Women, can we solve a problem?

Women, can we solve a problem?


Please take the time to answer 10 questions for market research. Please follow the below link.


http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GYDPYFY

Working in the New Media Universe

References


Bielenberg, David. 2011. "Week 7 Entry." KCB206 Blog - Ramblings on New Media, April 15. Accessed April 10, 2011. http://n6333869.blogspot.com/2011/04/week-7-entry.html


Castells, Manuel. 1999. "An Introduction to the Information Age." In The media reader: continuity and transformation, edited by Hugh Mackay and Tim O’Sullivan, 398-410. London: Sage Publications.

Casu, Taylor. 2011. "Lesson Four: Living Under the Bleak Gleam of 'GOD, the Media', Isn't So Bad." Antisocial Networking, n.d. http://taylorcasu.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html

De Jong, Alex and Marc Schuilenburg. 2006. Mediapolis: Popular Culture and the City. Rotterdam: 010 Publishers.


Kiviat, Barbara. 2009. "Résumé? Check. Nice Suit? Check. Webcam?" Time 174 (18):49-50.


Silverstone, Roger. 2007. Media and Morality: On the Rise of the Mediapolis. Cambridge: Polity.


Zittrain, Jonathan. 2009. "Minds for Sale." Berkman Centre for Internet and Society video, posted November 19, 2009. http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/2009/11/berkwest.

Health and the Internet

I recently booked a holiday to a country where health precautions must be considered. After entering my credit card details to guarantee two weeks of exotic Thai food and cheap handbags I immediately opened a new Safari window to reap advice from multiple health practitioners.

This led me to consider how new media has changed the way humanity send and receive medical information. According to Bennett (2009), the delivery of public health interventions is dramatically increasing online. This is particularly evident amid citizens facing significant barriers accessing health advice through traditional methods (Bundorf 2006).

Caption: Pink Stethoscope on Keyboard
Creator: Phil Morley
Source: http://cutcaster.com/photo/800895485-pink-stethoscope-on-keyboard/

Furthermore, Morton (2011) confirmed that this media channel facilitates the expansion of medical knowledge. From my experience I can appreciate that the riveting thrill of instantly researching health and wellbeing on ones own accord is empowering and this is what feeds the growth of health information online. 

In agreement with Lewis (2006), online access guided the shift from governmental and social responsibility to a more personal accountability. Today, individuals are reliable for their own health improvement and management in the privacy of their own homes.

However Bielenberg (2011) raised the issue of online credibility. Like me, individuals may fail to consider the possibility of misleading information within online research. Thus, I argue that relevant health information online should be regarded in addition to non-virtual general practitioner advice, not as a supplement.

References

Bennett, Gary and Russell E. Glasgow. 2009. “The Delivery of Public Health Interventions via the Internet: Actualizing their Potential.” Annual Review of Public Health 30 (1): 273-292.

Bielenberg, David. 2011. "Week 6 Entry." KCB206 Blog - Ramblings on New Media, April 10. Accessed April 10, 2011. http://n6333869.blogspot.com/2011/04/week-6-entry.html 

Bundorf, Kate M., Todd H. Wagner, Sara J. Singer, Laurence C. Baker. 2006. “Who Searches the Internet for Health Information?” Health Services Research 41 (3): 819-836.

Lewis, Tania. 2006. “Seeking health information on the internet: lifestyle choice or bad attack of cyberchondria?” Media, Culture & Society 28 (4): 521-539. 

Morton, Jai. 2011. “A Healthy Alternative.” New Media Native Blog, April 9. Accessed April 10, 2011. http://jailouisemedia.blogspot.com/2011/04/healthy-alternative.html

Branding the Self

References

De Jong, Alex and Marc Schuilenburg. 2006. Mediapolis: Popular Culture and the City. Rotterdam: 010 Publishers.

Deuze, Mark. 2011. “Media Life.” In Media, Culture & Society 33 (1): 137-148.

Inkinen Sam. 1998. Mediapolis: Aspects of Texts, Hypertext and Multimedial Communication. New York: Walter de Gruyter.

McIntyre, Jess. 2011. “How are we perceived on the Internet and New Media?,” New Media Interpretation Blog, April 2. Accessed April 3, 2011. http://jmcintyrekbc206.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-are-we-perceived-on-internet-and.html

Morton, Jai. 2011. “Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” New Media Native Blog, April 3. Accessed April 4, 2011. http://jailouisemedia.blogspot.com/2011/04/life-is-not-about-finding-yourself-life.html

Silverstone, Roger. 2007. Media and Morality: On the Rise of the Mediapolis. Cambridge: Polity.

Political Campaigns within New Media

Caption: Politics Social Media
Creator: Social Link Sandbox
Source: http://www.socialinkmedia.com/blog/94/94

Should new media be utilised for political campaigns?

This issue has provoked ethical concern worldwide while questioning the universal responsibility of Tim Berners-Lee's creation 'Web 2.0' (Gauntlett 2008).

