Should bloggers be subject to a Code of Conduct?

I came across an article published on BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6502643.stm that asks this very question. There are many people that receive angry, threatening, and/or hate filled statements on their blog sites that border harassment. Those supporting the indoctrination of a Code of Conduct believe this will alleviate the moral injustice occurring in the blogging world. The opposing view believes that it would be dangerous to impose such sanctions on ‘internet freedom’ and morality should remain a personal decision.

I agree with one of the interviewee’s of the article that people are much less inclined to monitor their words or care about the effects their statements have on others when communicating over the net. The internet has created an impersonal, anonymous environment where users ‘feel’ safe in saying things they would never otherwise say to someone in person. I don’t necessarily agree that a Code of Conduct with and/or without legal ramifications for misconduct should be employed however; I do agree that service providers of blog forums should provide tools for users to block unwanted participation. Perhaps providers should be responsible for taking measures, based on complaints and evidence, to block abusive users from the site all together when user control is ineffective (i.e. blog site owner blocks harassing user and they continue to create new accounts and post unwanted statements on the owners site).

After reading the statement within the article, “the fact that there’s all these really messed up people on the internet…” I realized there are more opportunities now for perpetrators to victimize others and the legal lines become grey when the web is involved. What makes it okay for someone to verbally and sexually harass someone, or send death threats to others over the internet, and not be held as accountable as they would be in person or over the telephone? Should we just create a separate legal system for the internet?

Commercials and TV

Mass media does sway public opinion quite often, but it also helps as a service in some ways. Mass media helps people stay up to date on the world and local events, which make a better informed and educated community. I was watching America's Most Wanted over the weekend and because of this show they have caught hundreds of criminals. If not for this television show some of these criminals could still be loose today if it hadn't been for this type of mass media. Other educational media such as cops and different channels provide educational information such as animal planet, food network, and history channel. Some mass media and commercials have a negative impact on the social and culture of the United States. Mass media and fast food is really just a pet-peeve of mine because they always have fast food commercials after dinner but late at night so you are hungry again and feel like going to get something to eat. First of all the food looks way better on TV then it does when you actually get it. Could some say that this is false advertising? Maybe, I'm sure someone already tried suing somebody over this. These commercials are a temptation that some American's fall for. This fast food late at night is not good for anybody. This is not helping the fact that the United States is the fattest country and is only getting fatter.

Mass Media's Power

Mass media today has the power to sway public opinion on various issues ranging from Global Warming, Political elections, and trials. While watching television this morning before going to work, i caught the end of a broadcast on CourtTV about the San Francisco Mauling on January 26, 2001. At the end of the trial both the husband and wife were found guilty of manslaughter, but the wife who was at the scene of the mauling was found guilty of second degree murder. After an appeal, the judge recinded the second degree murder charge due to lack of evidence to support the charge. He was said that although she was guilty in the eyes of the city, she was not guilty in the eyes of the law. He recongized the power of media to enrage an entire city and to even use that power to convict a woman of murder, even if she was infact not guilty. With today's mass media, there is a greater chance for mob rule. Heated issues that arise become headline news playing on people's values and sensitivites to envoke an emotion.

Taken from http://www.passia.org/seminars/99/media_and_communication/rami2.html

Our world today is increasingly driven by a combination of information and
entertainment values, and these are both promoted by the explo­sion of
different means of communication, especially electronic communi­cation such
as satellite TV and Internet. This means the market for infor­mation is
extremely competitive and is characterized by the
following:

1. Overload on the audience: Most people today, even in many develop­ing countries, have access
to scores of information sources in their homes and offices, including
television, radio, internet and others. The audience is over-loaded with
options, so if you want to catch some­one's attention via the mass media you
have to produce quality mate­rial that is deemed appropriate to use by
journalists and deemed worth reading or viewing by the
audience.

2. Overload on the mass media: Most journalists are flooded with sources of information, press
releases, story ideas and requests for coverage. This means that if you want to
attract a journalist's or edi­tor's attention and get coverage in their
publication or on their channel, you have to produce quality information and PR
materials that are credible and that catch the press's
attention.

3. Overload on funders and advertisers: Those people who pay money to the mass media or to
non-governmental organizations - advertisers and funders - are also flooded with
more requests than they can meet. So it is critically important for NGOs today
to produce high quality work if they wish to attract funds from donors or
support from companies that have the option to spend their money on direct
advertising and promotion.

