Week 7: Picture me, picture you...

We should all be aware that photographs are a large component of out social networking lives, whether our own or desired images that represent our character in one strange way or another. So when we were asked to bring in photographs of our self to class during this week, it was suprising to see shy reactions and in general people that had forgotten photos or were reluctant to share them with a group. Why this was surprising is because the understanding is that we are all public people, willing and happy to share a little bit of our life. However, i understand where my idea may falter. Our class is not a large group of 'acquainted' people, we are not accepted 'friends', some of us are merely class mates. There is a lack of intimacy here.

However, in relation to the class, these images were part of the the 'self' image discussion; recognising the self and identify the ways of expression of the self. What I propose is really how revealing a photograph can be. Can one be breached of individual privacy rights through the exposure of a single photo of themselves. How will it be that if a photo is accidently given away, that any person will identify all your intimate details? ( this is something the individual should control themselves ie. provocative photo's etc) 

What new generations of bloggers and social networkers are supporting seems to be a freedom of expression in terms of the 'self'. They will aim for the most interesting and intriguing photo, perhaps capturing exciting moments, painting a small glimpse into the life you need permission to enter. As few bloggers will offer small snippets, tiny little sparks of intimate detail, before you are trusted enough to then receive more then you had bargained for. Beware.

Week 6: SMS - Surprise Media Spectacular!

An audio of a radio broadcast was a focus of this weeks lecture. In discussion, the broad understanding I gained was that the invention of particular media developments were never expected to be as heightened in use and popularity. An exampled used was the mobile phone - ironically, there is a brief mention of the negative aspects of mobile phones.

In my opinion, firstly dismissing social networking sites - there impact is on a completely new level of technology - mobile phones, particularly the use of SMS (Short Message Service) messaging services have taken a turn from the light of business use to a complete social embodiment. Brian Winston, in the article How are Media Born? identifies two accounts of media development in mass society. 'Technological determinism' understands technology as the isolated development on its own and that technology is the dominant factor of inevitable change. Whereas the 'cultural determinist' aspect of change accounts for socioeconomic factors, technology only being a force of many other contributing and global factors.

The question then is, in what category does the increased flight of SMS messaging fall in to? It is the most frequently used means of data service in the world, so it would seem to apply on a global scale of change. But no body ever expected it to. The SMS phenomenon has had a slow 15 year growth, but the industry now is worth over $80 billion. You can see why on  daily basis. Any excuse is used to place an SMS message, it's a quick fix, whether reliable or not. It is the more daunting version of a voice mail message if one is choosing to avoid contact. It is the bell that saves one from awkward situations and the back up for a 'unable to call' excuse. It is evident also that it is a safer way to either resolve or cause conflict without even having to see your opponents face. It keeps you safe, and keeps you happy, keeps you on edge or keeps you away.

This is the part where you check your phone, after all, you checked it a whole two minutes ago :)


*http://www.clearsms.com/blog/2008/3/5/history-of-sms-messaging.html

Week 5: Seeking privacy in public zones?

In class this week we were asked to summarise our personal definition of the notion of privacy. I came up with the following: Rights to one's own ownership of intimate and specific detail they have requested remain discrete from many/others, whether be visual, written/documented and/or recorded details. I then listed my specific restrictions i.e. home address, phone contact. Also boundaries i.e.  political views, religious views and children/family details. 

Upon entering discussion in class, I came to a sad conclusion: that society is completely and willingly abusing their own privacy whilst simultaneously openly complaining about how their privacy is still at risk. Take for instance the worlds global viewing deck: Facebook. It request upon signing up specific details about your life, your work, your home, your beliefs etc. This is NOT a mandatory request, these are merely OPTIONAL requests. You would not post a list of details and stick them up on city centre notice board, photo included, and expect your privacy to be respected now would you? No, and then again, no one asked you to do this, so why place your life in a position of such vulnerability and then complain to others that somebody took your address and started posting it spam mail, or worse.

On a lighter note, after reading a rather lengthy Harvard Law excerpt, titled 'The Right to Privacy' (Warrenand Brandeis, 1890) I came to wish that people still cherished writing that way, still accepted that law could be so beautifully expressed. Although published over 100 dazzling years ago, one can't help but sense the modernity of the concept, the relativity that it has to society today. The basic concept of rights in land and property, privacy and value is still upheld in this decade. What has changed is the creation of NEW reasons to question privacy, such as those discussed in the Online Diaries article (de Laat, 2008). People are open books, nothing is left for the imagination. If information is not of the educational or informative type then my view stands for the negative. I can respect the need for reassurance, the need for intimacy and often empathy, but i cannot respect people once long ago having to fight for their rights to privacy and have - decades on - bloggers and social networkers abuse these unnecessarily for sake of attention.

Whether or not it's because humans are often unimpressed by themselves some of the time should not have to be made up for by becoming something else. They can develop something new, and perhaps keep it to themselves in the beginning.

Week 4: In sharing we trust

In week 4 I turned to the notion of 'sharing is caring' and ask you, in all of your honesty, if the feelings of a complete stranger - no one you know by face - has any inkling of an effect on yourself? I understand, outlines in the Swedish journal article Gifting Technologies (McGee & Scogeby, 2004) and by the different categories of gift-giving justifications, or more specifically in this case, 'file-sharing'. In many cases applied irrespective of reciprocity. The notions of sharing tiny bytes of data and sending them flying through the abyss and landing into storage of another caring sharer's hard drive has a certain sentimental value, even if what you're sharing and caring for has no effect on the good of humanity and is possibly purely for entertainment sake. Irrespective of my opinion, as an outsider who is contact with people in such situations, I do have an understanding of the community created through file sharers and receivers. I even try, through my measly attempt to be part of this virtual exchange, as I scroll through my quickest option of retrieving a song to play immediately on my itunes. This is the sad and limited connection I have being a receiver. Wherever I must have picked it up, along the way i came to realise that i fall into the category defined in Gifting Technologies as Fear-Based Gifting: I am the happy and greedy receiver who has absolutely no intention to allow my 'share' files folder to be active.  Why? Because the instant my father taught me the basics of file sharer application Kazaa, he never failed in pointing out  that i 'should not share any thing with any one or the computer WILL get a virus and it WILL die'. Ok, so a tad on the melodramatic side, however, after years and years of happily retrieving off Limewire, it saddens me that i still do not allow my fellow sharers to retrieve off me.  

Also, in this day and age of the post-broadcast rush, we are in contact, either direct or through our friends very close uncles brother, with some aspect of illegal downloading activities, people that wholesale the bulks of what they illegally produce, and here I am, naive and obliviously afraid of the small megabytes i manage to retrieve in a month. This is what strikes me as most amusing as I visit a family member monthly to update my hard drive on the latest and greatest he as on access. Guilty? I think not, I'm hardly a facilitator, hardly a conspirer, I am merely the innocent bystander; completely unaware.