Hamelink (2006) suggests digital technologies expand society’s ability to communicate misleading information. This is evident within Facebook pages of politicians such as Barack Obama and Bill Clinton who possess the freedom to construct idealistic identities (Bcistu 2011; Goffman 1959; Pearson 2009). Politicians may be unethically communicating bias opinions for electoral gain. I believe this practice raises anxiety as they have a powerful influence over consumers ‘following’ their social pages. 

Caption: Bill Clinton
Creator: Facebook
Source: http://www.facebook.com/billclinton

Caption: Barack Obama
Creator: Bellona
Source: http://www.bellona.org/

Although this moral issue is apparent on the Internet (Hamelink 2006), 

it is my opinion that is this digital platform is not at fault. 

If political deceit were not conversed online, it would be found on traditional platforms. The Internet merely allows a networked population to share information and increases society’s ability to assume collective action (Shirky 2011, 28). As supported by Morton (2011) and Prince (2011), social media empowers consumers to take  more control over political movements while governments lose a level of dominance. And isn’t this degree of transparency online more likely to prevent dishonesty than it is on channels disenabling consumer speech?

While there are obvious ethical concerns, I trust the Internet to be a favourable platform for interaction between politicians and civil society.

As an active individual, I urge you to make a difference by sharing your voice with politicians through digital technologies.

Caption: Share Voice
Creator: 123rf
Source: http://us.123rf.com

References

Bcistu, Pete. 2011. "Freedom and Responsibility," Digital Media Student Blog. Accessed March 27, 2011. http://digimediastudent.wordpress.com/2011/03/26/21/

Gauntlett, David. 2008. “Media and Everyday Life.” YouTube video, posted February 19. 

Accessed March 15, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlzu8UYidTY.

Goffman, E. 1959. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. 1st ed. Garden City, New York: Doubleday.

Hamelink, Cees. 2006. “The Ethics of the Internet: Can we cope with Lies and Deceit on the Net?" In Ideologies of the Internet, edited by Katherine Sarikakis and Daya Thussu, 115-130. New Jersey: Hampton Press.

Morton, Jai. 2011. "Power to the People," New Media Native Blog. 

Accessed March 28, 2011. http://jailouisemedia.blogspot.com/

Pearson, Erika. 2009. "All the World Wide Web's a Stage: The Performance of Identity in Online Social Networks." First Monday 14 (3): 1-8.

Prince, Marissa. 2011. "Internet = Freedom of Speech?," Marissa Prince Blog. Accessed March 28, 2011. http://marissaprince.blogspot.com/2011/03/internet-freedom-of-speech.html

Shirky, Clay. 2011. “The Political Power of Social Media: Technology, the Public Sphere, and Political Change.” In Foreign Affairs, 90 (1): 28-41.

A Three Dimensional Amusement Arcade

Caption: Mario Children
Creator: Mopo
Source: http://mopo.ca

ONLINE Gamer. . . 

Support, Collaboration, Sociability, Leadership

As somebody who does not interact with online gaming, I never understood the distinct culture and buzz around this new form of media. Nor had I refuted  socially Inept stereotypes chanted by online spectators (Yahoo! Forum 2011). It was not until now that I really acknowledged the true meaning of an online gamer.


It would be misleading to say that gaming is for the antisocial. Online arcades not only embody interaction between new media and ones self, they harvest social relationships, connections (Nardi 2010) and a sense of belonging (Wellman 2002). Bcistu's blog reiterates the idea that social media simply connects consumers who share similar interests.

Caption: Team Players
Creator: SK Gaming
Source: http://www.sk-gaming.com

However, new digital technology stems further than three-dimensional virtual worlds. In recent episodes, talk show host Conan O'Brien (2011) emphasised media convergence by recreating a real-life version of the video game 'Angry Birds' with music and film (watch below). The hilarious real-life experience proves that new media gaming steps outside of individual homes and extends to a more social, collaborative environment within a digital economy.

Caption: Angry Birds
Creator: Rovio Mobile
Source: http://angrybirds.myshopify.com/

(O'Brien 2011)

This emerging culture inspired media conglomerate News Corporation to 

"cash in" on the social gaming trend 

with "Making Fun" and "IGN Entertainment" (Chang 2011) as social gaming proves to have aspects of a business model (7News 2011). 

Employers should take note of this new trend as strategic challenges facing leaders in multi-player online role-playing games are shaping the skills required for real-world business leadership (Reeves, Malone, O'Driscoll 2008).

So don't be too quick to dismiss online gaming. After all, new media consumers shape our digital future.

Caption: Gaming
Creator: PE Central
Source: http://pecactivegaming.blogspot.com/2010/11/video-games-are-now-segmented-active.html

References

Bcistu, Pete. 2011. "The New Media Amusement Arcade," Digital Media Student Blog. Accessed March 20, 2011. http://digimediastudent.wordpress.com /2011/03/20/the-new-media-amusement-arcade/


Chang, Ellen. "News Corp. to Build Its Own Social Gaming Business." Last modified March 17, 2011. www.mobiledia.com/news/84332.html.


