This is my video for this weeks tutorial activity. All images are mine and the audio is from Jamendo.com which offers music that is under CC license. The video is on the pictures taken from the road trip my good friends and I planned last July. It was awesome to finally see more of Australia than just Gold Coast! We pooled our cash together, rented out three very dodgy camper vans (financial limits hahah) and drove to Fraser Island while making so many random stops along the way. I definately had a hilarious and memorable time, hope I put that through the video with the pictures I chose. Enjoy!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Session 4
The task I have chosen for today is discussing the Terms of Service for Facebook. As I opened Google to search for the terms, a wall of text hit me in the face. Found a comfortable position on my chair as I prepared myself to read what I was sure to have my head spin sooner than later. Having ignored these terms before while I was signing up and instead was just clicking the 'next' button, I knew I was in for a surprise.
My initial reaction was the confusion at how all these terms related to me, and through further analysis in trying to break down exact meanings I was saddened to see that my Lecturer was actually right about Facebook. Everything you upload onto Facebook was archived and stored, in addition to that deleting informaiton on your account was not actually deleting them, just has them unavailable to others.
"When you delete IP content, it is deleted in a manner similar to emptying the recycle bin on a computer. However, you understand that removed content may persist in backup copies for a reasonable period of time (but will not be available to others)."
I personally know that when you empty your recycling bin, what you deleted is still retrievable because your hard drive still has it stored. So, essentially what Facebook is saying is that they have your material forever.
Another thing that particularly caught my attention was the fact that we gave Facebook permission to do practically whatever they wished to do with our intellectual property rights (videos, pictures etc). "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." In other words we allow Facebook to use any of our images, videos, messages, information that we have posted on Facebook or anything in connection. This is ridiculous, Facebook could in fact use my drunken party pictures in a magazine and get away with it!
Through some research I did manage to find out that there are a large number of people who do not support Facebook's Terms of Service, well the new one at least. The old Terms of Service at least stated "when you closed an account on their network, any rights they claimed to the original content you uploaded would expire." The new Terms states that Facebook as rights over all our content, even if we delete everything including out accounts.
Realising how my lecturer was right about everything he said regarding Facebook so far, there was one last issue he stated which I had to look further into. He said that the applications used on Facebook (which there are so many of) can actually gain access to not only my own personal information, but that of my friends also. Once you click the "allow" button to use the application, it has 100% full access to everything. The part of the Terms of Service that proves this is "When you use an application, your content and information is shared with the application, and your agreement with that application will control how the application can use, store, and transfer that content and information."
So here I am, sitting in a pool of disappointment as I come to realise that I let the application "How Good are you in Bed??" gain full access to everything on my Facebook account.....
I am really regretting uploading so many things, I dont even want to use the messaging or chat service offered on Facebook. Hmmm, I might move on to Skype now? I hope they don't secretly record you....(searches Terms of Service for Skype).
References :
Facebook Terms of Service
http://www.facebook.com/terms.php
My initial reaction was the confusion at how all these terms related to me, and through further analysis in trying to break down exact meanings I was saddened to see that my Lecturer was actually right about Facebook. Everything you upload onto Facebook was archived and stored, in addition to that deleting informaiton on your account was not actually deleting them, just has them unavailable to others.
"When you delete IP content, it is deleted in a manner similar to emptying the recycle bin on a computer. However, you understand that removed content may persist in backup copies for a reasonable period of time (but will not be available to others)."
I personally know that when you empty your recycling bin, what you deleted is still retrievable because your hard drive still has it stored. So, essentially what Facebook is saying is that they have your material forever.
Another thing that particularly caught my attention was the fact that we gave Facebook permission to do practically whatever they wished to do with our intellectual property rights (videos, pictures etc). "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." In other words we allow Facebook to use any of our images, videos, messages, information that we have posted on Facebook or anything in connection. This is ridiculous, Facebook could in fact use my drunken party pictures in a magazine and get away with it!
Through some research I did manage to find out that there are a large number of people who do not support Facebook's Terms of Service, well the new one at least. The old Terms of Service at least stated "when you closed an account on their network, any rights they claimed to the original content you uploaded would expire." The new Terms states that Facebook as rights over all our content, even if we delete everything including out accounts.
Realising how my lecturer was right about everything he said regarding Facebook so far, there was one last issue he stated which I had to look further into. He said that the applications used on Facebook (which there are so many of) can actually gain access to not only my own personal information, but that of my friends also. Once you click the "allow" button to use the application, it has 100% full access to everything. The part of the Terms of Service that proves this is "When you use an application, your content and information is shared with the application, and your agreement with that application will control how the application can use, store, and transfer that content and information."
So here I am, sitting in a pool of disappointment as I come to realise that I let the application "How Good are you in Bed??" gain full access to everything on my Facebook account.....
I am really regretting uploading so many things, I dont even want to use the messaging or chat service offered on Facebook. Hmmm, I might move on to Skype now? I hope they don't secretly record you....(searches Terms of Service for Skype).
References :
Facebook Terms of Service
http://www.facebook.com/terms.php
Session 3
On this meeting we had a look at virtual community and individual identity. Virtual community explains the ways in which a group of people communicate via the use of the internet. Individual identity is a way to explain how people express who they are via the internet.
