‘See it, Report it.’ – The Rise of Citizen Journalism

Many believe new media acts as a catalyst in the gradually declining popularity of traditional print media. The traditional media is usually a one way communication process, allowing next to no feedback from consumers. New media, on the other hand, offers opportunities for debate thanks to Web 2.0. New media has also given rise to a new form of journalism, one that circumvents the red tape or processes that traditional media is subjected to, known as citizen journalism.

Technology has advanced to a level where mere cellphones nowadays play a myriad of roles, serving as a camera and communication device in one convenient package. With all the equipment of a amateur journalist at one’s fingertips, it becomes a simply matter for one who is in the right place at the right time to snap a picture and upload it on the Internet together with a short write up detailing the events captured in the photograph. The ease of which we can connect to social media networks is astounding, given the widespread availability of WiFi hotspots and also mobile data plans. Thus, it has become second nature for us to log on to the Internet to get our daily news fix, be it through social media sites or news portals like Stomp.

Let’s face it, we’re living in the age where citizen journalism has begun to flourish. The average bystander that happens to be at the scene of a newsworthy event is best placed to record and publish the details. Waiting for the media reporters, however fast they may be, is out of the question as they may arrive far too late to receive the full scope of what has just happen. The death of Iranian protestor Neda Agha Soltan would have lost much of its impact had it not been for footage recorded by bystanders; Iranian media, being state controlled, was not likely to have reported on Soltan’s death. Shot while on her way to protest the results of the 2009 Iranian Presidential Election, her death was filmed by a number of bystanders that happened to be in the area, the videos detailing the immediate aftermath of the shooting. They quickly went viral, capturing the attention of international news agencies and eventually becoming a rallying point for the opposition towards the results of the 2009 elections. Today, Soltan’s is seen by many in Iran as a martyr, her death suggested to be the most viewed death in history by Time reporter Krista Mahr. All this was made possible by, yes, citizen journalism.

Citizen journalism has another major advantage over traditional media. It can go where the press cannot. In places like war zones or where the international press has limited access to, citizen journalism may be the only source of information available. The Libyan revolution is a prime example of this. Many accounts of the early days of the revolution against now deceased Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi were all due to citizen journalism. There wasn’t an independent press in Libya and the international press was denied entry to the country. A report by allAfrica states that while the rest of the world was under the impression that Gaddafi had the upper hand, citizen reports painting an entirely different picture of the situation trickling out via social media within Libya, depicting activists taking control of towns and putting up considerable resistance against Gaddafi’s men.

The main advantage and disadvantage are one and the same; anybody can be a citizen journalism. For all the advantages citizen journalism has to offer, it also poses several issues that must be dealt with with all due haste. Due to the nature of the sources, the credibility of information from citizen journalists may sometimes be in question. In the thick of the action, it may also be difficult to get the full picture of what is going on, and what we may see is merely one side of the coin. Furthermore, unlike professional journalists which are bound by their duty to approach issues from a neutral standpoint and conduct investigations to evaluate their story, citizen journalists are under no such boundaries. Thus, information may be written from a skewed perspective or worst, incorrect altogether. Especially in places like war zones, it has been shown chaotic environments can contribute to confusion that provides an incomplete picture of current events, which can then only be cleared up by professional reporters who can then compare information obtained by parties on both sides of the conflict.

Citizen journalism has changed the face of media indeed. Although traditional news media may be feeling the pain brought on by citizen journalism, there is still a long way to go before old media can be replaced entirely. While the credibility of information is in question, it is unlikely the majority would take it at face value. Stories may have been picked up and started upon by citizen journalists, but the main body and conclusion of events are taken up by professional news agencies. Saying thus, it would be interesting to see what professional journalists working together with the public would be able to achieve.

 

Politics and the Internet

The Internet is fast becoming an unlikely ally of politicians. Many hold the view that US president Barack Obama wouldn’t have won without the Internet. Compared to candidate John McCain, Obama seemed the more tech-savvy person, and it showed in how he brilliantly orchestrated his campaign on the Internet. Obama made full use of what the Internet had to offer, ranging from online videos to social media.

