Final Essay

New Communication Technologies: Keeping the Family Unit and Communities in touch.

In the 1980’s it was postcards, aerogrammes and phone calls, the 90’s saw the emergence of email and now in the mid 2000’s, more sophisticated communication technologies such as instant messaging with webcams, blogging, and interactive social network sites such as Myspace and Facebook and have emerged.

With the world’s population moving around so much, the traditional family unit is becoming more disjointed geographically. Is this causing a gradual breakdown in family & local communities or are these new forms of communication overcoming the tyranny of distance and maintaining, or even enhancing existing ties with family and friends?

In Australia, an ever increasing percentage of singles, couples and whole families move either interstate in search of work or overseas for careers, education or extended travel. Looking at statistics on population movement within Australia, results indicate that growth in work available as a result of the mining boom (ABS, 2007) has prompted many singles and/or families to relocate to northern WA or northern QLD (Hugo, 2002). Most of these people are coming from the South Eastern states of Victoria and NSW. Conversely, Australia is experiencing high levels of immigration, with 51% of the population growth in 2005-06 coming from overseas migration (ABS, 2006). This movement gives Australia it’s diverse multiculturalism (IbisWorld, 2007), and many new Australian families have provided comfort to their friends and wider families back home by keeping in touch at least by regular email or more recently with a personal internet presence.

This population movement is not limited to Australia. In 2006, the Population Reference Bureau, a government sponsored organisation researching and analyzing the world’s population, reported that 3% of world population is made up of International migrants (PRD, 2006). A study by the University of Calgary found that the computer is helping migrants to “maintain ties with both their homeland and others in diaspora”. This paper states that migrants are using the internet to research their prospective new home, establishing contacts once they have arrived and staying connected to those they have left behind (Hiller, 2004).

The new technologies are making it easier for users to put content onto the web, for the purpose of sharing information, stories, photos, etc with their friends and family. It is, however, the greatly improved access to the internet that has allowed the world’s transient population to maintain their digital presence. Internet hotspots are becoming available through commercial enterprises such as McDonald’s Family restaurants (B&T, 2007), public libraries (QLD Gov, 2007) and local councils (Sydney Morning Herald, 2006). With a laptop, anyone can now connect to the internet without being tied to a desk or landline. Users can simply pull up a seat in a café or park and connect to the internet through the wireless network. Recent TV advertising has shown users with their laptops on beaches, in the countryside or as depicted by Telstra, during their overland trip in the ‘combie’.

The increasing number of internet cafes around the globe is also making it easier for both travelers and business people to stay connected. Adding to the list of access points, many other commercial retailers such as computer retailers, photographic stores and coffee shops are now offering internet access for a nominal fee. An internet café in South East England was the focus of research into the use of the internet in public places (Lee, 1999). The study looks at the demographics of users of public internet access. It was determined that 86% percent of the participants were regular users and at least one third had internet access at home. Most were travellers, backpackers or businessmen away from their usual place of work. With internet cafes available in most cities the use of these communication technologies has allowed the traveler, whether recreational or commercial, to stay connected to their respective communities.
Studies have also shown that the internet is proving to be a benefit to socially excluded community groups. These include lower socio-economic groups, the elderly, ethnic groups and the intellectually disadvantaged (Mission Australia, 2001). One study commissioned by Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, states that 82% of socially excluded participants were regular email users compared to 72% of the general public. The study also states that these groups use the internet for general information and communication on interactive sites more than the average UK population. (Greater London Authority, 2003).

The Australian Bureau of Statistics census of 2006 also highlights the internet in regards to indigenous Australians. ABS (2006) reported that up to 54% of indigenous people residing in Major Cities had internet access; however this is reduced to only 8% in very remote regions. Data in this census indicates that the lower percentage of connectivity in regional areas is due to lower education levels as up to 92% of indigenous postgraduates are using the internet regardless of location.

