Anonymity and the internet

     Have you seen the words "We are anonymous. We are legion." around? Maybe you've seen teenagers wearing Guy Fawkes masks? How about the group Lulzsec? Have you wondered where any of these phenomenons came from? Then let me ask you another question. Have you ever been to 4chan.org?
     Launched in 2003 by its creator Christopher Poole, 4chan.org was an attempt to bring a thread-based imageboard to the English audience similar to its Japanese counterpart, 2chan.net. Like 2chan, 4chan featured multiple boards for different topics. Unlike most websites, 4chan moderated its users differently. Some boards had multiple rules, while others were only checked for child pornography (In accordance with international law, to keep the site legal.) One such thread was the famous /b/.
     Out of this completely unmoderated board came a new sense of power. While some users preferred to share pictures of cats, /b/tards, as they came to be known, were pioneering what the rest of the internet would soon follow, although it might not look like it. Users took to creating inside jokes and tests to haze new users (which would become the first memes), posting slurs and gruesome pictures to startle other users, and defining the principles (the rules of the internet, they would call them) that movements such as Lulzsec, wikileaks, and other internet anonymity groups would come to adopt. Anonymous, the activist group originating from 4chan (so accurately named because of the importance of being an anonymous poster on 4chan) began to act in political interests, performing "raids", attacking groups like the Church of Scientology.
    These groups began in their infancy as teenagers with "Fight Club mentalities" seeking to harass others for fun (trolling, as it is now known), but it grew into something very important. Lulzsec, a group founded from Anonymous, has taken down the CIA's website, helped in international revolutions, and has foiled the British Government's plans to find them multiple times.
     The group serves as a good reminder that progress is not linear, and that, given a mask, people will show their true selves. The anonymity of the internet gave those who did not want to be noticed the power to both change history and be total assholes to others. But in the end, I like to think that the changing the world part was a little more important.

Vamosi, Robert. "ANonymous Hackers Take On the Church of Scientology." CNET News. (2008): n. page. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. <http://news.cnet.com/8301-10789_3-9857666-57.html>.


http://www.ted.com/talks/christopher_m00t_poole_the_case_for_anonymity_online.html

The relationship between technology and society

The
nature of the relationships between technology and society is extremely complex
and there is no way to fully explain it. However, there is no doubt that both
elements feed off each other. The common saying is, “What came first, the
chicken or the egg?” This question is a good way of looking at technology’s
role in society.
Social
construction illustrates innovation as a process of co-construction in our
society and relates to how society and technology influence each other. “This
discussion has made evident the interaction of culture and technology at all
levels. The earliest human societies used technology, in the form of tools and
weapons to transform their natural environment. Civilizations are based on,
among other things, the technologies of building and writing” (Murphy and
Potts). Technology’s influence on social change is indisputable. Language is a
technology; almost everything we do or have after we’re born is thanks to
technological advances at some point. Therefore, society as we know it is
dependent on technology.
However,
in Does Technology Drive History?,
there is a passage on the philosophy of “soft” determinism which suggests
technology does drive society, but technology is also shaped by human needs.
“To understand the origin of a particular kind of technological power, we must
first learn about the actors. Who were they? What were the circumstances?”
(Marx and Smith xiii). This quote references how the circumstances of society
motivated the creation of new technology. For example, the Wright Brothers
tried and failed many times to discover what it took to fly, but they were the
ones motivated enough to enhance their society with technology. Technological
breakthroughs do not always happen by accident. The need in society for a
quicker way of transportation necessitated the advancement of air travel. The
mastery of flight, in turn, necessitated social change in how we view time,
space and changed how people can do business and live their lives.
In conclusion, technology and
society are intertwined and cannot be separated from each other. Sometimes in
class I feel as if we talk about them as separate entities. However, I think it
would be valuable, as a class, if we kept the concept of social construction in
mind throughout the rest of the semester.

Marx, Leo, and Smith Roe Merritt. Introduction. Does Technology Drive History? Cambridge: Massachusetts Institute of technology, 1998.

Murphie, Andrew,
and John Potts. Culture and Technology. Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.

