Reflection

Composing a message isn’t simple just using text but combining text with signs (images) to complete a certain message to the public. Because there is no filter systems for the new media, bloggers must regulate themselves with unwritten rules of the blogosphere. According to Susan Gunelius, citing sources, seeking permission and monitoring writing is highly important for bloggers to follow because seditious information disseminate to the public can cause stir, chaos and unwanted attention to the public.

Other than that, blog design and layout plays an important role for a successful blog. Principles help designer determine the relationship between the design or part of the elements that are involved and serve as rules that a designer can follow when combining elements in a design. (Evans P 2006)

Last but not least, creating a blog that is user friendly creates an environment that enables your user to feel comfortable and able to menouver around the blog at ease. 

References

1. Susan, G. Top 3 blogging rules. About.com, [blog]. Available at: http://weblogs.about.com/od/bloggingethics/tp/Top3BloggingRules.htm
2. Evans, P,.2006. pg. 29

twitterific!

Image taken from: http://www.marketingcharts.com/interactive/marketers-top-social-media-twitter-blogs-linkedin-facebook-8692/social-media-industry-report-commonly-used-social-tools-march-2009jpg/

From the chart above done by MC Marketing chart, they were able to obtain the statistics of user usage of the new media outlets where Twitter is the no.1 pick following by blogging, LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube and etc. Twitter, run by a small organization is facing problems with identity theft. In such cases whereby an impersonator created an account with the name Dalai Lama which gained over 20,000 followers within 2 days before Twitter found out about the fraud. Numerous accounts of stars and famous individuals have been made by imposters for reasons to defame or impersonate an individual. Therefore, Twitter relies on the person who has been misinterpreted to contact the company because it is impossible for Twitter to monitor such cases. Biz Stone the co-founder of Twitter encourages famous individuals to run their accounts themselves instead of micro-blogging.

According to the Fedaral Trade Commision in 2005, they received 255,565 consumer reports of identity theft an increase from the previous year of 8,718.

Jason Krause stated that criminals know their way to obtain information. With the widespread electronic sharing data and loose ends regulation and law has made the crime more destructive. Identity thieves often manage to steal millions of pieces of information from online sites, and they use the Internet to sell that information, make illegal purchases and obtain fraudulent loans. In extreme cases, the victims may feel that their own identities have practically disappeared under the onslaught of the theft. ( Jason Krausse 2006)

Fake Twitter entries can appear to be humorous and entertaining, but it can sometimes cause serious damage to a persons relationship and reputation. Many Companies and individual faces money and reputation lost due to malicious source or information. For example, the case on Miley Cyrus the famous star twitter was hacked by an anonymous hacker which posted twits such as “ I hate small kids” and “ I’m not your kids role model”. This caused defamation towards the star and made fans wonder was it the star herself twitting or was it a hacker.

How you can protect your twitter acount?

1. Change your Password regularly
2. Avoid visiting profile on Twitter.com
3. Be wary about clicking shortened URLs
4. Always log out your account after use

References 

1. Jason, K, 2006. Stolen Lives. ABA Journal [e-journal]. Available at: http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/stolen_lives/
2. Twitter ID theft is not really a laughing matter. Best Identity Protection [online]. Available at: http://bestidentityprotection.net/twitter-id-theft-is-not-really-a-laughing-matter/
3. Marketeers top social media.MC Marketing Chart [online]. Available at: http://www.marketingcharts.com/interactive/marketers-top-social-media-twitter-blogs-linkedin-facebook-8692/

 

Fun with no boundaries comes privacy issues

With its vast selections of applications and outlets, Facebook has fast become a new media tool that everyone is using. But does the audiences know behind the 'greatness' of the product comes privacy concerns with its lack of boundaries for contact sharing.

According to ABC News it is known that Facebook application requires users to allow Facebook to obtain private information but little is known of what thier information is needed for. Contact information gained will be sent to Companies for thier contact database to track thier users online this causes privacy breach called data mining.