Business communities are also benefiting from these new communication technologies by utilizing more of the communication services available. Email has been widely used by the business world for most of the last decade. However, today’s internet offers a larger range of communication services. Long-distance phone calls, video calls and faxes are all now available through the internet greatly reducing company overhead including phone bills. The practice of faxing via the internet also offers greater privacy by sending faxes directly to the receiver’s desktop instead of being left in the fax ‘IN tray’ for all to see. (Page, 1998)

Studies into Online Communities have also highlighted the various uses and benefits of the internet to the wider community. Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, relevant internet sites, forums and chat rooms provided support for 33% of American internet users (Horrigan, 2001). Following such broad reaching tragedies as this attack, the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 and The Bali Bombings in 2002, having the opportunity to talk to others that have shared the experience, can help people get their lives back together. This study further states that these online communities are continuing their role in connecting and supporting people that have suffered because of these events and many others.

The paper also refers to Sociologist Barry Wellman who indicates that the internet is offering many new forms of socialisation through “glocalization” (global localisation) allowing users to share their interests and passions with people all over the globe irrespective of distance. Contrary to earlier beliefs, the internet is helping local communities stay together rather than pull them apart. The sharing of information by email, bulletin boards and community websites ensures that all community members stay connected. Local communities using the internet regularly include church groups, political organisations and local business communities (Horrigan, 2001). Statistics presented by this study show that “online communities have spurred connections to strangers and to people of different racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds”. This not only broadens people’s knowledge about the world and its people, but will hopefully lead to a greater understanding of different cultures and beliefs and help to combat racism caused by ignorance.

Aside from all the above positive attributes of the internet and its communication services, the internet can have a negative effect on human psychology. Internet flame wars (hostile insulting and non-constructive postings) have seen people, who would normally score high on kindliness, become quite aggressive and do things that they would “consider quite uncharacteristic.” (Wallace, 1999) Further study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh found that prolonged use of the internet could lead to addiction and problems similar to those suffered by problem gamblers, alcoholics and those with eating disorders. These issues affect users financially, personally and even physically. (Young, 1996)

When looking into the effects of the internet on personality types, a group of American Psychologists concluded that Internet use leads to loneliness (Kraut, Patterson, Lundmark, Kiesler, Mukopdahyay and Scherlis, 1998). However since this time further study has shown that rather than the internet causing loneliness, it has become a source of information and support for those that already suffer from loneliness. With the wide and varied amount of information on the internet, this may offer comfort and support to those suffering from loneliness. However much of the information in not verifiable or many users are unaware of the validity issues surrounding this information.

This essay has sought answers to the question of the internet and the positive or negative effects on families and the community. The emergence of interactive social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook has made it easier for users to put their own content on the web, and to share ideas, information, music and images. This is not only connecting users to new people, but allowing them to keep in touch and up to date with friends, family and their local community. Business communities are also benefiting from the technology through the wide and varied services including online phone calls and video calls. While the internet may pose a threat of negative psychological effects to some personality types, it is clear that the internet also strongly benefits communities through ease of, and access to, communication services.

Reference List

Amichai-Hamburger, Y. & Ben-Artzi, E. (2002). Loneliness and Internet use. Computers in Human Behaviour 19,1, 71-80. Retrieved from ScienceDirect database.

Australia: Internet Usage Stats and Telecommunications Market Report. (2007, December) Retrieved December 4, 2007, from the Internet World Stats web site: http://www.internetworldstats.com/sp/au.htm

Families on the Margins: Social and Physical Isolation. (2001). Retrieved 1 December, 2007, from the Mission Australia web site: http://www.mission.com.au/cm//Resources/documents/SPR14_Families%20Margins.pdf

Galston, W. (1999). Does the Internet Strengthen Community? Politics, Civic Life, and Moral Education. Retrieved 3 December, 2007, from Institute for philosophy and public policy web site: http://www.puaf.umd.edu/IPPP/fall1999/internet_community.htm

Horrigan, John. B. (2001). Online Communities: Networks that nurture long-distance relationships and local ties. Washington, D.C.: Pew Internet & American Life Project.

Hugo, Graeme (2002). Changing patterns of population distribution in Australia. Journal of Population Research. Retrieved December 4, 2007 from http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-105657372.html

Hiller, H & Franz, T. (2004). New Ties, Old Ties and Lost Ties: The Use of the Internet in Diaspora. New Media & Society. 6, 6, 731-752.