Cell Phones: A History

            In 1983, one would never have thought that thousands of cell phone models would ever be in existence (Evolution). At that time, if you had described a touch-screen or 3G networks to even the most business-professional and tech-savvy people, you´d have gotten some looks that made you question your own sanity. What used to look like a small shoe box with a simple keyboard now appears as a slim, pocket-sized, full-keyboard device with internet and music-playing capabilities.

            At age 5, I recall longing to one day own a cell phone, though at the time I thought this was such a stretched notion of possibility, knowing that the majority of people who owned cell phones at that time were wealthy businessmen, costing around $100 at a minimum. Unknown to me, in 1999, a cell phone incorporating GPS was first introduced and was mainly popular in Europe (Evolution). As in many other fields, the new millennium proved successful in the subject area of technology. In the early 2000s, I can remember coming to the realization that more and more people were getting into the cell phone craze—specifically fancier models, like the ¨new¨ BlackBerrys (Edwards).

            While cell phones can still be rather expensive—depending on the model, company, and plan—more economical options exist. In the process of cell phones becoming more practical and available, downfalls have arisen, also…the most recognized being the big cancer-causing scare (Cell Phones). Cell phones emit radiofrequency energy, a type of electromagnetic radiation. Although there is some concern on this issue, no solid data has been observed nor recorded stating that cell phone use correlates with cancer (Cell Phones).

            What IS fact, however, is brand popularity over time. The original manufacturer in the early 80s was Motorola; and while they remain a preferred and competitive brand today, there are a few others that have come into the picture in the last three decades, including: Samsung, Nokia, IBM, (Sony) Ericsson, BlackBerry, HTC, LG, and the beloved Apple (Evolution).

            From simple phone calls to GPS tracking to text messaging capabilities to regular internet service, it is clear that cell phones have evolved dramatically. As seen in the last 30 years, technology will forever be developing and advancing, cell phones included. Perhaps in another 30 years, we will no longer be carrying around our cell phones, but rather exclusively use Bluetooth technology or something completely foreign to us now. We may not be able to predict the future of cellular communication, but when it happens, we’ll know it.

Sources:

¨Cell Phones and Cancer Risk.¨ Feb. 22, 2012. National Cancer Institute. <http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/cellphones>

Edwards, Benj. ¨Evolution of the Cell Phone.¨ Oct. 4, 2009. Feb. 22, 2012. PC World. <http://www.pcworld.com/article/173033/evolution_of_the_cell_phone.html>

¨The Evolution of Cell Phone Design Between 1983-2009.¨ Feb. 22, 2012. <http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/05/the-evolution-of-cell-phone-design-between-1983-2009/>

Which came first: your cell phone, or sleep?

Technology has equipped us with such an immediate portal of communication where we find our lives subject to its whims. As humans, do we owe it to ourselves to find sustenance in peaceful setting where we can detach ourselves from the day’s labors? Will we ever be able to fully step away from the mess of strings connecting us to the workplace? There is a question we must reflect on as students, mentors, and citizens of the world:

When we clock out and leave the office, are we really done working?

International Cyber Warfare

            In the fall of 2010, during the Student Conference of United States Affairs at the United States Military Academy, I had the opportunity to listen to a speech delivered by U.S. Admiral James Stavridis. Admiral Stavridis, as the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is arguably the most powerful military commander in the world. He spoke of the current threats posed to both America and the free world, which included nuclear weapons and both domestic and foreign terrorist groups. However, he emphasized that the largest and most threatening danger is the potential for increased cyber warfare.
             Admiral Stavridis explained that while cyber technology has allowed for better communication and military capability, it also poses a significant threat to our security and safety. His sentiments have been echoed by a reoccurring theme in our Principles of Information Technology Class: that technology has both its positive and negative consequences. Although oftentimes we naively hope that emerging technology will be used for the betterment of humanity, it is sometimes, sadly, not the case.
             The United States has recognized the emerging threat of cyber warfare and terrorism since the summer of 2010, in which it was believed that the Chinese military had begun using civilian computer experts to infiltrate U.S. military and corporate computer systems. We have also witnessed the incredible influence and power of groups such as ‘Anonymous,’ who have recently partaken in ‘international hacktivism’ on both government and private companies.
             Although we become increasingly dependent upon computer and cyber technology, we are also becoming more and more vulnerable with both our physical and financial safety.

