Saturday, April 17, 2010

Assignment #8 - Privacy Issues in a Digital World

The 3 Facebook Settings Every User Should Check Now


By Sarah Perez

Retrieved from creative commons

#1. Who can see the things you share?

Creative Commons Attribution license by g-hat

With Facebook the default for your status updates are set for “Everyone”. So anyone who uses Facebook can see your status updates. To make your status updates, links, photos, and videos more private you can go to “Posts by Me” under the “Privacy Settings” on your Profile page and change the setting to “Only Friends”, then only your friends will see your status updates, links, photos, and videos.

#2. Who can see your personal info?

But if you want friends of your friends to be able to see what you have posted, linked to and created in a video then change it to “Friends of Friends”. There are other options as ways to set your settings to specify who gets what information. Go to the link below to read the article and find out how to make privacy changes to your Facebook account. http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/the_3_facebook_settings_every_user_should_check_now...


by fensterbme  A Creative Commons Attribution licensed photo

 
FACEBOOK DOES NOT INDEX ALL YOUR INFORMATION ON GOOGLE. “Facebook created public search listings in 2007 to enable people to search for your names and see a link to your Facebook profile.” They cannot see much. Only when you accept them as a friend can they then see what you allow them to see, set by your chosen settings. However, if you have checked the box next to “Allow” on the Search Settings page, you have given “search engines the ability to access and index any information you’ve marked as visible by “Everyone”. Follow the instructions from the reading to keep data private from search engines. 4 simple steps will do this for you. Again read the article by clicking on the link at the end of this section.

“Note: Other resources on Facebook's latest changes worth reading include MakeUseOf's 8 Steps Toward Regaining your Privacy, 17 steps to protect your privacy from Inside Facebook, the ACLU's article examining the changes, and DotRights.org's comprehensive analysis of the new settings. If you're unhappy enough to protest Facebook's privacy update, you can sign ACLU's petition. The FTC is also looking into the matter thanks to a complaint filed by a coalition of privacy groups, led by the Electronic Privacy Information Center. You can add your voice to the list of complaints here.”

readwriteweb.com/archives/the_3_facebook_settings_every_user_should_check_now...

Many users of Facebook feel like this: “I have nothing personal in my updates that I’d not want the whole world to see.” Posted by ghanbuntu on this articles comment section.

I think that is the key – just don’t post anything that you will be ashamed of or that you don’t want your friends, friends of your friends or everyone to see. There is more to it than this though as you will read coming up …

“How Privacy Vanishes Online” by Steve Lohr

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/technology/17privacy.html?pagewanted=print

This article is just a reminder that I need to go to my social networks and make my privacy settings more likely to keep my information private. It also reminds me that I need to make some other changes to my profile and not tell so much personal data. Birthdays can give a lot away, books I’ve read and want to read tell a person a lot about me. OK you think this is what I want to do, this is the whole purpose but we live in a world of not so nice people. People who can figure out where you live by the map you place on Classmates.com, there are people who hate gay people and if you are a gay person and the hater can tell this by what you have posted on your social network (or they think they can) you could be a target to a really crazy person. Don’t get scared. I’m not being pessimistic, I’m being realistic.

Netflix has this database of your movie reviews if you do the reviews and they keep records of what movies are in your queue and what you watch. This data can be analyzed to identify patterns in your behavior. OK, not bad because they know what they can offer you that you will probably be interested in viewing. Using the same principle though, “a pool of information about each individual can form a distinctive “social signature”.” Tight privacy settings are the security tool you have with social networks. You just have to use them.

by Melanie O’Rourke – Attribution license from Creative Commons




Judgment is an issue, when you have linked to others, or applications or you have become a “fan” of groups, etc. Even when one of your goofy friends uses the “F” word and posts half naked photos of her/himself on Blacks Beach, you know the people I’m talking about. The younger sister of a friend who posts a close up of just her new bathing suit top, with her body in it, is no longer allowed on FB wall. Those people will turn your other people who you want to be friends with – right off (or maybe not). Judgment is important because future human resource departments and employers may be looking. Past employers may be looking the day before they are to give your new potential employer a recommendation (or not). I know I have had to block some “friends” and some “friend’s applications”. First of all, I have no interest myself and secondly I sure don’t want my friends and family and future friends to think I am interested in some of these applications that Facebook offers.


Another article to read for more on why it is so important to guard your privacy online is here:

“Privacy is dead, and social media hold smoking gun” By Pete Cashmore

http://www.edition.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/10/28/cashmore.online.privacy

Applications settings are where “quizzes” are located. Quizzes can get your information, even if you use privacy settings to limit access. See the article: “ What Facebook Quizzes Know About You” by Sarah Perez

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/what_facebook_quizzes_know_about_you.php


Retrieved from Creative Commons - Attribution license

“Everything on your profile is made available to the developers when your friend takes a quiz.” Wow! This is very disheartening. I guess I will be blocking more friends. I actually have to take the few minutes it will take to make these changes to better protect myself. Facebook is not looking out for me or for YOU. “Facebook also doesn’t even screen developers for trustworthiness, not do they require the developer to comply with a privacy policy.” See http://www.readwritewne.com/archives/does-that-facebook_app_have_a_privacy_policy_probably_npt.php

UPDATE YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS.

