Item 3: Essay

4. What are the uses/limits of the Internet in terms of politics and/or democracy? Should we rethink the nature of the political? What happens to the nation/state in the age of networks that have the potential to span the whole planet? What has happened to the idea of "community" in the age of networked digital media? Discuss with an example.

     The term ‘politics’ is defined as ‘social relations involving intrigue to gain authority or power’. (WordNet 2006) A politician, who gains the peoples interest and support, ultimately gains this power and authority. The Internet is very influential when it comes to politics and the fate of the world, for reasons that will be explored throughout the essay.  But now that the concept of politics has been discussed, what is the Internet? "The Internet is a network of networks (including servers, mainframes, personal computers and other devices using computer-mediated communications) that link people around the world into an information-sharing system". (1501HUM 2009, Lecture Two)

The Internet has been a useful tool in the most recent years of democracy’s growing place within the world of politics. Democracy is a system of government with a key element:

*  "The active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life".  (E-Democracy 1994)

This element of democracy provides the foundation in terms of how E-democracy initiated.

E-Democracy means electronic democracy and 'represents the use of information and communication technologies and strategies by democratic actors within political and governance processes of local communities, nations and on the international stage’. (Pieterse. 2002, p.9) It is argued by Jan Pieterse that the new communications networks favour democratic nations. "These systems depend on the ability to exchange information, to swap data, and to promote a free flow of information around the network” (Pieterse. 2002, p.10). This symbolizes what democracy, fundamentally is; and enables people to relate their own knowledge and situations with others from all different backgrounds and societies around the world.

     The Internet has changed the nature of politics, just as television had a significant effect on politics during the sixties. John F. Kennedy used television in 1961 in much the same way as Barack Obama made use of the Internet during the precedential election in 2008.  Mr Kennedy’s charisma was demonstrated through the television to large numbers. ‘Millions watched his television debates with the Republican candidate, Richard M. Nixon’ (The Presidents 2002) and Barack Obama’s charismatic and confident persona was not only displayed on television, but the more affordable, and highly accessible Internet. YouTube presented countless opportunities for the advertisement of Obama’s campaign. “The campaign’s official stuff they created for YouTube was watched for 14.5 million hours. To buy 14.5 million hours on broadcast TV is $47 million.”  (New York Times 2008) It is believed that if it weren’t for these communication mediums, Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Obama would never have been elected. Thus, the powerful influence communication technologies have in the world of politics is too important not to be embraced by the politicians of today and of course, the politicians of tomorrow.

      The Internet benefits the politicians themselves, ultimately by presenting beneficial opportunities to the citizens. ‘The media (both traditional and the Internet) can help increase voter participation by not only providing citizens with information to make informed voting decisions, but by stimulating interest in elections.’ (Tolbert & McNeal, 2003, p.177) The I-Internet is a good example of this. Surveys of voters new to Internet elections in Australia and Western Europe "indicate that voters prefer voting online to any other method including on-site voting machines" (Why I-Voting? 2007)

      In the age of networks that have the potential to span the whole planet, the effects on nations are significant. They are all the more significant in the well-developed countries that have easy access to the information provided by the networks. The Republic of China has its obvious limitations when it comes to information accessible to the citizens, but these limitations are gradually decreasing over time. “Studies of Chinese mass media have consistently revealed a tendency toward the loosening of political control” (Yang. 2003, p. 407) This demonstrates the inevitable impact the internet is having on the world. Even in the most politically restricted countries, the force accompanying the Internet, cannot be ignored.

     The age of networked digital media is here and the idea of ‘community’ in many societies is rapidly changing. The increasingly easy and affordable access with communication technologies is the key factor to this change. The youth of today are not so much playing with marbles on the street with their friends from across the road, but are in their rooms, on their computers; with the opportunity to still be apart of a community.

     Community is considered a positive thing "because its members cooperate; they help one another. Cooperation presupposes effective communication, which is said to be another characteristic of community” (Tuan. 2002, p. 307)

      This sense of community may come in the form of social networks such as Facebook, Myspace, twitter and personal blogs etc. These new online communities allow the experience of increased social networking. The youth in particular, are gaining skills through these network communities, and undoubtedly painting the face of what politics will be in the future. Kids today "interact with multiple forms of nontraditional texts and different sources of information, access popular culture and mass media, and communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives through the use of new technologies". (Lawrence, McNeal & Yildiz. 2009, p. 485)

      One of the most important effects that new communication technologies offer is the increased awareness and acceptance of different cultures. Living in a global world, (another impact of the Internet) It is a necessary step for societies to become communities. Members of a society are often strangers to one another “They either do not communicate or do so with less success” (Tuan. 2002, p.308) With the growth of the Internet, the emphasis on community is becoming more apparent on the personal computer and society is more apparent on the neighbourhood street. Hopefully future politicians will not purely rely on their facebook profiles and youtube videos to win elections, but make a big point of keeping the ‘community’ in our society and not just on our computers.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

                1501HUM New Communication Technology Lecture 2, 2009, Griffith University, Brisbane.

