CCT 300: Critical Analysis of MediaCCT 300: Critical Analysis of Media

Class 9: Enter the InternetClass 9: Enter the Internet

Internet SurveyInternet Survey• Daily, how much do you use the

Internet?• What three Internet services do you

use most? • According to you, what is the most

valuable service the Internet provides?• What’s the biggest problem with the

Internet as a medium?

• Daily, how much do you use the Internet?

• What three Internet services do you use most?

• According to you, what is the most valuable service the Internet provides?

• What’s the biggest problem with the Internet as a medium?

What is the Internet?What is the Internet?

• It’s not a truck: it’s a series of tubes!

• It’s not a truck: it’s a series of tubes!

What is the Internet used for?

What is the Internet used for?

• No, not just that, Trekkie Monster.

• No, not just that, Trekkie Monster.

A more sane definitionA more sane definition

• Decentralized network of computing services

• Connected by…well…a series of tubes (but analogy doesn’t work well…why?)

• Has grown to accommodate a series of potential uses

• Decentralized network of computing services

• Connected by…well…a series of tubes (but analogy doesn’t work well…why?)

• Has grown to accommodate a series of potential uses

Early conceptualization Early conceptualization • Vannevar Bush (1945) -

conceptualization of a vast information store (“memex”) to harness world’s knowledge

• Also realized power of computing in storage and processing, leaving us available to do what we do best - association, linking, pattern creation

• Web as Memex - and limitations there

• Vannevar Bush (1945) - conceptualization of a vast information store (“memex”) to harness world’s knowledge

• Also realized power of computing in storage and processing, leaving us available to do what we do best - association, linking, pattern creation

• Web as Memex - and limitations there

ARPANetARPANet

• Theory put into practice initially by American military-industrial complex

• ARPANet - private information network to coordinate research

• Decentralized why?

• Theory put into practice initially by American military-industrial complex

• ARPANet - private information network to coordinate research

• Decentralized why?

Evolution…Evolution…

• BITNET - educational institutions• X.25 - European networking - open

also to individuals, commercial• BBS’s as parallel public networks• ARPA - not a service org, dumps

ARPANet to NSF, who eventually privatized service

• BITNET - educational institutions• X.25 - European networking - open

also to individuals, commercial• BBS’s as parallel public networks• ARPA - not a service org, dumps

ARPANet to NSF, who eventually privatized service

Critical MassCritical Mass• Public, commercial access - a very

new thing (Ontario - 1992)• Mosaic as interface to WWW -

1994• Mass popularity of AOL - hardly

the first, but the first to market to neophyte users effectively, and in this new environment

• Public, commercial access - a very new thing (Ontario - 1992)

• Mosaic as interface to WWW - 1994

• Mass popularity of AOL - hardly the first, but the first to market to neophyte users effectively, and in this new environment

ReactionReaction• Sudden transition to commercial

medium - new opportunities, but also a lot of garbage

• Previously active spaces (e.g., UseNet) effectively destroyed with spam and the great unwashed masses from AOL and similar - although they just moved elsewhere (private forums)

• Sudden transition to commercial medium - new opportunities, but also a lot of garbage

• Previously active spaces (e.g., UseNet) effectively destroyed with spam and the great unwashed masses from AOL and similar - although they just moved elsewhere (private forums)

Public Medium and Voice

Public Medium and Voice

• Internet can increase public voice - e.g., consumer forums, political discussion

• Discussion can also become more base, ridiculous (e.g., Wikispaces discussion forum…)

• Signal/noise issues

• Internet can increase public voice - e.g., consumer forums, political discussion

• Discussion can also become more base, ridiculous (e.g., Wikispaces discussion forum…)

• Signal/noise issues

Elitist Return? Net Neutrality

Elitist Return? Net Neutrality

• Is some information more important? Should it get priority access to “the tubes?”

• Tiered access - who controls it? To what good purpose? How?

• Is some information more important? Should it get priority access to “the tubes?”

• Tiered access - who controls it? To what good purpose? How?

Tiered accessTiered access• Internet 2, Can*net 4, private internal

networks• Sheridan’s iChat server and other

university bandwidth issues• Commercial censorship - Telus vs.

union, Shaw vs. VoIP, AOL vs. consumer sites, US Military vs. liberal blogs (?), Google in China, RIAA/file trading - others?

• Internet 2, Can*net 4, private internal networks

• Sheridan’s iChat server and other university bandwidth issues

• Commercial censorship - Telus vs. union, Shaw vs. VoIP, AOL vs. consumer sites, US Military vs. liberal blogs (?), Google in China, RIAA/file trading - others?

A Critical TakeA Critical Take• Winner and mythinformation -

technology adherents take to near mythical descriptions of how technology will change the world

• See also Noble - Religion of Technology - designers themselves speak in terms of highly spiritual terms (creation, transcendence, inevitable utopia)

• Winner and mythinformation - technology adherents take to near mythical descriptions of how technology will change the world

• See also Noble - Religion of Technology - designers themselves speak in terms of highly spiritual terms (creation, transcendence, inevitable utopia)

Four MythsFour Myths

• People are lacking information• Information is knowledge• Knowledge is power• Information access = equitable

and democratic social power

• People are lacking information• Information is knowledge• Knowledge is power• Information access = equitable

and democratic social power

Do we really lack information?

Do we really lack information?

• Many argue opposite - we’re drowning, and we are losing the ability to make associations and connections as a result

• Ex: 500-channel universe, media sources - little common ground

• Many argue opposite - we’re drowning, and we are losing the ability to make associations and connections as a result

• Ex: 500-channel universe, media sources - little common ground

Information = Knowledge?

Information = Knowledge?

• Sheer quantity of information may lead to information overload and destruction of knowledge

• 9/11 example - information regarding terror cells existed but was scattered, uncoordinated - it didn’t make sense

• Sheer quantity of information may lead to information overload and destruction of knowledge

• 9/11 example - information regarding terror cells existed but was scattered, uncoordinated - it didn’t make sense

Knowledge = Power?Knowledge = Power?

• Knowledge available at the right time and context to people with the power and resources to act upon it might equal power

• Information or knowledge itself might still leave you powerless - and frustratingly so.

• Knowledge available at the right time and context to people with the power and resources to act upon it might equal power

• Information or knowledge itself might still leave you powerless - and frustratingly so.

Information = Democracy?

Information = Democracy?

• Capacity for self-governance isn’t just information-based

• Most people are simply not interested in all the relevant information

• Direct democracy can be dangerous, even asinine - e.g., Stockwell “Doris” Day

• Capacity for self-governance isn’t just information-based

• Most people are simply not interested in all the relevant information

• Direct democracy can be dangerous, even asinine - e.g., Stockwell “Doris” Day

RealityReality• Internet is transformative but

certainly not entirely as much as the mythology suggests - a bit more complex than that

• Tiered access will exist in special cases, but ideally demand, not political or economic censors, drive traffic flow

• Internet is transformative but certainly not entirely as much as the mythology suggests - a bit more complex than that

• Tiered access will exist in special cases, but ideally demand, not political or economic censors, drive traffic flow

Survey/Next WeekSurvey/Next Week• Student Survey• And/or, have your say here:

http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=732035

• A closer look at Web 2.0 services and their potential

• Two weeks to final project - have some draft work to show for feedback!

• Student Survey• And/or, have your say here:

http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=732035

• A closer look at Web 2.0 services and their potential

• Two weeks to final project - have some draft work to show for feedback!