Podcast 2

Copyright in the Digital Era

Podcast 1

Net Neutrality 

Online Privacy

     Privacy isn’t officially protected by law.  Once something gets posted to the Internet, it remains in the public domain, forever.  The Internet makes everything so instant, so permanent; is it really safe to allow our youth to use it so willingly?

            
     According to an article from The Washington Post, published back in September; http://www.washingtonpost.com,“In this era of technological change, kids are often tech savvy but judgment poor.”

            
     I think this is entirely true.  There are so many ways for children to access the Internet nowadays; it’s all they’re every doing.  This is contributing to many negative effects.  The physical health of our nation is at its worst and children, now, are even mistaking “text talk” for actual English.  Some don’t even notice that they’re doing it.  But the reality is that kids are failing spelling tests left and right because they mistakenly spelled “through” like “thru,” just as they would in a text message.

            
     In the article I posted above, it discusses the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) new plan to bump-up Internet privacy for children.  The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, nicknamed “COPPA,” was first established in 1998.  Now, the FTC wants the act to cover all evolving technologies, like the web, IPods and smart phones.

            
     Younger children are so prone to business advertisements on these devices, too.  They’ll give any personal information out at the drop of a hat, simply to access their favorite video game or song.  They have no knowledge of hackers and cookies and hackers know that.

            
     The new FTC rules would require parental consent before children give out any personal information to businesses and would offer many different ways for parents to receive that consent.  Operators would also then have to provide proof that they could keep the child’s information completely private.  They would no longer be able to track any child’s geographical location or information and cookies wouldn’t be allowed to track their web browsing. 

            
     This may make dozens of advertisers angry, but we’re living in a world of marketing and advertising.  Just take a look at the picture below: 

Photo taken by James Porto. Website: http://www.jamesporto.com/

     This is exactly the kind of world we're living in and it's only getting worse.  Notice the man's frustrated look in the rearview mirror; if he's that annoyed by all the ads, just imagine what they're doing to kids.  

     The FTC hopes that the new COPPA rules will help parents better protect their children, without putting too much burden on businesses.  Written comments on the proposal must be submitted to the FTC no later than Nov. 28th.

Conflict in the Digital Age

     With the recent killing of Moammar Gaddafi, this subject seems almost perfect.

     Conflict is viewed by the public much more easily than once before. And with the continuing widespread use of all electronic media devices and social networking sites, it’s only getting easier. It’s scary to get on YouTube and know that if I wanted to see exactly how Moammar Gaddafi died, I could.

     It resembles the time of the Salem Witch Trials; when it was humane and normal to willingly watch such acts of violence. They would burn accused witches at stake, or force them to drown. Aren’t we all human? Is allowing this kind of torture to be largely seen or televised is wrong, or right?

     The question is as old as war itself. Since the Revolutionary War, individuals have been documenting war activities. From sketching and drawing to pointing and shooting, people are fascinated with seeing the woes of war; without actually having to witness any violence themselves.

     The war on images may also be viewed quite differently. The digital age makes photo-sharing more possible, enabling easier copyright and trademark violations by users. The ease and availability of the Internet leaves the uninformed user vulnerable.

     There is another way that virtual image-sharing has actually been a benefit. Through social media sites, not-for-profit agencies and goodwill organizations have been able to share images of traumatic or special events to help rally public support for the cause.

     “Today society is plagued with hyper-individualism that is exasperated by social media sites, but do they have the potential to be more than just spaces that promote consumerism and cultural hegemony?” (Quote taken from: mediate.com/articles/kingm1.cfm)

     I believe they do. Social media sites also provide an outlet, for an otherwise frustrated world. They allow us to share our interests and with the whole world as the setting, the numbers get pretty interesting. Again, according to the article: mediate.com/articles/kingm1.cfm; “They (social networking sites) have millions of members worldwide, “81% of members of online communities use the Internet to participate in social causes, up from 75% in 2007, finds a survey by the Center for the Digital Future at University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication."

     Any way you look at it, social media and file-sharing sites aren’t going away. Whether we decide to embrace them or hate them is up to us. They’re used in so many ways; I think it all passes over our heads. What is interesting is to reflect on what the article also suggests, “Just imagine how Dr. Martin Luther King or Cesar Chavez would have utilized Facebook…”

Digital Divide

            When referring to the digital divide, there are two areas open for discussion; the global divide and the social divide.

