research essay

‘Collaborative workspaces and social network sites – have a number of features in common, which are explored to provide a basis for comparative analysis. This basis is extended with a suitable definition of privacy, a sociological perspective and an applicable adversary model in order to facilitate an investigation of similarities and differences with regard to privacy threats. Practical examples are derived from the use of Wikipedia and Facebook. Analysis suggests that a combination of technical, legal, and normative solutions should be considered to counter privacy issues. A number of potential solutions that may mitigate these issues are proposed.’(Martin Pekarek, Stefanie Potzsch, 2009, A Privacy Preservation Model for Facebook-Style Social Network Systems, http://metalib.unilinc.edu.au.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/V/HNI4M16HEDGJ8FHDRFR7ELFIP6SL3F8HPSD9NQ877EA5ML8DBN-56395?func=meta-3&short-format=002&set_number=006582&set_entry=000017&format=999, accessed:21st October 2009)

Facebook is one of the world’s best known social networking websites. Made within the creation of Web 2.0 Facebook connects millions of people world wide, but is it really all it’s made out to be? As technology grows, social media companies push more boundaries when it comes to privacy. Is Facebook really worth your while? I will let you be the judge.

Alice Marwick states that; Facebook has been repeatedly criticised on privacy grounds. While the company claims it doesn't sell user information, details are made available to third-party application developers, who account for much of the site's profits. And researchers have found that personal data can be "leaked" to advertisers and data aggregators, who already collect browsing and behavioural information about people as they move about the web.(Alice Marwick, 2009, There’s No Hiding on Facebook, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/oct/05/facebook-privacy-beacon-lawsuit, accessed: 21st October 2009)

This quote clearly states that Facebook doesn’t care about the privacy of its users. Privacy issues with facebook and other user created content tends to be an invisible environment to the people using the sites. The users do not realise how problematic the privacy issues can be until they are effected. Although the users of Facebook should be told of the privacy within Facebook more clearly, they should also consider researching the website themselves.A massive problem arose for Facebook when the company was hit with a strong class-action law suit against the Beacon service. Juan Carlos Perez from the website Computerworld wrote that; Facebook members found Beacon complicated, as well as intrusive and stealthy. Many people were horrified to find out their friends were being informed of actions, like purchases, they had undertaken on other Web sites. (Juan Carlos Perez, 2009, It will spend $9.5M on a foundation devoted to online privacy issues, http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9138271/Facebook_will_shut_down_Beacon_to_settle_lawsuit, accessed: 21st October 2009)

The Beacon service quickly became a large issue among users and Facebook found themselves in trouble. As the quote above states, the Beacon service was difficult to use there for anabling the users to be able to turn the Beacon service off (that is if the user even knew about it in the first place). An example of the damage that the Beacon service can do to personal life has been shown in many newspapers and magazines. Instead of turning this certain user into a word-of-mouth promotor, Facebook’s Beacon srevice costed this man a 14k secret.

Facebook’s Beacon service revealed; Sean Lane's purchase was supposed to be a surprise for his wife. Then it appeared as a news headline -- "Sean Lane bought 14k White Gold 1/5 ct Diamond Eternity Flower Ring from overstock.com" -- last week on the social networking Web site Facebook.( Ellen Nakashima, 2007, Feeling Betrayed, Facebook Users Force Site to Honor Their Privacy, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/29/AR2007112902503.html, accessed: 21st October 2009) This story clearly shows that what Facebook’s Beacon service was doing was wrong. By using these everyday people as a marketing ploy and a medium of communication and advertising, Facebook lost respect and thousands of dollars. This Beacon service alone broke four laws in the two years that it was running; Electronic Communications Privacy Act, Video Privacy Act, California Consumer Legal Remedies Act and California Computer Crime Law.