Samuel, Henry. "Hillary Clinton urges Nato to tackle cyber terrorism." Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/7104720/Hillary-Clinton-urges-Nato-to-tackle-cyber-terrorism.html.

Technology in the Future

For the free choice blog, I would like to talk about the future of technology. As a society, we have already made great strides forward with technology. But how far can we go? Is there a limit to the progress that we can make? If not, then what will the future be like?

       As a kid, I can remember playing the nintendo. My brother and I would play some game and always end up in a fight. But then as time went on we got a playstation, and then a playstation 2 and now 3. We went from a controller with 3 buttons to a game system that can download movies, music, and just about anything you want. My point is, that has happened in a span of 20 years, which for that kind of technology is really not that long at all. So what will my children be playing in the next 20 years? According to Michael Noer, of Forbes Magazine (2008), “ In 10 years, mashing buttons to control on-screen avatars will no longer be enough. Gamers will insist on being able to "feel" a game, or to "move" realistically within it. We already have force-feedback steering wheels, guitar-shaped controllers and pressure-sensitive dance pads. In the future, expect much more.”

      It is important to understand that while I am only focusing on the technology of gaming, the article can relate to much more than that. From this article, I would say there is no limit to the progress we can make, not just with gaming, but with technology in a broader sense.

       Basically what I am saying is that, in a way, we should be excited about what the future of technology has in store for us as a society. Who knows, maybe even one day we will be riding around in these “hovercrafts” like George Jetson. In any case, it should be quite the spectacle.

College Students and the Internet

It is pretty well known that the vast majority of college students have a close relationship with the Internet. The Internet offers them many things, whether that be the ability to conduct research, upload photos, or communicate with peers. The question is: is the Internet a distraction for college students, or a helpful tool?

One can say a lot about both accusations. Personally, I feel that the Internet can be both a distraction and a helpful tool. I'm not quite sure which is more true than the other. I know that in regards as it being a distraction; I can relate. College students can easily get distracted from their work by visitng social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, or Myspace, or they could get distracted while surfing the web for information by clicking on links to other unrelated topics. They can also get distracted by the games offered on the Internet, and especially by communicating with others on the Internet, whether it be through chat or Skype.

I feel that it can also be a helpful tool for college students, though. It gives them the opportunity to find the exact piece of information that they are looking for with just a few clicks of a mouse. They do not have to go to a library and search for hours on end for the research they need. All of the information is right at their fingertips. This in turn can help them become more knowledgable by having access to such a vast amount of information, and they can educate themselves by searching on the Internet.

A study on college students Internet use shows that "43 percent of the students that completed the survey spend 10 hours or more a week on the internet. Google, Yahoo and Myspace are the most visited sites. Sixty-two percent of the students that completed the survey download photos; 24 percent of the students participate in online bulletin boards, groups or chats." (imediaconnection.com) This study directly shows how much time college students really do spend on the Internet, and how relevant the Internet is to them.
As a college student myself, I feel that it is the student's choice whether they want the Internet to act as a distraction or a helpful tool. It is by their doing how they want to treat the Internet, and how they want the Internet to effect them.


Source: "Study: College Students' Internet Use - IMedia Connection." IMedia Connection: Interactive Marketing News, Features, Podcasts and Video. Web. 22 Feb. 2012. <http://www.imediaconnection.com/news/10466.asp>.

Tech Boom

            Where would we be without technology?  It is safe to say that without it I wouldn’t be able to write this post for every viewer on the Internet to see.  Technology has become so intertwined in our every day lives in the last quarter century.  While there may be cons to it, there is no debating that it has made for significant advances in our lives.