Kraut, P, Patterson, M, Lundmark, V, Kiesler, S, Mukopadhyay, T & Scherlis, W, (1998). Internet paradox: a social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being?. American Psychologist, 53, 65–77. Retrieved from Ovid PsycARTICLES database.

Lee, S. (1999). Private Uses in Public Spaces: A Study of an Internet Café. New Media & Society. 1, 331

Livingood, J. (1995). Revenge of the Introverts. Computer-Mediated Communication Magazine, 2, 4, 8. Retrieved 9 December, 2007, from the December Communications web site: http://www.ibiblio.org/cmc/mag/1995/apr/livingood.html

McDonalds Promotes Wireless Dining. (2007). Retrieved 5 December, 2007, from the B&T web site: http://www.bandt.com.au/news/90/0c029090.asp

Page, H. (1998) Talk is cheaper - communicating via the Internet. Entrepreneur. Retrieved December 3 , 2007, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DTI/is_n6_v26/ai_20802684/pg_1

Patterns of Internet Access in Australia. (2007, November 29). Retrieved 5, December 2007, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics web site: http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/free.nsf/0/1B7DD59C9E8F52ECCA2573A1007EE8DA/$File/8146055001_2006.pdf

Regional Population Growth, Australia, 1996 to 2006. (2007, July 24). Retrieved 4 December, 2007, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics web site: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/3218.0Media%20Release11996%20to%202006?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=3218.0&issue=1996%20to%202006&num=&view=

The hottest spots for WiFi. (2006). Retrieved 4 December, 2007, from the Sydney Morning Herald web site: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/01/26/1138066896679.html?from=rss

Total Immigration (number of migrants) in Australia - Business Environment Report. (2007, March 29). Retrieved December 4, 2007, from the IBISWorld web site: http://www.ibisworld.com.au/bed/retail.aspx?bedid=27&chid=1

Wallace, Patricia. (1999). The Psychology of the Internet: The internet in a psychological context. Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press.

Wireless Access (2007). Retrieved 4 December, 2007, from the Queensland Government web site: http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/services/int/wireless

Young, K. (1996). Internet Addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder. CyberPsychology and Behaviour, 1, 3, 237-244. Retrieved 3 December 2007 from: http://www.netaddiction.com/articles/newdisorder.pdf

2006 World Population Datasheet. (2006). Retrieved 4 December, 2007, from the Population Reference Bureau’s web site: http://www.prb.org/pdf06/06WorldDataSheet.pdf

Last Tutorial Blog

Today I finally succumbed to the cold my daughter has been struggling with this week. So I have missed the final lecture and tute. But I noticed that there was no lecture notes or tutorial task so hopefully I have only missed the summation of the course.

Part of our assessment is to write an evaluation blog on the course itself. So This is it.

Not having access to the complete course outline, I was not entirely sure what this course was about. I gathered it would be theory based rather than learning new applications. So I decided to give it a go. I now must proclaim to have thoroughly enjoyed the whole exercise. I found the course information revealing and thought provoking, the group discussion stimulating and the tutorial tasks became something that I looked forward to each day. This is not what I expected from this course.

The course information introduced many issues and perspectives that I had not considered before. As a frequent internet user, and a Googler, I had not really thought about what it meant to have this access. Issues like who sees or records what I do, who controlls what I have access to, who governs it, and who is making money from it.

I found Adam to be easy going and knowledgable. I enjoyed the fact that we could discuss content during the lectures.

I was disappointed that the guest lecturer, Stephen Stockwell, was unable to attend and I would have liked the lecture notes and tutorial tasks posted on the course site earlier enabling me to review the content before the lecture.

I would like to thank Adam for a great course.

Lecture notes Day 9

Interesting to discuss the different ages of the media.

First media - centralised dissemination = 1 source to many receivers

Second media - decentralised interaction = many sources to many receivers
Quote: As Bill Gates stated - the Internet made it possible for an individual to 'publish' to a huge audience (thanks mostly to the web, and initially web pages and html), but increasingly blogs and other mobile technology - phone cameras able to take photos or videos.

