Vector logo

Original bitmap image

 Vector Image

I used the pen tool for the horse and Ferrari text, a rounded rectangle with a black stroke and yellow fill for the logo shape and the rectangle tool for the red, white and green stripes at the top of the logo.

Internet & Democracy

1. Based on this debate and previous readings What Definition of democracy do you feel is most fitting for us to use in-conjunction our growing reliance and integration of digital networked technologies?

I think the best definition of "democracy" is people being informed about issues and making up their own minds on which are most important, and what should be done about the issues that need to be addressed.  Through the internet, people are able to discuss these issues with people who agree or disagree with us, or may show us something in a different light or make us want to think more about an issue from more than one perspective.  In this case, the anonymity may work to people's benefit, because people are able to say what they really feel to people who they have no personal connection with, without worrying about how they may think about them in the future. 

2. How does your answer to #1 fit into the unchecked nature of Web 2.0 technologies, and what are some tangible examples of this? Do you feel this is an important issue that needs to be addressed further?
This fits into the unchecked nature of the Web 2.0 technoligy because although people can discuss these issues with people with different opinions, people tend to gravitate toward media and opinions that they can relate or identify with, which is not necessarily a bad thing.  However, when all this information is unchecked, it is important for people to realize that nothing should be considered 100% believable.  For example, people choose who they want to follow on Twitter.  If something said is inaccurate or taken out of context, then more people are exposed to misinformation.

3. Define and describe the phenomenon of the Media echo-chamber as described in the Internet Debates. What are some examples of this silo effect, and do you believe it is an issue that need to be addressed? Why or Why not?
The echo-chamber on the internet debates refers to people finding misinformation that they deem credible, even when it may not be, and spreading this information only because it supports their personal beliefs rather than the truth.  An example of this would be someone twisting what another person says, or omitting or adding to their statement to give it a different context.  This is broadcasted on the internet to a range of people who may not question the accuracy, and it is spread even further.  It is an issue that needs to be addressed, because it causes misinformation to be spread exponentially.

4. What are some ways that expertise and authority could be (or is being) enforced on the internet? Who would be behind these forces? Why do you believe are they needed or not needed?
Authority could, and sometimes is, enforced on the internet on official websites, rather than blogs or sites where anything can be said by anyone, where the authority is the people who created the site and are closest to the subject of the site. This could also include more mainstream political sites that have more credible or reputable sources.  The problem with this is that the authority of these sites, especially news or political sites, also have opinions, sometimes very strong ones.  The authority can decide what they want people to hear or read or believe, and have the power to twist anything into anything they want.  I don't think any news site broadcasts a single subject in the same light as another site that generally has opposing political beliefs because their views influence the way they write or what they say about a subject.  Even with sites that have an "authority", I personally find it difficult to fully believe everything that is said or written. 

6. Give a thorough example of an adaptation or improvement made by a social, political, or cultural group, government, business or individual to keep up with changing nature of the internet.
Many music artists have realized that the illegal downloading of music has become so widespread that it seems impossible to stop.  Some bands, like Escape the Fate, have posted their entire album online so people could listen for free, even before the album is released.  They are also having an exclusive show only for people who buy the album at a specific Best Buy in the City on the day of its release.  This shows how the internet has changed society and business in a way that forces groups or organizations to come up with creative ways to work with the system and still benefit from it.

7. Is democracy threatened by the unchecked nature of the internet?
I do not think democracy is threatened by the internet.  The internet was not created to overtake the world, even as much as it has now.  It allows people to get discuss with other people on issues rather than being limited to what the authority tells us, which also may or may not be accurate. 

Keen vs. Rushkoff

1. Keen defines Democratized media as something that "does away with" the middle man or intermedates.  It allows anyone to publish or post ideas, media, and even untruths, and have a place on the internet for everyone to see.  This, to Keen, has lead to a lack of demand for quality or integrity.  He also believes that it destroys jobs, because the professional quality that people work to learn and master is no longer as valuable.  Web sites like JamStudio or PureVolume would be an example of something Keen believes to be destroying the music industry, because it allows you to create or post music at your own discretion, but without the guidance of professionals. 
Another issue he has with Democratized media is that he believes that it misleads people into reading or seeing and believing things that are less than true.  Sites like Wikipedia have raised concerns for him, because there is no professional of each and every topic checking to make sure all the facts and dates are accurate, so anyone could post anything (to an extent) and disguise it as something that should be considered valid.

2. Keen and Rushkoff hace different views about social media.  Although both recognize the effects that it has had on society, good and bad, Rushkoff seems to have a more positve outlook.  He embraces the possiblities that it has for society, and sees how it has benefited people in different fields.  Keen, however, is much more pessimistic about people when it comes to social media and the intense influence it has over people.  He thinks it will only continue to eliminate the need for face-to-face interaction, and causes people to value authenticity and truth much less.  I'm torn between these two ideas.  I agree with some of Keen's points, and he backs his opinions well.  However, I like to think that society won't plummet quite the way he believes.

Digital Nation: The Mob

            The internet and ability to connect with virtually everyone at any time has changed society in ways previous generations never believed possible.  We are able to access and distribute information, communicate, and connect with people all over the world, whether we know them personally or not.  This connectedness comes with an anonymity that we don’t have when talking to someone face to face, or even over the phone. 

