The Next New Thing

A possible new media tool that has not yet been created can be a modified version of the iPhone, or smartphone, application Trulia. This app deals with the real estate market and displays locations of homes, commercial property, and land that are being sold. These properties are displayed on an interactive map, similar to Google Maps. A small green icon appears on the map, showing the location and price of the property. When you click an icon, all of the property information comes up, including address, square footage, taxes, pictures, and the real estate broker/company who is selling the property. This is a very useful tool when house hunting or searching for investment properties. What can make this app even better is a feature involving a discussion board, or user-to-user message function that allows buyers and real estate brokers to send messages to each other using channels provided by the application. Also, buyers can talk to other buyers, or comment on the properties they have seen. For example, a buyer can message a broker about a specific property. This message from buyer to broker and vis-versa would be linked to that specific property so the recipient of the messages will know what property is the topic of discussion. An example of buyer-to-buyer communication using the app can involve a situation when a home buyer sees a property on the app that looks interesting. This buyer would be able to view the comments posted by other buyers who may have already visited the property. The buyer who is interested in this property can read the comments in order to make the decision of whether or not it is worth their time to visit the property. The buyers can also message one another in real time to discuss their personal perceptions of the properties. I believe that this app would benefit many property buyers, investors, and brokers, due to the new ability to efficiently and conveniently communicate and collaborate with one another.     

Our Class Wiki- So Far

So far, I have contributed to the "How Businesses Use Social Networking Sites" section of the class wiki. In my writings I have discussed how businesses have used social networking sites for consumer analysis. Businesses purchase and analyze consumer information that is posted on sites such as Facebook and Twitter in order to gain a competitive advantage by getting into the minds of consumers all over the world. Businesses use these sites in order to find trends and to strategically direct advertisements towards consumers that show interest in what the business offers. Also, businesses use these sites for consumer relations in attempt to become more aware of how consumers view the companies. I also explained how businesses use social networking sites in order to find out more personal information and details on possible new employees and applicants. Social networking sites are becoming a widely used tool utilized by companies in their recruiting process.

I plan on contributing a substantial amount of more information to our class wiki. I would like to add some information to sections of the wiki including politics and P2P sharing. Some general points I would like to make about new media in politics is how politicians use new media in efforts to help their campaigns and create more awareness of what they stand for. Politicians have used new media with intentions to create more personal relationships with followers as opposed to business or formal relationships. Also, I would like to talk about how P2P file sharing has become a globally used technology and has dramatically contributed to the spread and sharing of data and information using internet channels.

P2P File Sharing

File sharing can be described as a process in which computer users use internet technology as a network medium to link their computers in order to transfer useful data including songs, movies, and software between computers in distant locations. The internet was developed based on the principle of linking computers and sharing information. This technology has expanded and is now being used by millions of people all over the world. The rising use of file sharing has led to illegal uses in order to obtain expensive software and digital assets for free. High demand for digital products led to improvements in this internet based technology, primarily P2P file sharing. As explained in Online Piracy and the Emergence of New Business Models by David Y. Choi,  P2P file sharing involves "computer users using the internet as a channel for copying files stored on someone else's hard drive". This type of technology is known as a bittorrent, which enables users to access other users' hard drives in order to extract the necessary files that, when put together, make up an entire software program, song, movie, or video game. Bittorrents actually extract data file bits from multiple computers in order to minimize the time spent downloading the files. The more machines doing the work, the quicker the job will get done. This technology was made popular by a famous software called Napster that allowed users to download bootleg copies of music for free. Napster was eventually shut down, but other sites emerged including Kazaa, Pirate Bay, and Utorrent. The preceding examples of file sharing tools are all illegal and provide users with free data, but this technology has led to the creation of legal technologies that were built based on the same fundamental function. Apple created iTunes, which uses the same concept as the illegal forms of file sharing. The difference is users must pay for the digital products that they desire. Illegal downloading and digital piracy has led to sales losses of up to $20 billion per year. Many organizations and governments have attempted to crack down on illegal digital piracy, but the global use of this technology has made it almost impossible to eliminate this practice. Other technologies including Peer Guardian are used to distort or scramble one's IP address when downloading illegally, making it more difficult for law enforcement agencies to trace who is downloading.  

