Where to next?

The impact of the changing nature of digital technology is clearly visible in every sphere of life.  Think about films - not only is digital technology changing how movies are produced and what it actually looks like but it is also changing how we watch movies.  The days of film are over as digital projection are taking over at cinemas.  Image quality has improved tremendously and the wonders that can be created through digital special effects exceed even the wildest imagination (Dargis and Scott 2012).

James Cameron's Avatar.  Source: herocomplex.latimes.com

Social media opened up the world to us.  It also changed our expectations of society and of the web.  Just consider our changing views regarding copyright.  A huge amount of content is continuously shared on the net.  One would think that implicates infringements on copyright.  Yet, when you embed or share content, you are not breaking the copyright law.  The content never passes through your server, but is streamed directly from the host site.  Be careful though, as this does not apply to content that you copy.

Social media brought forth infinite access to free speech.  This can quickly turn into a liability in countries where no criticism against the government is tolerated.  Even in countries with freedom of speech it can still land you in hot water ... think of how many people has lost their jobs after ranting about their boss, work place or colleagues via social media.

The question now remains how social media and digital technology will influence our future?  Schaffer (2012) points out that humans are by nature social creatures.  We are turning away from mass media and are once again turning to one another with the help of social media.  He speculates that SoMo (social mobile) will be the focus point in the near future as more and more people are using their smart phones as their primary communication and web access tool.

Nosowitz (2012) argues that we will be able to control our daily activities from our phones with great ease.  We will turn off lights, change the temperature inside our homes, cook dinner, make the beds, brew coffee and feed the dog all with a few clicks on our phones.  Innovations like the Satis toilet from Lixill are able to connect to an Android smartphone via bluetooth.  All that is required of you to lift the seat or flush the toilet is to scroll on your phone.

For me the real potential for the future lies in the application of technology in warfare.  The Pentagon spends huge amounts in an effort to create superhuman soldiers.  While teams of geneticists work on a pain vaccine that will block pain for months at a time or figuring out how soldiers can regrow limbs, Raytheon has already developed an exoskeleton that turns ordinary soldiers into cyborgs.

Contemporary war has a new frontline, one where war is no longer fought physically but virtually, where the actors involved on both sides have increasingly started to replace bombs and bullets with weapons in the form of bites and bandwith.    Dr Kaempf 2010

The main focus of technology is to make our lives easier.  IBM will certainly achieve that once it figures out how to bring the power of Watson to smartphones.  Watson is a cognitive system that will change how we think and operate in the future.  In agriculture it can aid farmers by analyzing precipitation and scientific data as well as location trends before recommending which type of crop to plant.    It also looks very promising for the medical sector.

Whether you like or dislike the role technology plays in our lives, it has become so entrenched in the idea of modern society that the two are virtually inseparable.  My hopes for the future is not that development of technology should slow down, but that we should take the time to analyze its impact on our lives.  Is it still a tool enriching lives or are we enslaved by it?

References
Dargis, M & Scott, AO 2012, 'Film is dead?  Long live movies', The New York Times, 6 September, viewed 4 February 2013,
Kaempf, S 2010, 'Digital media technology changes nature of war', Phys Org, 21 September, viewed 4 February 2013,
Nasowitz, D 2012, 'Smartphone controlled Japanese toilet keeps a personal poop diary', Australian popular science, 19 December, viewed 4 February 2013,
Schaffer, N 2012, 'The future of social media in 2013: six points to consider', Social media today, viewed 4 February 2013, -six-points-consider>   

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying refers to bullying through information and communication technologies. It is a fast growing trend that is believed to be more harmful than traditional school yard bullying. The nature of the technology means that bullies have access to their victims 24/7 (Webster n.d.).

No bullying is harmless and can in some cases even constitute criminal behaviour. In the Australian legal system using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence is a relatively new cyber-stalking offence punishable by a maximum jail sentence of 3 years. Two Australian defence cadets will face trail in August 2013 under this law over sex acts being broadcast to other men without the knowledge or consent of the female cadet involved.

