That's all folks!

The inspiration for my final post of the term comes from this blog. As social networking was a prevailing topic for the course, I wanted to leave you all with some wise words about what not to post on your own pages. Following the example of advice we were first given in January about how "not to write a blog," here's a short list I have created on what not to post on your social networking site of choice:

1. Publish private information that my harm another person's reputation.

2. Post an incriminating photo of yourself.

3. Threaten someone via a wall post or status update.

4. Blatantly discriminate against another person or group of people.

5. Fabricate a group claiming "I will ____ myself if more than ____ people join this group".

Looking back over the course, the topic that resonated most with me is social networking and how huge it has become. This list I just posted is a bit of a joke, but at the same time the point I want to get across is that once you put the information out there, it's out there for all to see. Facebook, Twitter, blackberrys, iPhones... and many more devices are making it possible to post what you are doing and keep in touch at all times. It's important to be cautious about your online presence, because you never know when it will come back to haunt you. As I have blogged about before, it's no secret that potential employers look you up online... And lets be honest, do you really want your mother to see what a wild night you just had?

Stay true to yourselves while networking prudently, and allow social networking sites to be your friend, not your foe!

That's all folks!!!

eHarmony and the Internet: Matched August 2000

So we've all seen the commercials - people finding love via the Internet. And if it wasn't for the Internet, they'd be hopeless... right?

Recently, there has been an emergence in online dating. Many sites for dating via the Internet claim to be easy and safe - matching you with only those most compatible to you. It really makes you wonder.. what DID people do before the Internet? I know that my friends and I tend to make plans either over Facebook or text messaging. So, if all technology was to be lost for a day, what would we do? It seems to me we would be all alone.

Our activities online are what keep us going. Be it applying for jobs, communicating with coworkers, doing schoolwork (exhibit A...), coordinating with friends, booking transportation, checking the weather, ordering clothes, or finding our soulmate. eHarmony.com (or .ca for us Canadians) was a site created in August of 2000, and has since then had over 20 million members, with approximately 236 eHarmony members getting married every single day. I don't know about you, but I found this information shocking! With all the jokes surrounding online dating, I didn't know it could actually be such an effective matchmaker.

But all jokes aside, I think online dating, when taken seriously, can be a wonderful thing. With such a busy world that truly is (as i tried to illustrate in the examples above) connected at the hip to the Internet, what a better way to meet a potential partner. The technologies of matching personalities seem to work wonders, and I'm sure all the eHarmony love-birds would tell us so.

So what do you think? Would you ever create an online dating profile? Would you give love a chance to blossom via the Internet?

Somebody's Watching Me

Citizen media like blogs, Twitter and Facebook have mainly been my niche as gossipgirlt. It's exciting and empowering to have the ability to utilize your own voice in the public sphere and to have it heard.

However, it has been brought to my attention that not everyone is as fortunate when it comes to having a voice. Just a little over a year ago, bloggers in Iran were jailed for voicing opinions against the "norm." SmartMobs explains how Twitter is one of the only ways to receive updates on the strife in Iran as texting and cell phone coverage has been suspended there. Even with these "luxuries" taken away, the ability to speak on current events that may not be so popular are being monitored.

It's sad to think someone can be persecuted for standing up for their rights or offering input on an unpopular topic. Looks like George Orwell wasn't too far off on his radical ideas regarding "Big Brother." To always feel like you are being watched, to be scrutinized for your every thought is a terrible way to live. There is something to be said, if not for freedom in your own country, then for freedom of self. Every human being has the right to an opinion, and the right to voice it. Blogs are a tool to do just that, and it is an oxymoron to see that they are being used as just the opposite.

Are you LinkedIn?

As graduation quickly approaches, a lot of students are wondering what the next step is. Hand out resumes? Go to a job fair? Perhaps... if you're Ward and June Cleaver. The new generation of job applicants have some other options to consider.

While attending a resume writing workshop, it was brought to my attention that what potential employers (in some fields more than others) are really looking for is an online presence. Samples of resumes we were given that were unlike the resumes I was used to making. Down the side of one was a large box with the applicants Twitter address - it was the focus of the entire page. And just a few slots over was the LinkedIn account. It then dawned on me that simply writing up your qualifications and education is no longer enough.

