Week 6 - Lecture Response and Tute*Spark

Hi,

This weeks lecture was about New Media and Internet Studies. In the lecture we were given a definition of technology, which said it "is the scientific study of mechanical arts and their application to the world."
I think this is partly true, but I still think technology is just the development or use of a tool to get a job done. Does technology have to be mechanical?

We learnt that the word media is plural for the word medium. Personally, when I think of the connotations associated with medium I think of canvas, sculpture etc. I think of it as just average visual art.

We talked about 'virtual community' and 'individual identity'. I think 'virtual community' used to be more common and important a few years ago, when message boards were popular. People were connecting with strangers online. Now, I think 'individual identity' is much more important. It's all about ourselves, the people we know and the things we like. "When I want to impress a guy, I don't get a new haircut, I update my Myspace" - Drew Barrymore in 'He's Just Not That Into You' sums it up perfectly.

There are three categories of Social Media: blogs, social networks and content sharing. I'm addicted to websites that in each of these categories (Twitter, Facebook and Youtube). I actually think it's a real addiction, I have to go on Facebook everyday or I get really really depressed.

We discussed privacy and stuff that we give up when we sign up for websites like Facebook. I personally don't read the terms & conditions. I just click the box and keep on going. I'm not sure if I would feel violated if someone used my information for their own gain. When I was in year 12, my English teacher was also a local radio host. He used the exact words that I said to him in class when talking about social networking. Word for word, and didn't say it was me who said it. I didn't feel betrayed, I was actually excited that what I said was important enough to be broadcast in front of 300,000 people. I remember this massive controversy when a prostitute ad at the back of an American magazine used the image of Disney star Brenda Song. I think something potentially damaging like that would be the only time I would really be upset.

I think there are a lot of negative effects of the modern Internet. I'm on MSN and Facebook all the time, and I've found I've become more shy when talking in real life. I'm scared the Internet is ruining my social skills! There is also a problem with Internet bullying, with one issue becoming so bad I had to get restraining orders against three girls. People feel like they can be keyboard-warriors and say anything they like because the Internet is so anonymous.

The Tute*Spark for this week was to answer the following questions:

Who owns the content you put on various websites?

The website I upload the most information to is Facebook (on Twitter I usually just say things like ''I'm in Canberra''), and I've been reading all the privacy policies on Facebook and I feel pretty safe. They don't give our information to 3rd parties. However, in their terms they say: "you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post". This means if I make up a poem or story, or upload a pretty photo I've taken, Facebook can do whatever they want with it without me getting the credit.

Who has the right to use your creations?

Well if I keep my creations safe and sound, away from Facebook, they're mine. But the moment my creations are uploaded onto Facebook my rights are taken away.

That pretty much sums up my ideas of this weeks lecture, thanks!

Emily