Posted on Wednesday, 17 February 2010

I find it interesting that our Networked Media Production Lecturers have provided the following link in the Networked Media Icelab section (http://delicious.com/icelab/nmp7881+privacy) http://mugshots.tampabay.com/ With the underlying description of the link: “Mug shots of people arrested in Tampa Bay. Images link through to full details, including home address. These people have been arrested, but they may not necessarily be guilty. What are the effects on your family, your job, your relationship, of being busted and put on this site? Nevertheless, compelling stuff, plus some datavisualisation…” You’ll notice they also provide links about their outrage regarding proposed Internet Censorship: http://delicious.com/icelab/nmp7881+censorship So, on the one hand they’re outraged that a site is infringing on people’s privacy, yet on the other that anyone would attempt to censor or limit access to content on the net. The expression ‘boo-fricken-hoo’ comes to my mind. If you’re going to devote your life to creating Media content that encourages creative freedom and ease of control, don’t suddenly whine and simper when it’s used to create sites like the TampaBay one. ‘But we never planned for our Media tools to be used like this *Sniff, sniff*’ Poor nerds; Frankenstien’s Monster bit you in the ass? Take responsibility for the environment you created. Furthermore don’t suddenly bitch about Internet Censorship when you yourself are attempting to censor and draw attention to what you judge to be dubious creation of media content. Oh, all right, lets be fair on the hermetic poindexters who spend way more time on the computer than can possibly be healthy, the link description ends with ‘Nevertheless, compelling stuff, plus some datavisualisation…’ So, ‘Nevertheless’: we can interpret this as the dweebs looking upon the TampBay site as an ‘interesting’ development’; they neither see it as negative or positive, just with pros and cons associated with it’s emergence; how very balanced and non-judgmental of them :P They wish to create healthy debate around this topic, ‘as is the done thing in a civilized society’ blah, blah, blah… So I’m ranting over nothing, right? The fact remains the Tampabay site makes our Lecturers uneasy, and yet they make up the community that designs the technology that allows sites like TampaBay to exist. I suppose what angers me more about this issue, is the level of control these Media Designers seem to want: they foist all their technology on us, call us stupid if we don’t master it (AS IF any average consumer could keep up!) - ‘If you don’t master it, it will control you’ (My retort: “If you didn’t push your shit out so quickly, I wouldn’t feel so f’ing bewildered”) - and then effectively try to steer it’s use by chiding consumers who create sites like TampaBay. To me it seems like a bunch of Egg Head control feaks who want to act as Lords of the Internet - and if the Government is trying to steer us in one direction by censoring content, then these Media Designers are just steering us another way by controling WHEN and how OFTEN they release new technology. Just when you were getting used to a Networking site and getting some control over putting up content, they bring out a new site that outdates it. Just when you were feeling confidant with a program, they bring out a new version and all your skills are outmoded. I realise this may be the reality of our Industry and indeed the nature of the web and technology; the point I’m making is ‘Freedom’: the Internet purports freedom of use, yet how can I freely use it if Media Designers decide what programs I use? How can I ‘choose’ if my only option is whatever hardware, operating system, internet connection etc these Tech Heads have decided is the new standard for web useage? (I realise I’m not including user-developed software and operating systems like Blender and Linux in this debate, but the fact remains, if you don’t buy the cutting-edge technology that’s released on like a 6 month or less turnaround these days, you will fall behind in using the net) In conclusion, maybe these Tech Nerds should be more leniant on consumers bewildered by their flurry of new gadgetry; when they cry foul and scramble for control over the use of their technology, they should consider how OUT of control consumers feel when they release their new Web Media with no option given but to use it or get left behind.  

I find it interesting that our Networked Media Production Lecturers have provided the following link in the Networked Media Icelab section (http://delicious.com/icelab/nmp7881+privacy)

http://mugshots.tampabay.com/

With the underlying description of the link:

“Mug shots of people arrested in Tampa Bay. Images link through to full details, including home address. These people have been arrested, but they may not necessarily be guilty. What are the effects on your family, your job, your relationship, of being busted and put on this site? Nevertheless, compelling stuff, plus some datavisualisation…”

You’ll notice they also provide links about their outrage regarding proposed Internet Censorship:

http://delicious.com/icelab/nmp7881+censorship

So, on the one hand they’re outraged that a site is infringing on people’s privacy, yet on the other that anyone would attempt to censor or limit access to content on the net.

The expression ‘boo-fricken-hoo’ comes to my mind. If you’re going to devote your life to creating Media content that encourages creative freedom and ease of control, don’t suddenly whine and simper when it’s used to create sites like the TampaBay one.

‘But we never planned for our Media tools to be used like this *Sniff, sniff*’ Poor nerds; Frankenstien’s Monster bit you in the ass? Take responsibility for the environment you created.

Furthermore don’t suddenly bitch about Internet Censorship when you yourself are attempting to censor and draw attention to what you judge to be dubious creation of media content.

Oh, all right, lets be fair on the hermetic poindexters who spend way more time on the computer than can possibly be healthy, the link description ends with ‘Nevertheless, compelling stuff, plus some datavisualisation…’

So, ‘Nevertheless’: we can interpret this as the dweebs looking upon the TampBay site as an ‘interesting’ development’; they neither see it as negative or positive, just with pros and cons associated with it’s emergence; how very balanced and non-judgmental of them :P They wish to create healthy debate around this topic, ‘as is the done thing in a civilized society’ blah, blah, blah…

So I’m ranting over nothing, right? The fact remains the Tampabay site makes our Lecturers uneasy, and yet they make up the community that designs the technology that allows sites like TampaBay to exist.

I suppose what angers me more about this issue, is the level of control these Media Designers seem to want: they foist all their technology on us, call us stupid if we don’t master it (AS IF any average consumer could keep up!) - ‘If you don’t master it, it will control you’ (My retort: “If you didn’t push your shit out so quickly, I wouldn’t feel so f’ing bewildered”) - and then effectively try to steer it’s use by chiding consumers who create sites like TampaBay.

To me it seems like a bunch of Egg Head control feaks who want to act as Lords of the Internet - and if the Government is trying to steer us in one direction by censoring content, then these Media Designers are just steering us another way by controling WHEN and how OFTEN they release new technology. Just when you were getting used to a Networking site and getting some control over putting up content, they bring out a new site that outdates it. Just when you were feeling confidant with a program, they bring out a new version and all your skills are outmoded.

I realise this may be the reality of our Industry and indeed the nature of the web and technology; the point I’m making is ‘Freedom’: the Internet purports freedom of use, yet how can I freely use it if Media Designers decide what programs I use? How can I ‘choose’ if my only option is whatever hardware, operating system, internet connection etc these Tech Heads have decided is the new standard for web useage?

(I realise I’m not including user-developed software and operating systems like Blender and Linux in this debate, but the fact remains, if you don’t buy the cutting-edge technology that’s released on like a 6 month or less turnaround these days, you will fall behind in using the net)

In conclusion, maybe these Tech Nerds should be more leniant on consumers bewildered by their flurry of new gadgetry; when they cry foul and scramble for control over the use of their technology, they should consider how OUT of control consumers feel when they release their new Web Media with no option given but to use it or get left behind.