Abelson, Chapter 2: In a well-publicized news story, a man was caught “on camera” exiting a "gentleman's club" when Google photographed him for their StreetView project. He later sued Google because the revelation was unhappy news to his wife. Do you think Google is in the clear when they photograph the view from streets in your neighborhood?
"The explosive growth in digital technologies has radically altered our expectations about what will be private and shifted our thinking about what should be private"
As Abelson explains in chapter 2, technologies has completely changed our thoughts of what should and should not be private. As these technological changes have occurred, we have quickly been thrown into a world where almost anything you say or do can be duplicated or reprocessed. Many would complain, such as the man in the example stated who was photographed by google exiting a gentleman's club or the man who was held up for an hour trying to exit the parking garage, but, there are some benefits that go along with the intrusive technologies of today. Security is on everyone's mind and with the constant threat or chance of something occuring, I think most would rather be safe than have their privacy invaded.
Google's GoogleEarth is an amazing tool that has brought many people help all around the world. Google is not 'out to get' people, they are simply providing a service which allows citizens to get an up close view of almost any location. Although there are some drawbacks, I do not think Google should be held responsible for photographing things others do not want seen. As we have learned in many classes, you should not do things that you do not want in the news!!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Citizen Journalism & False News Reports
Can you find any examples where "citizen journalists" have failed miserably to report accurate news? And if you do find examples (you should), does this make the concept of amateur journalism a bad thing? Why or why not?
I think that citizen journalism is in general, a good thing. I think the responsibility lies in the hands of the readers to know that they cannot believe everything they read. Citizen Journalism is a way to get information out as fast as possible and allows people a place to voice their own opinions for others to read. There were plenty of situations in recent history where people have used citizen journalism as a news source. In some cases, like the VA Tech massacre, it alerted people immediately of the tragedy. In less serious cases, people hold blogs and websites about celebrity gossip, sports news, cooking tips, etc.
There are definitely downfalls of 'citizen journalists' reporting news on the web. The facts that they are reporting can be completely fabricated and have no truth to them which could send people into a hysteria. The main thing is that people need to know who to trust for their news and also know that there is a very good chance of what they are reading is not true.
A great example of a 'citizen journalist' reporting false information is the recent CNN report of a Coast Guard Operation that went wrong. Although CNN is normally a credible news source, they must have gotten their information from a poor resource, which caused the miscommunication. I have provided the link below:
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/09/11/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5303828.shtml
I think that citizen journalism is in general, a good thing. I think the responsibility lies in the hands of the readers to know that they cannot believe everything they read. Citizen Journalism is a way to get information out as fast as possible and allows people a place to voice their own opinions for others to read. There were plenty of situations in recent history where people have used citizen journalism as a news source. In some cases, like the VA Tech massacre, it alerted people immediately of the tragedy. In less serious cases, people hold blogs and websites about celebrity gossip, sports news, cooking tips, etc.
There are definitely downfalls of 'citizen journalists' reporting news on the web. The facts that they are reporting can be completely fabricated and have no truth to them which could send people into a hysteria. The main thing is that people need to know who to trust for their news and also know that there is a very good chance of what they are reading is not true.
A great example of a 'citizen journalist' reporting false information is the recent CNN report of a Coast Guard Operation that went wrong. Although CNN is normally a credible news source, they must have gotten their information from a poor resource, which caused the miscommunication. I have provided the link below:
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/09/11/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5303828.shtml
Asking Someone a Personal Question..
You have an important personal question you’d like answered. Explain the procedure for getting your question answered and why this method appeals to you (you don’t need to get specific, but let’s assume the answer does not require specific expert knowledge, as from a doctor).
If I had a very personal question that needed to be asked, the first thing I would do about it is think. I would want to get all of my facts straight and everything I need to have the question answered. My next step in the process would be to think of people who I could ask this question. I would like to have someone who has some expertise or knowledge on the subject, knows a little about me, and most importantly someone that I trust. When asking the question to this person, it would be important that they know the issue is important and meaningful. If they knew the seriousness of the question, they will probably put a little more thought into their response. The reason I would put so much thought into the question asking process is because I normally keep things to myself and do not share. In opening up to someone else, I would have to make sure it be someone that I trust and can depend on for an answer.
