Week 10 Blog Post

DATE TYPE ONLINE X I OWN ENDNOTE

Reference Details:

Samantha Lane, ‘North in damage control after play posts misogynistic chicken video online’, April 7, 2009. WA Today. [http://www.watoday.com.au/afl/afl-news/north-in-damage-control-after-player-posts-misogynistic-chickenvideo-online-20091124-j6qv.html], accessed 7/10/2010

Relevance: secondary primary/secondary

Importance (why) update support X new

This is an article which highlights the disrespect often displayed towards women in online culture. The video posted by AFL players, supposed role models for young boys and men, was touted misogynistic and despicable. It highlights how much damage a 4 minute video, meant as a joke among mates, can do.

What (key words or phrases)

“An explicit video that was filmed in the clubrooms of the North Melbourne FC and posted online by one of the club’s young footballers has led to an investigation within the club.”

“Boris the toy chicken has a condom on its head and is manipulated to look as if it is penetrating the carcass of a real chicken...in the opening scene a sign of North Melbourne’s major sponsor, Mazda, is featured clearly.”

“Phil Cleary, a former footballer and long-time campaigner of violence against women, described the video as ‘disgracefully misogynistic’.”

Issues (agree/disagree)

Use in forming argument background X method example X support counter other

The article could be used as a concrete example of how women are mistreated online and portrayed as sexual objects by men. While I think the article may be taking the video a little bit too seriously, and that the intentions of the players who posted probably had nothing to do with degrading women in the way that Lane and others quoted in the article are claiming, it is still a serious issue that obviously needs dealing with amongst these elite athletes.

Relationship to other references (synthesis)

support

counter

example

other

Critical Evaluation: reliable

Character reliable

Source Title

edition / revision n/a bibliography n/a evidence Y writing style: journalistic emotive Y

Currency just over a year old - 7/04/2009 current

date location current links N

Intention credible Y

author: Highlighting the issues of sexism inherent among men, specifically in the AFL institution. audience: People from WA who access sports and news online through WA Today.

source: WA Today Audience

Authority

Author: Samantha Lane reliable Y

credentials: Sports Reporter at The Age. institution:

expertise: Samantha Lane is a respected sports reporter with 5 years experience at The Age and a further 3 years before that reporting on the official AFL website. references Y

address

cited by

publisher/source reliable Y

credentials: “News and information - Your Way.

Hello and welcome to WAtoday, Western Australia’s premier website for quality news and information.” Taken from website. institution: Fairfax Digital - a highly respected commercial news resource.

expertise

Notes:

WAtoday has credibility as it’s a part of the online newspaper giant Fairfax Digital. It’s sister sites theage.com.au, smh.com.au and brisbanetimes.com.au are all respected online news sites which “provide a broad platform” for advertisers and ensures that the readers of WAtoday have access to a plethora of commercial news and information.

Reflection of News story

Reference details:

Geoffrey Fowler, “Facebook defends Places”, The Wall Street Journal (August 23, 2010). http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/news/facebook-defends-places/story-e6frg90x-1225908791066 (accessed 1/10/2010).

Relevance:

This news report article could be important and useful in a research essay, as it focuses on the social network site facebook, and that things may have been taken too far, with the release of ‘places’ where people tag where they are. Social networking sites and privacy have been discussed extensively throughout the unit, so there is no doubt that it has relevance to the uni and would be useful to use as an example in an essay question. It is important because it is up to date, and provides insight into what is happening now, as technology moves very fast. Journal articles and books from 2008 would not be as relevant to the topic in comparison with this news report. The article provides new information on the release of the places application.

What:

The release of Places application for smart-phones, allowing people to share their location with facebook friends and tag friends in these updates. It consists of quotations from various people. Cameron Heibert (36 year old in Ohio) likes the Places application however believes that tagging friends in these places too is alarming, as he made up a fictional place that had negative connotations and tagged himself and his friends there. With Places the friend has the ability to remove tags though, but the privacy issue still remains. Ana Yang (Facebook Places product manager) says “If you have a friend that is tagging you in illicit places, you can tell them to stop, or you can de-friend that person, or block them entirely”, so she if shifting the power into the individuals hands, saying that they are also in control of being tagged. I agree with this statement to an extent, but some facebook users do not use facebook every day, and may be tagged in illicit places without their knowledge, and find out weeks later after everyone has seen it. Ray Lin (24 year old from New York City) said that he liked the idea of Places and how he can tell friends where he is without sending a text message. The article offers a range of views towards Facebook Places.

Issues:

The main issue discussed in the article is whether Places is taking facebook too far, and provides arguments for and against the application. I agree that Places is taking social networking too far in the sense that nobody needs to know where you are exactly. If someone wants to know where you are, you can contact them privately via phone calls or text messaging. I do think that the places concept can be used without using the application. People tend to say where they are if they want to i.e. (Elizabeth is at the Royal show) and people can still be tagged in the status. I don’t think the Places application is really that necessary.