In saying this, the majority of Facebook users do not realise that they are being subject to this illegal activity. The users do not know that even when their profile is set to private (and they are trying to be safe) they still do not have any control over their personal details which they have entered into the Facebook account. For example, Facebook places the users profiles on search engines such as Google to provide more traffic for the social networking website. According to ‘All Facebook’, a website which is dedicated to information about Facebook, says that currently the information displayed in the search profile is limited to: your profile picture, a list of your friends, a link to add you as a friend, a link to send you a message, and a list of up to approximately 20 fan pages that you are a member of. (Nick O’Neill, 2009, 10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know, http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/02/facebook-privacy/#, accessed: 21st October) Facebook users are not informed that this occurs when creating a Facebook page. There is an option to turn if off but many users do not now how to do so, and how can the do so if they do not know that their webpage is being shown on internet search engines.

Barack Obama’s former privacy advisor Mozelle Thompson, states that it is crucial the legion of newly converted Facebook and Twitter addicts be educated to protect their personal information being exploited. (Greg Thom, 2009, Networks put privacy at risk Tweeters need to get smart, http://metalib.unilinc.edu.au.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/V/PPT6JS4R9KH5K69DXE334898LJCPSQED736LKIDN5DYT17EDKD-99181?func=meta-3&short-format=002&set_number=005683&set_entry=000005&format=999, accessed: 21st October 2009) If this were to happen there would be a lot less privacy issues with Facebook.

A basic goal of any advertising system is to accurately target the ad to the recipient audience. (Hamed Haddadi, Saikat Guha, Paul Francis, 2009, Not All Adware Is Badware: Towards Privacy-Aware Advertising, http://www.springerlink.com/content/91g53710628645m7/, accessed: 21st October) In Facebook’s case that means not following the right privacy protocols. Because of this lack in privacy it has become easier for people to become subject to data beaches, identity theft as well as online fraud as the information (Karen Dearne, 2009, Facebook tools nail privacy fears, http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,26231570-15306,00.html, access: 21st October 2009) is easy to access.

There are certain ways that Facebook users can keep more of their information private, although it isn’t advertised when joining up with Facebook. Users can make their posts private so only a certain amount of people can read the information posted. Users are also able to put their profile onto private so people that are not listed in their friends are unable to see most of their information. This privacy is important because it allows Facebook to selectively disclose personal information and to engage in behaviours appropriate to and necessary for creating and maintain diverse personal relationships.(Norman Mooradian, 2009, The Importance of Privacy Revisited, http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1613102, accessed: 21st October 2009)

Facebook needs to improve the privacy issues which circle their website. The Beacon service, user advertising on search engines and lack of information about privacy on Facebook Without the improvement of these privacy issues Facebook can be expecting more law suits and less members. Overall I feel that it is an unsafe environment for people to be communicating in unless they know the dangers and ways they can improve their privacy on Facebook.

3 Minute Video

This is my three minute video. It shows how i clean my fish tank. It is a task i have to perform quite often. The song i chose to put in the background is called Penelope by Saosin which is about one of the band members fish. I felt that the song fitted well.

This is my first one minute still image movie. It is simple and involves a beer bong (a funnel attached to a hose with a tap on the end) which helps you skull your drinks. The photos are taken at a 70's party that I went to on the weekend. I hope it is acceptable.

Lecture Review Week 8

This weeks topic is called CyberPolitics and eDemocracy. Basically CyberPolitics are politics which are on the internet. Cyberpolitics can come in many different levels. they can be as little as political activities which are seen in games and chat sites through to the people who actually control the structure and functions of the internet. In saying this eDemocracy is to do with real world politics but is the internets contribution. eDemocracy does this by showing political campaigning and by having political websites and so on.

moving on i would like to just mention my still images movies. I know they are not the best movies but it is hard to take so many pictures when you are so busy. I feel that my 'Cleaning My Fish Tank' movie wasn't too bad as it is a task that i have to do often and the song that i put in the background of it is about a fish. It is the three minute movie and extensively shows how i clean my fish tank. My one minute still image movie isn't so good. It is from a 70's party I was at on the weekend but it is what i am constantly doing on the weekends. I hope they are up to standard.