Social security numbers can be found out by experts – expert criminals who are experts in technology. SS numbers identify and authenticate banking credit card transactions and other transactions online. The best thing to remember is that when you’re doing stuff online think of it as if you are doing it in public – because more and more you actually are.

Google: Privacy Is Alive and Well by Alma Whitten

http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/12/privacy-facebook-gmail-technology-security-google.html

This article tells us about how control means choice and transparency and how Google offers this control. Google gives options for using their products. They let you know what information they collect when you use their products and services. Google feels that if they do not offer ways to control use then users will not use their services. Google Dashboard is where users go to set their privacy settings. Ads Preferences Manager is the place to go to “opt-out” of “interest based ads”. Love that!

Google’s Chrome Browser allows users to browse privately with the “incognito mode.” Google is continually trying to find new and better ways to help you to keep what you want private – private.

This article just below this paragraph is just one example of how mean people can be and how the issues of the internet are many and it will be decades, if ever before all the kinks are worked out in a way that will secure privacy, safety and make it a viable (“having a reasonable chance of succeeding”) place to be, even profitable.

“Italian judge says profit behind Google verdict”

by Colleen Barry”http://www.businessweek.com/ap/tech/D9F1NQJ03.htm

How does the internet impact privacy? If you want to expose yourself you can do it on the internet. Privacy settings and the way we use the internet can help us be private about ourselves but I don’t know if it is truly possible. People can find out where I live, where I work, have worked, how long I was unemployed during the early 80’s. Posts I have placed in newspapers in California, Florida and Michigan appear under Google. Donations I’ve made to non-profit organizations show up in Google. Friends of yours show up when you Google your name if you don’t have the correct settings placed on your Profile. You can be judged harshly. The internet impacts privacy in way too many ways. I have covered a lot herein but I’m sure I’ve missed a lot as well. It’s HUGE!


“I can see your home from here” by Lamerie
This is from a Google Search of an address.

Is Italy’s prosecution of Google fair? Where’s the line between protecting privacy and promoting the free exchange of information? When is it censorship? The profit part of their actions is what the problem was, as seen from some people’s point of view. It is totally unfair to treat disabled wrongly. Unfair and wrongly being words that some people do not acknowledge or know the meaning of and what harm the actions of these words cause. The line should is on the side of promoting the free exchange of information, especially when profit is possible. I disagree with any free exchange of information being done when it is obvious exploitation of the disabled, unless it is the information that the disabled person able to consent has consented to exchange. I think there might be too much internet freedom as it now stands. Everything will change and then change back again – as the years go by – just watch and see.

by Laremie 



Question? Why do they want this information? Answer: To try to sell you stuff.

Can you stop them from getting information? You can try.

What might future employers learn about you from the internet? What your interests are, who your “friends” are, where you shop, party, study, your interests, your age, your life.

How much control do you have over a Google search about you? A bit.

See http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/12/privacy-facebook-gmail-technology-security-google.html

. . . and other links mentioned in this blog post.

Discuss whether people who are now growing up with the internet may have different expectations about privacy.

I think that people now growing up with the internet will expect that privacy will be less and less of a problem, as new tools to protect privacy are developed. These same people will be developing these new tools and new programs. The problem I see is that the alternate developers of new and better ways to steal privacy and identities will also be developed. Some people will just don’t give it a thought at all either way.

How do these privacy concerns relate to issues we learned about in the Long Tail, the internet as a democratizing tool?

The privacy concerns relate to the issues in the Long Tail in that everyone everywhere can learn about you and your identity. A friend has a child who is going to Europe soon on a summer vacation for a couple of weeks. I know this young person has been communicating with many people in this country, that this person is about to visit. People this person does not know have been talking to this person via a social network. One of the same social networks I use and that is how I know what is being communicated and the photos that are being shared. I worry about this young person. The people that plan to meet this person in Europe may not even be who they say they are. They know a lot of information about this young person. They know what this person has done, what school this person plans to go to next fall, what car is driven, this young person’s fashion sense, and social groups. Way too much for a young person to let strangers know. I am going to block this person just because I am afraid the postings will stop and I would prefer to stop them first. This is extreme. But really – the internet offers young people the freedom to express themselves YES but to what extent and to what expense. I hope it’s all good.

I mentioned something related to this to my friend, and that friend acted like I was crazy. The response I got was a laugh and then a frown and “its fine.” This friend feels that this young person knows what they are doing. How could this be possible? The reason my friend feels this way is because people think that identity theft, victimization and other negative things cannot happen to them. Young people trust everyone else who looks young and hip. (I was young and trusted others). I think that the internet gives predators a place to post a young and hip picture and that person is not always who they say they are. This is what worries me the most about young people who do not learn the steps they need to take when using the internet. This class has given me a new way to look at what I do on the internet and I hope that the young people in this class take what they have learned and use it to protect themselves and their privacy.

I also want to say that I think this course should be a requirement to all incoming freshman at any college, just as I think that all students should be required to take an Intro to Women’s and Gender Studies Course. These are the ways of life today and these two courses are Intro courses that will benefit any student or anyone else in life as it is today in the cyberspace digital age.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Assignment #7 - The Future of Television




Awesome! It was amazing when cable became available to me when I returned to Michigan from the rural unincorporated town of Joshua Tree, California in 1993. I could watch channels other than 2, 4, 7, 9, and maybe a couple of others when I lived in JT. I saw M*A*S*H* regularly on TV and later it became more common for me to just pop a video in the VCR. I spent a lot more time on my studies and my clay sculptures back then. As time goes on I have had to learn to prioritize and sometimes A&E or a documentary like “Frida” from Netflix, wins over dragging out my Laguna Beach clay and setting up to mold a new head. Now I get really involved in watching amateur videographers work on YouTube or how to roll a sushi roll direct from an internet food website. I like the idea that I will be able to view anything I want from anywhere on the planet at anytime, through broadband internet.