           

Some parts of the world simply have better access to the internet.  This is referred to as the “absolute divide,” or the “global divide.”  An example of this type of divide would be our internet access (the U.S.), in comparison to Haiti’s.  Countries with a wide availability of internet access can use it to learn almost anything.  The U.S., the U.K. and other technologically advanced countries are also able to better understand their county’s economics, as well as the economics of other countries.  This gives more profitable countries an edge and leaves the poorer ones out.

           

Even within a nation that is technologically advanced, there are still certain geographic/ social areas that receive better internet access.  This gap is called the “social divide.”  It refers to the internet divide within a country.  This divide also stresses inequality and poverty.  Internet access relies on 5 things; social status, income, education level, race and geographic location.  According to bridgethedigitaldivide.com, in Asia, only 4 people in every 1,000 have a computer.  In the U.S., it’s 585 per 1,000.

           

Bridging the digital divide is essential.  If we were able to worldly bridge the digital divide, economics would unfold more freely.  The poorer countries would also become more educated, making world economics more equal, as well. 

Closing the digital gap would also pave the way for more individual social mobility.  If a child is less educated, it makes them less “useful” in the world.  Educating and giving everyone internet access would help our world become more independently competitive, thus helping economics soar.

Linked with social mobility, bridging the digital divide would also lead to more social equality.  In poorer nations where outward communication amongst others may be limited, depending on certain beliefs, internet access could able easier communication with others.  In the U.S. there are few limitations of whom we may and may not speak to.  In Kuwait, however, it’s different.  Face-to-face communication between men and women is controlled, but internet access may open those communication doors.

The U.S. believes that democracy is the best policy, right?  Well, if internet access was more widely and equally available, democracy would have a greater opportunity to spread worldwide.  The internet is, for countries that have access to it, its democratic, economic and social advantage.  Countries that struggle daily for basic necessities, such as clean drinking water, don’t have time to even think about technological equality; but we do!  Top-of-the-line computers aren’t an option to individuals in poorer countries who, some, literally make $1/ day.  In the U.S., we more than understand the blessings of big incomes and there are those who are doing their part in helping bridge this divide.

Computer Aid International is an organization that’s determined to help.  Their plan is to help the world bridge its social and economic inequality.  They work with non-for-profit agencies to provide unwanted or used computers to those in developing countries.  This grants poorer countries access to the internet and allows the computer to be an outstanding learning tool.  Computer Aid International is U.K. based, but there are many ways in which we can all help: computeraid.org. 

Online Identity

            Indecent exposure is now possible in a whole new set of ways, thanks to social media websites.  We’re all guilty of it; posting pictures onto social media sites that may or may not upset the folks at home and now, in the office.  Employers have started using social media to their advantage and are digging up the cyber-pasts of the people they may choose to hire.

            I’m not really sure what to think when this article talks about Social Intelligence Corp.’s “thumbs-up” to snoop through people’s past seven years of Facebook posts.  I didn’t even know it was possible to retrieve Facebook info. from that far back and where did the number seven come from??  I made my friend a birthday card once and printed and cut out probably three years of “wall-to-wall” posts, but that took forever!

            Either way, I’ll ultimately agree with this article and employer’s choice to cyber background check.  As good ole’ Bob Dylan once said, “the times they are a-changin,” and we must change with them, if you want to.

            Even with social media, it is still possible to live the way you want to.  One of my friends back home in Indiana was recently going to join the Army.  He then realized that that meant the government owning all information pertaining to him, so he changed his mind.  There are those, however, who are okay with that thought and they (obviously) are the ones whom enlist.

            Same goes for applying for a job.  Obviously, if you apply at Chili’s, they will most likely not go stalking the past seven years of your life via pictures.  But, if you go and apply at the Wall Street Journal, chances are that they might.  It’s all very, and I’ll say it once again, obvious.  The ones who may not understand this, in my opinion, would be the older generation and the elderly.  But in their case, it doesn’t much matter.  Many elderly folks (no offense!) don’t even know how to turn on a computer, let alone know how to create a Facebook page and then upload their drunken pictures from the night before… And many baby-boomers don’t have seven years worth of “dirt” on Facebook to even dig up.

            No, this article is more directed towards my generation, the next generation, and we have all grown up knowing all of this.  We’re on our computers more than we’re in front of the television and are texting our conversations, totally opposed to talking on the telephone.  It’s practical though and things will probably only get more complex.  Problem is, technology advances wayyyyy faster than the government’s counter-call to legally change any of it, but that’s their problem.

            It’s no biggie to me; keep the social media site a-comin’!


Link:
http://www.historiccity.com/2011/staugustine/news/florida/hiring-decisions-social-media-16225