You should also reconsider sending foul-mouthed, derogatory and inflammatory text messages as this can result in hefty fines. Miko (2011) reports on a pair being fined $300 each for this very act. England cricketer Kevin Pietersen experienced backlash over his derogatory emails to South African players. Pietersen was dropped from the team over emails that he considered to be bantering at the time he sent it. He has since apologised.

Tragically sometimes cyberbullying leads to suicide as was the case for Sheniz Erkan and Megan Meier.  I mention these two specifically to illustrate the intricacy of the situation and the extent to which cyber-bullies go. Investigations into the circumstances leading up to the death of Megan revealed that she was bullied by a boy she really liked, or so it seemed at first. In reality that boy never existed. It was a fake personality orchestrated by the mother of one of Megan's friends. Yes the mother.

What really gets to me about Sheniz (and countless others since) is that they are being bullied even after death. Tribute pages set up in their memories are being desecrated by so called trolls. Trolling refers to any Internet user behavior that is meant to intentionally anger or frustrate someone else in order to provoke a response.

Although hailed as heroes with great intelligence and a sense of humour by some, in the eyes of the law they are offenders. In 2010 Jessica Cook was given a suspended sentence for posting offensive material on the tribute page of Justine Jones. In 2011 Bradley Hampson was the first Australian convicted of internet trolling and sentenced to three years in jail for posting child pornography on the tribute pages of two slain schoolchildren.

In the above mentioned cases autism and loneliness were offered as explanation to justify their actions. However, not all trolls are created equally it seems. Insight ran a very educational program on this very topic.

 I learned a lot about the psyche self proclaimed trolls like Jamie Cochran. She classifies herself as a performance artist on the prowl for scalps. It is important to note that all trolls interviewed on Insight distance themselves from the desecration of tribute pages or hate campaigns. They do not classify behaviour like that as trolling but as vitriolic bullying. In Cochran's own words:

"Most of what I do, I do with great jest and playfulness. I'm not trying to hurt anyone's feelings, I just want to make people think and laugh along the way.  I also look at [trolling] as a form of culture jamming, in the sense that it can disrupt the status quo to hopefully stop and make people think for a moment."

I doubt whether this play on semantics will impress Charlotte Dawson though. The ferocity of the death threats she received resulted in her ending up in hospital. She bravely tracked down her abusers in real life later. Their response once again highlights the severity of the problem. Some of them claim not knowing that things said on the internet would have a real impact in reality others claimed to have gained confidence in doing this.

For me the solution to cyberbullying lies in teaching compassion, because like Campbell (2005) I view bullying as a social problem. Only when we care enough about another being to imagine the pain we can inflict with our words, can we expect to turn this bullying trend around.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”
― Dalai Lama XIV

References
Campbell, , M 2005, 'Cyber bullying: an old problem in a new guise?', Australian journal of guidance and counselling, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 68 – 76, viewed 27 January 2013, <http://eprints.qut.edu.au/1925/1/1925.pdf>
Miko, t 2011, 'Texting lands couple in court', Central Queensland News, 29 April, viewed 4 February 2013,
Webster, C n.d., What is cyberbullying?, viewed 4 February 2013,

Produsage

Remember the old saying that two heads are better than one?  Produsage is the modern, digital equivalent of that saying.  It is a continuous cycle of improving ideas or information that already exist.

"...once you start contributing and sharing and connecting

with the work of those who connect with yours,

you're engaging in something called produsage." 

Bon Stewart (2010) 

There are four core characteristics to produsage:

1.  It is community based

2.  The roles are fluid.  Over time different leaders will emerge based on their skills, interests and knowledge.

3.  The result is an unfinished artifact that is subjected to continual development.

4.  It remains common property with individuals being rewarded by the status capital they gain for their contributions (Bruns 2007).

From the fourth characteristic it is clear that produsage is fundamentally at odds with the underlying premises of traditional intellectual property.  Produsage has contributed to an emergent ethic of sharing that demands such laws and the economies they generate, be revised (Sinnreich et al nd).  Accompanying this there is also a deep social need currently rising for media ethics (Couldry nd).  Couldry sums up it by saying that we no longer know how to live together without media, yet we haven't figured out how to live well with media.

Bruns (2008) points out a few key principles for future and continuous development of produsage.  He stresses the importance of organizations working with produsage communities to respect the characteristics, principles and conventions which apply to the produsage process.  The future will require well educated producers, therefore educational institutions should equip their graduates with produsage skills.