Lately I’ve been watching Intervention, Celebrity Rehab and Sober House on a regular basis. At the end of these shows the television network tells the viewers how they can log onto the website to see more of the show that was not released to the television viewers. If a viewer is interested in finding out if one of the participants of Intervention is still sober, since the taping of the show they can go to the website and find out. I haven’t tried it but the television network advertises the feature. It is probably the same for The Biggest Loser, Lost, and others. Entire episodes of some programs can be watched on the web.

As Amanda Lotz states in The Television Will Be Revolutionized, after the original run on a network, “producers sell episodes in international markets, to independent stations, and to broadcast affiliates to recoup the costs of deficit financing. These opportunities to sell content after and even during the original network run are called “distribution windows.” These windows of distribution are changing as the post network era comes into being. After the original run the locations that these programs can be viewed and means of being distributed into the home are many. Cable and satellite, VCR tapes, DVD’s, VOD services and more recently episodes are downloaded or streamed via Internet sites. We’ve come along way baby!

TV stoffen met plumeau / Dusting the television with a feather-brush

Retrieved from Creative Commons

“Repurposing” is another term Amanda Lotz shared to explain how a “series can earn additional revenue during its original run either by airing multiple times on the broadcast network licensing the series (more than a typical rerun) or by airing concurrently on a cable network.” We see repurposing in action when we watch Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU) within a very short time span showing on two different broadcast networks. We see double runs of Charmed and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, as well as others. We are finding that we can now or we at least are told that in the very near future we will be able to watch Rifleman and Eight is Enough via the Internet through our television. I can think of quite a few old tv shows that I would love to see again and guess what? I might be able to, someday very soon. “The Television Will Be Revolutionized.” Amanda D. Lotz is the author. This book was published by the New York University Press in 2007. All of the information previously discussed comes from this book. http://www.amazon.com/Television-Will-be-Revolutionized/dp/0814752195
 
Check this out just for fun . . . http://www.youtube.com/xl


I watched The Life of Riley, a 1953 sitcom – on YouTube. I watched Shindig on YouTube. I watched Peyton Place on YouTube. I watched Dark Shadows on YouTube. They were only a few minutes long though. I know that full-length episodes will become available soon and some already are. None of these are too popular with the youth of today but reminiscing folk like me enjoyed the three minutes available for viewing.







“Successes (and Some growing Pains) at Hulu” is an article in The New York Times that introduced me to Hulu.com. “Hulu, the popular and free online video hub . . .” I went to Hulu.com to check it out. Even though the article points out that some are dissatisfied with Hulu I found it pretty cool, since it is new to me, as most of these internet entities I am learning about are. As it turns out though the Hulu as I see it today may not be the Hulu of tomorrow. The content suppliers want things to be done differently than they are now doing at Hulu, for instance, Hulu needs to earn more advertising dollars. The suppliers just don’t feel that they are earning their share of the revenue that is generated by Hulu. The subscription services that we see here and there is something that the suppliers would like Hulu to begin offering, monthly fees paid by the consumer would bring more revenue and is something being considered, even if only for “at least some of the shows on the site.” Free for now.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/technology/01hulu.html?sq=internet_television&st=nyt



www.hulu.com

I pay a subscription service fee monthly to Netflix. I have access to literally millions of movies, documentaries and independent films. I don’t have to pay an awful lot for the convenience of streaming some great flicks into my computer. It’s wonderful! Being able to stream from there into my big tv will be so cool.

“Customer Satisfaction:

More than 90% of Netflix members say they are so satisfied with the Netflix service that they recommend the service to family and friends”


Taken from Netflix Press Release

The article “Changing Channels, From Cable to the Web”, also from The New York Times tells us the social media can be a problem for people without cable. The reason is because the shows they may be hearing about, they cannot see on the Web or DVD right away, they usually aren’t available until after the showed has aired on TV and the social sites like Facebook sometimes give it all away. Everybody is talking. Spoil sports. Many people are not going to want to give up cable and their TV, the way they have always watched movies – and they won’t unless they are forced to – at some point in the future. ...


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/garden/11tv.html?sq=web_televisiont=cse&scp=14&p

I don’t think that in 10 years that force will come into play. Hopefully force will never happen. Force – a vision that includes force is not what I envision. I think it will be more like the 5 C’s of the concluding chapter of “The Television Will Be Revolutionized.” 1) Choice –we will have so many choices about the way we watch movies and television programs that it could be difficult to make a decision, but we will have 2) Control – and our choices will be made in our ability to pay for the format we wish to view whatever it is we want to view. VOD, Netflix, Free viewing with Hulu or is there a movie I want to see that even streaming into my TV from Hulu, that I want to pay to see? So many options and lots of control. As part of the niche audience I may want to watch “Shindig” episodes rather than the “Grounded for Life” sitcom of my partners choice. I can control this by streaming from Hulu to my TV while he watches the network shows from his. 3) Convenience aplenty. Aside from my television set not being as big as his, I can watch whatever I want and if I want, I can buy a new bigger television for my pleasure of viewing my 4) Customized entertainment. TiVo is another way to customize scheduling when I watch what I want to watch and with what 5) Community. Communities to share the experience are available online. When there was a online broadcast of the characters of Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” recently, just before the release of the movie with Johnny Depp, I joined in the conversations online while watching the interviews with the characters and previews of the movie. I also was able to make comments about Metro Station and the other live musical entertainment during the event which took place somewhere in Hollywood.