Using this power, Mass media has an outlet to pour whatever drivel into our homes that will grant the greatest money to both themselves and advertisers. A perfect example of this is a new show coming out on MTV called Scarred. http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/scarred/series.jhtml#/ontv/dyn/scarred/summary.jhtml
This show is a graphic look at self-inflicted injuries due to extreme sports and the stories that surround them. Their website is quoted, " This show is almost too painful to watch!" Shows like this will draw shock value attention to grab advertising money.
I am not arguing that we need to place restrictions on what can or should be allowed on television, I am arguing that we as a society should be aware of the power of the media and not be slaves to it.

Political Evolution

The internet has certainly changed the political landscape and has raised social and professional exploitation of political figures of the past as well as the present to new levels. Netizen’s have boundless opportunities to become well informed while heeding caution toward political interest group agendas and propaganda utilized to manipulate beliefs. In fact, recently a video of Hillary Clinton was released on YouTube depicting her in the 1984 Mac Ad in a negative light to denigrate her character. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h3G-lMZxjo

The creator of the video is currently known http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/who-created-hillary-1984_b_43978.html and Hillary handled the situation with humor however; the video was an obvious attempt to manipulate public perceptions. How does one know which source to trust with all the interest groups and respective character assassinations toward opponents of political campaigns and agendas? In addition, how does the reader protect himself/herself from such manipulation? Often people blindly believe information without question and further research…

I can honestly say that after reading the following information listed on http://www.radaronline.com/features/2006/10/americas_dumbest_congressmen_a_radar_special_report.php about congressmen and women currently in office, I thought it is only a matter of time before our country is in a major crisis (more so than we already are). How do these men and women, democrat and/or republican, get into such positions of power? This article reinforced my belief that we have a group of unintelligent, ignorant, lazy (109th Congress reported as the least effective and productive group), poor examples of leaders on Capital Hill these days. Okay, to support what I have been saying…how do I know what was reported in this article is accurate and not guided by the opinions and agendas of others? Am I just as guilty as the next? What is your guilt? If nothing else, at least question yourself?

Buying American

While technology continues to advance, it is apparent the world will become even flatter. To remain competitive in many markets, the author of The World is Flat has deemed it necessary to outsource. How can the parts needed for production be made the cheapest, fastest, and most effective? When parts of a product are made someplace other than the United States, does that mean the entire product is no longer American? What if a company has its headquarters in the United States, does that make it American?

Many people in the United States and other countries want to support their economy. They would like jobs to remain on their soil; however, globalization is making it more difficult. Buying American-made products is becoming more blurred.

One industry I thought was quite definitive was the automobile industry. I thought it was easy to tell which automobiles where made in America: Ford and GM. However, after reading the USA Today article, “How do you tell which car is American” it is obvious that there are some discrepancies.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2007-03-22-american-usat_N.htm?POE=click-refer

The article counts parts made in Canada as American parts, but not pieces made in Mexico. They both border the United States. Why does one count, but not the other? Furthermore, Canada and Mexico are part of North America, but I do not consider them part of the United States. I never knew I had to be concerned about where specific parts of a product came from; I used the brand name to judge American-made products. I now know that if I truly want to buy a product made in America, I must judge more than their brand name!

technology is taking over

Just a random thought as I watch a movie Sunday afternoon. Have you ever noticed how many movies are out there showing the world being taken over by technology? Computer chips being implanted in human brains to control people and create sleeper cells. Is it really science fiction? Are we afraid of our own developements or are we just warning ourselves what could be if we abuse what we develope. These scare tactics could hinder future technology. If Einstein thought his discoveries would someday lead to the nuclear bomb would he have published them or destroyed them?

Global Warming and Information

With the advent of the internet and mass media 24-hour news organizations trying to fill up airtime, topics such as global warming are being used in a striking, provacative way to create a state of fear. Global warming is the idea that the combustion of fossil fuels increases the levels of various kinds of Greenhouse Gases including Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, helium, methane, sulfur dioxide and many others. This is explained well through a work of fiction by Michael Crichton in his book, "State of Fear".

"The greatest challenge facing mankind is the challenge of distinguishing reality from fantasy, truth from propaganda. Perceiving the truth has always been a challenge to mankind, but in the information age (or as I think of it, the disinformation age) it takes on a special urgency and importance." Michael Crichton, Science writer and author 'State of Fear'.