If I had a very personal question that needed to be asked, the first thing I would do about it is think. I would want to get all of my facts straight and everything I need to have the question answered. My next step in the process would be to think of people who I could ask this question. I would like to have someone who has some expertise or knowledge on the subject, knows a little about me, and most importantly someone that I trust. When asking the question to this person, it would be important that they know the issue is important and meaningful. If they knew the seriousness of the question, they will probably put a little more thought into their response. The reason I would put so much thought into the question asking process is because I normally keep things to myself and do not share. In opening up to someone else, I would have to make sure it be someone that I trust and can depend on for an answer.
Problems With Searchable Tagging Systems
Many organizations waste time and money researching answers to questions already answered or creating content that may already have been done by others within the organization. What shortfalls of social tagging does Trant identify that might prohibit a searchable tagging system to be a successful aid within an organization such as a business or school?
In Trant's article, Studying Social Tagging and Folksonomy, she concludes that "There is a convern over the relativistic nature of socially created vocabularies, the lack of tern consistency, problems with synonomy and polysemy, and the inherent inconsistency of a user-generated vocabulary". I think this statement describes the shortfalls of social tagging perfectly. There are so many different ways to tag things and multiple words which all mean the same thing. Companies that waste time and money researching answers to the same questions are most likely running into problems because they do not know the exact terms that they need to search with. Words vary between people, cultures, and especially generations and although two people could post the exact same thing, they could tag it completely different. The different tags will give people a very large variety of sites when searching tags.
In Trant's article, Studying Social Tagging and Folksonomy, she concludes that "There is a convern over the relativistic nature of socially created vocabularies, the lack of tern consistency, problems with synonomy and polysemy, and the inherent inconsistency of a user-generated vocabulary". I think this statement describes the shortfalls of social tagging perfectly. There are so many different ways to tag things and multiple words which all mean the same thing. Companies that waste time and money researching answers to the same questions are most likely running into problems because they do not know the exact terms that they need to search with. Words vary between people, cultures, and especially generations and although two people could post the exact same thing, they could tag it completely different. The different tags will give people a very large variety of sites when searching tags.
An Organization that's too Large...
This chapter talks about the challenges that face an organization that grows too large, requiring a lot of staff devoted to management. What are some of the potential pitfalls in an organization that’s large and organized by a hierarchical organization chart?
There are many downfalls to organizationals that are too large and have a vertical management structure. One major problem is that the management at the top has little to no interaction with the employees at the bottom of the structure. The top management is dependent on the 'middle managers' to communicate with their employees and return the information back to them. In this type of situation, ideas very frequently get lost and never even make it to the top of management. This creates a huge problem, not only because good ideas are not being heard, but becase the lower level employees become frustrated and unmotivated to do work if they know that their voice cannot be heard throughout the company. The text points out that the complexity of the group grows faster than the group itself, which is completely the case with companies that are organized by a hierarchical organization chart.
With a horizontal organization, people throughout the company can voice their opinions and ideas, be heard, and stay motivated to do their work. Overall, the moral of the company will be much higher and people will be much more excited to work.
There are many downfalls to organizationals that are too large and have a vertical management structure. One major problem is that the management at the top has little to no interaction with the employees at the bottom of the structure. The top management is dependent on the 'middle managers' to communicate with their employees and return the information back to them. In this type of situation, ideas very frequently get lost and never even make it to the top of management. This creates a huge problem, not only because good ideas are not being heard, but becase the lower level employees become frustrated and unmotivated to do work if they know that their voice cannot be heard throughout the company. The text points out that the complexity of the group grows faster than the group itself, which is completely the case with companies that are organized by a hierarchical organization chart.