Privacy & Confidentiality

Privacy and confidentiality concerns have increased due to the use of the internet in general. For example, when buying a product online the purchaser must input their personal information including name, address, phone number, credit card information, and email. There are certain technologies, such as encryption software that require keys to view the information that people submit into websites. This software is helpful, but individuals submitting their information cannot be certain that this information is not being intercepted or being used unethically by the intended recipient. This situation is the same when inputting information into new media websites, especially social networking sites. You do not only submit the information listed above when signing up for social networking websites, but you also input personal information including your thoughts, likes, dislikes, hobbies, favorite movies, foods, stores, restaurants, products, services, and all sorts of information. Social networking sites like Facebook also publicize the location of where people are posting certain posts if the person is posting using a mobile device. The publication of all of one's personal information can make it possible to track and have a view into one's personal life. Social networking sites have made it possible for people to access huge databases storing the personal information of millions of people around the world. This social media technology has eliminated privacy and confidentiality because of the previous discussed reasons. Not only can user's of the social networking sites access other user's information, but the company's operating the social networking sites have sold consumer information to businesses in order for companies to target certain consumers and bombard them with advertisements. Also, these companies use people's information to find what consumers like or dislike in order to discover new trends that can be profitable. People must be aware that their information isn't only being viewed by the social networking sites that they sign up to, but it can also be viewed and used by other members of the sites and businesses that purchase personal information. Personal information is being widely distributed, which has significant negative effects on the preservation of privacy. The only way to sustain one's privacy is to avoid submitting personal information on the internet, limit the use of social networking sites, and carefully choose what information they post online.  

Advice to Baruch

There are many ways in which new media can help in the education system. For example, everything being done in this class is performed using new media and has proven itself as a technology that can be beneficial in the education system. We have used blogs to share our thoughts, we have used twitter's hash tag to find each other's posts and comment on them, we are using wikipedia to collaborate, and we have used blackboard as central location where we can communicate, collaborate, and share information. All of these new forms of technology are useful in fostering learning and creating a virtual atmosphere to instantly share information from distant locations. Baruch can further utilize new media technology in other classes as well, such as classes that are only conducted in the class room instead of online. For example, an accounting class can use blogs or twitter's hash tag to discuss different accounting concepts or different chapters in the class curriculum. Any class can take advantage of the new media technologies by sharing information and communicating not only in the classroom, but online as well. Also, if classes have group projects to work on the students that make up each group can use Skype as a free, online tool to have conference calls or video chat if necessary. Professors can stress to utilize this technology for more efficient and convenient collaboration on group projects. Professor's can also stress the importance to their students of becoming friends on Facebook and following each other on twitter so students can communicate, network, share information, and help one another if they miss a class or do not understand the information being taught. Also, online tools can create a more relaxed, stress free environment for students in and out of the classroom if students become more familiar with each other and "break the ice", which can help students learn and enjoy their time spent at school. I believe Baruch has been utilizing new media efficiently, especially in online classes, but can expand this use of online technology in other classes. Any class can benefit from the use of new media and online collaboration because it brings an in-classroom experiences into online environments.      

Creativity and New Media

http://www.myspace.com/memoriesinplay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctXk1m5nbuw

The links above will bring you to a Myspace profile and a youtube video of my old band, Memories in Play. These two forms of new media have allowed my band to publicize our music and reach out to our audience using methods that were not available in the past. Without the use of internet new media it would be very difficult for the band to attract fans, communicate directly to fans, and distribute music to our audience. Myspace and Youtube both have allowed the band to not only provide our audience with music, but provide them with videos and pictures as well. Posts on the band's Myspace profile and Youtube video pages serve as a means of communicating and reaching out to the audience. These technologies have also allowed us to provide the fans with news of upcoming shows and events. These websites display the number of how many visitors, views, and song plays that occur over time. This was beneficial to the band because this gave us some insight about the growth of the band fan base. All in all, new media greatly benefitted the band.