Use in forming argument:

This article would be useful in a question about social networking sites, and can be used to support or go against an argument as it contains quotations from people with opposing views. I would use this article because it contains evidence and is commenting on a controversial issue. I would use this text to support an argument that social network sites offer no privacy however its one’s own decision what to reveal about themselves and who sees their actions.

Relationship to other references: I don’t have any other research material to compare with, however this text would most likely be an additional idea that could be discussed in an essay and contains similar issues that would be present in other texts about social networking sites such as privacy.

Critical Evaluation:

1. Character:

• Source Title- Facebook defends Places
• Type- news article
• Online- http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/news/facebook-defends-places/story-e6frg90x-1225908791066
• Primary/secondary- This is secondary source as it is an article and contains quotations from people however this would have been edited and constructed to convey certain ideas and issues.
• Edition / revision-As this is a news article is contains a sense of bias and is created to position the reader to respond in a certain way. The article is about how facebook is defending the launch of the Places application and the way that it is constructed and written creates this idea.
• Bibliography-There is no bibliography, because newspaper articles do not contain them
• Evidence- The information doesn’t seems to contain any theories, only providing brief information about Places and quotations from normal people, and people in positions of authority such as facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt, which was probably from a press conference. The information appears to be valid and reasonably researched as it contains quotations from people of authority and credibility.
• Writing style- this news article seems to have a passive voice and does not argue for or against anything in a significant way. Its main purpose is providing information on the launch and how privacy concerns have increased due to the Places application. It seems to present the facts and include opinions from two different views.
• Reliable- It is reliable as the quotations would be correct considering it is published in the international newspaper the Wall Street journal. It is presenting factual information and commenting on issues circulating in society. It shouldn’t be used as a primary source for research or focused on, however it can be used to provide additional information for an argument.

2. Currency:

• Date- August 23 , 2010
• Current-The article is current and provides insight into today’s society and an up to date view upon social networking sites and privacy.
• Location-The source is written for an American publication that is distributed internationally. Most research on social networking sites is from America anyway so it is relevant towards other research that could be used as well as the fact that Places has now been launched in Australia, so the same issues are circulating in our society.
• Links-the link works at this present moment, I am not sure whether it will remain that way, however the article was published in hardcopy so this would be easily found in most libraries.

3. Intention- why was it written and for whom

• Author- On this link, there is no preface, contents, index or information about the author, however if you visit: http://topics.wsj.com/person/f/geoffrey-fowler/1345 there is a brief description of Geoffrey Fowler and links to other articles he has written. The list of articles all are about technology and most focus on issues and debates revolving around facebook.
• Source-The source is addressing the Wall Street Journal audience as well as those interested in technology. I personally came across this article through the news website www.new.com.au so the source is not only addressing those who read the Wall Street Journal but a wider audience on the internet. The website does not seem to be advertising, it is presenting information and the quotations would be very useful in an essay question.

4. Authority

• Author- Geoffrey Fowler
• Credentials-Geoffrey Fowler is qualified to write this article, he joined the Wall Street Journal in 2001, so he has 10 years experience working for the newspaper. He has also had experience in writing for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
• Institution-The Wall Street Journal is an American newspaper that is read internationally, it is a successful and popular newspaper, covering corporate news, daily news, politics, business and economic news.
• Expertise- Geoffrey Fowler is a Reporter
• Reference-The article is definitely in the area of the authors expertise as he has written a lot of other articles on social networking sites which can be viewed on http://topics.wsj.com/person/f/geoffrey-fowler/1345

Notes:

Overall this article is very interesting and informative on the release of the Facebook Places application. It is not scholarly, and does not contain any theories that could be used as the central basis for an essay however it can be used as an extra piece of information to help support an argument. It is relevant to the course and relevant to our lives as well, so I do encourage you to have a read, as facebook users could be affected by this new technology.

Week 10

Oh Spida

Relevance:
Importance: Several weeks back in our tutorial we had the discussion about celebrities on the Internet and how they need to be aware of how they act on twitter, facebook etc after Stephanie Rice embarrassed herself and lost respect. Alas, again a celebrity (well... an old sports star anyway) has tweeted before thinking and has found himself in some trouble, bringing up the debate of how celebrities are role models and thus must monitor the way they behave on the web. But it also raises the question, do people overreact over what celebs say, online or not?
Support.

What: in the title "turns on women", also "did not reside from Tweets", "widely criticised".

Issues: I disagree with the articles use of words of "turns on women". I don't think Spida is blaming women or the footballers for what happened, I think he is just stating the truth-if a girl goes home with a guy after a night out at the clubs, I really would like to think she knows what shes getting herself into..

Use in formatting argument: could be used to support the idea that things said online are different to real life. Twitter allows 140 characters for people to express themselves which really isn't enough and I think it's why people get uptight about what is said online. Words on a page can be read and perceived differently by each person, and this is why it's become such an issue.
Support.

