Learn How To Learn

The ever-expanding aspects of the Internet have produced new employment opportunities as a result of the need for new media experts. However, many current new media employees have mentioned the drawback of the constant change of the Internet and the necessity of ‘learning how to learn’ (Gill, 2007, 38).

It’s clear that certain personal traits are required for those looking to work within new media as the need to like learning and the necessity to live on little money are frequently mentioned. The fact that after we graduate we might eventually end up right back where we are is quite daunting to consider. Especially when current media workers are mentioning a common issue of lack of money and certain education may include fees.

Within my New Media unit we have learnt about the new opportunities technology improvements are providing.  Though this is creating greater employment prospects, the never-ending updates to the media that have been mentioned frequently unfortunately mean media employees can never stop learning.

So if you are considering a career within the media but you don’t particularly like learning you may have to re-think this or learn how to like learning. But if you love the media and you enjoy learning, this job may just be perfect for you. So go out and get it! 

Social Media Learning
e-Taalim
http://www.e-taalim.com/events/how-social-media-can-be-used-learning.html

                                                                                                               

References

Gill, R. 2007. Surviving in New Media. Technobohemians or the New Cybertariat? New Media work in Amsterdam a Decade After the Web. Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures: 38 -40

Are you a ‘Cyberchondriac’?

Lewis (2006, 526) discusses the increasing worldwide use of the Internet to find medical information, considering whether it is a healthy lifestyle choice or a case of ‘cyberchondria’. The website RealAge.com in particular is discussed for it’s ability to calculate your ‘real age’ (Lewis, 2006, 521).

Click Here to Take the Test
Wendy White
http://sirensong.sireninteractive.com
/web-20/the-real-truth-about-realage/

I went onto the RealAge.com website and took the RealAge test, admittedly I expected to be ‘older’ but the result I got was slightly surprising. RealAge.com also offers to provide you with health tips to bring down your body age, all of which seem to be straightforward and easy tips to achieve.

This website, for the most part, consists of tips to stay or get healthy, while other websites seem to be giving away medical advice, which they expect their audience to follow.

I will admit I have looked up my own symptoms online many times. Sometimes I hadn’t understood or remembered what the doctor had said. Sometimes a friend or family member had suggested a condition to fit my symptoms and I looked it up out of curiosity.

Though many people use the Internet for these reasons, others truly believe they can diagnose their own condition through Internet advice. Ultimately, you have to realise not all the information you are being given is true and you don’t necessarily have the condition that fits your symptoms.

                                                                                                                                                                                

References

Lewis, T. 2006. “Seeking Health Information on the Internet: lifestyle choice or bad attack of cyberchondria?” Media, Culture & Society 28: 521 – 539 Accessed April 9, 2011. doi: 10.1177/0163443706065027

RealAge, Inc. 2011. “Health Tips – Health Assessment and Tips to Live a Longer Life” Accessed April 10, 2011. http://www.realage.com/

Life and New Media

Today's Popular Media Icons
Niall Harbison
http://www.simplyzesty.com/social-media/17482/

Deuze (2011, 137) suggests that as a result of the increase in media we have become a society living in media, rather than with media. In turn influencing every individual’s habits in regards to these media capabilities.

When considering my experiences with media within my everyday life, I can see multiple arguments of this implication. Within the opinion that we are “living in media” there is an idea that we spend more time connecting to other’s virtually rather than in the physical world (Deuze, 2011, 142). I personally see this opinion in two ways.

Firstly, I use new media, including social networking sites, email and my mobile phone to communicate with my friends. This is mostly to organise a “real world” catch-up. I also use these platforms to connect with friends that I don’t have the opportunity to see face-to-face, whether they are overseas, inter-state or too busy.  This shows some use of new media is not centred around a virtual world.

However, my second viewpoint reflects on an experience of being “connected but isolated” (Deuze, 2011, 142). I’ve been out with a friend who has constantly checked and updated Facebook and sent hundreds of text messages. This causes a sense of isolation and does support the opinion of a media life. I however don’t believe I am living completely with or completely in media.