 E-Democracy.Org, Homepage, E-Democracy, 1994, Steven Clift, Minnesota, viewed 16 October 2009

http://pages.e-democracy.org/Main_Page

 

Elect: Universal Access Today, 2007, ‘Everyone counts- Why I-Voting?’, Andrew Dumke, viewed 15 October, 2009

http://www.everyonecounts.com/index.php/why_everyone_counts/why_i-voting

 Lawrence, Salika; McNeal, Lucy & Yildiz, Melda 2009, ‘Summer Program Helps Adolescents Merge Technology, Popular Culture, Reading, and Writing for Academic Purposes’, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, vol. 52, no. 6.

http://www.jstor.org.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/stable/20468391?&Search=yes&term=program&term=adolescents&term=summer&term=helps&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dsummer%2Bprogram%2Bhelps%2Badolescents%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3Dcommunity%252C%2Bsociety%2BAND%2Bthe%2Bindividual%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&item=3&ttl=1294&returnArticleService=showArticle

 Nederveen Pieterse, Jan 2002, ‘Globalization, Kitsch and Conflict: Technologies of Work, War and Politics’, Review of International Political Economy, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 1-36

http://www.jstor.org.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/stable/4177411?&Search=yes&term=politics&term=Technologies&term=work%2C&term=war&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DTechnologies%2Bof%2Bwork%252C%2Bwar%2Band%2Bpolitics%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3DTechnologies%2Bof%2Bwork%252C%2Bwar%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&item=1&ttl=14003&returnArticleService=showArticle

 The New York Times, 2008, ‘How Obama’s Internet Campaign changed politics’, viewed 16 October 2009,http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/how-obamas-internet-campaign-changed-politics/

 Princeton University, 2006, WordNet, Global Network Organization, George A. Miller, America, viewed October 21st 2009

 http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=politics

 Tolbert, Caroline J. & McNeal, Ramona S., 2003, ‘Unraveling the Effects of the Internet on Political Participation’, Political Research Quarterly, vol. 56, no. 2, pp. 175-185.

http://www.jstor.org.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/stable/3219896?&Search=yes&term=political&term=participation&term=internet&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dinternet%2Bon%2Bpolitical%2Bparticipation%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3Dunravelling%2Bthe%2Beffects%2Bof%2Bthe%2Binternet%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&item=2&ttl=5483&returnArticleService=showArticle

 Tuan, Yi-Fu 2002, ‘Community, Society and the Individual’, Geographical Review, vol. 92, no. 3.

http://www.jstor.org.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/stable/4140912?&Search=yes&term=individual&term=society&term=community%2C&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dcommunity%252C%2Bsociety%2Band%2Bthe%2Bindividual%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3Dinternet%2BAND%2Bcivil%2Bsociety%2Bin%2Bchina%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&item=1&ttl=244818&returnArticleService=showArticle

 The White House Administration, 2002, The Presidents, viewed 17 October 2009

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johnfkennedy/

 Yang, Guobin 2003, ‘The Co-Evolution of the Internet and Civil Society in China’, Asian Survey, vol. 43, no. 3.

http://www.jstor.org.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/stable/3557845?&Search=yes&term=society&term=civil&term=internet&term=china&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dinternet%2Band%2Bcivil%2Bsociety%2Bin%2Bchina%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3Dinternet%2Bon%2Bpolitical%2Bparticipation%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&item=1&ttl=1712&returnArticleService=showArticle

Lecture 6- Video Production and Consumption

The increase in both Video Production and Consumption has increased due to the rapid development of technology.