Credit goes to Walt Disney Studios

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=103225062


Alice in Wonderland - Tea Party

Trailer Park Movies

MySpace Video

Retrieved from MySpace Video

Broadband TV relates to issues we learned about in the Long Tail because we can view the things that are out there that may not be listed in the TV Guide. The Internet offers us so many ways to democratize and does appeal to the common people. As common people we must remember to give credit where it belongs and not to use it as our own when it is not.

Much of this post has been borrowed and I have hopefully given accurate and appropriate credit to the rightful owners of the works herein.

What will TV look like in 10 years? Your guess is as good as mine – maybe better. I think we will be able to see and learn whatever we want by many different methods. I think that my post involves what is to come in 10 years – afterall 10 years really isn’t that long. I don’t have a vision beyond what I’ve included as what is either now, or will be in the very near future. Prior to this term I could not have told you half of the things that I have been able to talk about because of the experience of this class and the research I have had the pleasure of doing.

Someone else’s vision includes from this website: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/4566704/Televisions-to-be-fitted-in-contact-lenses-within-ten-years.html

The idea that television may be viewed from contact lenses comes from some analysts. Powered by the body heat of the viewer. If you want to read more about this vision check out the link above.

For years I have had the idea that it would be awesome to record our dreams and fantasies. Is it possible? Maybe in ten years I can attach a new device that will record my dreams while I sleep and make an instant movie. Wouldn’t that be cool? Scary too. Some of my dreams would be bestselling nightmares.
 
 
Photo taken by Kathie Norfleet
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.


Someone is having a similar thought – check out this website http://dreamrecorded.com/

But it isn’t exactly what I am thinking. Not quite as sophisticated. Almost stealing. Almost?

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Assignment 6 - Journalism, Blogging and New Media

The recent polls show that there are two sides of opinions; one that says the Internet is hurting journalism and the other side the lesser percentage of those polled, who believe that journalism has been helped by the Internet. Insiders of the media were asked by The Atlantic and National Journal if “journalism has been helped more or hurt more by the rise of news consumption online.” The poll results tell that the majority of those polled believe that journalism has been hurt more than helped.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/print/2009/04/media-insiders-say-internet-hurts-journalism

Freedom of speech is so important. We can by using Internet journalism get information out to the world in a manner of selected speech. The problems of censorship are evident in the article from a Reuter’s story about how censorship can affect business. http://worldjournalism.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/wto-can-take-on-censorship/

Alexander Bickel, in The Morality of Consent (New Haven: Yale Uni Press 1975) stated that there is disagreement among journalists concerning risk and dangers in print and broadcast journalism. The article I cite below lists identified mechanisms for “restricting the collection and dissemination of fact and commentary by journalists and publishers”.

• “licensing of the publication, publisher or journalist (often with severe penalties for unauthorised publications or statements)

• scrutiny and authorisation of content on a publication or item basis, with inhouse censors active in newspapers in Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union and contemporary China

• defamation, discussed in detail elsewhere on this site, with litigation punishing or deterring publishers and authors

• denial of access to particular locations (eg natural disaster areas or battlefields) and to people or venues (for example rationing of access to media conferences and restriction to accredited journalists at conferences)

• prohibition on the publication of particular statements or news, including 'D Notice' schemes in some democracies and more comprehensive bans in totalitarian states such as China and Cuba on anything from public discussion of the autocrat's health to coverage of industrial disasters or the prevalence of Avian influenza

• 'spontaneous' popular action, including beating or threatening of journalists, mob violence damaging broadcasting equipment and printing presses, and occupation of the editorial areas of newspaper and book publishing organisations “

Censorship of journalism is troublesome and even disturbing. Take a look at what this website offers regarding censorship during wartime.

 “Censorship during times of war or civil unrest has a range of objectives -

• suppression of 'information that would be useful to the enemy' - what most people think of as wartime censorship - including information that facilitates identification of military targets (or their status after attack)

• suppression of information that would discourage the domestic population or armed forces (and thereby 'give comfort to the enemy'), for example information about military losses, incompetence or corruption

• suppression of information that would erode relations with allies, neutral countries/organisations and with 'international opinion'

It has taken different forms, including -

• jamming of enemy or neutral broadcasts and prohibition on import/dissemination of overseas publications

• use of the 'censor's 'blue pencil' to delete content from personal correspondence, news service reports, broadcast scripts and newspaper/journals prior to publication
• seizure of individual issues of newspapers or journals that 'escaped' the blue pencil (with punishment or suppression of the publication for repeated breaches)
• prohibitions on the broadcast of interviews with (or even publication of statements by) terrorist leaders

• restrictions on who gets to report news and where they are allowed to go, with for example 'official correspondents', embedded journalists and journalism pools that can only process official communiques by military minders rather than independently collect information from civilians and troops

• self censorship, whether by individual journalists and editors (out of perceptions of national interest, 'responsible reporting', personal interest or merely to preempt tighter regulation) or by organisations and their spokespeople (notably the obscene failure of the Roman Catholic Church and International Red Cross to speak out during the Holocaust)”
http://www.caslon.com.au/censorshipguide12.htm

The issues surrounding Internet journalism are
complex. I think it will be an unending number of years (if ever) before it is all sorted out to anyone’s satisfaction.