With a horizontal organization, people throughout the company can voice their opinions and ideas, be heard, and stay motivated to do their work. Overall, the moral of the company will be much higher and people will be much more excited to work.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Groups Management and Communication
Describe a group you are a member of (online community, church, job, etc.) and how it is organized. Is there management? How is information distributed within the group?
At JMU, I am part of a social sorority. The greek life on campus is a great way to get involved with philanthropies, community service, and meet new people. Our sorority consists of an Exec board, a cabinet and the general body. The exec board is made up of 9 members who do much of the planning and decision making for the chapter. Each week, before our chapter meeting, Exec meets to discuss any issues and/or upcoming events for the chapter. When all other sisters come in, exec shares all announcements and asks for any other announcements from the chapter. Every week, the cabinet also meets. The cabinet is ran by the VP and the VP will share any of the cabinets announcements at Exec.
This system has been working great for years, but with new technologies we have included additional ways to communicate information. One of my favorite tools we use is TxtBlaster. This online tool allows any exec member to go on to the website and send a short message to all of our sisters' phones. We can also send a text to textblaster to send out as well. This website has allowed us to be in constant communication with all of our sisters, just by the use of a cell phone.
At JMU, I am part of a social sorority. The greek life on campus is a great way to get involved with philanthropies, community service, and meet new people. Our sorority consists of an Exec board, a cabinet and the general body. The exec board is made up of 9 members who do much of the planning and decision making for the chapter. Each week, before our chapter meeting, Exec meets to discuss any issues and/or upcoming events for the chapter. When all other sisters come in, exec shares all announcements and asks for any other announcements from the chapter. Every week, the cabinet also meets. The cabinet is ran by the VP and the VP will share any of the cabinets announcements at Exec.
This system has been working great for years, but with new technologies we have included additional ways to communicate information. One of my favorite tools we use is TxtBlaster. This online tool allows any exec member to go on to the website and send a short message to all of our sisters' phones. We can also send a text to textblaster to send out as well. This website has allowed us to be in constant communication with all of our sisters, just by the use of a cell phone.
Using Facebook for the management of groups..
If managers aren’t important anymore towards the formation or control of groups using online tools, what do you consider the main role websites such as Meetup.com, Facebook, or MySpace have provided newly emerging groups?
The internet has brought on a world of change for businesses. Roles of managers are slowly being taken over by websites that can perform the tasks of managers but at a much quicker pace and in today's world, everything is about efficiency. If something can get done quicker or easier, people are going to do it that way rather than holding their traditional ways.
Websites such as Facebook and MeetUp are great tools in which groups can gather and organize information and share that information with desired people. These websites are also very helpful in the communication between group members. Instead of having meetings, groups can have a continuous chat where they can log in and see the posts from other group members. I think these 'threads' that are created are great ways for groups to stay in contact.
The internet has brought on a world of change for businesses. Roles of managers are slowly being taken over by websites that can perform the tasks of managers but at a much quicker pace and in today's world, everything is about efficiency. If something can get done quicker or easier, people are going to do it that way rather than holding their traditional ways.
Websites such as Facebook and MeetUp are great tools in which groups can gather and organize information and share that information with desired people. These websites are also very helpful in the communication between group members. Instead of having meetings, groups can have a continuous chat where they can log in and see the posts from other group members. I think these 'threads' that are created are great ways for groups to stay in contact.
Cell Phones & Privacy
With so many cell phones on the market today able to take photos (and video), do you ever worry about being “captured” in a not-so-flattering moment? How would you deal with a friend who decided to share such a picture or video with others?
On page 14 of Abelson's Digital Explosion, he states "Society is rapidly being freed from the old limitations of geography and status in accessing information". This is very true when you look around and almost everyone is on their blackberry's and iphones. These smart phone technologies have been quickly accepted into our daily life as necessities in which people can access their e mail, the web, and any contact in a matter of seconds. Along with all of the benefits we get from these technologies, there is a HUGE technology scare when it comes to users privacy.