Creativity

Creativity can be described as unique, innovative, and inspirational forms of thinking or representations of one's unique, innovative, and inspirational thoughts. Over time people have become creative in the way they use new digital technologies. First of all, it was extremely creative and innovative to design hardware such as computers, smartphones, and digital cameras that perform unbelievably powerful functions. This hardware can only be used with the proper software, which also is an immensely creative and innovative technology. With this new software came applications and websites such as Youtube, Twitter, Flickr, and many other's as well. With these few resources individual's ability to be creative and share their creativity is limitless. With the use of cameras, computers, and certain types of software individuals can shoot a video, make background music, and edit the entire production. Finally, when the production is complete this individual can post the video to the many websites that provide members with the ability to publicize their work. These channels for sharing creative work include the three websites stated above (Youtube, twitter, and Flickr), Myspace,  Facebook, Instagram, Google and others. In the article The New Math of Mashups, Mark Vidler describes how the simplicity of being musically creative is due to the fact that “You don’t need a distributor, because your distribution is the Internet. You don’t need a record label, because it’s your bedroom, and you don’t need a recording studio, because that’s your computer. You do it all yourself.” This means that a single person alone can creatively make music with the use of their computer and publicize this music using the internet, eliminating the need for other parties to help with recording and distribution. The simplicity of publicizing a creative work has sparked the growth in people's creativity. Millions of creative videos are being posted to Youtube everyday, which is evidence that people feel more inclined to be creative. The power of an individual to publicize their work has motivated people and has been a major influence on the creative works that exist today. 

Modeling Reality With Virtual Worlds

Virtual worlds are online simulations of the real world, involving all aspects of life including social, business, and educational interactions, which mimic actual face-to-face interactions and scenarios. User’s of virtual worlds see this technology as an opportunity to lead a second life, which is the concept that led to the creation of the virtual world, SecondLife. SecondLife and other virtual worlds involve users controlling avatars in a real world landscape that allows them to create their own environment and interact with other users in the virtual world. Due to the extensively detailed representation of our physical and social environment, users can do the same things that are done in real life, but while they are sitting at their computers. This has lead people to utilize this technology in many ways and for a number of reasons. Some people use virtual worlds to do things that they have never gotten the opportunity to do in real life including, visiting places they have never been to before, or dancing in a night club. User’s of certain interest groups use virtual worlds to come together and interact, giving people the opportunity to virtually socialize with strangers who they would have never met if virtual worlds were not in existence. In the article iReport: 'Naughty Auties' battle autism with virtual interaction by Nicole Saidi, it is explained how individuals who suffer from autism and Asperger’s Syndrome use virtual worlds in order to become familiar with, and learn how to interact, communicate, and behave in social situations. People with disabilities involving paralysis or the inability to perform physical activities can use virtual worlds to swim, jump, run, dance, and even fly. 

Discussed in the previous paragraph are some of the many pros involving virtual worlds. These pros include the ability of virtual worlds to provide people suffering social anxieties and disorders with the chance to practice and familiarize themselves with social interactions in steps. These people can use virtual worlds as their first step towards socializing and progress to face-to-face interactions when they feel more comfortable with handling the situation. Psychologists believe virtual worlds can be used as additional therapy to help people suffering from social disorders. These virtual worlds allow people to participate in society while they are in their own homes where they feel secure and comfortable. Virtual worlds give users opportunities to walk down the virtual street in a virtual neighborhood and run into a stranger, who is physically located in another part of the world, but in the same virtual world, that they would have never met. This technology has the ability to bring the global community together. Virtual worlds have resulted in lasting friendships and connections. People can conduct business in a virtual world that provides users the ability to practice a profession or occupation. A virtual world can help any kind of interaction, whether it be social or business related, due to its capacity to produce a sense of face-to-face interaction with the use of avatars. Even though the avatar may be a false representation of its user, the technology gives users a visible body to communicate with, which enhances the interaction. 

The cons to virtual worlds may seem less obvious than the pros. One may perceive that virtual worlds may inhibit face-to-face interactions by giving people a reason to stay home and communicate virtually. If people begin using virtual worlds too much they may hinder their abilities to conduct in face-to-face interaction. Some say that society has already been consumed by technology that has limited face-to-face communication and virtual worlds will add to this reliance on computer interactions. 