Some say the Internet will do much more that survive – “it will thrive.” I think this myself. Thrive and prosperity for journalists is what will come. The collaborative technologies of digital convergence will figure it out for us. We may (and I mean the future generations) not have to figure it out. Journalists have to keep up with this technological “Internet Age” because if they don’t they may find their hard or soft cover published works deep inside closets where lonely souls sits alone in hiding, gripping tightly to last few shreds of what is left of the paper falling apart as dust…

Attribution License/Creative Commons 

Content of valued issues, abundant with uniqueness is what is important but it has to be done without stealing other works. Creative Commons will allow use of parts of works and sharing other parts and even giving some of it away but the best will come from those journalists with their own ideas and those who know the importance of morals and truth.






Reuters “focuses primarily on the importance of vertical and niche markets that have subscription-oriented models” and this is where the revenues come from mostly. They focus on locating creators as they are demanded by readers and they “provide valuable services – not just content.” They say it is about letting the creator find their own best monetization model. Monetization = turning something into legal tender.

Check out “Monetization by Social Networks” at http://monetizationreport.com/monetization-via-social-networks/

Received from Creative Commons Flickr – Sharing some rights reserved license
 
Has anyone checked out the monetization tab on blogger.com? Has anyone here in this class actually used this tab? If you have I’d like to hear about it.


I’ve been wondering about who pays the journalist? I am still looking for a concrete answer that I can trust.

Reuters promises a lot in the “evolution to a new golden age of journalism”. See article http://blogs.reuters.com/from-reuterscom/2009/12/11/how-will-journalism-survive-the-internet

Citizen journalism is done by those who are not journalists. One does not have to go to college to become a journalist. Alternatives are possible through the Internet. Newspapers are losing money due to the alternatives of the Internet. People can sit down for breakfast and read the blogs of many bright and intelligent people, people who may or may not know quite a lot. Then if they want to one can comment on the blog and keep a succession of comments going, conversations and exchanges between oneself and someone who may be across the world or right next door, without ever leaving the breakfast nook. Yes, I think blogging is a form of journalism. The video below talks about this same issue.




And in the following video you will hear more about the ”revolution of citizen journalism”.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58iZpMRclwI&feature=player_embedded#

Live blogging has taken off and people are seeing it as a valued thing to do. People have things to say and people want to hear it. Not only are say, two foot ball commentators able to say important things about a game, other people who are long time football enthusiasts have things to say. Blogging works for them.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nId46V6B4kI&feature=player_embedded#

The important things to remember when taking the stance of a citizen journalist and/or blogger are included in the Handbook of Journalism article. http://handbook.reuters.com/index.php?title=Reporting_from_the_internet&printable=yes

Internet journalists must use the same ethics of other journalists, identify and verify sources, no misrepresentation. Finding information on the web is great, but using it must be done in mater fair to the creator. Always knowing what is illegal and legal to use is essential in good journalism, on the Internet or otherwise. “Copyright laws, and libel laws, apply to the internet too.”

Just as when we post something in our blogs for this class, it is important to tell the reader where we got the information. I know I even leave this step out sometimes but with practice I am getting better at remembering to give credit where credit is due.

“Just wait a couple of years and internet will be all controlled respecting the copyright!”
Comment from dimi at 4:08 pm on 1/04/09
From: http://www.kcnn.org/resources/csm_fair_use/

Social media use has many principles that need to be followed. They include being accurate when you post messages, don’t use it to embarrass or harass others. Be careful what you post because it reflects upon you as a professional person. You may even want to have separate accounts for personal and professional. Use your privacy settings wisely. Remember others will look at your output. Be fair and use good taste and judgment when you are posting anything.

Think about what you will post before you post it. Don’t post when you are angry against those posts that influence you negatively or just infuriate you. What if your post appeared on the front page of a magazine or newspaper? Don’t ruin your credibility.

If you really care about something, say politically great go ahead and post something but be prepared for the backlash against your opinion or views. Can you take it? Can you back up your point of view? Sometimes it may be best to leave out your political affiliation. Clear you cache on a regular basis.

Be transparent about who you are when you are trying to sell something. Transparency is key to trust. Do not be vague or give conflicting statements that appear to be hiding the truth. When you are using a professional account to sell a product or an idea aim not to be too personal and do not give irrelevant material about your personal information.

If you must make a correction to earlier post begin the new post with “CORRECTION” and then be implicitly clear about what is being corrected.

Wikipedia is great and fun! Do not use it as your only source of information and definition. Many people write in Wikipedia and not all of them are accurate. Do not quote from Wikipedia. There are better sources to get your quotes from.

http://handbook.reuters.com/index.php:title=Reproting_from_the_internet&printable=yes

“Wordpress and Blogger (the one we use here) are two of the most popular blogging platforms.”