"The internet has become a significant social laboratory for experimenting with the constructions and reconstructions of self that characterize postmodern life. In its virtual reality, we self-fashion and self-create"
(Turkle, 1995, Life on the screen).
WIth the lack of actual face-to-face contact that exists within these virtual communities, users have an unbiased freedom in the way they choose to portray themselves online. They are free from social norms and unbound by restrictions, coming together and meeting others with shared interests.
While we were discussing these today I was reminded of a virtual community I was once part of. Second Life is a virtual world where people from all over the globe are a part of. In this virtual reality, their avatars are free to create and design their own 'perfect world'. One can use real life money to invest in Second Life and buy houses, cars, clothes, start vitual businesses, baisically do anything you can imagine. The virtual community world has actually grown so massive, that many users in Second Life (for example) actually make a living and some lucky few striking millionnaire.
As I thought of all of these things, it all made sense at how much of an impact the internet brings on todays society. Communication is a necessity in todays culture and with the use of the internet, people who were isolated in different geographical areas are now unbound from meeting others. The creation and sale of virtual services and goods is becoming a bigger market in todays world. Virtual sales is not only limited to Second Life, it exists everywhere on the internet in today's world, where you can even buy a new cow to place on your farm in Farmville.
Below is an example of one of the largest virtual communities existing, and how anyone can be whoever they want to be."The internet has become a significant social laboratory for experimenting with the constructions and reconstructions of self that characterize postmodern life. In its virtual reality, we self-fashion and self-create"
(Turkle, 1995, Life on the screen).
WIth the lack of actual face-to-face contact that exists within these virtual communities, users have an unbiased freedom in the way they choose to portray themselves online. They are free from social norms and unbound by restrictions, coming together and meeting others with shared interests.
While we were discussing these today I was reminded of a virtual community I was once part of. Second Life is a virtual world where people from all over the globe are a part of. In this virtual reality, their avatars are free to create and design their own 'perfect world'. One can use real life money to invest in Second Life and buy houses, cars, clothes, start vitual businesses, baisically do anything you can imagine. The virtual community world has actually grown so massive, that many users in Second Life (for example) actually make a living and some lucky few striking millionnaire.
As I thought of all of these things, it all made sense at how much of an impact the internet brings on todays society. Communication is a necessity in todays culture and with the use of the internet, people who were isolated in different geographical areas are now unbound from meeting others. The creation and sale of virtual services and goods is becoming a bigger market in todays world. Virtual sales is not only limited to Second Life, it exists everywhere on the internet in today's world, where you can even buy a new cow to place on your farm in Farmville.
Hilarious video on communication technology! However what was once a mere fictional joke is now reality. A Japanese company are in development of a device called "FingerWhisper" which consists of a watch like cellphone worn on the wrist that converts sounds to vibrations and uses the bones in the hand to conduct it to the tip of a persons index finger. User can hear conversation by placing their finger in their ear, the mic is placed on the watch unit.
Session 2
In todays lecture, we talked about the history of the computer and the internet. Having realised how computers originated from mechanical devices designed for calculations really amazed me. It made me look back when I was younger and remember the days when I used to have a Windows 3.1 OS and my pockets loaded with floppy disks. The advance in technology really is phenomenal and bring about a question in my head, "what comes next?". Computers came from being such primitive devices to a necessity in society and everyday life.
As for the internet, I honestly thought it was the same thing as the web. Like how shrimp in America is called "shrimp" and in Australia its called "prawn". I was unaware of the exact differences between the web and internet until today, where we discussed how internet is a network of networks and the web is a use we have for the internet mainly to communicate.
It was really interesting to see the advancement in both computer and internet technologies, and an eye opener to how dependant we as a society currently are to it.
The first video I chose is based around a reading I looked at personally, talking about how all wars bring about a demand for technological advancement. This demand is one of the main reason of advancement. That "edge" is what all militaries strive to achieve which is why their influences can be seen in the developments and creations of computers and the internet throughtout the years.
As for the internet, I honestly thought it was the same thing as the web. Like how shrimp in America is called "shrimp" and in Australia its called "prawn". I was unaware of the exact differences between the web and internet until today, where we discussed how internet is a network of networks and the web is a use we have for the internet mainly to communicate.
It was really interesting to see the advancement in both computer and internet technologies, and an eye opener to how dependant we as a society currently are to it.
The first video I chose is based around a reading I looked at personally, talking about how all wars bring about a demand for technological advancement. This demand is one of the main reason of advancement. That "edge" is what all militaries strive to achieve which is why their influences can be seen in the developments and creations of computers and the internet throughtout the years.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Introduction
Hey there, I am a student doing 1308 Double Degree program in Griffith University. Over the next two weeks I have been assigned to blog activities that are taking part in the subject I have enrolled in for my free choice elective 'Communication Systems'. As I am somewhat of a computer nerd myself I would hope that I won't have any difficulties with the tasks at hand.
As for more about me, my nationality is German however I am also half Filipino. I grew up in The Gambia, a small country on the west coast of Africa and when I finished high school I moved here to Australia where I plan to stay for the full duration of my four year program.
As for more about me, my nationality is German however I am also half Filipino. I grew up in The Gambia, a small country on the west coast of Africa and when I finished high school I moved here to Australia where I plan to stay for the full duration of my four year program.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)