Propoganda that was once reserved for the Cold War is now being turned towards Global Warming because it is a hot topic. Similarly to the Y2K scare of 1999. This big tadoo about how the world was going to end because of it, Global Warming is not going to be drastic climate change, it will happen gradually over 100s of years. What most of the general public fails to recognize is that the earth has been much hotter, with higher levels of CO2 in the past, and life survived. The world is a dynamic world with constantly changing climate. Ice Ages come and go, heat waves happen. Volcanic Eruptions have a more devestating impact on the earth than our industrialization. This fear culture is in direct relation to the amount of information availible and how utilization of that information can depend on a person's motivation.

http://www.globalwarminghysteria.com/

The weekend

Over the past weekend I was in Detroit, Michigan for the Division I NCAA Wrestling Championships. During the tournament which was held in the 23,000 seat arena at the Palace in Auburn Hills ESPN broadcasted the finals live across the world. The technology to make that happen must be amazingly complicated. ESPN also had the quarterfinals and semi-finals on ESPN360 their Internet site that broadcast the matches live and on ESPNU with split screen action so you can pick which one, 2, 3, or all 4 matches that you wanted to watch. Even though ESPNU is not available the technology to be able to do that in certain areas i thought was neat. Knowing that people across the world could be watching you wrestle live is probably an amazing feeling. TV and Internet are on the verge of coming together with greater and smarter technology. You can already start watching reruns and movies online. There are even sites that you can join that sell movies kinda like net-flix, you can buy movies and watch them and then get a new one after you watch the first one. This technology helps digital media move faster all over the world so that information is learned quicker.

My Technology Equation

Personal Computers + Internet + World Wide Web + People = Infinite opportunities for social outlets, connections, dangers, and living in fantasy worlds…
I began thinking about this heavily over the weekend because I have a friend that met someone over the internet and how not more than a decade ago, this would have been impossible. Add Avatar to the equation and one truly can become anything imaginable. Add mental illness and your life may be in danger if you trust the wrong people. Throw children into the mix and hope that you can block, as well as protect them from as much harm as possible. I asked my colleague what he thought about technologies impact on socialization and here is what he had to say:

“Through the smoke and bustle of a crowded bar, a pair of eyes lock. And so begins a chain of behaviors that has evolved over thousands of years. There are an infinite number of potential outcomes to the chain. Some chains are short, some chains light. Some chains inflict pain, and other lead nowhere. Nevertheless, sometimes, the chain ends in a lock.
Or that’s how it was.
Now, the process might begin, proceed and end, not like a chain, but like a spider’s web. Sometimes, the spider weaves a veil worn to live out a secrets or fantasies. Sometimes the web hides a deeper danger than even a poisonous spider. And, while it is not as strong as a chain, sometimes the web binds two blossoming flowers. The spider has entered new territory and sees no boundaries.
Web based social networking, in all of its forms, has both positive and negative potential. Like all things, when done in moderation, it is can be useful. But, whether it is viewed as a positive or negative, it must be seen as a real change from the traditional way things are done.
It has taken what was once the most physical of experiences and removed the physical boundaries (or at least delayed them). For instance, your social network is no longer bound by space and time. You may chat with a teenage girl from some province in Mongolia or by way of simulations programs; you could just as easily chat with her great ancestor Genghis Khan. Reality/Veracity need not play a factor in the relationships you build. While this may not be different from the physical world, it is much easier in the ether of the internet.
I would be glad to write more on the subject but someone is messaging me.”

And so here is yet another example of how technology has effected our social behaviors...Down time at work + class assignments + internet access = fun, wasted man hours, possible unemployment, and many other unknowns...

Todays Technology

When people talk about today's technologies i think about computers, cell phones, and of course the Internet. The thing about the Internet is that information is seconds away and travels so fast. You can look up anything and get information on it, you can read books online instead of even going to the library. But one other technology I also think about is nanotechnology. The government spends more money every year on this yet many people don't know about it. The budget for nanotechnology in 2008 is $1.5 billion. Nanotechnology is a field of applied science and technology covering a broad range of topics. The main unifying theme is the control of matter on a scale smaller than 100 nanometers, as well as the fabrication of devices on this same length scale. Nanotechnology uses a process by which the ability to manipulate individual atoms and molecules might be developed, using one set of precise tools to build and operate another proportionally smaller set, so on down to the needed scale. The newest news is that nanotechnology will soon be able to turn dirty salt water into pure drink water in seconds. They say that they will make nanos that will be able to disintegrate the trash in all the landfills. This could really help the people across many countries. Nanotechnology is a technology that could help a lot of people. I believe there is almost constant change in technology and will be till I die, so everyone must keep learning and growing to adapt to it.

Assistive Technology Expands Horizons

Since the early 1950's persons with disabilities have gained community integration through civil rights movements with the most notable being the American Disabilities Act (ADA). In addition to great strides toward social acceptance of such individuals, assistive technology has significantly increased their opportunities toward quality of life and "normalization." Imagine the power given to someone that has been nonverbal their entire life who is afforded a voice, a means of communicating their needs, through the use of a technological device that speaks for them when prompted by pushing buttons or in the instance of Christopher Reeve, blowing through a tube!