            Technology has allowed us to extend the lives of millions of people as well as help cure global diseases.  Procedures such as kidney and heart transplants would not be as feasibly and precise as they are now.  We can have robots assist in surgeries with much more precise incisions and higher safety.  Dr. Patel who works at a Florida Hospital in Celebration, Fla stated,   “From Day 1, when I sat down at that robotic console, I knew we would give patients a better outcome.”  With technology growing rapidly every year there is no limitation on procedures we will be able to master with the help of technology.  While technology for medical purposes is very beneficial it is also helpful in our personal lives.

            Everyday thousands of Facebooker’s and Tweeter’s log in to see comments from their most coveted stars.  Many even try to “tweet” them in hopes for a “retweet”.  With connections to sports moguls and corporations like ESPN on our social networking cites we don’t have to leave our phone to get the daily scoop.  We even become reliant on up to the date scores for our favorite teams, provided to us by downloading apps.  This is all easily available to us thanks to technology. 

            I believe it is crucial we continue to invest in technology due to the advancements it can make to society in a manner of years.  There is no telling what is in store for us in the future but I am positive technology will play a major role in it.

Kolata, Gina. "Results Unproven, Robotic Surgery Wins Converts." nytimes.com. 
     N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/health/ 
     14robot.html?pagewanted=all>.

Photoshop Deception

            I am very excited to have the opportunity to write about any form of technology. There are so many different possibilities, and it gives me the chance to speak my mind about how some technologies can cause irreparable damage. What I want to talk about is Photoshop and editing.

This question in mainly for the ladies. Have you ever seen a photo in a magazine and absolutely envied what you saw? The model might have a “perfect” body, or great skin. How much of that do you think is real? The ability to use technology to edit these pictures puts the standard for modern beauty extremely high, and this can negatively effect the development of young girl’s.

            According to Vivian Diller,  “Clearly, these are complicated psychological and sociological issues, in terms of both the underlying causes for the recent explosion of adolescent eating disorders as well as the subtle (and not so subtle) ways the media influence these problems. Just as there have long been questions about the connection between violence on TV and childhood aggression, or between cigarette ads and adolescent smoking, more research is required to know how to move forward on the cultural impact of Photoshop”. The unrealistic standards set by advertisements causes young girls to feel inadequate, causing eating disorders, low self- esteem, and even depression. A few years ago, Dove made a video showing how twisted and deceiving advertisements can be. They started with a photograph of a beautiful woman on a billboard. They show how much the hair stylists, make- up artists, and the editor did to make the advertisement. It is absolutely appalling.

            The recent shift in Dove’s advertising to show real women is causing many other companies to change. Clothing companies and beauty product companies are using women more relatable to the audience. They are not using Photoshop or unreasonable editing. Things are looking forward in the world of advertising and the wellbeing of young girls.

Here is a link to the Dove video for those who are interested: Dove Evolution

Diller, Ph.D., Vivian. "Is Photoshop Destroying America's Body Image?" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 19 July 2011. Web. 22 Feb. 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vivian-diller-phd/photoshop-body-image_b_891095.html>.

            

Virtual Test Drive

You know when you are searching for different cars on the Internet, and you can view different pictures and videos of this car online? Now imagine being able to test drive a car, and doing it on a computer! How insane and exciting does that sound? Well, when this was made possible, I kept thinking to myself, because that’s how people drive cars—with a mouse on your computer—right?

Fear of Ourselves

            Previously, we discussed the short documentary “Future Shock,” based on the book by Alvin Toffler, and whether or not, as the film implies, this leap into advancement is a large step back for society. I would like to take this a step further, and examine what kind of effect a radically new and different technology would have on society now, specifically, artificial intelligence. Ignoring for the moment whether it is possible, or practical, or requires far more knowledge than we have today, would an AI be human? Would it be a person, distinct from human but still equal, and what would their rights be?

Subcutaneous Medicine

This week I found an article about technology and medicine.  Massachusetts scientists created a chip that would be implanted into a body that would deliver the correct doses of medicine at pre-determined times or remotely!  This product works well for patients who often forget to take their medicines at the correct times, or for people whose doctors want to change their dosage. 

Technology keeps geting smaller!