Like John F. Kennedy, whose decision to use television as a medium in his campaign tipped the scales in his favor, Obama’s use of the Internet changed politics from that point onwards. Traditional media has always had a fatal flaw regarding politics. It allows no room for discussion, providing only an overview of events or reiterating statements made by politicians. The Internet, with blogs and social media, allows people to engage in debates over any issues, freely providing their opinions. Politicians would also be able to participate in discussions personally with their supporters or critics. Although the clip below is just a fictional edit made for comedic effect, it shows the unique ways supporters are able to make their opinions heard. The video below went viral and went ahead to win the Favorite User Generated Video award at the 35th People’s Choice Awards.

Not to forget, the Internet also played a huge role for Obama in fundraising and cutting down expenditure which could be used to further his campaign. The use of YouTube to air his campaign advertisements paid off. It is not only a low cost solution, but the integration of YouTube with Web 2.0 meant that these videos went viral more quickly than you could say ‘Obama’. Hosting his campaign online meant he could easily tap into states that were largely Republican before he ever went in person, as social media is not bound by physical borders. The Internet also gave the Democratic candidate an edge in fundraising. Like the aforementioned viral marketing, it is low cost, and allows the average person to contribute in amounts he or she wished to. Amounts ranging from $20 to monthly installments of $25 may not seem much, but the fact that an estimated USD$10 million or more of funds were raised online speaks for itself. What’s more, the ‘Please Donate!’ button can be placed anywhere at all, and Obama’s campaign team took advantage of this, inserting it at the end of nearly every online update, making donating a hassle free and convenient affair.

The situation has changed here in Singapore as well. The 2011 General Elections saw the younger generation becoming more involved in politics through the sharing of views and opinions on the Internet. For the first time, children were advising and swaying their parents’ decision on voting. Local politicians also took to the Internet and used it as a platform to communicate directly with their supporters and address concerns. Though the Internet did not make as big an impact as Obama’s campaign did back in 2008, it displayed a significant change in the way politics work.

Then foreign minister George Yeo is an excellent example of this change. He was one of the first few politicians to take to Facebook to better communicate with the general public, which earned him considerable support. After his loss in the General Elections, a group was created to encourage him to run for president later that year. Today, all, if not most of our local politicians have their own Facebook pages. Having a link to the common citizens through Web 2.0 provides the human touch as it allows people to know for sure that their concerns have been heard or addressed. This removes the perceived barriers between politicians and citizens, who will be less inclined to view the politician as a separate entity. The potential of the Internet to reach the masses has affected the political scene worldwide to great extents indeed.

Yet, the Internet is like fire, playing both the roles of the useful servant and dangerous master. Despite holding the potential to elevate candidates to rock-star status, it also holds the ability to topple governments. The nature of the Internet has given rise to events that culminated in the Arab Spring. Revolutions started and was continually organised with the help of the Internet. Though it may not be the factor that brings about the downfall of a government, it certainly is a catalyst that speeds up the process and helps revolutions along the way. Thus, the double edged nature of the Internet is a fact that politicians would do well to remember.

 

Multimedia Communication

Multimedia is like the crucial tool of today’s world. Serving as vital aids for therapy to advertising platforms, it has become somewhat indispensable like most modern technology. A teacher wanting to show the inner workings of a sophisticated gadget, for example, would be hard pressed to dismantle an actual object and also to demonstrate how it runs. The use of multimedia, on the other hand, can provide a video that shows the cross section of the item and also show it running at the same time. The potential and functions it can serve are too profound to ignore. Let us first explore the more obvious uses of multimedia today.

Virtual reality is just one of the many contributions multimedia has provided to society. Virtual reality, or VR for short, refers to a computer simulated environment that is representative of a situation or location in reality. Knowing this, a few applications of this technology invariably springs to mind. The use of VR allows for realistic simulations of activities ranging from parachute training, flight school simulations and also for firefighters among others. I daresay most of us would probably have experienced this firsthand; learning about something and actually doing it appear to be two different things entirely. Using a simulation can help us bridge this ‘gap’ between the two worlds. For instance, a pilot faced with landing a plane for the first time would likely panic should a non-textbook situation manifest itself. Simulations would be able to recreate all kinds of probable situations that the student may encounter to the point that he or she is familiar with all possible scenarios and fully confident to assume formal duties.

Building upon the same basis, VR can also be used for therapy. By recreating a traumatic scene, a therapist is able to coax a patient to confront his or her fears by revisiting a computer simulated world of where the incident occurred. One notable use of this technology is with regards to survivors of war. The hit video game Full Spectrum Warrior was originally a training tool used by the United States Army. Aspects of the game was used by psychologists to create ‘Virtual Iraq‘, a series of VR environments to treat post traumatic stress disorder in soldiers that participated in the Iraq and Afghan wars of the recent decade. The main aim of such treatment is to allow patients to confront their fears in a safe environment and gradually come to terms with it by managing to overcome such situations which boost their self-confidence.