The cameras and video recorders on phones have made it easy for people to take pictures at any moment of people who may not be willing to have their pictures taken. This is a scary thing for many, but I think the people that are worried about it most are people who aren't supposed to be caught in a certain place at a certain time. As for simple privacy of everyday people, it is more annoying than anything to be worried about.
Over the summer I went to a wedding and there were pictures posted from the wedding on sites like Flickr and Facebook before the bride and groom got to even see their wedding pictures. In this case, although it is upsetting for the couple, there is really nothing that they can do about it except ask their friends and family to respect their privacy and not post the pictures. Unless they restrict cameras at their wedding, what else could they do??
On page 14 of Abelson's Digital Explosion, he states "Society is rapidly being freed from the old limitations of geography and status in accessing information". This is very true when you look around and almost everyone is on their blackberry's and iphones. These smart phone technologies have been quickly accepted into our daily life as necessities in which people can access their e mail, the web, and any contact in a matter of seconds. Along with all of the benefits we get from these technologies, there is a HUGE technology scare when it comes to users privacy.
The cameras and video recorders on phones have made it easy for people to take pictures at any moment of people who may not be willing to have their pictures taken. This is a scary thing for many, but I think the people that are worried about it most are people who aren't supposed to be caught in a certain place at a certain time. As for simple privacy of everyday people, it is more annoying than anything to be worried about.
Over the summer I went to a wedding and there were pictures posted from the wedding on sites like Flickr and Facebook before the bride and groom got to even see their wedding pictures. In this case, although it is upsetting for the couple, there is really nothing that they can do about it except ask their friends and family to respect their privacy and not post the pictures. Unless they restrict cameras at their wedding, what else could they do??
Censorship of Google in China
Both Google and Yahoo have been criticized for censoring their search results in China. What are your feelings about this? Why should Google, or why should Google not, produce different search results for different countries?
Almost everything in the world has gone digital. When ARPANET was started in the 70s, I don’t think they knew exactly how big of a discovery the ‘net’ was, but it has been constantly growing for the past few decades. Although there are many negatives to having so much information on the web that is accessible to almost anyone, the benefits of the internet have clearly outweighed them. One downfall of the internet is the fact that once the information is on the web, it’s there for good. Once the information is out there, it is just dependent on how long people are going to look for it before they find what they want.
Search engines like Google and Yahoo should not restrict searches in different countries. Almost all web users know that there are plenty of things on the internet that are not true. If websites are restricted, people will really only get ‘half the story’ of what they are looking for. It is not up to the government to decide what people can and cannot view on the web.
Almost everything in the world has gone digital. When ARPANET was started in the 70s, I don’t think they knew exactly how big of a discovery the ‘net’ was, but it has been constantly growing for the past few decades. Although there are many negatives to having so much information on the web that is accessible to almost anyone, the benefits of the internet have clearly outweighed them. One downfall of the internet is the fact that once the information is on the web, it’s there for good. Once the information is out there, it is just dependent on how long people are going to look for it before they find what they want.
Search engines like Google and Yahoo should not restrict searches in different countries. Almost all web users know that there are plenty of things on the internet that are not true. If websites are restricted, people will really only get ‘half the story’ of what they are looking for. It is not up to the government to decide what people can and cannot view on the web.
Folksonomy
Although many of us learned the Dewey decimal system in our middle school education, it is hardly something that most remember anything about. The new system of ‘Folksonomy’ is using words to tag resources, instead of numbers, to create a system in which information is easily found on the web. By tagging items in different sites, people are creating a system in which related items can be easily accessed through the tags. This system, I believe is of much greater use to the users of online websites. By using a word to tag instead of numbers, people can simply just search what they are looking for rather than searching for its reference number, then looking for the item itself.
Websites like Delicious are great resources to store frequently used sites, locate them and all related material quickly and share them with other users. I have used delicious for a major class project and thought it was extremely helpful in organizing and sharing all of our resources.
Websites like Delicious are great resources to store frequently used sites, locate them and all related material quickly and share them with other users. I have used delicious for a major class project and thought it was extremely helpful in organizing and sharing all of our resources.
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