Next New

My idea of a new media that should exist is the function to text 911. It is currently available in very limited areas, and is still in beta testing. This idea would only have positive advantages. For those who are unable to speak due to physical conditions or a dire situation, they are unable to explain what is happening to the dispatcher. The ability to text 911 would solve this problem. The emergency calling system could use an update. For example, the text-to-911 could also determine the location from the cellphone, and send that information as well.

Wiki So Far

I am working on the 'Mobile Devices' page. First, I edited some of the grammar and spacing. Then I added more information to the current sections, and added new sections to the developers of mobile devices. I also added pictures to complement the information. I will be adding more sections and information, to include other developers besides Apple and Samsung, as well as the corresponding citations. The research I have done comes from the companies official sites and the documents they have made publicly available.

P2P

File sharing is exactly what the name implies - sharing files. However, P2P file sharing is different. It is the sharing of files or media through an electronic medium. Some examples of P2P file sharing include the sharing of music, movies, television shows and software. In the article, "Digital Pirates Winning Battle with Studios", it mentions that "The Dark Knight" movie had been downloaded more than seven million times around the world. I do not think that piracy is something that can be stopped or completely eliminated. At best, it could be somewhat regulated, but there are always ways around the restrictions that content producers put in place. New torrent sites are constantly created that leave thin trails.
Furthermore, the article also states, "Young people, in particular, conclude that if it's so easy, it can't be wrong," said Richard Cotton, the general counsel for NBC Universal." I completely disagree with this statement. Although I agree that piracy of files is easy, I don't think it can't be wrong. It is definitely wrong, but also extremely easy to do, which is why files are pirated in the first place.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/business/media/05piracy.html

Privacy

New media has undoubtedly redefined privacy. Access to information has become a lot easier, and sensitive information may fall into the wrong hands. On many social media sites and applications, people are able to adjust their privacy settings. However, these settings may be too complicated sometimes. Randi Zuckerberg, sister of Facebook's founder, posted a photo that she thought was only available to be seen by her friends. It appeared on a friend of a friend's newsfeed, and they tweeted it, further spreading the photo. Randi questioned how the person was able to find the picture. The settings are confusing to understand, and often need to be changed from the default public availability to private. Data breaches are also a major issue that has come with new media. Companies need to keep their data security up to date in order to protect consumers. Target's security breach affected as many as 110 million customers. When hackers are able to access this information, they can steal identities or commit credit card fraud.


https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/12/facebook-privacy-so-confusing-even-zuckerberg-family-photo-isnt-private/320164/

https://www.cnet.com/news/target-works-on-security-heavy-credit-cards-after-breach/

Blog: Advice

From the time I entered Baruch as a freshman in Fall 2013, to now being a senior in Spring 2017, Baruch has incorporated a lot of new media to improve communication. Their facebook, instagram, and twitter pages are a lot more active. However, they still leave much to be desired. There are many advertisements for winter and summer classes, but there is not much information about individual departments. For example, the natural sciences department. The website seems very outdated, and there is no contact information for anyone. You would have to go onto Baruch's main site, and search the directory. The more important departments, such as the financial aid office or the academic advisement center have seen major improvements, and I think the other departments need improvements as well. Many students do not have time to go to these offices, and the departments should be able to be reached through other means.

Creativity and New Media

For this assignment, I decided to try out the Sims game on my phone. It is a very popular virtual reality game, similar to second life. I have never played games like this before so I wanted to give it a try. On the Sims, you can design the entire world. I created my character, and was able to create neighbors as well. You can also design the neighborhood, such as building the houses and businesses. Everything is customizable, from the clothing to the furniture. You are even able to give the characters jobs. It is very realistic because you can cook, use the rest room, fight with neighbors, and even sleep.

The game was a lot more realistic than I thither it would be. Even completing tasks were not instant, and you would have to check back after a certain amount of time. Overall, the game was entertaining and gave me a new perspective on having a "virtual life."