            Have you ever noticed that technology is getting smaller and smaller? Computers that used to take up an entire room now can fit in your pocket. Not only have these computers gotten smaller they have gotten faster and smarter. This technology work has not stopped at all. Prof of this is the work of American and Australian physicists. They are working on creating an transistor out of a single atom. This achievement would revolutionize the computer and technology world. “We laid the groundwork for a futuristic quantum computer that might one day function in a nanoscale world and would be orders of magnitude smaller and quicker than today’s silicon-based machines”.(NY Times). The more work these researchers do the closer we become to actually living in an almost futuristic society.

 I know that I would love one day to be able to have the technology to have a supercomputer in my pocket or be able to someday have the technology to have artificial technology to get us to other planets. The way they are making theses transistors is by using a phosphorus atom to either be on or off, 1 or 0. This is completely groundbreaking because if this takes off it has the ability to be smaller and work better than those silicone models that are in use today. Since technology is getting smaller this really could help in the medical world. By making theses transistors so small the medical field could use this technology to create Nano-processors and implant them in to a human body. This could help control breathing and heart rate for at risk victims.  They could also create small robots that could go in to a human body and perform surgery. This ground breaking technology is an untapped resource for technology all buffs out there. I can’t wait to receive the benefits of how this technology works.

Bibliography

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/20/science/physicists-create-a-working-transistor-from-a-single-atom.html?_r=1&ref=technology

Technology Distractions in the Workplace

            According to a recent survey by Workplace Options, it is estimated that American Businesses lose around 650 billion dollars a year due to work place distractions.  These distractions can include, work place drama, meetings that run over time or most of all technology.  More than 53 percent of employees admitted to these distractions affecting their productivity for their company.  In the survey, technology came in first place with 25% of the vote for biggest distraction.  Personnel such as office mates and coworkers was second with 23%.  Meetings and luncheons was next with 12%.  Last was celebrations with 4%. 

            Having personal experience in the workplace myself, I know that my cell phone distracts me a lot at work.  I have worked in many different types of jobs and my cell phone is always a major distraction during my shift.  I always try to text and check my phone when I am less busy at work but it is still a distraction in the end.  Also at my job at work, I always have my computer with me which poses a distraction with social networks and computer blogging.  55% of employees feel social media is a huge distraction at the workplace. 

            Another experience I have with distractions in the workplace is my mother working from home.  She has been working from home for about a year and she often gets distracted from social networking and her cell phone.  She is a very good worker but it is very easy for her to get distracted with no one watching over her shoulder to see what she is doing.  Employees working from home have to be very disciplined and  balance distractions and production for their company.

            Some quick fixes I have for the problem of technology distraction is banning technology at the workplace, blocking social networking sites in the workplace or tracing the amount of off topic technology used during work hours.  Some of these may impede on employee satisfaction but may overall increase production rates.  A business could also make rules about less off topic technology used but make positive outcomes like paying for a portion of cell phone bills or something to improve employee satisfaction. 

            Employee satisfaction is very important but overall production of a business is the most important thing.  Technology can take away from good production of a business.  Cell phones, social networks and computer programs can have a very large impact on production distractions. 

"Survey Says: Workplace Distractions Affect Productivity | TechJournal South." TechJournal. 30 Sept. 2010. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. <http://www.techjournalsouth.com/2010/09/survey-says-workplace-distractions-affect-productivity/>.

New Weapons

As the conflict in Syria continues, the Syrian regime has found a new weapon to use against the political activists. Computer viruses and spyware.

Will A "WALL-E" World Be Our Future?

I am sure many of you have seen WALL-E, the movie about a robot named WALL-E whose job it is to clean up the waste covered earth. All the humans are in space on a space ship where they are all obese after years and years of relying on the technology from the ship. This movie has really got me thinking, about a potential future for our world. Now, this might seem a big dramatic, but I wouldn't say that it is too far off. Think about it, with the rapid rate of technology, things are much easier for us to do. We communicate easier, can travel faster, learn more cures faster, etc, but with all this technology, could it be making us lazier, leading to a point where there is no need to physically move anymore?

To Burn a Book.

I agree with several things stated in this opinion piece, there are concerns that we should have with this outbreak of information however I do not  believe it is a matter of quantity but of quality.