“WordPress is a state-of-the-art publishing platform with a focus on aesthetics, web standards, and usability. WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time."

"More simply, WordPress is what you use when you want to work with your blogging software, not fight it."

"... for the ultimate in ease of use, get a free blog on WordPress.com."

"Ready to get started? Download WordPress 2.9.2”

Retrieved from: http://wordpress.org/

I have found I will be able to utilize “Knight Citizen News Network – "Interviewing, a Practical Guide for Citizen Journalists” for work in another class." The website is very interesting. http://www.kcnn.org/

This book is now on my "To Read" list.


Sunday, March 21, 2010

Digital Convergence

by kandinski 
I think I am going to have to embrace the opportunities provided by technology as Digital Convergence is “the next hot trend”. Content on the internet converged with other content on the internet, “mixing personal content with copyright protected content” enables users to do many things. Using smartphones, laptops, internet enabled entertainment devices” users are getting more from their experience of technology.


The four industries that converge into one (digital  convergence) are the Information Technologies, Telecommunication, Consumer Electronics, and Entertainment (ITTCE). Clipgenerator is another entity I had not heard of (there are so mnay). Clipgenerator actually allows people to combine their “personal music videos with popular chart music” and then they can place them on “facebook, my space and beo.”

Not having given much thought to how photographs, text-only documents and simple illustrations became digitized I am still amazed by technology and how digitalization happens. Single “beeps” took digital sound “to very detailed audio encoding.”

Laptop computers common in the home today is where animated holograms will be some day as it now is in our image of the future. Siliwood, out of Silicon Valley, California for example and Hollywood, California bring the aspects of cinema digitalization, from our ordinary digital camera we use on holidays and everyday that has replaced the film stock, to replacing special effects with computer-generated effects.

http://en.wikipedia.org/q/index.php?title=Digital_convergence&printable=yes

CCNET is the center that is the result of convergence of a merger of technologies via “The Center for Convergence and Emerging Networking Technologies and the Center for Emerging Technologies. Wow! That’s a mouthful! The Center does research and accepts ideas from the community.

The concept of convergence in the first place is a friend to us, as students. The way we can use television, phone service, our laptop, photography, printed text and videos altogether to create a really cool homework project is ideal.

I especially like the Apple iPad. The lines were long for those who waited – I’m sure they got tired but I bet they are pleased. At least that’s what I have read. I don’t have the Apple iPad, but am considering buying it. Publishers are happy and believe there is money to be made but the quirks are being looked at and even though it is a process, the wait may be worth if for some journalists. A price on digital journalism is forthcoming and the work for the New York Times is going towards a “metered pay model for its content.

Steve Jobs is popular and was really into re-making the music industry. Now journalism is the top thing on his mind. Steve “believes democracy is hinged on a free press and that depends on there being a professional press.”


http://www.flickr.com/photos/ndevil/

Kindle is the tool I took a look at last year but I don’t like the way it looks, Boring! It did sell about 1.5 million in the last quarter of last year though.

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.




The world premiere travel magazine Conde Nast is ready this month “to have some of their magazines ready” now that the iPad is out. I think the iPad is an exciting design and I think the 9.7 inch color display will be ok.


I’m not sure I am ready to let go of my precious huggable printed books but the lightweight and colorful design of the iPad is intriquing. The “Bits” article at http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/a-former-book-designer-says-good-riddance-to-print

makes a good point about it must be decided “whether the technology is a good match for the content.” Another good point is if it’s a good written piece – and that’s what is important it doesn’t matter what object is provided to read it. I can see myself propped up at my bed pillow holding the lightweight iPad rather than a book that I keep losing the book mark for or spill coffee on, when I am reading in the morning. Oops! I wouldn’t want to spill it on my iPad either. I will have to rethink this one.

In ten years it will all be figured out – this new way of storytelling!

and reading
by Foxtongue -

One of the first profiles I went to when I signed up for a Facebook account was Starbuck’s. www.facebook.com/Starbucks. Starbuck’s uses fan pages in Facebook to link to other websites. Nice when your in Starbuck’s and on their pages and you get the idea you want to go to see Lady GaGa (she’s coming to this area soon) and so you click on the link in the Starbuck’s page and you go to Ticketmaster and purchase your tickets. So simple.


The pages you set up on your site in Facebook is where you can find your fans. My friend should have a link soon where I can go to purchase O3World which is a healthy new way to lose weight through her Health Distinction website. All while on Facebook taking a break from answering all of my own messages and playing FarmTown. Not really. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marine-Phytoplankton-Health-Distinction/320944371278

Before setting up to market your business on Facebook – have an objective, set a goal because if its not clear what you are trying to do you can do it all wrong. Do you want customers? Well, isn’t that the point? Start small, use the correct pictures - the ones with the punch that is going to get them to open the door to your business. Get people to comment on your pictures and your useful information. You want to really get the idea of what your business is all about and what its personality is. Talk to your visitors like friends, all of them, keep it simple and always add new photos, videos and comments of other people who have used your products.

DO NOT: Don’t just tell them to buy! Instead engage, listen and keep posting new thoughts about your products – perhaps set up a contest or give-a-way to something. Like Candace who owns Sprinkles, a cupcake bakery – she gives away a free cupcake everyday after she and her husband post a password that fans can redeem for a free cupcake. I’m going to check this out just to see how it works exactly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellysue/


Yummy!