This anonymity has had good effects, such as getting to know someone for who they are rather than what they look like.  However, it also has also brought about many negative effects that most people could not predict.  Online predators have become a major issue since the internet, especially social networking sites, have taken off.  Predators can disguise themselves easily online, because the only thing they have to change is what they post online or talk about, rather than the way they live.  Another complaint from many people is a lack of privacy.  Information that people may not want the entire world to know can be posted online for literally anyone.  Many people have even been fired or not hired for jobs, and expelled or not accepted into schools because of pictures or posts they have put online.  It is true that for the most part, people can control what they post or what is posted about them and who can see what, but we have to take extra precautions about privacy settings and what we want to share.  Scams are another major issue with the internet.  It is easier to take advantage of people when you are able to only give them certain information over a computer than to have a direct conversation or trying to sell someone something in person.  Allowing people to connect over the internet so easily and in so many ways can also lead people to lose touch with reality and forget, or not want to interact with people in real life.  As we saw in the Digital Nation documentary, some people have become obsessed with interacting only through a computer, and consider their “online friends” better friends than any of their “real life friends”.  These people only see the good in this, like the people at the World of Warcraft convention who consider their time with their friends playing the game more meaningful than interacting outside the game.  This causes people to live in a fantasy world rather than experience anything that real life has to offer, and it sometimes interferes with their real life. For example, one woman on the documentary said that she quit her job so that she could stay home and play World of Warcraft more.  In Digital Nation, Douglas Rushkoff asked an arguable question: “Do virtual worlds really bring us together with others, or do they just make being utterly alone a little more bearable?”

This anonymity with connectivity does not always equal cruelty.  People were cruel before the internet, and would be whether the internet existed or not.  The internet is only a new outlet for these acts, and a new way to make them more public.  Years ago, there was still bullying, discrimination, prejudice, revenge, and back-stabbing.  Now, people have a new way of posting or doing these cruel acts, intentional or not.  As we’ve seen with the Tyler Clementi tragedy at Rutgers, the instant connection the internet grants allows people to do much more harm in a much shorter amount of time. 

The collective anger online is not there because of the internet.  When the internet boomed people were not thinking about the different ways they could abuse it in order to harm others.  Cruelty can be found on the internet because today, it seems most of the population has a web site, blog, social network profile, or some kind of home online that serves as an outlet for whatever they want to say.  Many people feel safer saying or doing what they want because of the anomynity that we have online.  However, it does not control how we think or act, even in the depths of our minds that we may not want to share with others.  We control what we do or say.  The internet has only given society a new place to share these thoughts, good or bad.

Discussion questions

1.  I don't think professional production values will only sink deeper and deeper until "homegrown" production takes over television completely.  Despite its seemingly universal popularity, there are plenty of people who won't watch reality television shows, because of its superficiality or because they just don't find it interesting.  People go to school to learn how to create and produce TV shows, and still treat it as an art that requires more than giving a few unprofessional actors fifteen minutes in the limelight for them to last in the business.  

HBO's most popular shows, such as True Blood and Entourage, have complex plots, settings, and  techniques that make the shows what they are and are appreciated by their viewers.  Amateur television seems to be getting closer and closer to home, which may add to its appeal. However, in my opinion, "homegrown" and reality TV seem like a generational phenomenon, but it will never completely get rid of the need for professionally produced television.

  

2.  I find myself using Facebook more than any other site mainly because i can get in contact with virtually any of my friends.  I think Facebook has become more successful than MySpace because Facebook offers more to its users.  There are games, chat, and other things that MySpace added only when they saw that Facebook  was benefiting from offering these.  Also, Facebook seems to have more security.  MySpace starting getting a bad reputation for having too many "creeps" who would try to get in contact with strangers.  This can obviously happen on any site, but Facebook offers a little more information that makes it easier to know exactly who you are talking to.  Also, businesses, events, and promotions all have a hand in getting their word out through Facebook, so it allows information to spread much more quickly than it would on MySpace.

It's really difficult to say whether Facebook is "here to stay" or not, because as we've seen with MySpace, it's impossible to predict how quickly a trend like a website will decrease in popularity, even when it seems to be at its peak.  I can't see Facebook being around in 20 years, at least not the way we know it today.

3. Transparency is an important concept because it goes so much deeper than whether someone is being honest or not.  It questions our motives for almost any and everything we say or do in the Social Media world, since there usually is a motive for everything we do.

I think it's just as important in the offline world, because while the interaction or transparency is not as physical online, it still masks a personal incentive that could drive someone to say or not say something they would otherwise.

McLuhan Final Project

In my image, I wanted to convey the impact and the "message" OnStar ultimately holds.  On the road, there are endless possibilities for things to go wrong, and we are not always prepared for them.  The message, as McLuhan would call it, is giving drivers a security that they wouldn't have otherwise.  In cases of emergency, people want to know that there is help nearby, and more conveniently, able to contact literally at the push of a button.  OnStar provides this to people, whether they have an emergency or are just in need of directions or a phone.  I wanted to convey that in virtually any situation drivers may face on the road, OnStar is meant to make the trip easier and safer. 

Photoshop project part I

The medium I am choosing for this project is OnStar.

Its contents include speech, gps, sensors, and satellite.

Its message is aid and assistance through human interaction.  When you contact OnStar, or vice versa, you are talking to a live operator rather than a recording.  This is to ensure that they can assess your situation effectively and send help or give you the appropriate aid you need.