Yet, this isn’t all multimedia has to offer. Multimedia advertising is one of the most important aspects of the advertising world today, being used by major companies like Apple and Samsung in the form of videos. Multimedia advertising, if done well, can do wonders for business.

Firstly, unlike brochures or word of mouth, videos provide a depth to a product that is unachievable by traditional means. It is able to showcase the product in a manner that no brochure or salesman could ever do by engaging viewers through visual and audio elements. It is also able to spread fairly quickly, given today’s interconnected world and how social media works. Simply hosting a video on a video sharing website like YouTube would ensure more visits to a product’s website, making advertising easier and less expensive. The basis of a good attempt at multimedia advertising may include the following four tenets, quality, informative, entertaining, interesting. Nobody wants to watch a grainy looking advertisement with bad voice overs that is so abstract that the meaning remains unclear after multiple viewings.

Take Electronic Arts’ upcoming Battlefield 3 video game for example. Do take a moment to view the adverstisement below.

In a short one minute video, it is able to encompass all the main draws of its game , mainly realism and attention to details that sets it apart from your run-of-the-mill shooter games, and if that wasn’t enough, it also includes a subtle jab at its direct competitor, video game Call of Duty at the closing seconds of the advertisement. This form of advertising is beneficial as it also has the added benefit of show casing the actual gameplay itself.

Samsung has also made brilliant use of multimedia advertising. Their advertisements for their 3D LED televisions and the SmartTV are not only eye catching but also meaningful and enthralling. Here are both the advertisements linked below.

As seen, both videos demonstrate brilliant use of music and captivating visuals to get the viewer’s attention, along with apparently high production values. Although it isn’t necessarily representative of how the product is actually used in real life, it captures the essence of their products through the use of meaningful scenes that create a lasting impact, creating an interest in the product.

The above are just a few examples of how multimedia has been used in today’s world. What do you think could be the possible future of multimedia given what it has achieved so far and its vast potential?

 

The Unwelcome Guest

“Difference between a virus and Microsoft Windows ? Viruses rarely fail.”
– Unknown

Well, jokes aside, the above quote rather aptly sums up a virus’ potential for destruction. As mentioned in class, the end result of a virus can be humorous or damaging, and it’s the damaging ones we need to keep an eye out for. Getting infected can drive us up the wall as some can be extremely difficult to remove.

First things first, we need to differentiate between viruses, and the term malware, short for malicious software. The term virus is most of the time erroneously used to refer to all typs of malware that afflict a computer, like worms and trojans. Malware is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as

software designed to interfere with a computer’s normal functioning

Viruses, worms, and trojans are components of this larger category. So, what are their differences?

Viruses are malicious programs that embeds itself within a seemingly innocuous looking file, usually a document, and is designed to carry out its function when a specific action is taken. For instance, simply opening the file may cause the virus to execute. Their damage is usually restricted to modifying or corrupting the files on the host computer.

Worms are more dangerous in the sense they do not require themselves to be attached to a file. They transmit themselves by exploiting flaws or loopholes in security systems, through emails, and are capable of self-replication. These worms can disrupt normal operations by simply clogging up available bandwidth, which has the effect of slowing down operations when the computer begins to lag. Worms are capable of carrying a payload, which once unleashed, are able to carry out a myriad of actions ranging from deleting critical files or sending emails.

Trojan horses, or simply Trojan, refers to a innocent looking program that appears to be harmless, but runs a malicious code simultaneously that can cause harm to the infected system. In short, a destructive program that masquerades as a harmless piece of software. These Trojans do not replicate themselves, but the potential for destruction can rival that of a worm or virus. Hackers are able to utilize Trojans to create unauthorized access to a victim’s system, which then possibly gives the hacker remote access to the infected computer. This remote access can give an intruder the ability to modify files on the system or even install programs such as key-loggers that record a user’s every keystroke.

The first worm showed itself in 1971. Known as the Creeper, it was an experimental program designed not to damage. Capable of self-replication, it was a sign of things to come. In 2000, the ILOVEYOU virus hit hard, causing unprecedented losses ranging in the millions to businesses. However, the wake up call came when, Stuxnet came raging into the picture barely a year ago and blew all our assumptions out of the water.

