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