Virtual worlds can foster creativity within the population of users. It is obvious that bringing different people together that come from different parts of the world can bring new ideas to the table, because of many diverse perspectives and knowledge. These people with creative ideas now have a simulation that they can use to create their own environment and social life. This technology is a creative tool that people can use to design a life that they desire. A user of a virtual world must create an image, style, name, and appearance of their avatar and the environment that it lives in. The person must also coordinate the mannerisms of the avatar and conduct conversations with other people. The individual participating in this must be significantly creative to make this as realistic as possible. The article "I've Been in That Club, Just Not in Real Life" by Dave Itzkoff explains that there is a thin line between real life interactions and virtual world interactions, and this line is fading. In order for this to be true the users must be creative and envision themselves in the world that is simulated on their computer screens. Creativity of users is the foundation that makes for effective virtual interactions. 

I think that in the future virtual worlds will gain popularity and attract more users. Some of these virtual worlds may look like a complete fantasy environment, but continue utilizing the fundamental functions allowing users to communicate and interact using avatars. Virtual worlds may one day be exact replications of large areas such as the entire United States or even the entire world. People may one day have the ability to drive across the country, fly to another country, or walk through their favorite park all in a virtual world on their computers. This type of virtual world can give people the chance to see things they have never seen before that actually exist in the real world, meet people they have never met before, and experience what the world has to offer all in a virtual world.  

Blog About Twitter

I believe twitter is an effective and efficient tool used for communicating, but it does have important limitations when compared to a blackboard discussion and a face-to-face in class discussion. Twitter is useful when briefly communicating and commenting or replying to another person's posts. But if someone was trying to give a thorough explanation of something, an in class or blackboard discussion would be much more effective in doing so. The major reason for this is the 140 character limitation to all posts on twitter. This limitation forces people to get their point across in only a short sentence. It can be very frustrating to write several posts to get a short point across that may be equivalent to a thirty second face-to-face conversation. However, twitter is very useful when spreading news to a large group of people and creating awareness. The links to other's posts is also very useful when discussing specific topics or brainstorming and certain ideas.

I believe that an in class discussion is the most efficient and effective way to communicate and no other forms of communication can surpass it. However, some individuals may be timid or feel pressure in a classroom when speaking in public. For these people, blackboard and twitter may be a much more useful way of communicating because it relieves this social pressure and allows them to communicate with a large group of people without actually speaking.

Blackboard has become a major medium of communication in colleges. It has become a useful tool for many teachers and students and substantially aids in academic discussion and communication. Unlike twitter there is no character limitation when discussing on blackboard, making it a very efficient medium of communicating and allowing its users to thoroughly explain and discuss whatever is being studied.

Social Networking Sites

Social media sites all share the basic foundation or purpose, which is the five C's; communication, collaboration, creativity, community, and convergence. Four specific social networking sites that are very effective in conducting the five C's are Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, and LinkedIn. Even though these sites share the same basic purpose, they can be used differently and have different functions that make them unique. 

Facebook has become the biggest and most popular of all the social networking sites. Facebook seems to be the most broad social networking site in regard to its capabilities. This site allows users to share all forms of information. I believe it is the most efficient in using the five C’s. It allows people to privately and publicly message other users and share pictures, videos, thoughts, and ideas. This site has organized peoples’ lives online allowing them to relive some of their favorite times by looking at pictures from the best parties, concerts, restaurants, vacations, and well, everywhere. Facebook is great for keeping in touch with friends, for advertising a business, and for making people aware of upcoming events. It seems to be used primarily for  entertainment and social relationships, however, it is also used for business purposes such as marketing. Facebook is designed in such a way that people can use it for any purpose they desire.

Myspace is quite different from Facebook. A major difference is that there is no news feed. People have to search for their friends instead of getting their posts on the news feed. Myspace seems to be set up like a blog. People create a profile and write comments to each other on one another’s profiles. Myspace has a lot of the same capabilities as Facebook including writing comments, sharing photos, and sharing videos. I think Facebook is more effective in connecting people and allowing them to communicate and collaborate more efficiently. A major use of myspace has been promoting bands. Many bands create profiles on myspace and post their songs allowing people to stream their music. Bands post pictures, videos, comments, and a list of any upcoming shows or events that they are involved in. This is an efficient way of connecting with their audience and fans and keeping them informed on the latest news of shows or album release dates. 