Image taken from: http://www.dijexi.com/2009/07/5-simple-basic-steps-to-create-facebook-application/

"Others paint a more pessimistic picture, and predicts that freedom will be endangered by the reduction of privacy for an individual as a registered citizen, a transparent employee and a consumer screened for every personal characteristic, by the growing  the growing opportunities for central control". ( Jan Van Dijk 2006)

Users must understand and acknowledge their information as private because letting other outlets get hold of thier private information is like letting a burglar into our homes in new media form. When informations are gathered and posted into the internet, there is no turning back or getting back of our private informations. For example Facebook terms and condition says that 'For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (“IP content”), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (“IP License”). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it'. It is a form of data mining such as a case where by  two MIT students downloaded 70,000 Facebook porfiles using automated script from four schools NYU, MIT, the University of Oklahoma, and Harvard as part of their research project. (John Charlton)

With the ever so expanding interface of new media with it's vulnerability of privacy protection, how will you protect your own privacy? Here are a few ways to avoid privacy theft:

1. Remove yourself from Facebook Search engine
2. Avoid wrong tagging
3. Protect your albums
4. Make contact information private

Reference

1. Maria, L. 2010. Coneect with Facebook. An Electiv Mind[blog] 21st July. Available at: http://www.google.com.my/imglanding?q=facebook+requesting&um=1&hl=en&biw=1899&bih=783&tbs=isch:1&tbnid=N7oZvr7ZQsHTHM:&imgrefurl=http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2010/07/21/connect-with-facebook/&imgurl=http://www.aneclecticmind.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/RequestForPermission.jpg&zoom=1&w=450&h=289&iact=rc&ei=V9zbTO4Gi-y4A8jQ0bwI&oei=V9zbTO4Gi-y4A8jQ0bwI&esq=1&page=1&tbnh=136&tbnw=212&start=0&ved=1t:429,r:11,s:0
2. Jan, V, D, 2006. The Network Society[e-book] Netherlands, bOHN, S, V, L. Available at: http://books.google.com.my/books?hl=en&lr=&id=b7ktTPViIYMC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=new+media+privacy&ots=GFJMi5IvpT&sig=tBdMc4XkkBG0p9vwjCtwWRQ5HRk#v=onepage&q=new%20media%20privacy&f=false
3. John C. How Facebook could use your photographs without your permission. John Charlton Photography, [blog]. Available at: http://www.johncharltonphotography.co.uk/how-facebook-could-use-your-photographs-without-your-permission/
4. Wikipedia. Criticism of Facebook [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Facebook
5. Nick,O. 2009. 10 Privacy setting that Facebook users should know. All Facebook, [blog] 18th June. Available at: http://www.allfacebook.com/facebook-privacy-2009-02

Given the freedom of speech comes big responsibilities

Despite the amount of freedom given to the public for new media platforms,  it is important to know that with freedom of speech comes responsibilities to ones words as information displayed on the net goes global which can create a certain unwanted havoc to a person, company or country. Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is investigating a blogger named Aduka Taruna who allegedly insulted the Late Sultan of Johor whereby the blogger had used insulting words on how the announcement of the late Sultan of Johor was made, His insult led him to an arrest at Kota Baru. Before his arrest, his post received 1,000 comments mainly of dissatisfaction from polititions, polices and publics that made a report on him commenting that his actions were extremely rude and excessive. Upon knowing his post brought distraught to the public, he took down the post and made a public apology which was deemed as an insult instead of a sincere apology which lead to death threats from certain members of the public, thus the blogger was reported to went into hiding at Kota Baru. 

 Image taken from: http://neutraldaily.blogspot.com/2010/01/nasib-berbeza-menimpa-aduka-taruna-dan.html

Public apology by Aduka Taruna taken from : http://www.rohaizad.com/2010/01/24/aduka-taruna-terlajak-perahu-boleh-di-undur-terlajak-kata-buruk-padahnya-terlajak-tulis-tanggunglah-sendiri/

The lack of understanding of the new media rules to the majority of public's on the platform, many are landing themselves into trouble. According to a survey done by Fernanda Viergas on Expectations of Privacy and Accountability, 36% of respondents have gotten in trouble because of things they have written on their blogs, 34% of respondents know other bloggers who have gotten in trouble with family and friends. Other than that, 12% of respondents know other bloggers who have gotten in legal or professional problems because of things they wrote on their blogs. (Fernanda Viegas 2004)

According to Jan Schmidt, a blogging community practices and shares a certain expectation and routine on the usage of blogs as tool for identity, information and relationship management. He explains that there is a certain degree of explicit extend which is rather important because it connects to blogging practices to issue of sanctioning and power. Also, there are laws concerning freedom of speech, Terms of Servies of blog hosting services and blogging policies established by organizations to regulate conflicts which can be caused by formal or informal blogging communities such as blog etiquettes, regulations and ethical publishing for example refraining from posting insulting comments and defamation. These guidelines are motivated by procedural rules from other computer-mediated communication formats and is a part of new media guidelines. (Jan Schmidt 2007) 

Figure 1: Blogging practices: Analytic Model

Given the freedom of speech, we as the users of the new media should hold accountable of the responsibility held for the information that we post to the outlets. Users should know these few guidelines when utilizing a blog:

1. Ask Permission for whatever information you outsourced.
2. Use Permalinks
3. Don't Hotlink images
4. Don't sell yourself out in comments
5. Don't be offended when your tag is not accepted in a meme.

