Module 1.2 The Medium is the Message? When the media converge

Readings and audio summary:

Lessig, L. (2006). Four puzzles from cyber space. In L. Lessig, Code version 2.0 (pp. 9-30). New York: Basic Books. Retrieved from http://www.socialtext.net/codev2/index.cgi?four_puzzles_from_cyberspace

• Lessig’s (2006) text focuses on four distinct examples that relate to cyberspace, namely “borders, governors, Jake’s communities and Worms that sniff”. All the latter examples possess some contradictions over real-life and virtual life practices, as well as ethical issues.
• The real-life case study between two neighbours arguing about poisonous flowers and a dog dying thereof have controversial implications. Lessig (2006) argues that in virtual worlds people can change the outcome of the situation. In other words, people can decide how they want the situation to end, e.g.  A person has the “choice about whether the dog would “suffer” when it “dies” in a virtual world (p. 13).
• Lessig (2006, p. 12) distinguishes between borders; real (offline) life and cyberspace (virtual world). The author also refers to the space in between the neighbours properties as the virtual space.
• “Massively multiplayer online games (MMOG)” enable users to come together to interact in a virtual space and be in control of your own space (Lessig, 2006, p. 11).
• People engage in online gaming communities, such as Second Life where they can create their own avatars. The person becomes a different person in cyberspace than in real-life.
• Online gambling is more acceptable and unregulated than real-life gaming. People can engage in online gaming without being convicted in their own real-life town or city. According to Lessig (2006, p. 16), “Access doesn’t depend on geography”.
• In Jake Baker’s case study, it shows that authors can write about violence and sexual exploitation online without getting prosecuted in real-life. So, authors and creators of these highly exploited media can ‘get away’ easier online than in real-life.
• It is also clear, that the people reading Jake’s stories are keen followers or true fans. To accentuate, “Jake’s readership was potentially millions, stretching across country and continent, across culture and taste” (Lessig, 2006, p. 19).
• Computer monitoring/surveillance are not easily detected online as in the case with real life. Arguably, if this unknown personal surveillance happened in real life, this behaviour would have been unacceptable. Invasion of privacy can lead to legal prosecution. 
• Lessig's text introduced me to several case studies that focus on ethical issues, such as online gaming and Jake Baker's explicit writings on violence, rape and sex. It is clear to me, what is acceptable online is not necessary acceptable in real life.

Jenkins, H. (2009). Great Video w/ Henry Jenkins on Participatory Culture & How Media is changing [Video file]. Retrieved from http://cinematech.blogspot.com/2009/05/great-video-w-henry-jenkins-on.html

• Jenkins (2009) differentiates between old media and new media, stating that an “old media system is dying and a new media system is being born”.
• People are moving into a more participatory culture, where media and technology are shared and/or changed.
• In a participatory culture people can tell their own stories; they have control over their own media creations.
• However, people in the digital age are changing originally published media without considering copyright and owners’ permission.
• I have to agree with Jenkins’ (2009) statement that media and storytelling have always been part of people’s history and upbringing. However, it is media companies that have taken media into their own hands.
• Wikipedia allows collective intelligence, which again enables users to edit information at any time. To me, Wikipedia is an excellent example of participatory culture where people can interact and change information.
• New media has also made it possible for people to become online journalists. For example, people use their mobile devices and cameras to make their own media.
• Social networking platforms are becoming increasingly popular to get messages/viewpoints across, e.g. Obama campaign. 

Favourite media text:

CTN Digital Publication. (2009). CTN Green [Magazine]. Retrieved from http://ctngreen.com/2009/jun/ 

• High-quality graphics, clipart and artwork.
• The text is educational. Every page provides useful information about the environment.
• The cover is beautiful and lures the reader to explore the text more. Overall, the colours of the magazine bend in with the theme it is trying to portray.
• When I opened this magazine, I felt intrigued to read more.
• The main audience of the magazine is environmentalists and general public interested in the environment and saving the planet from pollution.
• On the index page, there are quick links to get to different pages.
• There is a search textbox people can use to find pages easily
• There are interesting video segments embedded within the text.
• Yann Arthus-Bertrand (2009) video clip is amazing - he talks about pollution, our world and states that "we don't want to believe what we know". People are destroying the world due to pollution and over fishing.
• Raphael Mazzucco photographs are exquisite. His photographs are inspired by the environment.
• The navigation on this page is really easy to understand.

Reference

Arthus-Bertrand, Y. (2009). Believe what you know [Video file]. Retrieved from http://ctngreen.com/2009/jun/

Discussion Board:

MED104 ENGAGING MEDIA (SP 1) (312160-VICE-CHANCELL-1748626000) > COMMUNICATIONS > GROUP PAGES > JENNY'S GROUP > GROUP DISCUSSION BOARD > 1.2 THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE?>lizelle smith, tuesday march 8 2011  

Smith, L. (2011, March 8). The medium is the message? Message posted to http://lms.curtin.edu.au/

Trevor Birch (as cited in Smith, 2011) made a valid point in regard to online regulation by code stating that, “The Internet is already regulated through code”.  In a "massively multiplayer online games" (MMOG) space, users can regulate the codes to suite them.