Ted Talk: Power of Internet Video

This ted talk, by Chris Anderson, introduces an interesting facet of the digital video revolution. He explains that it is the fuel -- the source of power, if you will -- for innovation in the modern age. He says that the spoken word had fallen out of favor for communicating ideas, due to Gutenberg's printing press. It was only after the invent of internet video and YouTube that the spoken word regained its rightful spot in the world. It is now the major source of innovation and sharing, as the spoken word retains more power than even the best of poems. I can attest to the power of such a medium. I create tutorials for a 3d creation suite called "Blender 3d". Every day, one of my videos for teaching how to simulate water in this program gets over 100 views, and has accrued over 30 thousand. It is through me that these people are able to learn something new -- a gratifying experience, yes, but that isn't the heart of it. These people I have never met and will never meet are thanking me profusely for teaching them this morsel of info. It is a strange and empowering phenomenon, and it induces the best out of everyone.

Google Terms of Service

Google has recently changed its terms of service. It has changed them to a new set of rules that allow them to compile data across all of their services: from Google search to Google mail. There doesn't seem to be any problem with this, in my mind. You have given them this wonderful information to tailor the performance of their programs to your liking. It is also really really smart for Google to do. They get 96% of their revenue from ads, so if their ads are better tailored towards you, you will enjoy the search process more, and Google gets more money. You needn't worry about the privacy issues, as Google will hold your information tight to it's chest -- you can trust them indeed. While it is true that someone could hack Google's servers, that chance has always existed -- as small as it is.

So, don't be worried about this new change. It will probably lead to a very concise and small licence agreement -- understandable by humans. That is a feat few companies can achieve, so congratulations to Google.

SOPA and PIPA Ted Talk Response

Congress' most recent evolution of laws that attempt to restrict our right to create and share are SOPA and PIPA. They present a major threat to everyday internet users of both this country, and the world. It threatens to remove our right to create and share. The strength of the restrictions would most likely be enough for most people to abandon ship and nearly stop using the internet, or at least stop creating on it. People wouldn't be able to create anything that even slightly related to something already done by the media business, not even modifications of pre-existing characters for no profit. My own behavior, though, wouldn't change at all. SOPA, at least, is now dead. But, if it were to have passed, I am proud to say I would be one of the rebels, doing anything in my power to circumvent the law -- to fight it -- as was done in the days of prohibition. I, along with many other internet users, would form and underground sort of resistance to make the government regret ever trying to do something so blatantly unethical and unconstitutional.

There is one thing that I can say good about SOPA. It was born in the mindset of doing good. It is true that piracy is something to scorn, and it is admirable that SOPA attempts to fix this problem. It is all tied up in digital ethics -- of privacy, appropriate use, and property. For that reason alone, I hold a shred of respect for those who came up with the bill -- only for it to be blown away by their obstinance in supporting such a crime against humanity. Just in case anything like this comes up again, I want to make my stance clear: those in our generation are referred to as "Digital Natives" for a reason. SOPA and PIPA are invasions of our home turf -- our country, if you will -- and I, at least, will respond as any citizen would at invasion. With resistance.

Digital Ethics Advocacy

Question: What role, as a student, do you have in shaping and influencing--through your actions and advocacy--a more ethical digital society?

My role as a student, I think, is rather limited. I don't hold much sway over my fellow students, and any attempt to quell them would lead to ridicule or worse. I don't think considering the question like that would lead to a good conversation... but considering it as a citizen or an employee might. I think the role I would play as a citizen or employee would be that of setting a good example rather than actually berating others as to their mistakes. But other than being a good example, I don't think any of us have any right to be in other's lives.

Digital Nation

PBS: Frontline: Digital Nation

There is no denying our current culture revolves around technology. Take this blog for example -- my classmates and I made our blogs in a few minutes. Or take texting for example. It is so prevalent amongst our younger population, one would think we no longer have face to face contact. Or take email for example. Indeed, all of these examples lead to the main point made in PBS' documentary "Frontline: Digital Nation" -- technology has changed everything we do, whether for better or worse. Theirs being a point I find hard to argue with.

One of these changes, according to PBS, is that of the prevalence of multitasking. Often people are seen emailing, texting, instant messaging, and conversing face to face -- all at the same time. A great example of a person doing this would have been me, just before I started writing this post. I had to stop a Skype call with my friends, because I understood that, as PBS says, we cannot multitask as well as we think we can. We become mediocre at each thing we are doing, rather than being great at one task. Since I prefer good writing, I decided to end the immediate social pleasure of a call, and become a antisocial grade-nerd for a bit.

Another change PBS points out rather aptly is that of education. The current generation has been named -- whether aptly or not I have yet to determine -- "Digital Natives", and PBS argued that the current education system doesn't treat us as such. It ignores the fact that we are aliens to the world of paper and pencil -- of book and notes. I think that this is an important shift in paradigm. Students these days are no longer required (thanks to the internet) to call up large collections of memorized data, whether it be dates or constants, for tests, but rather be tested on comprehension, creativity, and problem solving abilities, for those are the stats that matter in an age where anything is just a search away.

Overall, I would agree with what PBS has asserted in their documentary "Frontline: Digital Nation". They spent a good amount of time going out, interviewing people, gathering data, and seeing how this change really is -- a force for good and change for Humanity. I find it rather compelling to look at the most recent "Arab Spring", as its called, and the role of things like Facebook and Twitter. I have no reservations about the technology we use every day changing the world -- indeed, I figure that those who don't embrace this change will be left behind in the wave of the Digital Revolution.

Here, just for kicks:

Source: mideastposts.com

Eric Guinn