 Also, the Authorities should educate and highlight laws, regulations and guidelines for users to follow to minimize casualties that can tear apart a persons life, company and country.

Reference

1. Jan, S.2007. Blogging Practices: an Analytic Framework. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(4)[online]. Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00379.x/full
2. Viégas, F. B. 2005. Bloggers' expectations of privacy and accountability: An initial survey. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10(3), article 12 [online]. Available at: http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol10/issue3/viegas.html
3. Melanie Nelson, 2009. 5 blogging etiquette tips for blogging begginers. Blogging basic 101, [blog] 17th August 2009. available at: http://www.bloggingbasics101.com/2009/08/1639/
4. Jimadie, S, O,.2010. Penulis Blog Taruna Aduka serahkan diri. Malaysia Kini, [online] 25th January. Available at: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/122836

How much is too much?

The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after The danish newspaper decision to publish drawings of 12 carocatures of the Prophet Muhammad on the 30 September 2005. According to the newspaper, it was reported that the danish artist were afraid of the muslims that they did not dare voice out about thier perspective of the religion like they used to. Intrigue by this, they wanted to experiment by asking illustrators to draw a picture of the Phrophet as how they saw him to see whether or not the artist were really afraid. Out of 44 illustrators, only 12 drewed with a promise of the picture to be published.

The cartoon that shook the world

Because the depiction was so controversial, muslims around the world led violent protest by burning the Lebanon, Iran, Norwegian, French, German and Denmark Embassies and flags which caused hundreds of death. According to the writer of ' The cartoons that shook the world', she studied that the problem escalated after a few months of the publication. It brewed only after a meeting in Mecca 3 months after the publication about boycotting for a trade which sparked the issue on the cartoons.

Critics argued that it was blasphemous to the muslim people and to the minority of Denmark, also describing the decision as Islamophobic and racist. The newspaper and it's supporters argued that the illustrations were merely an excercise of the freedom of speech which were frequently printed of other religions as well and never intented to discriminated muslims in any way.

ethical publishing or eithics in drawing cartoons, freedom of speech of when to say, what to say and whether to say or not.

According to Miller v California, Obscenity cases usually generate tremendous emotional outbursts. They have no business being in the courts. If a constitutional amendment authorized censorship, the censor would probably be an administrative agency. Then criminal prosecutions could follow as, if, and when publishers defied the censor and sold their literature. Under that regime a publisher would know when he was on dangerous ground when the mode of dissemination carries with it a significant danger of offending the sensibilities of unwilling recipients or of exposure to juveniles.

I think when a person wants to present a material to the public, he/she must have in mind the consequences that will lead after its exposure because with the many types of audiences out there with different views and attitude, it is understandable to respect and acknowledge its presence instead of being ignorant.

Reference

1. Miller, V.C., 1972. The intractable obscenity problem, [online] Available at:  http://scholar.google.com.my/scholar_case?case=287180442152313659&q=drawing+cartoon+ethics&hl=en&as_sdt=2002
2. 2005. The Cartoons that shook the world. [online] Available at: http://www.vnafmamn.com/cartoon_controversial.html
3. Jytt, Klausen.,2009. The Cartoons that shook the world. Yales University Press.[online] Available at: http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/book.asp?isbn=9780300124729

An alternative change

In our digital age, new forms of media's are arising to take old media's place in publishing. These days, we don't read through text word by word it's all about fast news and updates. With today's innovation we will be able to see new digital platform arise regularly.