Twitter is much different from both Facebook and Myspace. It does not have the capabilities of the other two social networking sites, but has gained popularity and has attracted many members. Twitter seems very basic in it’s functions. It allows users to post comments or “Tweets” that are available to a user’s followers. These comments may include a person’s thoughts, ideas, likes, dislikes, complaints, or outbursts. Some people may post comments on somethings they want to advertise such as a business or they may write a review on a product they bought. The unique aspect of twitter is the 140 character maximum tweets. This forces users to post very brief messages. I do not believe that Twitter is as effective in allowing people to collaborate, but it is efficient in brief communication and spreading awareness.  

LinkedIn is another growing social networking site that is based on the five C’s. This site is specifically used for business purposes. LinkedIn allows its users to connect with others in a business-like fashion. People can build contacts and message one another about their jobs or other jobs they might want. Users can create private groups, similar to a chat room, and collaborate on anything they choose. LinkedIn also allows people to connect with others who work for the same company as they do. This can be very helpful when trying to network with people in the same field or profession or in collaborating and communicating for work purposes. Employers use LinkedIn for recruiting and for reaching out to possible new employees.  

Social Networking

Social networking technology has been designed in a unique way that has allowed users to utilize the sites in a vast amount of ways. Due to substantial increases in social networking members, people have thought of new and unintentional ways of using the websites. Most users are using these sites in order to maintain and keep up with their social lives. As explained in the article "Brave New World of Digital Intimacy", people, especially young people, use social networks to find out where their friends are, what they are doing, who they are with, and if they are in a new relationship or have ended an existing one. Other users of these sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook, use the technology to conduct, promote, and maintain business relationships. People doing recruiting work for a company may use Facebook or LinkedIn to find people that may be fit for a particular job. Employers may search a new hire's Facebook, Twitter, or Myspace for anything that he/she would consider unacceptable for a representative of the company. Many businesses use these websites as advertising tools because they can easily create widespread consumer awareness of what their company offers for a very low cost. People have used these social networking sites in a manipulative and criminal way as well. There have been instances involving predators manipulating people into meeting up with them in person after they have met on Facebook, Myspace, or Craigslist in order to commit crimes such as theft, murder, and rape.

The many social websites that are available today have taken our traditional social engagements and turned them into an online virtual environment that enables users to communicate and socialize by means of sending text, photos, and video. These new possibilities offer benefits and opportunities that haven't existed prior to virtual social networking. Friends, family, employees, coworkers, and clients can now communicate and keep in touch with each other when their busy schedules allow them to do so. Instead of only face to face, telephone, and instant message communication, which involve two or more people communicating in real time, people can now send a message, reply, or comment on one's wall when time is available. Blogs have allowed complete strangers to discuss any topic that they are interested in, are having trouble with, or are studying. Websites such as chatroulette.com have allowed people from different parts of the world to communicate via video chatting. These individuals would never know the other existed if these new social networking technologies were not invented. Businesses have benefited greatly because of a new, inexpensive tool for communicating, externally to consumers and internally to coworkers, advertising, and recruiting. In the article "Is Myspace Good for Society? A Freakonomics Quroum", Nicole Ellison says that people who utilize social networking sites will have more "social capital gains" than people that do not. These people will be more in touch with peers and the rest of society that uses these sites.

It is obvious that there can be a dark side to a society based on social networking. As explained above, there have been instances involving people using these sites to manipulate others in order to commit crimes. Another dark side of social networking websites is surveillance of society. Due to the large volume of active users of these sites, vast amounts of personal information of members can be sold, used by businesses for advertising, used by law officials during criminal investigations, and used by the government to keep a close eye on society. Facebook now displays the location of where someone posts a picture or a comment enabling one to use this feature as a tracking device. Many people perceive this utilization of personal information as invasive and unconstitutional.

I think membership to social networking sites will be required by many employers in the future in order for employees to keep in touch with coworkers and customers that they deal with. When conducting business many customers like to deal with the same employee of the company that is involved. Businesses can utilize these social networking sites in order to keep customers linked to a specific employee that has been involved in the previous transactions of the customer. I believe many companies can benefit from offering this form of customer relations and customer service. The quality of service by each employee may improve as a result of a closer relationship with customers. Customers will be able to ask questions, set up meetings in person or via telephone, or provide satisfaction reviews by posting to the page of the specific employee. These employees can react and respond to this live fed information in order to immediately adapt to each client or customer.

