Week 5- lecture Summary

What I gathered from this weeks lecture is the understanding between media and technology and how they have worked together change the world we live in. The lecture discussed the evolution of social media and how it allows us to have a whole new world on the internet.

Concepts that were discussed include ‘Individual identity’- according to the lecture it allows individuals to experiment with different forms of themselves on a virtual level. The internet allows them to have various identities. Programs like second life take this idea to the extreme as you can totally create a new virtual life for yourself. I find it great that people can have fun with sort of stuff but at the same times it’s a little creepy that people get so involved in a ‘life’ that is fake/virtual. ‘Virtual community’ on the other hand involves people discussing interests on the web. Through this social connections are made.

 

One of the other areas of the lecture I found interest was the question raised toward the end, Are we consumers or creators?  

When you think about it utilities like Blogger, Facebook and My space cannot exist without us (the consumers), however we could not create these profiles for ourselves without the (creators). We as individuals didn’t create Facebook or Blogger, but we are too some extent also creators. The content we put on the internet and how we choose to display it is our creation. Although we are limited by terms and conditions and certain specification its still our creation. For example we don’t choose how our Facebook profile appears, we choose what appears on it. I suppose in a sense Facebook/ Blogger ect is like a collaborative project/art work. There is an idea or creation but the need for others to bring that creation to life.

Week 5- Facebook- The Utility That Connects People

Facebook is excellent to use to connect with current friends or make new ones, however what exactly are the stipulations involved when you create a facebook account? More importantly what are you actually agreeing too when you click the “accept” on the term and conditions page that you no one ever reads?

This topic was investigated during the week 5 tute and was I found very interesting especially as a photography student. According to facebook, “You own all of the content and information you post on Facebook”. However facebook sais you agree to the following: “For content covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos ("IP content"), you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook ("IP License").

From what I can gather, this means any photos or videos you choose to post on facebook are not copyrighted and can be used facebook or anyone else who can get their hand on them.

The only way to avoid this contract is too end your account, however if images of yours are still on others accounts, they are still up for grabs. Privacy settings can be altered to help prevent this from occurring. The lesson learned here is if you have any images which you are planning to sell, don’t want others to see or use, do not post them on facebook.

You tube video on the Media Revolution- some pretty crazy predictions!

Week 4- lecutre

The idea that was brought up toward the end of today’s lecture about using web applications such as you tube as marketing tools interested me

Sites which everyones familiar with; you tube, my space, facebook ect are readily being used as marketing and advertising tools. For example many people create facebook accounts for their business. The example used in the lecture was film makers and actors uploading their video on you tube are advertising their skills for anyone in the world to see.  Many actors in these short, home made films are now working actors and have small internet film projects to partly thank for their success. 

I find it pretty great that anyone of any age, race and background can promote / advertise themselves of the net. Other forms of communication such as tv, radio marketing cost a fortune and have all sort of stipulations. Self promoting on the internet is free or very cheap. Definitely something i will keep in mind for the future, especially if i work a freelancer.

WEEK 3- Myself and New Communication Technologies

The first time I began using "new communication technologies’ probably began as early as  10 years ago ie; grade 7. It was ICQ which is an instant online messaging program that was before msn and similar to facebook instant chat available now.

I used it purely to communicate with friends and would never have known about it, or known how to use it if it wasn’t for the friends that introduced me to it.  It was really just a way to talk to friends that didn’t result in getting yelled at by my parents for a disgracefully expensive phone bill. Since that day my use of these technologies has increased and expanded (probably to an unhealthy level). I now use facebook and email from my mobile as apposed to the giant, chunky family Pc i had in year 7.

I’ve personally never had any problems with privacy on social sites although I don’t accept friend requests from people I have never heard off, nor do I post anything I wouldn’t be comfortable with people seeing. In saying that though I have had friend who does the same thing and has had problems, so maybe I’m just lucky.

Week 4-Questions

What are my favourite search engines and Why do I like certain search engines more than others?

I must admit I'm extremely lazy and I only use google. I have not even bothered to try other search engines. However thats probably because google has never failed me, and its my home page.

How do search engines rank the stuff they find and who, or what, makes one page more useful than another one, so that it is put at the top of your search results?

I’ve found its mostly by the matching the content. For example if you search Africa, things with Africa in the title will come up first, followed by sites with Africa in the article a lot and then articals with Africa in the least. So I assume the more times the keywords searched appears in an article the higher its ranked

Week 3- The holiday lecture

Did we even have a lecture?? I’m just going to go by the notes on learning at griffith site. I have absolutely no idea how this stuff about film relates to the course but as I said before I’m new..so what I do I know. I suppose its good to be aware off anyway. Maybe more useful to film students though?

WEEK 2---Late, late, late

Hi to all, I’m a newbe to this class hence the extremely introductory post. I’ve still got a fair bit of catching up to do so I’ll keep it short and sweet. My names renee, I am photography student from QCA at southbank and I’m doing this subject as an elective. To be honest, doing this subject wasn’t my intention but due to dodgy timetabling here I am. Hope I don’t bore you too much with constant rambling.. .I talk a lot.