Lecture Review - Week 7

This week the topic for New Communication Technologies is free society free culture and Creative Commons. The lecturer states that there are three key words when considering this topic; community, collaboration and choice. The website creativecommons.org began in December of 2002. This non-profite organisation set out to promote reasonable copyright. Creative Commons allows standard licences and tools to be availible which enable creators to create their works easier. This organisation also allows creators to have 'some rights reserved' instead of 'all rights reserved'. Every creator is allowed a choise of one of three options when considering copying and distributing work. These three options are; NonCommercial, No Derivatives and ShareAlike.

Moving on, Free and Open Software started the movement to voluntarily relax copyright laws. Software is run by a thing called a source code. A source code tells a computer what to do by using programming languages. Software has always been free which allowed anyone to share and use the source code. This idea of free software first came to light when a man called Richard M stallman began the Free Software Foundation in 1981. Stallman aimed to create a system that was made up of free software. Stallman also created four principles when dealing with free software:
1) The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.
2) The freedom to study how the programs works, and adapt it to your needs.
3) The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbour.
4) The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits.

Lecture Review Week 6

This week was about consumption and production. Within consumption there are two groups; big screen and small screen. Cinema is an obvious big screen as it is the first way of consuming media. it is a primary way of consuming media as well as being in a publicly shared place. The television is also categorised in the big screen group. Instead of being in a publicly shared place, the television is shared within the home as well as having the ability to be watched privately. A personal computer is also included in big screen consumption. it also is able to have private and shared media consumption.

Moving on, the small screen includes; fixed media players and personal media players. fixed media players can be found almost anywhere nowadays. They can be found on most planes and cars as well as being through out shops and pubs and various other locations. Fixed media players are both publicly and privately consumed. Personal media players as also publicly and privately consumed . An example of a personal media player is a mobile phone.

Production is also a big topic with the media. Fan Films are becoming more popular as they allow fans to edit parts or ending of movies to how they would prefer. Mash ups are also popular as fans pick small clips out of different movies to change them into a totally different genre. In the lecture we watched a mash up that was based on Mary Poppins. The creator changed the title to 'Scary Mary' and chose parts out of the movie which make the movie appear to be scary. I found both the fan films and the mash ups to be really entertaining and I also thought it was good to allow fans to put their own spin on movies.

Lecture Review Week 3

This lecture was all about learning the language of the cinema. There are several shot sizes that are used in movies such as long shot, mid shot and close up. These different shots help show emotion. Other types of shots mean certain words with the way the extenuate what is being shown in the shot. A close up of a character shows 'who', a mid shot shows 'what' the character is doing, a long shot shows 'where' they are, a close up of a clock can show 'when', 'why' can be answered by revealing something about a character in a close up shot and a variety of shots can show 'how'.

Head room is also discussed as the way the person is presented changes the quality of the film, this is the same with talking room. There is also the rule of thirds and the 180degrees rule in film making. every shot should drive the narrative forward.

Lecture Review Week 5

Media used as communication which becomes a technology medium. this lecture is about technology and media. Through the internet shared interest in everyday life is then transformed into a shared interest with people around the world. A new era of internet is called Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is web that is about people. The difference between the old web and Web 2.0 is folksonomy which categorises and organises knowledge. This is a user generated content. There are also open API's which are web pages that you can share information openly.

Social media consists of weblog's, social network services and context sharing communities which are new kinds of communities. The economy of accumulation is someone who can have information about you (e.g. Facebook). The worrying thing is what they can actually do with your information and where they can post it and who can access it.

Lecture Review Week 2

This lecture is aimed at understanding a short history of the computer and the internet. We can thank Charles Babbage for the birth of the computer. Born in 1791 Babbage was a son to an English banker. Following the completion of his MA at Cambridge in 1817, Babbage soon became the inventor of the first digital computer. The computer was actually Mechanical instead of being an electrical device. A woman then added to Babbage's' works. Her name was Ada Byron, she was the daughter of a famous poet called Lord Byron. Byron then went on to create the first computer program. The development of the computer was then continued by a man called Alan Turing. Joined with teams of people Turing devised the work working computer. Moving into the 1950's computers began to be commercially sold.

As computers slowly upgraded a company called Xerox PARC created the mouse. Following this the first personal computer was released in 1975. Bill Gates then begin in the business by starting his own in his garage called Microsoft. IBM realised that they were falling behind. In 1980 they decided to get into the PC business.