Aim your product to those people who may be interested in your product. How do you know who may be interested? You don’t really, but I think that those people who are fans on other pages similar to yours. In the Health Distinction example my friend could go to other health related pages and become friends/fans there and the effect could be amazing. Make comments on other pages of other health related sites.



Read the comments because you will get clues from them, for instance – “Hey, let’s go to Zerbo’s for lunch and I can replace some Goji berries and nut, because I’m out.” This comment tells the reader that this person likes to go for healthy food and just perhaps this person could be interested in Marine Phytoplankton. Try to be their friend!


When you create and ad, use keywords that will bring your target audience. Ads cost a little for the advertiser but I think it is minimal to all the money your product is going to bring to you in the long run. Mr. Meyers of the Marketing Your Business With Facebook article says “if one ad doesn’t generate enough hits within 24 hours, he pulls it and tries something new.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/business/smallbusiness/12guide.html?sq=How


Best advice – go slow, be fresh and be patient!

Otellini – I sure do like Italians!
Paul Otellini and Push 2 TV is bringing another great way to entertain us in our homes. Our laptops connected to our TVs and we can watch high-definition videos and other things. I’m wondering if this can be done without a high-definition TV. I doubt I and once again I don’t have all of the latest gadgets that help entertain me, supposedly. As someone who lived in a rural desert non-incorporated town for 12 years, without cable or water – I think I can do without this device, but if I ever have the opportunity to actually be entertained by this method I could change my mind, who knows.

Check out Paul Otellini at http://www.macworld.com/article/2010/01/Otellini_ces.html


He’s not bad to look at and while we are talking about sexy take a look at the fun facts from http://www.cnet.com/1990-11136_1-6299751-1.html?tag=tenyr_midCol;tenFlops


In 1998 the Apple iMac was considered sexy! Also the Motorola RAZR V3, the Apple iPod, the Sony PSP (with its built-in web browser and 4.3 in screen) this mini portable gaming device is SEXY, at least this article say it was in 2005. I took a look at the following video and didn’t see it. The fingerprints – nah!

http://reviews.cnet.com/consoles/sony-psp/4505-10109_7-30895581.html?tag=tenyr_midCol%3btenFlops

The top 20 gadgets of last year included these: iPod




No, that's not the iPod - that's the iX-Ray  - found on Flickr by slowburn 

Another favorite from the last 10 years is the TIVO, Google, Npaster,
Firefox and the Palm Pilot seen all around the conference tables where I used to sit before I became a student again.

The Motorola Startac, the Apple iMAC, the Sony Digital Mavica and the game "The Sims" - all were in the Top 10 List in the last 10 years.


Another favorite from the last 10 years is the TIVO, Google, Napster,


Firefox and also the Palm Pilo,t seen all around the conference tables where I used to sit before I became a student again.

The Motorola Startac, the Apple iMAC, the Sony Digital Mavica and the game "The Sims" - all were in the Top 10 List in the last 10 years.

Some dream gadgets can be found at http://www.cnet.com/1990-11136_1-6324359-1.html?tag=pwr10features;pwr10Border2


The Pascal is one – “laptop condensed into a PDA” MP3 player, phone, camera, high speed internet surfer.

Out of Palo Alto, California FROG Design brings UBIK – a phone – “ultra customizable sweiss Army Knife by design.” It can adapt to each user – it is the size of a 1.5 x 4” “Post-It” note amd 1/8” thick. http://www.199-11136_111---6329813-1.html?tag=dmg_right%bdmg-btn

UBIK.com

AVAILABLE IN 10 YEARS




by C. Rancio  
“UBIK is the title of a science fiction novel by Philip Dick” – an extension of the user

One more thing - I'm loving the digital picture frames.  All those dust collectors on your shelves can be downloaded and one device sits on your shelf. More space for plants.  No fingerprints on the loose pictures anymore from your relatives and friends flipping through the prints.  It's like the long tail - creating more shelf space.


Clips, pictures from Flickr - user friendly under the CC license of Attribution.  I love this place!
Information from the following websites: 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2010/jan/28/can-apple-ipad-save-newspapers/print
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/a-former-book-designer-says-good-riddance-to-p
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Digital_convergence&printable=yes
http://dc.syr.edu/index.php
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/business/smallbusiness/12guide.html?sq=HowtoMa
http://www.macworld.com/article/145480/2010/01/otellini_ces.html
















Saturday, February 27, 2010

Assignment 4 - #5 Twitter & Facebook Social Networking continued

Becoming a friend of Facebook is tool that is enhancing business around the world.  Companies and entities that make money in cyberspace, like 1stdibs.com, Almond Talent Agency, Teal Marie’s Music Page, the non-profit organization Spectrum Human Services, Inc. & Affiliated Companies and Health Distinction are going to be talked about in this post.


I’ll begin with 1st dibs. “When you register for 1stdibs you will be given a portfolio account which will allow you to search and save from 1stdibs, shopAD (new from Architectural Digest) and participating design center web sites.” This is the first part of the user agreement one must read and agree to when registering as a user. I first learned of 1st dibs on the Martha Stewart Show just yesterday. I signed up online. I found a vast choice of furniture, jewelry, and clothing and just about anything I might want of uniqueness. 1stdibs.com is the place to go if you want to find 800 dealers who are dealing products for you and the home. Antiques are sought after here, haute couture items are here – you just need to go to this “Long Tail” of marketing to see for yourself. Go to http://www.1stdibs.com/



The site also has an online magazine, historical information and some generally fun stuff to look at. It is a virtual store but they do deal with actual stores as well. It is a tool for education in architecture and is being used by students in the classroom. It is a democratizing tool because it gives and gets access to people around the world. Check it out – it’s lots of fun!
 
