Biggest Danger People face using New Media

    Many people use new media, it’s an ever changing thing and people will probably always use it.  New media is so useful because through the internet and social media, you can stay in touch with so many people and access so much information.  But just like with anything, there are risks.  One of the biggest dangers of new media would have to be cyber bullying.  Cyber bullying has been around for a while now, but it’s definitely been in the media much more in recent years.  ““Cyber bullying” is defined as a young person tormenting, threatening, harassing, or embarrassing another young person using the Internet or other technologies, like cell phones. The psychological and emotional outcomes of cyber bullying are similar to those of real-life bullying.” (dosomething.org).  Cyber bullying should not be taken lightly, it’s not okay.  The thing about cyber bullying is that the victim can never really escape it because the “bullies” can reach them through anything using the internet, whether it be a smart phone or a computer.  There’s no escaping, in today’s day and age, you need a computer in your household.  The article on dosomething.org gives 11 facts about cyber bullying, and one that stood out to me was: “81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person.”  That is serious, do we really want kids nowadays thinking they can get away with cyber bullying just because they’re hiding behind a computer screen?  

    Cyber bullying is definitely one of the bigger dangers in regards to new media.  There is not one single solution that will make it disappear, but one thing people can do is try to be more involved if possible in what your kids are doing online.  Make sure your child is aware of how serious cyber bullying is.  Also make sure your children know they can come to you if they feel something bad is happening online.  It’s better to be aware of it and try to make sure that bully is blocked.  

Works Cited:

"11 Facts About Cyber Bullying." DoSomething.org. Do Something,  2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. <https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-cyber-bullying>.

Blog #3 Why Myspace should be forgotten

Many social networks come and go and others are much more prominent than others.  There are other forms of new media which are referred to as “smaller potatoes” which basically means they aren’t as popular as other social networking and new media.  Certain sites should be considered more than just a “small potato,” but they just haven’t reached their point where everyone knows what they are.  It’s almost like indie music, either you’ve heard of it and know exactly what it is, or you have no idea whatsoever.  Before this class, I had never heard of some of these sites, but it has really opened my eyes to some very interesting sites.  On the other hand some of these sites should just be forgotten altogether.
Myspace is one of the “smaller potatoes” that should be forgotten.  Back in 2005, Myspace had reached its peak, but then came along Facebook and Twitter, which have taken over the social networking crown.  Recently Myspace has relaunched and has had commercials on tv trying to promote it.  Justin Timberlake has bought out Myspace, and a lot of people are using it to get their music out there.  Myspace should be forgotten all together because it lacked loyalty to its users, “MySpace failed to adapt and appeal to its original market as they left their mid-teens and became young adults.” (O’Reilly).  These teens who originally had Myspace when it was the cool new thing to have, turned to other social networks eventually and gave up on Myspace.  Another reason why Myspace should just disappear is its lack of innovation.  Yes, Myspace has updated the look of it and made it more appealing, but it isn’t as user friendly as Facebook.  “Even with October’s redesign, MySpace still operates in a similar way to when it first launched, with only a handful of minor usability updates over the last five years.” (O’Reilly).  Finally one last reason as to why Myspace should be forgotten is its lack of understanding itself.  Myspace needs to come to terms that it will not make it to where Facebook and Twitter are right now.  It had its peak and now it is just kind of fading.
 
Works Cited
O'Reilly, Lara. "Four Reasons why Myspace failed to retain the social network crown." Marketing Week. Centaur Communications Ltd, 12 Jan 2011. Web. 7 Apr 2014. <http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/four-reasons-why-myspace-failed-to-retain-the-social-network-crown/3022208.article>.

Blog Project

1.)  The internet is filled with so many amazing things, you can access just about any information you’d ever want or need.  You can do just about anything, stay connected with people from around the world, lots of things.  Just like anything in life, the internet does have its drawbacks as well, one of the dangers of using the internet is misleading information.  Sure, you can look up anything you want on the internet, but that doesn’t mean its true.  According to education.purduecal.com, “A couple of years ago a fascinating speech by Kurt Vonnegut appeared on the Internet. The most interesting thing about the speech was that although it certainly sounded like something he might have written, Vonnegut was not the author. The speech was something a newspaper columnist had written, and someone else had simply inserted Vonnegut's name and put it into circulation on the Internet.”  You can use websites like: http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/, and http://www.urbanlegends.about.com/science/urbanlegends/library/blxatoz.htm to help spot hoaxes and other things like that.  

2.)  Another danger of the internet and new media is that it can be unsafe for children.  That doesn’t mean children shouldn’t use the internet, its a part of everyday life in school and such.  It’s just good to be aware of the dangers and if your child is using social media such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to just monitor it.  People can be who they say they aren’t on  the internet and children may fall for it and get themselves into a dangerous situation.  According to the education.purduecal.com website, “Considerable concern focuses on the possibility of sexual exploitation on the Internet. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Va., surveyed 1,501 youngsters age 10 to 17 and found:

• One in five Internet users received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet in that year.
• One in 33 received aggressive sexual solicitation, including trying to arrange a meeting, gifts of meals or money, and phone calls.
• One in four had an unwanted exposure to sexually explicit material.”  