'The internet is a network of networks' which contain servers, mainframes and personal computers. The internet can be connected by; the telephone system, broad-band cable and satellite. The idea of the internet began in the 1960's by the RAND corporation. Other researchers were thinking of a similar idea they called the 'Packet Switching'. The two groups then came together and began working on a networking program.

Continuing on into the 1990's where there was the birth of the Worldwide Web. The Web brings together both internetworking and hypertext to make an easy to use global system. Browsers such as Mosaic and Netscape made these easier to access. The Web is different from the internet.

Cyberspace is a whole other thing. Cyberspace is the interconnection of reality and imagination. A man called Karl Popper began to write about the nature of reality and how it is divided into three worlds. The first world is the objective material world of natural things and their physical properties. The second world is subjective consciousness: intentions, calculations, feelings, thoughts, dreams, memories, etc in individual minds. The last world, world three is the public structures produced by living minds interacting with each other and the real world.

Lecture Review Week 1

The first lecture in New Communication Technologies introduces and explains just what new comminications are to give the students, like myself, a hands-on experience with these new communication technologies as well as knowledge of the theoretical devates on the subject. Moving on the lecturer states several new communication technologies to give us a brief idea of what we are dealing with. A few of these new communication technologies include; wireless, weblogs, Twitter, Youtube, social networking.

The lecture then goes on to define exactly what communication and technology really is. Basically communication is a process that transfers, transmits or makes information known to other people. A good example is then followed with a quote from Aristotle; The speaker produces a message that is heard by the listener. This states the most basic communication. The worlds technology is evolving and contacting people needs a more complex and quicker way of communicationg. Some of these communication processes include intersubjectivity and intertextuality. Intersubjectivity is when the listener interpret the message and changes it as they send it along where as intertextuality is where no message is ever complete.

Moving on the lecturer explains what technology is; the scientific study of mechanical arts and their application to the world. There are two kinds of technology; analog and digital. Analog is a technology that functions by representing continuously variable forces through roughly proportional signs. Digital technology is technology that relies on storing bits of binary information and allows for the precise modification of forces.

MSN Vs. Habbo Hotel

MSN instant messenger is a world wide program that is constantly in use by men, woman, teenagers and children. Another instant messenger program is Habbo Hotel. Habbo Hotel is similar to MSN as you can talk instantly but it is also a 3D program and mostly used by younger people. Firstly i will go over the basic ways that people can communicate on both MSN and Habbo Hotel.

Both programs allow you to communicate online to another person. The main differences in the way these instant messages are communicated is; on MSN the conversation is saved, you can only talk to people that you know as well as only having a web cam or display picture to visualise who you are talking to. On the other hand Habbo Hotel has the conversation continue off the screen so you are unable to keep track of what has been said, you can also talk to anyone that is in the same room as you (you don't have to know them) and lastly as Habbo Hotel is 3D which allows more creativity. I feel that just these few differences change the whole type of socialising that happens on the two programs.

MSN is a lot more direct and personal as you are the only people seeing the conversation. If you were to have a conversation on Habbo Hotel every person that is in the room is able to see. This chances the way you are able to socialise. Another major way it effects socialising is that on Habbo Hotel you don't actually know who you are talking to the majority of the time. The cartoon settings allows people to become who ever they want where as on MSN you know exactly who you are talking to.The Conversations are also limited on Habbo Hotel as inappropriate words are bleeped out and on MSN you are able to say anything.

week four questions

Question 1: Alan Turing wore a gas mask as he rode his bicycle around Bletchley Park. I found this through yahoo on http://www.fusionanomaly.net/alanturing.html

Question 2: In 1969 at U.C.L.A two computers communicated for the first time. I found this through yahoo on http://www.today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/990928looking.aspx

question 3: Bill Gates was born on the 28th of October in 1955. Gates made his first software program when he was thirteen years old but actually sold his first software when he was nineteen years old. This was also found through yahoo on www.answers.com/topic/bill-gates

question 4: The Worldwide Web was created by Tim Bernes-Lee and Robert Cailliau at European Organisation for Nuclear Research in Switzerland. Found through yahoo on www.boutell.com/newfaq/history/inventedweb.html

question 5: A computer found in 2009 is about 3000 times faster and better then the computers from thirty years ago.