 Clearly produsage currently works well for sites like Wikipedia, open source programs, game development and even through interaction on blogs.  However I do believe that the true potential of produsage is yet to be experienced.   Most of us just repost links without commenting or exploring the ideas contained in that link.  Yet this reposting is very useful for sites like Google to determine what people deem important or interesting.  It seems that people are less able to create and more willing to share.  In fact some sites exist purely because of this like Pinterest.

For me producing your own content is the opportunity to materialize that what matters to you.  This is then maintained and expanded by the attention and comments of others.  Distribution and production opportunities are more available than ever, to more people than ever.  Once we all get involved the opportunities for greater application of knowledge, greater quality control and greater socialization are endless.

References

Bruns, A 2007,  'Produsage - key principles', Produsage, viewed 8 January 2013,

 
Bruns, A 2008, 'The future is user led: the path to widespread produsage', The Fibreculture Journal, vol. 11, viewed 8 January 2013,

Couldry, N nd, 'Why media ethics still matters', John Wiley, viewed 8 January 2013,

Sinnreich, A, Latonero, M, Gluck, M and Riley, N nd, 'Nowadays it's like remix world: the hidden demography of new media ethics', Academia, viewed 8 January 2013,  

Let's pretend

As a child I have built imaginary castles, fought countless battles and conquered exotic countries with my fierce dragon (otherwise known as a dog) by my side.  However as  the years went by and responsibilities accumulated, that vivid imagination almost completely disappeared.  Yet there are thousands of people who still frequently escape to worlds of their imagination.  I am of course referring to virtual games.

In these worlds we are represented by Avatars.  Scholars are asking whether these avatars are simply replicating our consumer society.  My research into the subject left me with no doubt that there is more to avatars.  When we create our avatars, we almost always build a better version of ourselves.  People who are overweight create physically idealized avatars.  It is interesting to note that the idealized version do not only apply for physical traits.  People who are depressed or have low self-esteem create more gregarious avatars (The Psychology of Avatars 2012).

Dr James (2009) states that not only does an avatar represent the human owner in some way, but that it is also possible that the owner is influenced in some way by the avatar!  The avatar responds to unexpected things that happen in the virtual world.  Due to these unpredictable aspects of avatar behavior, owners can be impressed by their own avatars.  Owners might even come to mimic their avatar's walking, standing and sitting style.  Research conducted by Yee (2007) confirms that people unconsciously conform to the expectations of their avatar.  It is referred to as the Proteus Effect after the Greek god who could change physical form at will.  Avatars shape and alter the identity of their owners.

The interconnectedness of reality and virtual reality is also emphasised by Professor Bailenson (2012) when he discusses how easily our brains are fooled when it comes to reality.  Most of us are aware how a virtual experience can negatively affect you in reality, but there are positive ones too.  Professor Bailenson claims that if your avatar looks like you, but then start to get healthy and loose weight due to exercise, this experience will change the way you perceive your own health.  It will result in you getting healthier.

Another interesting phenomena is source amnesia.  In an interview Dr Rosenberg (2012) explains it by referring to children being able to swim with whales in a virtual simulation.  A week later 50% of those children would have formed false memories.  Their minds view the virtual experience as something that had actually happened to them.

I feel that we need to tread very carefully into this world.  Although it is hugely entertaining, it does have psychological impacts we do not yet fully comprehend. Ponder for instance the possibility of immortality through avatars ...


References 

James, L 2009, Avatar psychology and mental anatomy, University of Hawaii, viewed 18 January 2013,


The psychology of avatars 2012, Edge, viewed 18 January 2013,

Yee, N 2007, The Proteus effect: behavioural modifications via transformations of digital self-representation, thesis, Stanford University, viewed 18 January 2013,

Julian Assange ... hero or villain?

I would not classify Assange as either, just as a man trying to live with integrity.  For me it is far easier to label the US as villains.  The USA acts like the playground bully trying anything to protect its image.  They have been caught out in the wrong, but do not have the courage to admit to it.  Joel Dean (2012) sums it up perfectly when he says:

The battle over WikiLeaks is all about information - who owns it, who controls it, who needs it - and about one man's idea to set it free.