Almond Talent Agency is run by a couple of guys in Los Angeles (one a dear friend of mine whom I helped raise from the age of 8 to 16). Talents from all over the world go to Almond Talent Agency with the hopes to find work in the entertainment industry. Many do. If you go on Facebook you will find Almond Talent Agency. If you do a search in Google you will find them.


If you check out this link to Backstage Message Board, you will find that Kevin Bacon is very happy with Aur-Aelion’s (spelled incorrectly in the post on the site I am referring you to) work at Almond Talent Agency and you’ll even see a post from Al Pacino.

http://bbs.backstage.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6031061/m/667100801


Almond Talent Agency is appealing to the common people via the internet. Some, such as Kevin Bacon have not set foot inside of the agency itself but simply use the democratizing tools of Facebook and Google to do their business with Almond Talent Agency. This little kid who was a major part of my life for 8 years has grown up to become a self-proclaimed millionaire and I am truly proud. (Keyword: self-proclaimed).  Aur-Aelion Israel's webpage for contact information is at:  http://www.almondtalent.com/

Teal Marie is recording music and ze was selling it on www.myspace.com Being a songwriter, guitarist, singer, producer and recording artist Teal finds that, like Josh Woodward that Facebook is a good place to have hir music heard. Hir long list of songs include titles such as Malt Shop, Lemon Aid, Take Me, I’m Leaving, Numb Nutz and others. I found out the link has been disenabled to buy hir music on MySpace but one can buy hir music on iTunes.com at the following link:


http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/just-my-stuff-just-my-style/id301345641

The songs can be purchased for a mere .99 each or just 9.99 for the album of 11 songs “Just My Stuff, Just My Style”.

“Parental Advisory – Explicit Content”.

Spectrum Human Services, Inc. & Affiliated Companies a nonprofit human services organization utilizes Facebook to bring information about their company to anyone interested. The company accepts donations, advertises holiday drives, and offers employment, services to individuals in Wayne County and outlying counties of Michigan. For more information about Spectrum go to http://www.spectrumhuman.org/SHS/AboutUs/WhatWeDo.aspx


I’ve learned from Geoff Livingston, “The Future of the Non-Profit Internet” article that I read on Mashable at this link: http://mashable.com/2010/02/25/non-profit-internet/  that users of the internet have short attention spans and that it is important to have good critical thinking and analytical skills. With these skills one can interpret what is quality information and what is not in a short time span. The developers of the websites of non-profits must be able to present the information effectively and make it easily searchable. They need to “rethink how they operate and what they are trying to accomplish by connecting with people” on the internet. Internet slang is used all the time on the internet and changes rapidly. It is important that the non-profits keep up to date with these changes.

When using Twitter the business owner gets two or three seconds to get to their audience. They have to know their audience and use the “jargon” that motivates them. The strategists need to know and stay in touch with communities and know what technologies and social media tools are changing and then be able to adapt to those changes readily. Non-profits look to those relationships that they trust and those that “speak the loudest” and get the most attention.

Another issue of great importance in the non-profit industry is privacy especially in agencies such as Spectrum Human Services, Inc. & Affiliated Companies who deal directly with children, medical records, financial records, criminal records and other areas that require anonymity and privacy. In order to keep the community commitment to the non-profit openness is also important and the non-profit will need to “weigh this issue on a case-by-case basis.” Transparency about how finances are handled and the way operations are managed are valuable in the non-profit organization. That being said, the privacy and anonymity issues being as they are, the “charitable organizations must take precautions to ensure that their constituents, including staff and volunteers are protected.”

A close friend of mine recently started a new business selling Marine Phytoplankton products and even more recently has set up her business on Facebook. She tells me it is very important to get fans on her site in order to show Facebook that her business is growing. The “How to Market Your Business With Facebook” article indicates that this I important as well. “the average Facebook user has 130 friends on the site … “I shared this article with her. Why don’t you go to her site today and check it out. It’s for your good health and for her future business success.

I learned that when you set your pages up in your Facebook account for your business you need to treat it just like your personal account and be friendly. It’s not all about selling and buying but “more about interacting”. Update it often and add items that are attractive and intriguing. I like the idea of giving something away. I think when you get started you might even offer a give-a-way” item if the fan comes back on a daily basis for so many days in a row and if they refer other people go to the site and then they actually do, give them something. Your fan base gets larger and hopefully you become better known and you learn from others and they learn from you and you become wealthier in the process.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marine-Phytoplankton-Health-Distinction/320944371278?ref=search&sid=1644764634.3470402323..1



Frequensea is the whole food drink that I drink every day. I love the rose flavor of it!




Social media is now and will be the future. It is something that we common people use daily. It is the media that journalists use to get stories out in a timely manner. Here’s one that was posted today on Facebook by Mashable. Chile Earthquake: Twitter Photos Tell the Story [PICS] - http://bit.ly/aWaRGk


Come back and comment often!