The Next New Thing

We spent a lot of time in this class talking about new media. About the technology that has been created and about how this trend is changing the face of the world. And yet, in a world where information is so easily acceptable and everyone can become their own journalist, the population remains highly uninformed.

For those of you who have never heard of the AP Wire, allow me to explain. Associated Press collects all the news, pretty much, and makes it available for subscribers. Many newspapers subscribe to the AP style and use the AP news and contribute.

Now, journalists and most journalism students have the advantage of having access to the AP wire. Now for my new type of new media, I believe that it should be made available to everyone. Actually I would like to take it one step further. It should be made that the option isn't even given. Just like certain computers come with certain programs; Twitter, Facebook, Google Networks, and other forms of social media should come with the AP wire already in them. Making it almost impossible for the average human not to know what is going on.

Wiki So Far

Aside from reading through all the content on our class wiki and my bio I contributed an article about new media and politics.

I am very interested in the phenomena. Using new media for political campaigns. Whether it be through Twitter or creating a fan group or poll on Facebook, or just being part of an online political community. New Media, I think more than anything else is changing the way politics is done.

For the article I made an account on every site I spoke about  and followed political Twitters. I paid close attention to certain trends and how the communities were being used. And just because I finished the article doesn't mean I have stopped. The concept is fascinating. I hope to talk about it more.

P2P File Sharing

File sharing is distributing things like music, video, computer programs, etc. over the internet.

P2P file sharing, or peer-topeer file sharing, is pretty much exactly what it sounds like.  People sharing files over the internet. Information moving from one computer to the other over the network.

P2P file sharing can happen a number of ways. You can log onto a site like Isohunt or PirateBay type in what you are looking for and download it using an application like Transmission or UTorrent.

Jamie King, director of Steal This Film, used P2P to release the first part of his film, simply to take a look at how new media is changing things.

I don't know about you but I love my TV. But sometimes I can't watch the shows when they are on or they are on different networks and overlap. How do I fix this ? Well, Chris Nuttal of the Financial Times wrote about using the file sharing network to catch up on your television shows.  Using the sites I mentioned before, you can catch up on all your shows.

P2P is becoming more and more popular and more and more advanced. I can't say if it is right or wrong, but it sure is convenient.

Privacy

Interestingly enough, in addition to this class I am also taking a course in computer ethics.

Now how does privacy and confidentiality relate to new media?

Well how far is too far?With  new media, especially  social media it is hard to tell when you have crossed the line.

Let's say I see you doing something inappropriate and I decided to pot it on Facebook. Well is that wrong? Do you have the right for me not to do that?

Facebook is littered with pictures of people in compromising positions posted by said person's "friends".

In all the sparkle of new media we forget that we might be doing things to people, or them to us, that are ... well not right.

You have to be careful in this site. I mean everyone airs their business all over, which I guess that is fine for them but what about if someone else does it? Or how does someone else use it?

To give an example of privacy, a close friend of the family passed away, and about a year after his death his wife goes onto Facebook to find that some people she knows just uploaded pictures with him in them. She was extremely upset by it.

It is a slippery slope.

Advice to Baruch

What advice wouldn't I give them?

That was a joke. Sort of.

I think I would start off by telling them that they should make it a requirement for each and every professor to set up a blackboard for their classes. It is there, and it is useful, so why not take advantage of it? It also makes it easier for the students. But if professors are not going to use it, what is the point?

Next, I would actually tell them to set up a blog or a wiki in which students can voice their opinions about Baruch or some of the issues they have regarding the school. It is a big school and the administration obviously doesn't have time to listen to every student, so something online to serve that purpose would be great.

I also this the school should urge their professors to have a wiki for each class ( in addition or instead of blackboard). I have learned thus far in CIS that wikis are great tools, so why should they be limited to courses in new media? Let's expand.

I think there are a lot of things that Baruch can try... but in the meantime you can download their iPad app.

Blog About My Research Project

I spoke a little about this before...

I chose to do how New Media impacts my hobby, which is blogging.

Blogging is one of the most important things I do. It is the only thing I do pretty much everyday and enjoy. So taking a better look into how I am in the midst of this new media world was not only interesting but helpful. It allowed me to learn some new things that I can use and also realize just how much my feet are stuck in this world.

I have dipped myself into pretty much every facet of new media just for my blog. Facebook, Twitter, Stumble Upon, other sites like 20sb.net that only bloggers have heard of. My days are pretty much consumed with it, so why not make it amy research project?

Creativity and New Media

Ever hear of DailyBooth? If not, let me tell you about it. It is like Twitter but with pictures.

You upload snapshots of anything and get people involved in a conversation.

Well I decided to use it to play a game. When ever I was on long drives with friends or family or just really bored I would suggest the word association game. Someone says a word and you say the first word that comes to mind. It can get hilarious.

Well I decided to try it with the internet tools at my disposal.

Here is how it went.

Want to see the action? Click Here