As the majority of the leaks are related to US operations and more specifically their conduct in war,  it is to be expected that they would react.  What I do find troublesome is the severity of their reactions.  Dorling (2012) reports that the US refers to Assange as an enemy of the State, classifying him in the same legal category as the al-Qaeda terrorist network and the Taliban insurgency.  This is a very serious charge as it carries with it a possible death sentence if convicted. 

Lendman (2012) voices harsh criticism against America.  He believes that Assange will not receive a fair trail, in fact that he is already convicted and that all America is after now is to hang out all the whistle-blowers to dry.  This will send a clear message that the US will not tolerate any interference.  It is clearly having the desired effect as many of Assange's supporters are now jumping ship.  Paypal suspended their account, claiming that WikiLeaks are in violation of the terms of service.  In a tweet the hactivist collective Anonymous announced that they are severing all ties with WikiLeaks citing Julian Assange's ego as the reason for it.  

One cannot help but wonder whether it was worth all the trouble?  Monica Guy (2011) reminds us that social media is not a magic bullet.  We tend to exaggerate its power.  For social media to really be effective, online campaigns should lead to offline action, such as a change in the law or the prosecution of a guilty party.  Thus far WikiLeaks has ignited conversation, but has there been any real change?   Mozorov (2010) ponders how much global appetite there exists for stories about corruption in other countries as it's not easy to get people to care about what's happening in far-away and exotic lands -- and certainly not about their complex politics. He echoes Guy's idea that we exaggerate the power of social media. 

There is no clarity as to the future of Wikileaks.  The number one priority remains for Assange to get all charges against him dropped, but in the mean time he announced that he will run in the Australian Elections of 2013.   The Age ran an article on Assange's battle to be eligible to run in the 2013 Australian election.  Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai (2012) lists publicity and money as the main motivators for this move.  Capturing even just a small vote would ensure that WikiLeaks receive a substantial amount of cash as in Australia your party earns about $2.50 for every vote received.  According to a poll run by The Age in which 18528 people voted,  72% indicated that they would vote for Assange.

Is Julian Assange a hero in the fight for government transparency or is he a dangerous fool with no regard for world peace?  Let me know what you think by taking this poll:

Is Julian Assange a ...
	hero
	hacktivist
	I have no idea
pollcode.com free polls

References
Dorling, P 2012, 'US calls Assange enemy of state',  The Sydney Morning Herald, 27 September, viewed 17 December 2012, Sydney Morning Herald Archives database

 Guy, M 2011, 'Revealing the rot: how to use social media to expose corruption and mismanagement at both local and national level', viewed 15 December 2012, 

 Lendman, S 2012, 'Julian Assange decleared enemy of the state', MWC News, 1 October, viewed 17 December 2012, MWC Archives database 

Morozov, E 2010, 'Predicting the future of Wikileaks:  Follow the media!', Foreign Policy, 10 December, viewed 17 December 2012, Foreign Policy Archives database

The politics of social media...or the social side of poltics?

Is social media the way of the future for politics?  Taking into account the huge success of the Barack Obama campaign, I would say definitely!  His team of experts nailed it because they treated the site as more than just a source of information for voters.  They implemented Rheingold's online community principle:  there must be meaningful interaction and evidence that opinions are taken seriously.

What is needed to create a successful online campaign?

Schossow (2009) designs political websites and warns that the most important rule when using social media in a campaign is not to let it become a "ghost town".  The human presence behind the site should be clearly visible.  This again illustrates Rheingold's view of the human desire to belong.  Schossow believes that a campaign should at least have a presence on the Big Four (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Flickr).

According to Fitzpatrick (2011) there are an additional three crucial steps for turning social media support into actual votes.  Firstly the candidate needs to connect with his audience by sharing his/her ideals, goals, accomplishments and behind the scenes images.  This turns ordinary people into celebrities.  They become familiar strangers by allowing the audience a glimpse into their personal lives.  Secondly the candidate needs to engage with his/her audience and lastly, and probably the most crucial step of all, is to turn digital followers into real world volunteers.

What sort of candidate will perform well in this environment?