Creativity

New media fosters creativity because it allows users to collaborate and bring ideas to life. In the post "Twitter Serves Up Ideas From Its Followers", the author states that Twitter began as a "bare-bones" service that only allowed users to post 140-character messages. As more and more people began to use the site, many ideas were suggested by users that eventually became a core part of Twitter. Hyperlinking users, retweets, and using the hashtag symbol were all suggested by users. I did not know that these were suggested by users; I thought that it was part of Twitter when it first launched. I can't even imagine Twitter without these attributes.

People are able to interact directly with companies through new media, and advocate or ask for certain products or services. Companies use sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram to be able to directly communicate with consumers, and this allows ideas to quickly spread. With all the current tools to create content, people can get as creative as they want.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/technology/internet/26twitter.html

Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

The uses of the virtual worlds referenced in these articles seem to be limited compared to current technology. In the articles, "I've Been in That Club, Just Not in Real Life" and "No Budget, No Boundaries, It's the Real You" the writers talk about living a virtual life. They claim the simulation is identical to reality, but I think that it is very unrealistic. Even though the locations and concepts are somewhat realistic, I feel that people are wasting their time on these sites. Hiding behind a computer screen and living life through an avatar is no way to "live."
"Certainly her real-world occupation as a nurse affords Ms. Cocke scant opportunity "to rock my new leather Gucci messenger bag or Jimmy Choo sandals," she said. In contrast, "Vixie's style is a better representation of my true self," she said, "as it's hard to be fashionable in hospital scrubs."
If people are able to live life fully this way, power to them. This is definitely a pro in that it brings people happiness. Other pros include teaching through virtual reality with simulated materials that are a fraction of the cost of their tangible counterpart.

Virtual worlds foster creativity in that people can really run wild. There are no limits in terms of what they can do. From flying and teleporting to an endless budget, people can spend countless hours experimenting with different scenarios. "Despite knowing that its real-life inspiratione xists right outside my door, I have spent the last few months making such visits to the Virtual Lower East Side, a three-dimensional, Internet-based social networkd fastidiously modeled on a small but influential swath of Manhattan real estate." This person is able to explore their neighborhood in the comfort of their own home.

Virtual worlds have certainly come a long way since then. We now have virtual reality, where people can actually interact with a computer simulated environment. Even though virtual reality is still in the development stage, it seems to be an upgrade from a virtual world. People can actually interact face to face in a simulated environment. This may mean further enhancements in many fields, from education to medicine.



http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/arts/television/06itzk.html


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/fashion/22Avatar.html

Blog about Twitter

A twitter discussion is similar to a blackboard and in-class discussion in that you can respond to what someone else says. However, the amount of text is limited to 140 characters. Twitter discussions are also publicly available to anybody, unlike blackboard or in-class discussions. On blackboard, the posts are only available to the students enrolled in the class. There are specific due dates for these discussions, and after the date has passed, posts can no longer be added or created. I think in-class discussions are still the best way. Online discussions are good when someone is on the go and would like to include their input. However, it does not get any more instantaneous than being face to face with each other. Emotions are conveyed much more effectively than from typing behind a screen.

Social Networking Sites

Facebook seems to be the social network that is most widely used among all age groups. It also has the most options and features. You can spend hours on facebook playing games, reading about events, sharing news, pictures, and videos, and be reminded of pictures from years ago.
Twitter is used for sharing current events, or having live conversations with others. The privacy settings are not as confusing as facebook's.
Instagram is used for picture and video sharing. It may seem very simple, but it has actually created a lot of opportunities for people. From personal training to consulting services, people can make a living with clients from all over the world.
Tumblr is a microblogging site, similar to blogger.com. You can create and share posts, or share other people's posts.
These sites are all similar in that you can create and share content. You can connect with others across the world. On each website, there are probably more features that I have not discovered. I know that on facebook, you can plan events and fundraise as well. You can even request an uber from the messenger app. Something interesting that I noticed across all these platforms were the advertisements. The websites seem to be clogged with ads and more ads. I have not used any of these social networking sites in a very long time, and I plan to keep it that way.