Discovered in 2010, Stuxnet is believed by experts to be one of the largest and most complex malwares to date, and some believe it could only have been achieved through state funding. With its source still unknown, researchers can only speculate about its origins though its intentions are now clear. It is designed to target specific industrial level equipment manufactured by Siemens running Microsoft Windows, which happens to be used by Iran for its nuclear program. Coincidental? Probably not. By sabotaging Iran’s uranium enrichment facility, it not only hindered Iran’s nuclear program but also demonstrated to the world that a worm had the capability to cause physical damage to infrastructure. More specifically, most critics feel Stuxnet was a cleverly coordinated attack on Iran by unknown countries, which bring about the question of whether this has given rise to the most dangerous weapon of our era, forms of weaponized or military malware. Crippling the defense system and infrastructure of an enemy would most certainly guarantee a victory in this technological age. To quote Michael Joseph Gross of Vanity Fair,

Stuxnet is the new face of 21st-century warfare: invisible, anonymous, and devastating.

Though not likely to be targeted by something as sophisticated as Stuxnet, the average user has to take several basic precautions before going online to lessen the chances of being infected. Having an anti-virus system with a firewall is a must have. Going online without the basic protection is like taking a daily swim in a river with a crocodile. You may not get bitten today, but sooner or later, its going to happen.

Should cost be an issue, iterations of Microsoft Windows, from XP Service Pack 2 onwards, have their own anti-virus programs, which can be activated by going to the ‘System and Security’ tab in your computer’s control panel. If not, companies like AVG and Avast aside from Microsoft’s own Security Essentials all offer anti-virus solutions free of charge. Aside from this, we need to make sure these programs are constantly kept updated as new malware is introduced and identified almost daily. Finally, the best way for prevention would be staying aware of the fact that malware exists, which means not opening or accessing any files or websites that appear suspicious. In other words, be aware!

Yet anti-virus software does have its limitations. There are situations where the onus falls upon the user to be aware of potential threats. Aside from malware, the issue of phishing is also something users have to contend with, especially those that carry out online transactions. Phishing is a form of fraud that attempts to steal a user’s potentially sensitive information such as bank credentials via masquerading as the actual login page. It is a simple matter to create a fake website that looks identical to the real deal, but it actually steals the user’s login information instead. Common tactics would be to send an official looking email supposedly from a bank, asking a user to access the link provided to update his or her banking details. Phishing recently created a big furor here in Singapore, with several banks warning their i-Banking customers of phishing attempts. When carrying out online transactions, look for an indication that the site is encrypting your sensitive information that is being sent. To do so, look for the tell tale ‘s’ that comes after the customary ‘http’ in a website’s address. For secure sites, the address would be preceded by a ‘https’. An example of which is shown below.

Some food for thought before I end off the blog post for this week,

I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We’ve created life in our own image.

Stephen Hawking

 

Google Earth, literally.

If the world were a sandbox, then Google would be that kid with all the cool toys everyone wants to play with. With smartphone ownership rates skyrocketing, not to mention the Android operating system powered by Google capturing nearly half the global market share, the number of people that rely on Google’s toys must number in the millions. Some of these applications are Google Docs, Google Maps, Google Calendar, Gmail and the Chrome browser, just to name a few.

Developments like Gmail were vital in setting the new standard for email storage capacity. Google’s Gmail was the first to introduce a 1GB storage capacity per user. At a time where 2-4MB of storage was the norm, it was a huge step forward. After the launch of Gmail, rival companies like Hotmail followed suit and increased their storage capacity per user as well. Gmail continued the trend by increasing the maximum attachment size and lengthening the period of inactivity after which an account would be deactivated, which saw other companies following suit as well. Besides leading developments in these areas, Google has made far bigger impacts with some of their other offerings.

With increasing ownership of smartphones, Google Maps might possibly be one of the most useful free apps available to users. In an age where cellphones are becoming useful for navigation, Maps offers street maps, a route planner (for traveling by foot and private or public transport) and an urban business locator for numerous countries around the world, not to mention the street view it offers, which can come in handy when one is trying to get to a place he or she is unfamiliar with. The concept of Google Maps become more significant when we take into account its companion project, Google Map Maker. In summary, Map Maker is a community effort started by Google that aims to improve existing data, especially in countries where mapping data is insufficient. This can be invaluable in places where construction results in frequently changing roads, or more rural areas where official mapping resources are scarce. For instance, Afghanistan has apparently been mapped for the first time on Google Maps earlier this month, thanks to the combined efforts of contributors from the Map Maker project. Information like these can be vital to relief efforts, who may require more accurate data to reach disaster areas.