These platforms such as:-
a. Device/media types of blogs:
• Moblog – mobile blogging,
• Vlog – video blogging
• Splog – spam blog
• Linklog – URLs (hyperlinks) blogging
• Sketchlog – sketch blogging
• Tumblelog
b. Twitter
c. Online newspaper,
d. Online magazine
e. Online books
f. Youtube
g. Facebook

With the digital media arising so rapidly without gatekeeper's to control the flows of text, the public tends to go overboard with their freedom of speech which is just a simple push of a button that can cause racial, social and political issues locally or internationally. Where else, print and analog broadcast media journalist have to bear the responsibility of what news they produces and always has to go through an editor.  Take twitter for example, CNN senior editor Octavia Nasr resigned following a controversial tweet saying "Sad to hear of the passing of Sayyed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah ... One of Hezbollah's giants I respect a lot."

Fadallah had constantly denounced Israel and the United States and also supported suicide bombings against Israeli civilians. Moreover, his writings and sermons inspired the Dawa Party of Iraq as well as a generation of militants, reports the New York Times. Because this tweet was so controversial that the public had an uproar about it, she had no choice but to step down.

In Malaysia, there is an on-going affair on freedom of speech in new media- YOUTUBE. Name Wee a freedom fighter who regularly post up Youtube video's concerning current affairs have been in and out of trouble numerous times because of his controversial videos:

This video named Negaraku-ku made headlines as he used the national anthem over with his criticism words  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyiBvJtJ5Z4

Another recent video was about a headmistress and a few other was criticized by him for making racism speeches and acts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePSupJ3J7-c

Is his actions right or wrong for voicing out justice? Name Wee a freedom fighter may be looked up by a certain audience and be a voice for many but his actions are clearly unethical. He clearly misuse freedom of speech and took it to another level but uttering foul words numerous times in his video's upon political and current affair. Because this concerns the Government and Malaysia, authorities have tried apprehending him but the laws and regulations in Malaysia for new media is weak and not established therefore he get's away with his acts.  The Government has seen new media potential arising and are working on policy's to contain such destructive act, and develop the country further using new media. Can they contain every information by the publics? but then again, why call it alternative media if everything is censored and contained?

References

1. Carole W 2010, CNN fires veteran editor over controversial tweet, Viewed 29th September 2010, http://www.editorsweblog.org/newsrooms_and_journalism/2010/07/cnn_fires_veteran_editor_over_controvers.php
2. Big Ideas 2005, News media publishing, viewed 29th September 2010, http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bigidea/stories/s1485827.htm
3. Alex B 2008, Select issues with new media theories of citizen journalism,  Viewed 29th September 2010, http://journal.media-culture.org.au/index.php/mcjournal/article/viewArticle/30
4. Ali S 2009, ICT the new media and developement, viewed 29th September 2010,  http://www.innovation.cc/scholarly-style/salman_internet_malaysian3final5.pdf
   

The Communities of today

Blogging communities is a collective community of several blogs derived from individuals that are interconnected and socially networked through linkbacks (reftbacks, pingbacks, trackbacks), blogrolls and backlinks. 

 To create a blogging community, firstly it is to drive traffic to the blog which is to build reader community by linking other blogs to the blog. Then, commenting on other blogs to let bloggers out there know of your existance. Reply comments and market your blog in directories, companies and in social life. By doing so, slowly but promisingly a community will be growing.

A prominant community that can be taken for example is Peta http://www.peta.org/, here is a community fighting for the rights of animals throughout the world. The structure of this community is done by uniting  the public  by blogs and links  to gain information, support and engage in fighting for animal rights in their homes. Peta's page uses user friendly interface, easy to read words, and warm colors to give a certain impact towards their community. They also included engaging tools eg poles, votes, banners, and slide shows of articles, pictures, and events of the past, present and future. 

Peta has been a long standing organization since 1980 and has influence globally ever since. Their interaction process are through dedicated blogs, emails, campaigns lead by prominent and powerful individuals or groups. Peta's slogan is "animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment." PETA's community serves to educated, give information and abolish animal abuse towards the public and their scalability and life cycle is ever growing and as long as there is animal lover's or people with heart, PETA is here to stay.

n  References

1. The knowledge tree 2006, blogs and community- launching a new paradigm for new community, Viewed 29th September 2010, http://kt.flexiblelearning.net.au/tkt2006/edition-11-editorial/blogs-and-community-%E2%80%93-launching-a-new-paradigm-for-online-community
2. Peta 2009, Viewed 29th September 2010, http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/p/about-us.aspx
3. E-how,  how to build a blogging community, Viewed 29th September 2010, http://www.ehow.com/how_2152382_build-blogging-community.html