   

Blog vs. Wiki

Blogs and wikis are two software applications that have made significant contributions to the way people utilize computer technology. The main functions of blogs and wikis are to make vast amounts of information available to the users and anyone who would like to read them. Not only do they provide information, they have created a virtual or computer society that discusses ideas, topics, jobs, sports, electronics, and anything under the sun via a personal computer, mobile device, or tablet. The article Walmart Task-Makers Write Unfiltered Blog explains how blogs are used to make consumers aware of what products to buy and not buy. This technology has been a vital contributor to the convergence of people around the globe that allows anyone with access to a computer to publicize information and knowledge and create a well-informed, well-aware, and intelligent society.

Blogs and wikis are similar in many ways. They both allow people to collaborate and communicate with one another. For example, a blog can be used to collaborate and communicate for business purposes. If, say, a group of employees were assigned to a special project and must communicate and organize via the computer they can start a blog about the tasks that must be performed to complete the job. They can post about the tasks each will be performing, any problems they might want to bring to the attention of the group, or any findings that may hurt or help the group. Blogs would be very helpful for this type of use because the individuals in the group can always refer to the blog and remember what is required and any information that would help complete the job. 

With both blogs and wikis, users can all input information and make contributions to discussions that have been created. No one can feel left out because they are available to anyone, except for private blogs and wikis that can only be viewed and edited by selected individuals. The article An Internal Wiki That's Not Classified explains how that State Department uses the wiki Diplopedia to make information available to State Department officials. This is a private wiki that allows those with viewing and editing authorization to contribute to the articles, discussions, and biographies. If the government uses it, it must be a quality medium of discussion and information sharing.   

Blogs and wikis are also very different in many ways. If you have seen a blog and a wiki before you can immediately tell that the layouts are different. Blogs are designed more like a discussion board that allows users to post a comment and answer to previously posted comments of other users. Wikis are designed to be more informative than blogs. Each individual user can contribute to the wiki by adding to the information of the chosen topic. The contributions entail writing one's own thoughts or editing another users contributions. Blogs do not allow one user to edit another user's posts.

Wal-Mart Tastemakers Write a Blunt and Unfiltered Blog, NY Times, march 3, 2008, p. C1, at:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/business/03walmart.html

An Internal Wiki That’s Not Classified by Noam Cohen. The New York Times, August 4, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/business/media/04link.html

Analysis of Social Networking: A Purposeful Loss of Privacy

For my term paper I will be doing an analysis on how social networking has made privacy a thing of the past. In my paper I will discuss how privacy has been eliminated by new technologies such as facebook, myspace, instagram, and twitter. Social networking sites are not the only culprits that have invaded people's privacy. The internet as a whole is generally the technology to blame. Sites such as whitepages.com allow people to search for other individuals in order to obtain personal information about them including, name, address, phone numbers, and names of relatives. This is frightening to a lot of people who desire privacy. Information on the internet is being used in ways that were not intended by creators of these new technologies. For example, businesses are using facebook during the hiring process to find out personal information about new employees. Also, craigslist.org has been used by criminals to deceive people and commit crimes. In my paper I will explain in depth how these new technologies have had positive and negative affects on the privacy of individuals in our society.

Michael Tesoro

New media has had a huge impact on our society. Society spends less time in front of the TV or outside playing sports. Forms of new media have attracted people's attention to the computer, especially internet. Social networking has captivated much of our global society and has become a worldwide obsession. Social networking websites such as facebook don't only involve socializing, but are also used for advertising, promoting, employment, data transfer, gaming, news, and research. Social networking websites are the epitome of modern media. Society has been linked by these sites giving members news and information at their finger tips. Blogging too, has become an important form of media. In the article Brooklyn Blog Helps Lead to Drug Raid, it is explained how a local blog created awareness about a crack house in the neighborhood that was disturbing the town residents. Bloggers began to blog about the situation, police became aware of the situation because of the blog, and took action. This is proof that blogs and internet communication can be a powerful tool. New media can be used in an endless number of ways. People have thought of thousands of ways to utilize media's abilities and thousands of new ways, if not more, will be discovered in the future.