In order to create a lasting impression and land the job, there's a lot more work involved than I would have imagined. As I was instructed in the workshop, it is important to start your online presence NOW, so when your potential employers search for you they will see you are already involved in your career aspirations. They will see this because you should be tweeting regularly about things that interest you and show your dedication to your field of choice.

For example, I am hoping to become an event planner. Now, I have a Twitter account but have never actually tweeted. In order to ramp up my image, I should research up and coming events and maybe even offer a critique of them on my Twitter account... and fast.

LinkedIn is another expectation for job applicants, especially for those in the business world. This professional networking site allows you to create a profile and connect with past and present colleagues, classmates, etc. These people may then add a recommendation to your profile, giving "power to your career."

It is my feeling that expectations for an online presence may be either helpful or harmful to one's career. If you're into networking like tweeting and LinkedIn already, then it would be easy to promote yourself online. However, for those who would rather hand in a resume and excel in an interview, this new level of expectations may be a bit intimidating. I know it is for me.

Tweet... will you accept this apology?

John Mayer is a celebrity... but recently he is famous for all the wrong reasons. In an interview for the March issue of Playboy, John dished out all kinds of inappropriate information. He began by using the "n-word", as well as telling intimate details of his previous relationships with Jessica Simpson and insulting another former fling, Jennifer Aniston, for her age.

If it wasn't for the internet, however, I doubt Mayer would have had nearly as much of a mess to clean up. After the interview, news sources and everyday joe's like you and I took to the public sphere to express their disgust. This blog explains the situation for those of you who would like to know more.

On Twitter, Mayer has over 3 million followers, many of whom were not too happy with the "star's" remarks. One follower tweeted that Mayer should enter rehab, to which he replied, "they don't make rehab centers for being an a**hole." After the interview came out, Jessica Simpson tweeted, "Interesting day so far... Hmm. At least I am boxing 2-a-days this week." With so much action on Twitter, I guess that's the reason why Mayer felt the need to issue his apology via this social networking site. Of his multiple tweets, they all went something like, "I will never ever say the N-word again." Check it out for yourself to see all of his attempts at reconciliation...

Would you accept a tweeted apology??

Remixing has served as a great example of how the public may utilize their creative voices when discussing a current issue. Here's an example of a remixed YouTube video - this one takes sound bites, pictures, and music from Mayer mixed with some personal touches. Countless other videos have been posted discussing the event and some even reenacting an interview with John Mayer.

It's crazy how much of an impact the public sphere can have on one person's life and reputation - especially that of a celebrity. From remixing compromising statements to tweeting apologies, we have a public sphere that is ready and willing to take on the world.

r-r-r-r-reeeemix

Remixes. They are everywhere. They're a part of our generation. We love them. We dance to the new beats, we sing along, we mash up videos, and in some instances we even create our own.

With the regularity of remixes, it never occurred to me there could be legality issues concerning ownership. However, after watching RiP: A Remix Manifesto, I became concerned. This film brought to light a lot of contemporary issues surrounding remixing - what specifically caught my attention was the downloading of music and also the controversy surrounding the remixing of songs. Girl Talk (who was also featured in the film as an example of "fair use"), one of the most popular mashup artists, has an astounding - and quite frankly frightening - career. I always knew who he was and what he did, but I was not aware that he and his family are literally wondering when he's going to run into trouble. Apparently much of his work is illegal.

There were so many things that came to mind while watching this video. My immediate thoughts surrounded my own life. Being in university, we as students are asked countless times every year to look at the work of others and to create something new from it. I couldn't help but wonder how this is any different than remixing a song or video. In essence, it is the exact same as these research papers - taking the work of others to create something new. I linked this example of how to write a research paper to demonstrate how one of the main steps is to "look for sources of information."

My point here is that I'm scared.

I'm scared about what we truly are allowed to do with our creativity. With so many potential limitations and seemingly harmless people being punished for using the work of others, it is frightening to fathom what the result of other creativity may be. Are budding artists on YouTube supposed to receive permission for covering the songs of their favourite singers? Are bloggers like you and I supposed to receive permission for citing the thoughts of others?