Nardi, Bonnie. 2010. "My Life as a Night Elf Priest: an Anthropological Account of World of Warcraft." Excerpts in First Monday 15 (7): 1-16. Accessed March 14, 2011. http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/ 3064/2574


O'Brien, Conan. 2011. Conan. TBS (broadcast March 8, 2011). Television Program.


Reeves, Byron, Thomas Malone and Tony O'Driscoll. 2008. "Leadership's Online Labs." Harvard Business Review, May. Accessed March 18th, 2011. http://hbr.org/2008/05/leaderships-online-labs/ar/1


Seven News. 2011. "News Corp. Aims to Build Own Social Gaming Business." Accessed March 18, 2011. http://au.news.yahoo.com/tech-news/a/-/technology/9023588/news-corp-aims-to-build-own-social-gaming-business/.


Wellman, Barry. 2002. “Little Boxes, Glocalization, and Networked Individualism.” Lecture Notes in Computer Science 2362 (1): 337-343. Accessed March 18, 2011. doi: 10.1007/3-540-45636-8_2. 


Yahoo! Forum. 2011. "Why do people hate on people who play World of Warcraft." Accessed March 17. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101212020819AA5xhW6

The Online Self within Social Networking

Caption: Expression of online personalities

Creator: Ambro

Source: freedigitalphotos.net

Socialisation 

“Mix socially with others” as defined by Oxford Dictionaries (2011).

In current society, individuals are re-defining the notion of social connection through shared understandings of codes, languages and signs of performance on the world wide web (Donath and Boyd 2004, 73; Pearson 2009, 2). 


The convergence of new media technologies (e.g. Internet, imagery and chat rooms) on Web 2.0 allows individuals to take the centre-stage on online networking platforms as curator's of the online self (Hogan 2010, 1).

'Do individuals communicate the truth about themselves or are we all actors under the media's spotlight?'

Caption: In the Spotlight

Creator: Ginta Lapina

Source: photographyoffice.com

I argue that individuals in contemporary society use social networking platforms as a playful space to conceptualise an impression of their ideal self. With a heightened self-consciousness (Chan 2000, 271-285) users resemble actors who deliberately construct a front stage performance, misrepresenting the truth (Goffman 1959, 12-19; Pearson 2009, 1-2).

The AusGovDBCDE (2008) video suggests,

"There's a sense of identity being played out (on) social networking sites (which) is fuelling a consumers' interesting set of activities around telling lies and keeping secrets."

(AusGovDBCDE 2008)

McIntyre's (2010) blog 'Who are you when you're on the Internet' supports the idea of social networks as impression management tools.

Comparatively, Monk's (2011) 'Constructing our Online Self' challenges this concept through Donath and Boyd's (2004, 71-82) idea of communicating an "honest self."


As this emerging culture expands, individuals are offered a theatrical platform to define their own appearance within cyberspace. However, how far will we go to blur the line between the ideal self online and reality? 

As social networkers, I urge you to consider,

'Where do we draw the line between front stage and back stage?'

Reference List

AusGovDBCDE. 2008. "Digital Economy Forum: Presentation by Dr Genevieve Bell (Intel)." YouTube video posted April 28. Access March 4, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE6QWUKIP5M.

Chan, Sharon. 2000. "Wired Selves: From artefact to performance." CyberPschology and Behaviour 3 (2): 271-285. Accessed March

13, 2011. http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/109493100316120?journalCode=cpb

Donath, J. and D. Boyd. 2004. "Public Displays of Connection." BT Technology Journal 22 (4): 71-82. Accessed 11 March, 2011.

http://smg.media.mit.edu/papers/Donath/PublicDisplays.pdf

Goffman, E. 1959. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. 1st ed. Garden City, New York: Doubleday.

Hogan, Bernie. 2010. "The Presentation of Self in the Age of Social Media: Distinguishing Performances and Exhibitions Online."

Bulletin of Science Technology Society 30 (6): 377-386. Accessed March 10, 2011. http://bst.sagepub.com/content/30/6/377

McIntyre, Jess. 2011. "Who are you when you're on the Internet," New Media Interpretation, March 12. http://jmcintyrekbc206.blogspot.com/.

Monk, Jessica. 2011. "Constructing our Online Self," New Media Musings, March 13. http://jessicamonkkcb206.blogspot.com/2011/03/contructing-our-online-self.html.

Oxford Dictionaries. 2011. “Socialize.” Accessed March 12, 2011. http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_gb0788180#m_en_gb0788180.005.

Pearson, Erika. 2009. "All the World Wide Web's a Stage: The Performance of Identity in Online Social Networks." First Monday 14 (3): 1-8. Accessed 11 March, 2011. http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2162/2127