3.)  According to Kelly Wallace on cnn.com, social media isn’t all bad for kids, sure there are dangers, but there is danger with every thing you do in life.  Eileen Masio, monitors her daughters instagram account all the time and states that, “I think just as damaging as social media can be, it can ... help to build self-confidence, too.  When they post selfies, all the comments I usually see are 'You're beautiful,' 'You're so pretty,' 'Oh my God, gorgeous.”  There can always be a downside to things, but there can also always be a positive side to things.  “In fact, according to a report last year by the nonprofit child advocacy group Common Sense Media, one in five teens said social media makes them feel more confident, compared with 4% who said it makes them feel less so.”  Some people can be cyberbullies, but at the same time, people can be very encouraging to one another at times as well.  

4.)  For every time there is cyberbullying, there is also a positive to social media.  Also according to Kelly Wallace on CNN.com,  “Rebecca Levey, co-founder of a video sharing platform for tweens ages 7 to 12 called KidzVuz, has seen it firsthand. During a special partnership with the Tony Awards earlier this year, kids were encouraged to either make videos singing parts of their favorite show tunes or talk about why theater was so important to them.

"The response from other kids was so awesome. I mean we had kids who were truly tone deaf and it didn't matter," said Levey with a chuckle. "Everyone's like, 'You're awesome,' 'Go follow your dream,' 'Don't give up.'"  That is huge, you would think kids would be saying awful things about the others, but they were so encouraging!

5.)  When a kid may feel like an outcast for liking a certain type of music or theater or something like that, they can just go on the internet and find people in their area who share similar interests.  “Social media has been a place where teens, who might be feeling isolated, can cry for help. For example, when an 18-year-old recently posted on his Facebook page that he was thinking of jumping off the George Washington Bridge, which connects New York with New Jersey, Port Authority officers managed to connect with him on social media and encouraged him to get help.” (Wallace).

6.)  Social media can also help to get your voices heard.  According to Kelly Wallace on CNN.com, “After a Christian motivational speaker, who believes "dateable girls know how to shut up," spoke at a high school in Richardson, Texas, students took to Twitter to express their outrage.”  One student tweeted “Don't you guys just love listening to sexist comments, irrational comparisons and blunt stereotypes w/o actual proof or evidence?"  Often people rant on social media about issues, but sometimes just with the right perseverance, they can get their voices heard.

7.)  According to Mizuko Ito, leader of the Digital Youth Project, “There are myths about kids spending time online — that it is dangerous or making them lazy.  But we found that spending time online is essential for young people to pick up the social and technical skills they need to be competent citizens in the digital age.”  Social media helps people become more tech-savvy.  It also helps you learn to communicate.  (Goldberg Goff).   

8.)  “Certain technical skills in the coming years are not going to be just about consuming media. It is also going to be about producing media. It is not just about writing a blog, but also how to leave comments that say something. Learning to communicate like this is contributing to the general circulation of culture,” according to Lisa Tripp a professor at FSU. (Goldberg Goff).  Social Media helps to get their voices out.  It’s better to say something than hold it back, you never know if you could help someone out.

9.)  Also according to Goldberg Goff, “One Fairfax County mother of a middle schooler, who asked that her name not be used to protect her daughter’s privacy, says she was skeptical at first when her daughter wanted a Facebook page.

“I was hesitant for all the reasons we hear about, such as how it could bring in unwelcome visitors,” the woman says, “but eventually I realized that this is the main medium for kids keeping in touch. It has gone from e-mail to IM to texting to Facebook in such a quick progression. [Social networking] is like the modern-day equivalent of the lunch table. If you are not on Facebook, then you are not in the loop.”  Parents have every right to feel hesitant towards social media, but with the right monitoring of it, they should be okay.

10.)  According to Goldberg Goff’s article on Washington Times, it is important to not put your whereabouts on social sites.  You never know who could see that.  If you want to post about being at something or somewhere, do it after the fact just in case.  It is better to be safe than sorry.  Social media and new media can have their negatives, but there are also positives to them.  Just be safe online, don’t put too much out there.

Works Cited:

"Dangers of Using the Internet." Education Purduecal. Purdue Edu, n.d. Web. 31 Mar 2014. <http://education.purduecal.edu/Vockell/CAI/Cai5/cai5dangers.htm>.

Wallace, Kelly. "The upside of selfies: Social media isn't all bad for kids." CNN. CNN, 22 Nov 2013. Web. 31 Mar 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/21/living/social-media-positives-teens-parents/>.

Goldberg Goff, Karen. "Social Networking benefits validated." Washington Times. Washington Times, 28 Jan 2009. Web. 31 Mar 2014. <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/28/social-networking-benefits-validated/?page=all>.

Positive and Negative Effects of Facebook

Facebook has been around for a long time now, pretty much everyone you meet or know has one.  They may not use it often, or maybe their hand is always in their hand and they are always checking it.  It’s different for everyone.  Facebook has positive and negative effects to it.  It has affected society and/or individuals.  