Blog Social Networking

Technology has many implications on our lives. On the corporate level, it can be used for recruiting and scouting talent, connecting with customers, increasing brand awareness, data mining, and more. On the personal level, it can be used to connect with others or make new connections, keep up with news and current events, share personal moments, and even conduct businesses. The first benefit that comes to mind in regards to technology is a wider network. People are able to get in touch with others from around the world, in the blink of an eye. In the article, "Social Networking Technology Boosts Job Recruiting", professional recruiters such as Maureen Crawford-Hentz are able to scout talent from across the world. With an increased network of contacts, finding employers or employees has become significantly easier. There is no need to call someone, inquire if they have any contacts, and then call those contacts.

Other benefits are mentioned in "How Obama Tapped Into Social Networks' Power". The Obama campaign was able to use social media to encourage people to get out and vote. Using a database with millions of names of supporters, they were able to use e-mail to their advantage. Compared to the Bush campaign that used traditional phone banks and direct mail, the Obama campaign was a lot more effective. They were able to directly reach the masses instead of relying on television networks.

A major dark side would be an invasion/loss of privacy. Even though there are many privacy settings that users can adjust, they are often confusing and some people do not understand them at all. "Lance Hoffman, a George Washington University computer science professor who spoke at the Wharton conference, noted that by giving up such information as their name, birth date, and a list of their network of friends, users are revealing far more than they know." Combining this data with data from other sources can be pieced together by identity thieves.

In the future, I think that these technologies would be further used for data mining. Automatic collection and assessment of data is extremely valuable for any business or corporation. Large scale data mining is already being used by facebook, snapchat, and such. When users take a photo of themselves, they do not think much of it, except that they are sending a picture to friends. However, features such as facial recognition, location, and time of use can reveal a lot more information than we think. This is why cyber-security and privacy are currently controversial topics. As technology evolves, policies must also be adapted to account for these changes.



Sources:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6522523&sc=emaf

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/business/media/10carr.html

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/leaving-friendprints-how-online-social-networks-are-redefining-privacy-and-personal-security/

BLOG: Blog v Wiki

Blogs and wikis are both a type of social media platform. They can both be edited collaboratively, however blogs are more likely to be edited by one person and wikis are more likely to be edited by multiple people. 
Blogging is a way for people to express their individual opinion, whether it be biased or unbiased. Nowadays, there are many blogs dedicated to product reviews, lifestyles, comedy, and much more. Review blogs are especially popular. Bloggers give their opinion on certain products, which are invaluable to the average shopper. In the article, "Wal-Mart Tastemakers Write Unfiltered Blog", a blogger writes "Is it really all that and a bag of chips? My life has not changed dramatically - well, for that matter, it hasn't changed at all." He was describing Microsoft's newest operating system at that time, Vista. Wal-Mart was encouraging their employees to give unfiltered opinions about products that the chain carries. This corporate blog was different from the usual, because it gave unedited opinions from little-known buyers, rather than from high-level executives.
On the other hand, wikis are not used to express individual opinion. Although it can be edited by individuals, the content is fact-based. It is not meant to be maintained by experts and professionals. "Instead, it seeks to involve the typical visitor/user in an ongoing process of creation and collaboration that constantly changes the website landscape."
In today's networked world, one social media platform could perform a variety of applications. Both blogs and wikis have biased and unbiased opinions. Both invite collaboration and transmit information. They are becoming more and more similar. One blog could have multiple authors from around the world. When my group of friends all went our separate ways for college, we decided to collaborate on one blog. We wrote about anything, and it was a great way for us to stay in touch and also learn about each other. Since we were all spread out along the east coast, our posts allowed us to have a greater perspective, and to experience each other's daily lives. 


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/business/03walmart.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki

Social Media

My research topic is, "How has social media changed the way we communicate with each other?" I plan on researching how daily communication has changed, how people's lives have been affected, and how social media can be a positive or negative influence for those who frequently use it. Since the invention of the internet, there has been a paradigm shift in regards to communication. No longer does it take days, weeks, or months to communicate with or hear back from someone. On a larger scale, this is undoubtedly beneficial for globalization and cultural diversification. I will research the pros and cons of social media and look at specific related studies to see how communication has changed.