Google’s Adsense have also been indispensable to businesses online. Adsense is a program run by Google to deliver advertisements based on a user’s characteristics such as geographical location and current website content among others. Unlike annoyingly irritating pop-ups that are usually awash in garish colors, one would also notice it is less intrusive than other advertisements, normally located at the top or sides of a webpage in a nondescript manner. The fact that it is also usually related to the website’s content or search term would ensure more viewership as well, instead of simply dismissing it as spam advertising. What’s more, bloggers or domain owners can choose to host Google’s ads on their websites as well, which earns them some extra revenue when ads are clicked on.

Companies who are interested in enrolling with Google’s advertising can do so through AdWords, which is Google’s main source of revenue. Companies come up with their own keywords that trigger their businesses appearing in a search and are free to decide how much Google would earn per user that clicks on the link. However, it is noteworthy that the order in which the advertisements are arranged are due to both relevance and amount paid. Yet, this is a far more sensible solution to advertise as compared to traditional print media. Placing an advertisement in a newspapers for example can easily cost up to the thousands, whereas in AdWords, companies only pay Google if a user clicks on the link. No costs are incurred when the ad is displayed.

As we can see, Google is clearly one of the forerunners of innovation. The developments mentioned above are merely a few out of many. With the launch of Google+ and its buying over of Youtube, the company seems well on their way to coming out tops on the different aspects on the Internet. Judging by the amount of capital Google is able to direct to research and development, we can expect to see many such applications in the near future.

 

The Man who Dared to ‘Think Different’

3 Apples changed the world.

One seduced Eve,

One awakened Newton,

And one was in the hands of Steve Jobs.

 

The Popularity of E-Learning

On a rainy Monday morning, when the weather is absolutely the best for sleeping in, the student makes his way to school. As the results of sleeping late last night combine with Monday blues sets in, the student tries his best to stay focused on the lesson when it begins. To his dismay, the dry nature of the subject results in far more effort being put in to focus one’s attention rather than trying to understand the lesson, and eventually, eyelids getting heavy, the student falls asleep.

While perhaps a little exaggerated, the reality of this situation would like hit home for most students. Lessons have traditionally been conducted in such a manner that one’s attention would likely be anywhere but on the subject material after about ten minutes of a lecture on a dry topic.Technology has advances to address this particular issue. Innovations like the Microsoft Lightspace, Microsoft Surface, and even tablet PCs have served to enchance one’s learning experience. To quote Paul Rose of the BBC,

‘Those classrooms were not for me: overheated, incomprehensible and dull lessons.’

Paul Rose
Presenter (BBC), explorer, naturalist

Forms of electronically supported learning and teaching, otherwise known as e-learning, can enhance learning in today’s society due to the pervasiveness of technology in our modern society, and the interactivity it offers students. That being said, the younger generation would be more technologically inclined, and thus feel more comfortable working with familiar technology. The Singapore Armed Forces would be a good example of this phenomenon. In 2010, the SAF issued laptops to new recruits, replacing the traditional lectures on military matters with the online platform Learnet. More recently, apparently keeping up with the trend, recruits will be issued with the, *drumroll*, much coveted iPad 2, which the SAF has placed an order for 8000 due in November later this year.

Yes,traditional teaching methods are slowly being phased out in favor of e-learning. In the classroom, one can think of how a tablet PC can help. Heavy, cumbersome bags have been the hallmark of a student for as long as we can remember, while forgetting textbooks earns us a severe tongue-lashing. Should traditional books be replaced by tablet PCs, we can have all our textbooks in ebook form in one convenient place. Aside from eliminating back busting loads, it lessens the chances of us forgetting a book and also drives down costs, as an ebook is usually the fraction of the price of a physical copy. With devices like the Kindle Fire being introduced at attractive prices, it would no doubt be a draw for teachers and students alike.