An article posted on http://www.futureofchildren.org/usrdoc/vol10no2Art5.pdf discusses the dramatic impact that assistive technology and adaptive equipment has on educational opportunities for children with special needs (emotional, speech or language impairments, specific learning disabilities, etc.). Technology has made it possible for these children to learn in the classroom alongside traditional students. The most shocking detail, in my opinion, from this report is that approximately 1 out of 6 students in 2000 could not fully participate in classroom activities due to their disability. The Centers for Disease Control recently announced that, “the number of children living with autism is even higher than previously thought. According to the latest and most comprehensive study, as many as one in 150 children in the United States have an autism spectrum disorder.” (www.BarberInstitute.org)

Technology has not only “flattened the world,” it has also made what was once deemed impossible for many a dream come true!

As Lorraine pointed out technology is constantly changing...it has not been determined if some of these changes are for better or worse just yet!

The medical field will see even more changes as technology continues to grow. When you schedule your next visit to the doctor and he or she says you will need surgery make sure you ask who will be assisting with the surgery and where he, she or it will be located.

Surgeries conducted with the help of robots make it possible for doctors to consult with other surgeons miles away in other countries. I guess two heads are better than one, especially when it comes to vital organs in my body. As our reading has suggested this week, maybe the world is becoming flat.

I know someone who recently had open-heart surgery and the incision is huge. The recovery time is also very lengthy. However, there may be an alternative available soon. AESOP, a robot used in cardiac surgery, would eliminate the large incision patients have and the sternum also would not have to be cracked. Instead, surgeons make three small incisions near the ribs. Early data suggests that recovery time is shortened when robots assist with heart surgery (Meadows, 2002).

While much of the early data on robotic surgery is positive, for some reason I am still hesitant. One day, however, this may no longer be a concern of mine.

http://www.fda.gov/Fdac/features/2002/302_bots.html

http://www.seattlecca.org/aboutscca/pressRoom/archive/robots.htm

Through a Child's eyes

What is this?
Looking every so inquizatively at the box in the corner.
What is this?
1991 - It was a good year, Bush/Clinton Presidential Race: lets talk politics. But wait, whats that in the corner?
From the moment I saw it, i was intrigued. A magic box: full of possibilities

The first time i saw a computer was the fall of 1991. My elementry school had recently purchased a computer to help in the education of the students. Our 4th grade class was given the first opportunity to use it. A simple math and spelling program was offered. My how poorly i could type. As a child growing up in a country school district, I was not privy to using typewriters. In the school office while working for the secretary, I was asked to type something up. I couldn't do it. For the life of me I could not get the hang of typing.

Looking at today's society, I am still amazed as to how far we have come. From 1991 to 1997, typing and computer classes were being offered through the school to prepare us for what was to come. Then in 1999, i took my first Visual Basic course. Still I could not get the hang of typing. With the advent of instant messaging systems like AIM and YIM, finally there was an outlet that provided motivation to learn this new technology other than just passing a class.

When i first saw the computer, i was perplexed, intrigued and mystified. How can such a small mechanical box truely change the world? It was simply a tool to get work done. Thats what my parents told me. But this magic little box, had the power to unite peoples far and wide. Bringing into the home all the information once reserved to my grandmother's bookshelf down the street.

Technologies I have known

When someone talks about Technology we immediately think about computers and cell phones! I know I do. These things have changed the way, not only today's youth but everyone, lives and communicates. I grew up using a typewriter and occasionally being able to use the telephone.

Today we carry our computer in our phone & in our pocket!

That need to be constantly connected. How did anyone ever live before the cell phone or internet?

Motorola RAZR V3 Magenta (T-Mobile)
Integrated digital VGA camera
Mobile Instant Messaging using AOL® Instant MessengerTM
Photo phone book and picture Caller ID
T-Mobile myFaves compatible.

These are the obvious Technologies that have changed the world for better or worse ; that is still to be determined. There are so many other Technologies advancing behind our backs, if we arn't careful they may run us over some day.
Medicine has changed how and when we have children. This has allowed for later marriages and families. Our quality of life and even death are options we can choose.

Court hears blood on road matches Falconio's DNA
DNA map to help brew better coffee
DNA warrants solving more crimes
DNA evidence frees man on death row

Changes in publishing...I read text books in college back in 1983. Today text book are online!
Changes in school were teaching was in the class room - today you can earn a degree online.
We are so super connected at all times that we don't socialize as people anymore.We do it in virtual worlds.

WOW how times have changed!