Marshall McLuhan believed that it was three media ages - Oral (spoken word) Literate (written word) and Electric (television etc)

Robert K Logan has added to this with the Mimetic age and Interactive / digital age.

So then we were asked the question, will technology provide us with the perfect world? A Utopia so to speak. Some movies have address this particular issue. The Island addresses the fact that humans can or won't accept a perfect world. We are by nature imperfect and although we all work towards perfection, once gained we can not accept it.

Quote from lecture notes: It seems that even in utopian societies (in the film world, at any rate) the peace is disrupted by people who seek to excercise their own human agency and free will.

Tute Task Day 9

Given all the things we talked about in this course, what do you think the future of the cultural internet might be.. say in the next 10 years?I'm not talking about flying cars or things like that. What would be a 'realistic' future?
Consider such themes as
* censorship* ability to put information and content online, * ability to communicate in new ways (mobile devices, instant messenger, social network sites, etc), * access to media / technology, * social sharing formations - like "folksonomies" (tagging of media), digg, del.ic.ious, * political forces like the google-isation of the world, or the impact of china's economic activity... * impact of education and literacy of younger generations and so on.

What I think the future of the internet might be and what I would like it to be are some what different. I don't think that things are going to change dramatically for the average Joe Bloggs (pun intended). I think we will still have access similar to what we have now. There may be (and possibily should be) some more regulating of the content and use of certain sites. By this I am referring to undesirable sites such as porn or others that may incite violence or prejudice. I think through the power of the people, we will still have access to ART being music, movies, etc. Sharing information through web home pages, blogs etc will continue and may even grow. But for the 'hard users' life on the internet may get more frustrating before it gets easier. I believe the internet should be available to everyone and we should all be able to enter our own content. However As with the invention of the car, we had to draw up laws to ensure we could all enjoy and benefit from it. So we need laws to ensure the enjoyment and full benefit of the internet for all users. But who is going to draw up and govern these laws? If this is a public domain then we the public should have a say. I don't believe that big business (those with money) should be the ones to dictate to us. TV radio etc are run by corporations that dictate the content etc. But we are only receivers and don't contribute content as we do / can on the net.

My vision for the internet of the future is one that is available to all, at realistic costs. (possibly free) The governing body should not have a financial interest in it and should only be the voice of the masses. Any commercial entity (ieGoogle) using the internet for financial gain should also be accountable to the governing body. To overcome the issues of information proprietorship, the producers (IE Musicians) should get online direct. I am sure most people would gladly pay a nominal fee for the right to download and copy music posted by the original artist. There is so much scope for progress, I just hope we are given the opportunity to realise it.

Tutorial task for day 8

TASK: Given the conventional wisdom that traditional media are still the dominant form for getting "news" out to the world, do you think the internet will effect the audience for those old media?Check out the local IndyMedia website. What kind of news is there, and do you think a website like that has a place in your life?Do you think the internet is (was?) an effective tool for politicians to reach out to their intended audience?What do you think about blogs as a way for people to get information out? What about their role as political commentary?

Attempt to answer: This topic was touched on earlier in the course and it was interesting to hear the varying opinions. I personally now have far greater exposure to 'news' because I access a computer every day and usually access news sites, as opposed to earlier days when I would have to buy a paper or watch the new broadcast on TV. I rarely bought a paper, one because I didn't always have access to a shop, two I didn't always have the time to sit and read a paper (and if I paid for it I would want to read the whole thing) and three because I usually feel guilty when I think of how many trees I am reading. But there were other classmates who like to hold the paper and take the time to read it. This again comes back to choice. But given our question, I think it is not just the Interent that will effect the audience, but an awareness of our environment combined with access to alternative sources of this information (news) that will make the difference. I hope so anyway.

The Indymedia site offers hope. If more local associations / news organisations and their audience had easy access to the internet we could eliminate the need for a huge amount of the worlds paper media. This service does not have to be free either. People pay for their papers now, so why wouldn't the pay to recieve them electronically. Subscription would help avoid spam etc, and people can still have their choice of what they are exposed to.