More importantly, e-learning devices can help learning transcend physical boundaries. They are able to provide visual aids or programs that help immerse the student into the subject matter for a clearer understanding. For instance, a professor teaching history can use programs like Second Life to create a virtual tour of how an ancient civilization would look like, allowing students to actually interact with their course material rather than simply hearing about it. Similarly, innovations like the Microsoft Lightspace and Surface allows for whole new ways of learning that would definitely appeal to the more technologically inclined youths of today. Instead of passive learning, e-learning encourages more participation, and with many students all at once!

A fun and enjoyable lesson is more likely to allow the information to stick, rather than the traditional methods that inevitably becomes drab when it comes to the drier material of the syllabus.  With innovations like these, learning in the near future would likely be an entirely different process from today.

 

The Crazy World of e-Commerce

Its two in the morning and you are unable to sleep. There is a nagging thought at the back of your mind. Something is telling you that you have forgotten something extremely important. Then with a sudden jolt of realization, you realize you’ve forgotten to buy the present for your best friend’s birthday two days away. With work matters that will occupy you the whole of the next day, you realize you may not have the time to head down to the store in town. No matter, thank god the store has an online presence. Bleary eyed, you place an order for the item and choose same day shipping. Going back to sleep knowing the item will arrive by post later in the evening, your worries are over.

Roll out the red carpet and move aside, traditional businesses, for the age of e-Commerce has arrived. Like the Internet, its appeal is becoming increasingly popular. At present, approximately 60% of people in the United States are estimated to have bought something online, a trend that is likely to catch on with time. So why choose e-commerce over the traditional brick-and-motar stores that have existed for centuries, if not millennia? After all, the golden rule of ‘if its not broken, don’t fix it’ applies here right? Well, it would depend on how one looks at the issue. The introduction of the Internet has changed the rules of commerce, and the benefits of e-commerce are arguably too numerous and holds too much potential to ignore.

E-commerce has an edge over traditional businesses in various ways. The most obvious difference at first glance would be the absence of a brick and mortar shop, which translates to lesser costs involved. Without a physical presence, businesses are able to save on costs otherwise incurred on rent, which are approaching sky high rates at the present day. The rent for that quaint little shop at the corner of the street you have always found attractive could run up to the thousands per month.

Furthermore, e-commerce not only eliminates costly rent but also the costs of possibly hiring help and having ready stock on hand for customers to interact with. Display pieces remains one of the few draws a physical business have over online stores, especially in the case of clothing. Most of us would have likely encountered buying clothes online only to find that the cutting is not as accurate as described in the size chart provided. Also, not having the chance to physically inspect what you’re buying leaves open the possibility of misleading item descriptions and ending with one buying the wrong item. Thus, care has to be taken to ensure the seller or merchant website is a trusted one with much positive feedback.

E-commerce also has the benefits of being open 24/7/365, whereas a physical store would be restricted to their opening hours only. Also, e-commerce is able to circumvent the physical boundaries of the world, engaging in sales that span halfway across the globe. Both of these points would increase the potential customer base of a store. All it takes is for somebody to have the means to make payment online, be it through credit/debit cards or middleman services like PayPal, and an internet connection. The fact that online stores never close, perhaps only during maintenance, ensures that there will always be a potential customer at any point in time.

The most important difference that allows e-commerce to set itself apart from a traditional store would likely be that virtually anybody can start their own businesses online. E-commmerce is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as

‘commerce conducted via the Internet’

which effectively means any individual who has something to sell can engage in e-commerce! The Internet age has seen the emergence of websites such as eBay or the Amazon Marketplace, both of which has major sellers that appear to be making serious cash of the buying and selling of goods. Additionally, it also allows sellers to target smaller niche markets, which would not be feasible in the real world owing to possible high costs that would be incurred.

Virtually anything can be sold online, and I mean anything. After all, one man’s meat is another man’s poison. Even though you may see something as junk, say your old music CDs of bands you don’t listen to anymore, somebody on the other side of the world may be an avid collector of these music memorabilia and are willing to offer a reasonable price for them. Even virtual items, such as in-game items for video games such as World of Warcraft and Team Fortress 2, can be found on eBay.

For instance, iWOOT (which means i Want One of Those) has ‘Nothing‘ for sale. That’s right, ‘Nothing‘. Retailing for a cool £5.99, the reviews left by customers are currently at around 4.8 stars out of a possible 5 are is one of the more popular items on the website. For those thinking ‘Pictures, or it didn’t happen’, here are images of ‘Nothing’.

