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Whither the Individual?

              The internet is a powerful source of all types of information, sources, companies, and products. Through the past few decades the internet has grown immensely and continues to grow exponentially each day. With a huge playing field to browse from, the internet provides numerous opportunities to learn, watch, and read. However, how we use the internet is another question. There is a plethora of sites and web spaces that serve as a so called “evil” that spread viruses or gossip that can be consumed by the computer user. Which poses a bigger question: Are social networking sites, like Facebook, “evil” or are they just a way to stay connected with friends in high school, college, and when you move into the workspace? Does it all depend on the user of computer? These questions are being debated all the time with clear reasons for each.

            Facebook originally started as a source for college students to meet and they were restricted to their own campus, but quickly Facebook made it possible for high school networks and eventually whoever else wanted to have their own page. Facebook contains its own email system, instant messaging, picture folders, video folders, and the ability to embed links to other sites that the user is able to choose. Also, the most important program is the friend finder, which you can find your friends or even block friends.

Facebook features plenty of advertisements and addicting games that can also hook the individual to stay on the site for longer. Facebook is not alone. Myspace is a close relative of Facebook and contains most of the features of it. Others social networking sites have various of the same features and ideas. For the post, I am going to be referring to Facebook because it seems to be the most popular social networking site presently.

            Facebook is a great representation of our rights according to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. With the ability to write or show whatever you would like, through the site, it gives the user the ultimate power in any way that they see fit. The average person may use the Facebook for the purposes that it was designed for, but others can use it to harass or bully people that they know. Sending messages through the internet, with the intent of hurting another, physically or emotionally, is known as cyber-bullying. Obviously cyber-bullying has only been in existence since the start of the World Wide Web, but it is very prominent in today’s culture.

Cyber-bullying is more commonly found on Facebook than other social networking sites and has caused many different events and lawsuits. Cyber-bullying can be found in high schools and colleges all around the world. Even when the individual, that is being provoked, leaves school to go home, they still are accessible through the web to be bullied. An example of a cyber-bullying situation had hit South Hadley, Massachusetts in 2010. Phoebe Prince, who had emigrated from Ireland, had been harassed on Facebook in which drove her to commit suicide. Nine different teens were charged with a different array of things in relation to the suicide. Phoebe Prince is not the only one to have committed suicide from cyber-bullying. Plenty of other suicide cases point to bullying in school and cyber-bullying.

With all the features that Facebook provides, millions and millions of people have joined. Many play the popular games and join the same popular groups that ultimately link each other together. Does this take away from originality? I think so because you can only do so much on Facebook until you are restricted and you can almost bet on have the same sort of page as another in the world. However, how the individual uses their page in terms of pictures, videos, and what they right does give the individual some kind of identity. Even though you can express your individuality, the limitations of Facebook keep stuck at a certain point and you feel trapped and addicted to a web page.

“Personal space” is also another idea that is impeded on with Facebook. They do try their best by providing a very advanced security system that can block certain people and groups from seeing your pictures, videos, wall posts, or even your entire profile. However, some people do not realize that they have such options and they are completely open to the public. Your identity is completely open for others to access and your privacy is totally invaded. Are social networking sites conforming society? Yes, with sharing of information and the ability to find anyone, Facebook and other sites like it have turned the users into clone-like humanoids.

WEB 2.0 and Digital Nation

1. I think the use of amateur looking tv shows and advertisements have their own category to themselves. Professional production values will never drop, but always stay stagnate and highly-valued. Amateurish looking tv shows and ads and professional production will always be in different categories. I believe that making something look homegrown helps relate the ad or show to everyday life of an everyday person. It is a way for companies to connect to their audience. However, professional production is used to formally establish a product of sorts.

2. The two social media sites that I use are facebook and myspace. They are easy ways to connect with your friends and also learn of other people and events that are going on around your area and involving your friends. Facebook is probably more successful than myspace because of the more options that it provides and its focus on college life. Originally, facebook was just for college students and still it keeps that value with alittle more of a spread out average aged user. People connecting with other people, their age, is very appealing.

3. Transparency is an important concept in the social media world because it gives the internet user the ability to access knowledge about a certain object, thing, or individual and it also gives them the opportunity to express themselves publicly, showing who they are. I think it is more important in the offline world to have transparency because people do not communicate in person as in the past which has led to socially struggling young adults when in comes to face to face interaction.

McLuhan Photoshop Final Post

         This picture shows the way the iPod dominates today's cultures, all over the world. Music is a main source of entertainment for everyone and can be transferred and shared through the iPod. The iPod is being expanded and upgraded everyday adding to the state-of-the-art features that it already holds. People are able to share their opinions and thoughts to each other through a network stretching out of the entire earth's population.

Medium is the Message

     This picture shows the way the iPod dominates today's cultures all over the world. Music is a main source of entertainment for everyone and can be transferred and shared through the iPod. I still need to make some minor changes to the jpeg.

Mediums

Mediums of Today:

The radio is a medium and is one of the earliest forms of communication in the 20th century. It continues to be upgraded and now people are able to spread their news and ideas throughout the world with XM radio.

The computer is a medium. It transfer tons of information throughout the entire world and is a quick source for information. The expanding use of the computer has changed from dial-up connection to video conferences.

The telephone is one of the other early mediums of the 20th century. People communicate everyday over the phone and now feel the need to have a phone with them at all times, in their pockets. Communication between people has become very easy with the instant chatting the telephone provides.