question 6: The largest parsnip ever grown was 8lb 6oz. Through the yahoo search engine on the website: http://www.today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/990928looking.aspx


question 7: Queensland became a state in June 1859. Found through yahoo on www.slq.gov.au/whats-on/exhibit/online/becoming_qld


question 8: Heavy October rains, flooding due to rain as well as a tropical cyclone were experienced on the 17th of November in 1954. http://tristian0007.wordpress.com/2009/08/20/what-was-the-weather-like-in-south-east-queensland-on-17-november-1954/


question 9: Lord Byron had lived in Venice and he also had scandals. http://englishhistory.net/byron/chronology.html


question 10: Shirhan Chapman's real name is Steve Stockwell and performed in the band the Black Assassins. http://web.revolutionrock.com.au/oral-hist/index.php?id=36

the future of communication

I found this video to be interesting as the lecturer doesnt just talk about new communications and the media he also tells various stories. He begins with a story from when he travelled to New Guinee. The villiage he stays at just shows how different communities are with out new communication technologies. It varies for this villiage though as a new communication technology is not an online networking website but it is in the simple form of writing. The lecturer also shows how new communication technologies were used to make an ad for the super bowl. They got people to upload their own videos onto the internet and then a winner is chosen and their ad is shown. The video also shows how new communication technologies can link people. An example he uses is the website called 'dig it' which is a user generated filtering site. This website can help make one video be spread to millions of people. Overall I feel that this youtube video is interesting and shows how a few different types of new communication technologies can work.

Lena & new communication technologies

I easily use new communication technologies everyday. i have a sad obsession with the internet; facebook, myspace, MSN. I also have a mobile just like every other eighteen year old. Texting, calling and the internet are all frequent events on my phone. With out these new communication technologies I would not have met or kept in contact with alot of friends and family. Alot of my closest friends made first contact over MSN and myspace as I went to primary school with a guy they knew. With out new communication technologies i would have never met these great people and wouldn't be regularly flying to and from Townsville. At the moment one of my best friends is travelling Europe and through facebook myspace and MSN we have been able to keep in constant contact.

I have friends that I only know online. I have met alot of people that live in Townsville through friends i probably know 30 odd people there now. I'm slowly meeting more of them as I visit but I do enjoy just having people online to talk to. I also know people that live in New Zealand and other countries through the internet. I'm not sure exactly how we know each other but it's interesting talking to people in other countries. I think it is different to knowing people in person. I don't really know how to explain how it is different, it just is. I also have people that i have met once and kept in contact with since. Keeping in contact through the internet is alot easier and frequent then only meeting in person.

I have been using new communication technologies since primary school. My dad met my step mum through the internet and that when I started to use the internet to talk to her until she moved over from America. I then continued to use the internet and broaden my searches. When I began high school I was given my first mobile phone, since then I have had no money. My dad introduced me to computers when i was young as he knows his way around a computer and can make them.

I never really thought to much into privacy when it comes to new communication technologies such as facebook and myspace. I know not to put my address or something stupid like that on the site but other then that I never gave it much thought. Several times I have put up my phone number and suburb and I always have my age showing and my email. In saying this my profile is on private. I never actually knew that facebook and other networking websites used their users details and information. On one hand the user did post that information on the internet to be seen but on the other hand it wasn't for the whole network to see.

First blog

Hey, my name is Lena and im studying New Com Tech as one of my subjects for my BA. I'm really only doing Bachelor of Arts so I can raise my ranking and get into architecture at QUT next year. I am also studying Youth and Society, Intro to Public Relations and Intro to Public Enterprise.

I guess I should say a little about myself... I am 18 and hit the valley up with my mates every weekend. I love music festivals and concerts thats where the majority of my money ends up. I have a car and no licence which doesnt give me any justice when trying to get to uni; instead of a twenty minute drive its a two hour mission.

Thats enough from me talking about myself so I'll see you in class. :)