                                                                                                              

References

Deuze, M. 2011. “Media life.” Media Culture Society 33: 137-148. Accessed March 30, 2011. doi: 10.1177/0163443710386518 

Thou Shalt Not Use a Computer to Steal

Hamelink (2006, 117) discusses various ethical issues of Internet use within society; Piracy in particular was of interest to me – “Thou shalt not use a computer to steal”. As a film student I have a variety of opinions regarding Internet piracy.

Film piracy is illegal and unethical but I’d be lying if I said I’d never downloaded or watched a pirated film. Even though I’m aware my Internet use, in this regard, is unethical, there are reasons for my actions. My DVD collection is huge and made of legitimate film purchases and I happily pay to watch a new release film at the cinema.

On the other hand, there are films that I have admittedly chosen to download, but for specific reasons. There might be an international film I’d like to watch, but it may be difficult to get a hold of, in that case I may choose to download it. There are also films I’d prefer to watch before I buy the DVD and therefore download it first.  I also know others who pirate television shows because they are released overseas earlier than in Australia.

Though I can be considered a film pirate, I disagree with those who download almost every film they watch, with little legitimate purchases.  

                                                                                                                                        

References:

Hamelink, C. J. 2006. “Chapter 7: The Ethics of the Internet : Can We Cope With Lies and Deceit on The Net?” In Ideologies of the Internet, edited by Katherine

               Sarikakis and Daya K Thussu, 115-130.  New Jersey: Hampton Press Inc.

Entertainment in the Age of the Internet

With the ever-increasing growth of the Internet, you can’t avoid admitting to the influence it has and will continue to have on our entertainment – Music, Games and Films.

Madhur Singh wrote the article Bollywood's Viral Videos, which outlines the Internet’s impact on the Indian film industry. This article suggests the future of the film industry will be reliant on the Internet.

The expanse of the Internet has allowed films to easily be illegally downloaded; this is a huge problem for the film industry. Rajshri Media’s solution to this issue is to simultaneously release films in theatres and online. Though this might allow easier piracy it also has advantages.

I can see the benefits - in most cases - to pay to download a film on its release date, especially if it’s cheaper than the DVD and is released earlier. It also provides ‘value for money’ to own a downloaded copy of the film rather than pay the same price to have a single theatre viewing.

However, I don’t believe Internet films will ever fully replace the worth of film theatres.

There are many films that are vividly enhanced when viewed in a cinema. Films of our age, such as Avatar and Inception are examples of the benefit of this theatre viewing.

As long as there are blockbuster hits, audiences will use theatres. 

                                                                                                                                     

Singh, M. 2008.  "Bollywood's Viral Video." Time International (Canada Edition), 171 (14) Accessed March 18, 2011.

               http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1713342,00.html

The ‘Clear Curtain’ of Social Networking

In order to establish an understanding of New Media, we recently examined the opinions of Donath and Boyd (2004) as well as Pearson (2009) on the privacy of Social Networking sites. 

In order to form this understanding, we are adopting the metaphor of the ‘Clear Curtain’, which uses the same concept as Pearson’s ‘Glass Window’. That is, any expression or conversation a networker openly publishes without their ‘curtain drawn’ which is available for any of their connections to explore and witness if they choose (Pearson 2009, ¶11).

However, this may be their aim, as most social networkers are using these sites as a means of expression, communication, connection and sharing. These applications may be seen to resemble the ‘physical means’ of connection mentioned by Donath and Boyd (Donath 2004, 72).

Alternatively they may wish to address a friend or group in particular, consequently they would ‘draw the curtain’ and address them directly.  This suggests to their network connections that the content doesn’t concern them, however the ‘curtain is clear’ and they may therefore choose to witness the interaction or not.

Though this may be seen as a lack of privacy most networkers are aware of this and may avoid it with the use of another platform. There are however many more detrimental privacy breaches within social networking sites, which the examined authors have elaborated upon.

                                                                                                               

Text References

Donath, J. and D. Boyd. 2004. Public displays of connection. BT Technology Journal. 22 (4): 71-82.

Pearson, E. 2009. All the World Wide Web's a stage: the Performance of Identity in Online Social Networks. First Monday. 14 no. 3.

Image Reference

Personal Shoplifter.com. 2011. Art. http://personalshoplifter.com/tag/art (accessed March 13, 2011).