movie. Instead of studying and working on the work in front of us, my two friends had to check their blackberries as well as their facebook the minute something new has come up. The time people spend the most with is their technology. It brings you to think what will be in store for us in the future.

Personalization

This week one thing we learned about in class was  personalization. This is the use of new media technology for your own personal use. Most web pages like google or youtube become personalized based on your past web searches or web page visits. Personalization is designed to affectively customize your experience, mainly on the web, with relative material that you have recently been interested in. In other words, personalization predicts what you might like in the future. However, we also talked about what is an appropriate  level of personalization? Is it right or beneficial to let certain software make decisions for you? If this is the case some may think that personalization will incapacitate your decision making process others may believe it is a helpful tool that helps illuminate the time you waste online. 

But then we discussed personalization on a university level or a job based level. We all agreed that surrounding yourself with tools that personalize will probably not be tolerated in the work force. When you have a boss that tells you what yo do you have to complete the task the way he wants you to. When you have a job its no longer your way, you have to move out of your own comfort level sometimes and thats exactly what personalization pushes you away from. However,  an interesting point was brought up when looking at personalization regarding your university. While attending Catholic I have had to take many courses that are irrelative to my major. ( media studies) When the idea of personalizing your class schedule came up, some suggested it would be a bad idea for the simple fact you can't always have it your way and it makes you a more rounded student. Well what if these classes drag your GPA down or you are not interested in the class at all. Since you are paying for the class shouldn't you be able to choose what classes you are taking?

IN my opinion I believe people need to explore outside of their own comfort level but in some cases personalization is necessary and all around is made to benefit you.