The fact that you’re paying £5.99 for nothing ‘Nothing’ notwithstanding, this actually makes a pretty ingenious gift for those moments when you somebody says they want nothing for their birthday gift. The look on their faces when they actually realise they’ve received exactly what they asked for should be priceless.

Taking a look at the other products on iWOOT, one would realise they do have an enormous inventory to choose from, In all likelihood, a physical shop selling purely such things with an inventory size of iWOOT’s would cost a fortune to set up. Given the inventory size and the nature of their products, the issue of shelving would likely result in a major headache. Online, items can be arranged any way at all at the simple click of a button, be it by pricing or even by popularity. A most useful feature would be the cross sales feature or item recommendations on each product’s page. These list what items customers who have bought that particular product have looked at or bought as well, which would likely increase revenue.

Taking a page or two from the past decade’s dot-com flops, e-commerce has the potential to be the next big thing and avoid going the way of the dodo by learning from past mistakes. At an age where broadband internet is the new norm and means of online payment are easily within reach, the potential customer base is too substantial to be ignored.

 

Leaving Facebook – Social Suicide? Or not?

How to commit social suicide? Well, close all social media accounts you may have and there you have it, your social death warrant. Or is finally returning to the real world a cause for celebration instead?

When we mention social media, Facebook invariably comes to mind. Ranging from teenagers to curious parents, it has quietly but steadily taken over many aspects of our lives. Without a Facebook account, one does appear to be cut off from the rest of the world, and definitely none of us wants to be known along the lines of ‘that strange person who has never tried soda before’.

With Facebook admittedly being the epicenter of our modern world, it has become commonplace to organize gatherings or make announcements solely through Facebook. Not having a Facebook account could leave somebody out of the loop, especially concerning friends that one does not have the luxury to catch up with too often. This rings especially true when it comes to friends and acquaintances who are living overseas. Timezone differences sometimes make it rather inconvenient to have a real time conversation. Applications like WhatsApp do provide a low cost option for text messaging, but it does not reach the level of Facebook in acting as a window into somebody’s life, allowing one to keep themselves updated with how their friends are doing overseas.

Facebook changes the way we interact with each other. Becoming like the digital equivalent of the mobile phone, we send birthday wishes through Facebook, catch up with each other by viewing pictures on each others’ profiles. In short, when we have something to say, it goes on Facebook. Today’s teenagers, in particular, are greatly affected by this new trend. The need for validation by their peers and the desire to avoid becoming a social outcast spurs them on to embrace new trends, which Facebook happens to be in the technological age.

We, as humans feel the need to fit in, and with Facebook being the current trend, we naturally want to be a part of the bigger picture. With the advent of mobile data plans, Facebook is also tapping into the mobile application market. With the ability to update and view Facebook profiles on the go, users are able to access their accounts on the way to work, at work, in the cafeteria during lunch, in the classroom, in the john, etc. Are all these starting to sound familiar?

Social media addiction is becoming a real problem in the current digital age. Psychologist Joanna Lipari of the University of California compares Facebook to Jim Carrey’s ‘The Truman Show’, where Truman lives out his life in a fabricated world where everything is perfect (unknown to him, he is the star of a reality TV show that documents his life). Lipari draws this comparison as we only show the best side of ourselves in the Facebook universe, becoming a fabricated, perfect world of sorts.

Several common symptoms of addiction include a reduction in social activities (in real life of course), and also withdrawal symptoms when not being able to access Facebook for extended periods of time, which may consist of constantly thinking what has been posted on your wall in your absence. A simple test would be to lay off Facebook for a few days and note if you are feeling unexplained anxiety or if you find your thoughts constantly drifting towards Facebook activity. Additionally, the number and time of day one visits the sites can be telling. For instance, having to check your newsfeed the moment you wake up. In other words, when one starts viewing Facebook as a possible replacement for reality, then there may be a problem.

Apparently, the problem of addiction is widely recognized and the truly determined have turned to a nifty little service that apparently saves you the trouble of deleting all your information and accounts by doing it for you. Purging all traces of your online persona, Web 2.0 Suicide Machine does not deactivate/delete your account but effectively removes all friends, posts, groups joined, etc. In short, it removes every trace of your online self, leaving behind an empty profile page. By all accounts, it has been so effective at doing so that Facebook has sent a letter to formally request the creators of Suicide Machine not to interfere with Facebook operations, citing privacy violations.