I don't think that the current level of internet use allows it to be an effective tool for politicians. But if the internet community was allowed to grow to include all levels of socio-economics then yes it would be an effective tool. But this would also allow it to be an effective tool for education, economics, commerce and community. We already hear statements like 'the internet has made the world smaller' ' has brought the world together'. Maybe we need to ensure that this wonderful 'tool' is for all.

In regards to blogs. At present I believe they are useful for a small amount of people to share information or to get exposure. But I don't think it is far reaching enough to have a great deal of effect on a world scale. However, this could and possibily should change. If we do embrace the internet as a world media source and make it available to the masses through realistic pricing of hardware and free or cheaper software, then blogs are a wonderful way for the everyday person to share their thoughts, ideas creations and their worlds.

Day 8 lecture notes

Today we are talking about politics. that is politics with out the capital P. Politics refers to people to people. We discussed the digital divide - the have and the have not's - and I will come back to this later.

Then there was the topic of encryption. Is it an option in a democratic internet society. Consider this: to find the terrorists / porn just follow the encrypted lines. If we all used encryption, what then?

Public sphere: once upon a time we would all gather in the town square and share / exchange information. Here we could voice our thoughts and opinions and be heard. And this was also true of the Internet until privatisation. It is taking away our public sphere.

Now another thought. If the Internet is a world spanning thing how does that relate to our world of nations? Is it a nation unto itself? I think I would rather consider it a place where all nations are equal, where all people can exist? together and share their knowledge for the good of all. But for this to work I believe that we also need rules or controls. If it was open slather then what a wonderful tool for those that want to abuse it. I don't think the Internet should be exempt from some form of law or control. The issue then raised is of democracy. But, if we consider the Internet a world spanning thing and the world is not united under democracy then can the Internet be a democracy? I believe it should and that we as it's citizens should have a right to explore the laws that govern it, question them, discuss them, exchange information to enable us to make informed decisions, to amend or change the laws to fit with today's society. This is a process that needs to continue as society continues.

A youtube film was shown today that I suppose expresses these ideas with a bit more gusto. The speaker, Cory Doctorow is an unemployed writer (his words) but seems to have a great understanding of the effect the internet and subsequent controlling bodies has had on his country, the USA.

Two other things mentioned by Cory are:

a movie called 'This film is not yet rated'

an album called the Grey Album. You can get more info from this link http://www.illegal-art.org/audio/grey.html

Day 7 lecture - Electronic Music

Todays lecture was to be on Digital Creativity, net.art and electronic Literature. But our guest lecturer was not available. Did this matter? Nope. We had a very interesting lecture on Electronic music. What is electronic music? Is it the production. Is it the delivery? I personally think it refers to the production or electronic tools used to make the 'music or sound'. In our technological age all music we hear other than live (to a degree) is is basically electronically delivered. But if we focus on how the music is produced or made then we can find three different catergories or classifications.

1. Tradition instruments played by hand, mouth etc. Including strings, wind instruments etc.

2. Electronically produced music. Made on computers from pure sound.

3. Mixed music. Original soundtracks etc mixed together or with electronic sounds to create a new sound.

It is the technology that we have today that enables us to create these different styles. It gives us the choice to create and listen to the style/s that we like.

On the video we watched, one guy commented that 'all music comes from the 70's or before. Over the last 20 or so years we have been creating music from loops and sample etc from the era'. I am not sure that this is correct as I have heard alot of original music during the last 2-3 decades. But I have also heard alot of old songs being re-hashed, re-mixed or just re-done. Some are great some are not.

In regards to pure 'electronic' music as per my previous definition, I have never really liked the stuff that I have been exposed to. Techno is my least favourite genre as is most of the music on the video from the lecture (Modulations). I have discussed this with many different people to work out why, and don't really have many answers. But interestingly, I also didn't like disco which was the BIG THING during my teens. One thing I have identified is the constant beat that seems to be prevelent in all this music. A bit like a heart beat. Many people that I have spoken to say it is this beat that they like and refer to African music. Strangely I love African music but feel very uncomfortable with our new stuff.

But at the end of the day my position is that we now have more styles of music than we ever had before and we now have a choice of what we create and listen to. This is a good thing regardless of whether we like it all or not.