Technology that has encouraged this increase includes:

* Computers (and the various programs they offer)

* Mobile Phones (with cameras, radio, mp3, broadband internet)

* iPods (Easy access to music and music videos)

Because of the rapid development of technology, the above examples are increasingly more accessible (aswell as in price) Our world today damands that we keep up with technology. For not only is consumption a significant factor in being apart of and contributing to society, but we have taken a step up, and production is becoming almost as important. Examples include:

*Facebook- Almost everyone feels the need to have their own personal profile on facebook, in order to feel apart of socity- or they feel left out.

*The creation of websites by businesses. Gains valuable exposure.

* Posting videos on youtube- Exposure to possible talent. Example, Lily Allen

Cinema (Lecture 3, Week 4)

WHO? WHAT? WHERE? WHEN? WHY? HOW?

The cinema asks & answers sooo many questions.

I think cinema and the television mediums are amazing. How they abide by certain rules in order to answer the above questions. I am studying Film history and research and believe it's relevant to this lecture. I love how the industry has evolved on so many levels, as this lecture demonstrated, the different shot sizes used in the right way can result in a huge emotional impact when watching a film or TV show. (For example, the close up can answer the question WHO? by showing the character in detail) It is so clever that we as the viewers don't consciously know why or how we are made to feel the way we do. Unless of course we take a closer look at such techniques that are used to manipulate our viewing experience.

Search Engines (Week 4)

How do search engines rank the stuff they find on the internet? The location and frequency of keywords. Terms appearing in HTML title tag are often assumed to be more relevant than others. 

Link Analysis: Can analyze how pages link to eachother. Search engine can determine what a page is. It is "important". Some webmasters build "artificial" links to boost rankings.

who, or what, makes one page (that you might get in your search results) more useful than another one, so that it is put at the top of your search results?what are some of your favourite search engines? why do you like one more than others?   A webpage is useful if it has the information you are after. Basic facts are given, these facts are elaborated on and sometimes links are provided to other websites based on specific information you might be after.  The information has more credibility if it is found on a professional site, without bias. Google is the best. You can find anything and I believe it finds the most relevant websites.

My Relationship With Communication Technologies (Week 3)

No, I don't have a facebook. 

How come? 

Well I've never really been one to follow trends. While I get the advantages of having a facebook... 1. You have a constant presence with everyone you know & 

2. you can spend lots of time playing games and quizzes about "which Friends Character you are"... Wait, did I say advantages? haha

No but seriously I get that it's a nice way to stay in touch with your family & friends who perhaps live in another state/country/planet... But when did the good old fashioned letter, or email go out of fashion? The moment face book came on the scene is when. 

The public display of your life is unsettling. An example of the harm it can cause is this:

My friend is a dancer. This guy is obsessed with her. He makes up a fake profile of himself, pretends he's a professional dancer from the US. She accepts him as a friend. All of a sudden this freak has access to her whole life. Her friends, where she lives, what she does... And she has no idea.

I believe we're some how losing the charm of real human interaction. Anyway, I've been told that I'm an old soul before and I guess I believe it after reading over this rant of mine. 

A space on the internet for just anyone can be a dangerous thing! 

A (short) history of Computing and the Internet (Lecture 2)

The computer and the internet developed in much the same way as all technology does- Gradually. A number of different educated people have left their mark on this development over a number of years. From Charles Babbage, who invented the first mechanical digital computer and the Analytical Engine in the 1800's, to Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak who produced the Apple II (the first PC for people who weren't techies.)

The lecture also went into the distinctions between the Internet and the Web.

I got the impression that this distinction means alot to the "computer nerds". It must be frustrating when researching something of interest on the web is referred to as "I just looked it up on the internet" 

The reason behind this frustration is the fact that the web is just one single part of the broader internet which includes many other things as well as the web.

Yet another aspect of the internet is cyberspace. It is a conceptual space where words, relationships, data, ideas, wealth and power exist and it has been debated on whether cyberspace is a 'consensual hallucination' or just another form of reality. This is a profound question, so I am aware of why the answer is debated. 

As much as technology has made our day to day lives easier, I have to wonder how beneficial it ultimately is. People rely on technology to a huge extent, and this extent is only getting larger as technology develops. Thus, we are increasingly further from the natural life we used to live. For example, in preparation for winter, we used to chop our own firewood instead of ordering an electric heater online. We'd catch up with friends over a good meal, rather than post them a message on their 'facebook wall'. So when you look at it like that, you could say technology is robbing us of our skills! in terms of our social and physical ability. 

I believe the 'consensual hallucination' is becoming our reality. Whether this has more benefits than problems is another question. I suppose where we are today is a result from our natural progression as a species.