Yet, cutting oneself off entirely from the social media world does seem a shame. The potential for social media is enormous, with its ability to spread information at lightning speeds. Simply put, the onus is upon the user to monitor and keep their own behavior in check. Given that Facebook has an estimated 750 million active users, it is obvious it is not a problem we can ignore. Like everything else, it is beneficial if used in moderation. The younger generation of today, being more susceptible to addiction due to their mindset, array of mobile devices and natural affinity with technology, need to be educated on the dangers of social media addiction. Thus, it is best to use social media as a complement to daily life instead of treating it as a substitute, or suffer the consequences.

 

Social Media and its Impact

Social media today seems to be utilized by everyone ranging from global conglomerates to the common man, the more popular options likely being Facebook and Twitter after the allure of Friendster seemingly died off some years ago. The ubiquitous networking platform of the modern age, it has proved to be an indispensable tool in nearly every facet of our lives. Not only does it allow us to catch up with old friends, but it also plays an important role in introducing new trends, given the ability of social media to disseminate information at an astonishing rate with ease, linking quickly from network to network.

The recent General Elections in Singapore, for the first time, saw social media being used by politicians to reach out directly to the general public, recognising its ability to reach the masses and the tip the scales of public opinion. Along with light-hearted humor such as remixes of Returning Officer Mr Yam Ah Mee’s deadpan announcements, social media played a vital role in allowing personal opinions to be shared and discussed. More importantly, the ability of social media to ‘share’ or ‘recommend’ links and articles not only enabled opinions to spread within a network of friends at record speed, but also provided users with an alternative view aside from the traditional media.

These social media platforms have been extremely successful as they are relatively inexpensive and can be used by virtually anyone. Additionally, social media has another advantage over traditional media as it allows the average man to not only access existing resources, but to also publish information should he or she wish to. Politics is not the only field that users of social media has benefited from. Social media also provides avenues for more mundane issues such as product reviews, with buyer feedback possibly swaying the purchasing decisions of potential customers.

Take the Lord of the Rings release on Blu-Ray for example. Although the extended versions of the trilogy had been released on DVD, Warner Brothers made the decision for the Blu-Ray release to contain only the theatrical editions of the film. For a little background, a Blu-Ray disc can comfortably hold more than twice the data on a DVD. Potential customers were understandably unhappy with the studio’s decision as they perceived it the studios trying to profit twice from the fans, predicting the inevitable blu-ray release of the extended versions of the films. Amazon’s discussion page for the product was flooded with complaints over Warner’s controversial decision. This dissent eventually led to a protest of sorts, with thousands of customers leaving a one star review on the product page (Link), encouraging buyers to wait for the extended editions instead.

Yet, for all the benefits social media brings, there is invariably a dark side to the technology.The speed at which social media is able to disseminate information can make recalling erroneous reports an uphill task. Just today, CBS News mistakenly left a post (Link) on Twitter reporting the death of Apple CEO Steve Jobs. It was removed almost immediately, but the offending post could still be viewed due to the number of users who retweeted the news.

Social media has also been responsible for incidents such as burglaries and job losses. Just this May, the Larson family from Great Falls city in the United States came back from a holiday only to find their home burglarized. In hindsight, they believed a Facebook message detailing their travel plans was the root cause of the break-in. Similarly, Facebook posting have also brought grief to Dawnmarie Souza and Nathalie Blanchard. In Souza’s case, she lost her job after bad-mouthing her superiors on Facebook. Blanchard, similarly, lost her insurance benefits after she was tagged in Facebook photos that depicted her having a ball of a time, despite the supposed depression she was on sick-leave for. These cautionary examples all depict situations that stem from a loss of privacy. Social media such as FourSquare, which enables users to share their current location, may be a gold mine of information for people who know what to look for.

Potential job seekers should also be wary of what they post on social networking sites. Straight from the bosses themselves, they make it no secret (Link) that they do look to social networking sites to have a better understanding of prospective employees, especially applicants that do not have much prior working experience and thus results in a lack of background information for the employers to conduct a check upon.

In this time and age, social media has given users unprecedented access to information and the ability to share and discuss opinions. However, the bad side of social media has also reared its ugly head from time to time in recent years. Bearing in mind that nothing posted on the Internet is entirely private and making good use of privacy settings, one can lessen his or her chances of getting into such situations. Imagine having your boss or, God forbid, your family, coming across pictures of a drunken you doing the merlion thanks to some genius who decided to photograph and tag you for laughs. Ugh. No thank you.