One positive effect of using Facebook according to CBS Sacramento, is that it could have positive effects on one’s self esteem.  There were tests done on people with both high and low self esteem and the results from looking at their own Facebook profile page.  “Tests administered both before and after study participants looked at their own profile showed subjects exhibiting more confidence, as well as more self-affirmation, afterwards.”  I think it’s really interesting that looking at your own Facebook profile can make you feel more reassured in yourself.  It does make sense though, because obviously your profile is targeted at you and the things you love to do.  

According to homebiz.bukiki.com, one positive aspect of Facebook on our society is the communication aspect.  You can stay in touch with loved ones all over the world.  That is a huge deal, especially with people in different countries and such.  I know my family uses Facebook to stay in touch with my family who lives in Australia now.  Facebook is huge in keeping in touch with them because the time difference is huge that it isn’t always convenient to talk on the phone.  Another thing is that shy people can interact more with people through Facebook.  They can post pictures of themselves or post a funny status to get noticed.  Of course its not the same as face to face interaction, but its a start.  Facebook has a lot of positive effects on society today.

Facebook may have a lot of positive effects on society or it’s users, but their are also, of course, negative effects to using Facebook.  One negative effect of using Facebook is lack of communication in a sense.  Although communication is a positive to Facebook, it is also a negative.  According to Kevin Cain on socialmediatoday.com, “We’ve watched emoticons replace words as a tool for expressing feelings. Perhaps most importantly, we are witnessing how social media is helping to foster a society that values frequent communication more than meaningful communication. That phenomenon is what has helped Justin Bieber, with his more than 21 million Twitter followers, garner a higher Klout score than the President.”  People have gotten so accustomed to just talking to someone on their Facebook rather than getting up and hanging out with them face to face.  That is a huge deal, because personally, sometimes I just want to back away from social media and texting and all that stuff and just enjoy life for a little while.  It’s really annoying to be constantly checking your phone, but we all do it.  

According to theeconomist.com, “Facebook is bad for you: get a life!”  According to the Economist and studies shown, Facebook can actually make you poor miserable with your own life.  People get jealous based on what they see their “friends” doing on Facebook.  “Endlessly comparing themselves with peers who have doctored their photographs, amplified their achievements and plagiarised their bons mots can leave Facebook’s users more than a little green-eyed. Real-life encounters, by contrast, are more WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get).”  Nothing beats the real life face to face interaction you get from being with someone.  People are so used to just messaging them, but face to face encounters beat all of that.

Personally, I think the positives outweigh the negatives. I don't use my Facebook like I used to, but my family does and I think its amazing that we can stay in touch with family all over the world.

Works Cited:

n/a, . "Study: Facebook Could Have Positive Effects On Self-Esteem, Behavior." CBS Sacramento. CBS, 03 Jun 2013. Web. 3 Mar 2014. <http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2013/06/03/study-facebook-could-have-positive-effects-on-self-esteem-behavior/>.

Lam, Jhon S.. "Positive and Negative Effects of Facebook on Our Society Source: Positive and Negative Effects of Facebook on Our Society http://www.homebiz.bukiki.com/positive-negative-effects-facebook-our-society/

Economist, The. "Facebook is bad for you: Get a life!." The Economist. The Economist, 17 Aug 2013. Web. 3 Mar 2014. <http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21583593-using-social-network-seems-make-people-more-miserable-get-life>.

Cain, Kevin. "The Negative Effects of Facebook on Communication." Social Media Today. Social Media Today, 29 Jun 2012. Web. 3 Mar 2014. <http://socialmediatoday.com/kcain/568836/negative-effects-facebook-communication>.

blog prompt assignment #1 three advantages and disadvantages of the internet

            The internet is a very useful tool.  Many people use it each and every day.  There are advantages and disadvantages to using it.  One advantage is being able to stay connected to all different people.  Many people use social networking to stay in touch with their friends and loved ones.  This can be very useful when wanting to reach out to family members you may not have seen in a very long time.  They could be across the country or even across the world and you could still communicate with them.  That is pretty amazing.  I have family in Australia right now, and although there is a huge time difference, my family and I can still stay in touch with them.  Another advantage of the internet is all the information that is accessible right at your fingertips.  You can search almost anything and find something about it in little to no time.  Before internet, people had to look in many books to find even just a little information on a certain subject.  Now, with the use of Google and other search engines you can find millions of information on basically any subject.  Another advantage of the internet is the entertainment value.  People use the internet for school and things, but also people go on the internet for their own enjoyment.  Whether it be for social networking, or to watch videos, it can provide entertainment.

    In April 2011, gispa.org posted an article online titled: “Internet: Advantages and Disadvantages of using it.”  One disadvantage according to that article is, virus threat.  Viruses can be very scary and can cause your whole computer to crash.  No one wants that!  Another disadvantage of the internet is, identity theft!  Many older people choose not to use the internet because of possible identity theft.  That is such a scary thing, it can affect your job, family, money, basically everything!  Finally, another disadvantage of the internet is that anyone can post on it and change things.  Which is an awesome thing because you can get your voice heard, but you could also be giving out false information.  Its hard to know whether your information is the real deal.  

Source: http://www.gispa.org.gh/news/?p=481