Although politicians are used to being in the limelight all the time, this is virgin territory for most.  The main aim with moving campaigns online is to attract younger voters.  Heather Smith from Rock the Vote discusses this very topic:

Roy Wyatt

Clearly the younger generation is not unrealistic in their expectations ... except maybe for expecting politicians to be honest!  They want to be heard and are looking for somebody to represent their interests.  Maybe political parties should be recruiting much younger candidates like Roy Wyatt who at the tender age of 22 is the Federal Member of Longman.

Some media sources argue that entertainment must be provided in a bit to attract the younger generation.  I can see that posting a game on a political site might attract a few bored souls, but will it have any impact on how people vote?  Will it engage them in political discussion?

Are we perhaps valuing entertainment too highly?  Linnell (2012) likens the American election to an episode of American Idol.  We tend to focus on the spectacle, rather than the unexciting trends which are quite often the most significant ones.  The question is what will happen when this current generation we cater for matures?  Will they simply abandon the internet and get their information from other sources?  Or will they become a generation with no interest in serious political issues because they have not been exposed to it?

References
Fitzpatrick, A 2011,  How political campaigns can turn social media support into votes, Mashables, viewed 4 January 2013,

Linnell, G 2012, Politics and the Infotainment problem, Huffington Post, viewed 4 January 2013,
  
Schossow, C 2009, Using social media in political campaigns, Media Campaigns, viewed 4 January 2013,

Changing the world one click at a time

I am a modern day warrior using my mouse to fight the injustices of this world.  No need to laugh, I am sure you have done the same!  Ever signed an online petition to save the rhinos, the rainforests, the right for all females to an education or just liked Greenpeace's facebook page?  Welcome to the age of digital activism.

Digital activism occurs when activists use technology to achieve social and political change.  Joyce (2012) states that activists are overly optimistic in thinking that liking a facebook page or tweeting about an event will change the status quo.   However she acknowledges that all big events start off small and that these actions can be the start of revolutions. 

The life changing effects of one such starting point is clearly illustrated in the Egyptian Revolution as discussed by Professor Rasha Abdulla:

Saleh (2012) points out that the Egyptian government had sole control over media, before social media and the internet.  Digital activists began to showcase violations of human rights by gathering evidence of incidents of torture and posting it online.   Saleh (2012) further emphasizes that it was facebook that lifted this campaign to new heights.  It enabled activists to reach non-political Egyptians.  Thanks to social media Tunisia's Ben Ali and Egypt's Mubarak were defeated.  However one should be careful not to oversimplify complex issues.  Although social media played an integral part in the revolution and the removal of the leaders, this removal does not necessarily result in a change of the political structures.

In an interview with Walker (2003), Rheingold mentions other examples where digital activism had a big impact, namely:

•    Mobile communications helping to sway elections in South Korea, Kenya and the U.S.

•    Peaceful demonstrations that ended the reign of President Joseph Estrada in the Phillipines

•    The Miss World riots in Nigeria.

These campaigns worked because of text messages being forwarded resulting in communication amongst a very large network very quickly.

The overall feeling about the future of digital activism is positive.  Don Tapscott (2010) feels that this new communication medium creates an opportunity for us to reinvent the world.  It holds the promise that we can tackle problems in ways we have not thought possible.  Followers of this optimistic approach believe that digital activism will change existing political hierarchies and empower citizens.

There are of course people who are pessimistic about this, who feel that these kinds of activities promote chaos.  Some people view this as neither positive nor negative as they believe little will change.  However you feel about it, I do believe it is here to stay because it is a fast, free way to get a vast number of people involved in the conversation.

References

Joyce, M 2010, Digital activism decoded:  the new mechanics of change, n.p : International debate education assiociation, eBook collection, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 December 2012

 

Saleh, N 2012, Egypts's digital activism and the dictator's dilemma: an evaluation, Telecommunications Policay, vol 36 (6) pp 476 – 483 (Peer reviewed journal), viewed 3 December 2012

Tapscott, D 2010, Social media: online activism, 21 January, online video, viewed 3 December 2012, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN-kIJI_5wg>

 Walker, J 2003, 'Is that a computer in your pants?', Reason, 34, 11, p.36, MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 December 2012