I want to leave you all with one of my favourite current mashups: United State of Pop 2009. DJ Earworm has created mashups of some of the best songs of each year, starting in 2007. This 2009 mashup has received over 12 million hits on YouTube alone. Lets hope he's allowed to create one for 2010; I guess only time will tell...

Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you...

How many of you already knew that the continuation of this post's title was going to read: "...but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!"? And once you were through reading that, how many of you already knew that the speaker was Kanye West?

During the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards this past September, the most well known moment of the evening had to be Kanye stealing the spotlight from Taylor Swift by claiming her moonman for best female video rightfully belonged to Beyonce. The moment was replayed countless times on both television and the internet. It's interesting that immediately after the ordeal on September 13th, bloggers and YouTubers alike went straight to their computers. With more than 44,000 comments and 8,870,000 plus views, the ordeal was posted on YouTube just hours after it occurred.

What really strikes me is that these videos and blogs are posted by everyday people, just like you and I. Anyone has the ability to comment on the day's events, post thoughts on an array of issues, etc. However, is this information always reliable? Are these sites equivalent to good old fashioned journalism?

It seems to me that much of the information we read online has to be taken with a grain of salt. Objectivity is key in our day and age. As Rebecca Blood writes, "bloggers are usually very happy to tell you what they think of what they link. But is this a new form of journalism? Frankly, no. I'm not practicing journalism when I link to a news article reported by someone else and state what I think... Bloggers may point to reader comments as sources of information about the items they post, but these are equivalent to letters to the editor, not reporting."

I'd have to say, I agree with this statement. While blogging and YouTube videos are entertaining and useful in catching up on the daily gossip, I do not look to them first when I'm attempting to read a story of real impact. Participatory media is great for things like the Kanye and Taylor incident, but it also has its drawbacks. When people start looking to and relying on participatory media that do not necessarily have any credibility, the line is blurred.

The movie Mean Girls serves as a good metaphor for participatory media. If you aren't already familiar, watch this clip of when the "Burn Book" surfaces at North Shore High School. The four "mean" girls, who have no credibility nor do they personally know half the people they are writing about, publish a book of half-true stories for all to read. This is one way to look at participatory media - written by people with usually no first hand knowledge, but only an outsiders view and an untrained opinion. While some of it may be true, other parts may not.

All in all, participatory media sites like YouTube and blogs are entertaining and often helpful in relaying information, but they should not be viewed as a replacement for professional journalism.

Tragedy in the Public Sphere

In light of the recent tragedy in Haiti, I am very aware of the powerful presence of the public sphere. I first found out about the earthquake and disaster in Haiti while on my Twitter account. Celebrities across the board were tweeting about it - Jessica Simpson as an example, "Everyone please help Haiti thru this horrible tragedy & go to http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/ Every little bit helps."

Even the White House was in on the tweeting - "Text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to @RedCross relief efforts in #Haiti. Learn more: http://bit.ly/6KiRtE @dipnote".

What I find so fascinating is that amidst a tragedy, everyone is capable of having a voice. The public sphere makes it possible to not only receive news, but to give an opinion on it, or even ask for help. The ability to post a link for others to see to donate money and interact in the even has been utilized by many - just take a look at the examples of Jessica Simpson and the White House from above.

Henry Jenkins invites us to, as he puts it, "reconsider what it might mean for citizens in a participatory culture to get "too close to reality" and whether this is a new kind of political power that we could deploy to transform society." Responding to this, I feel that for the situation in Haiti, the public sphere has given bountiful opportunity for citizens to participate in culture. While there are a variety of situations we could analyze concerning the public sphere, regarding the situation in Haiti the public sphere has proven to serve as an outlet for people of all different walks of life to share a common idea and come together in times of tragedy. Thus, in a participatory culture like ours, the public sphere is capable of and has been used to transform society.

One captivating example of participatory culture in the public sphere is a blog shown to me by a friend. This blog comes right out of Haiti. Karen Bultje is a woman who has been updating others on the tragedy in Haiti by posting her pictures and stories of life in Haiti just days after the earthquake.

I just want to end this post by commending those who have been exercising their right to participate in culture. By posting pictures, links, blogs, thoughts, etc., it becomes very apparent that the ripple effects of such disasters can be felt around the world. We can all catch a glimpse into the kind hearts of others, and the unity of mankind can genuinely be experienced.