Critical Evaluation
Character:
"'Spida' turns on women over Collingwood sex allegations" - reliable.
News article. Online.
Bibliography (theage.com.au).
Evidence (link to twitter account here).
Style-factual.

Currency: 5th Oct, 2010.
Location (Australia).
Links.

Intention:
Author-WA Today, covers news coverage around Australia.
Source-addressing those interested in news around Australia.
Audience: general.

Authority:
Credentials: journalist for newspaper.
Institution: Reputable.

Talkin’ ‘bout the (digital) generation

View full-size here
Blog post available here

week 10 assignment.

Date: 5^th June 2010, online news article.

Reference: Salleh, A 2010, Cyborgs rights ‘need debating now’, ABC news, 1-10-2010

Relevance: Update: Yes. Support: Provide new information: Yes – as the article was published on the ABC news website on the 5^th June, 2010, making it very new information and increasing its relevance to the unit.
This article is completely relevant to our unit, as it discusses what rights cyborgs have that differ to humans. It deals with the fact that cyborgisation is happening faster then people have realised, and that society hasn’t been reflecting on the impacts its likely to have. Immediately the relevance is evident as this article links back to Donna Haraways The Cyborg Manifesto, especially where she states that ‘the gap between machine and human begins to close – we are both connected’ and links back to when we viewed Bicentennial Man where the robot wanted all the same rights as humans did. This is strongly reflected in the article when Oscar Pistorius, Paralympics champion, aims to compete with able-bodied athletes in the Olympics and Commonwealth games – however authorities challenge him by arguing that his prosthetics gives him an unfair advantage. This brings forth the issue that we have also studied throughout the unit, which is the question of human rights, and whether cyborgs should have a different set of rights due to their prostheses. The cyborgs are seeking to protect their existing rights, which in turn challenges the ethics of the situation that is ever growing. Dr Clarke states that ‘engineers and others who develop these new technologies have an obligation to brief political, social and economic institutions on their implications’, which alludes to idea that the gap between machines and humans is closing, which is why action needs to be taken today to establish how these cyborgs are going to exist within society.

Particular key words that are useful:
I thought when Dr Clarke stated at the beginning of the article, ‘The first generation of cyborgs is alive, well, walking among us and even running,’ that this grounded the argument by emphasizing that this is happening today, right now, and not in the near future. This immediately grabbed my attention and focused me in to the information following. This is an extremely effective placement of quotes, as it shows the reader that this is something that is affecting society at this very moment, which is all the more reason why we should be aware and informed, so we can establish our own opinions. The term ‘walking among us’ within the quote is also very powerful, as it will potentially make readers aware of the cyborgs around them outside of the article, hopefully allowing the people within society to have a say on the rights of cyborgs, not just the experts.

Issues (points you agree or disagree with and why):
This is an extremely political and ethical article, dealing with issues that affect, and will continue to affect society ever increasingly. I strongly agree with the article where it argues that rights have to be established for the cyborgs; not in the sense of creating a different set of rights in comparison to humans, but as in establishing fair rights so we don’t continue to have these debates on these issues. I believe that the gap between cyborgs and humans will continue to decrease, and in effect, they should be able to keep their existing human rights – however, I am inflicted, as I also understand the reasoning of those who argue that the cyborgs have an advantage over some when it comes to elite athletes games and competitions, which makes me unable to agree completely with one side. All I know, which the article emphasises, is that cyborgs are alive and well today, and that their rights have to be asserted, not ignored.

Where and how you would use this in your argument: method example and support: Yes.
I would definitely use this article as evidence of a case study to emphasise how cyborgs and their rights need to be established and the ways in which this is having an affect upon society. I would also use this article to demonstrate how it relates to Donna Haraways The Cyborg Manifesto, in the sense that it illustrates how the gap between machines and humans are closing, and how many people were aware of how common cyborgs are (e.g. the article mentions people even with pacemakers). I believe that because it’s a valid information source (ABC) and mentions important social institutions, such as the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and the International Association of Athletics Federations, that readers will see the extent in which this issue is affecting such large names, which further credits this article, and I would even use this information in my argument to emphasise the degree to which this is affecting society.

Relationship to other references: Support and Example: Yes.
Although this article doesn’t provide an example of an argument in another reference, it does in fact support Dr Clarke, an expert in social impacts of information technologies, views completely, making it very relevant and important to listen to his views, as this is his profession.

Critical Evaluation:
1. Character: Reliable, Secondary Source.
Source title: Cyborgs rights ‘need debating now’
Type: article
Online: Yes
Edition/Revision: No
Bibliography: No evidence
Writing Style: Scholarly
2. Currency:
Date: 5/6/2010
Current: Yes
Location: Online current links
Links: Yes current online links.
3. Intention: To bring awareness to the issue of cyborgs rights within society
Author: Anna Salleh, for ABC science Online.
Audience: The Educated
Source: ABC news
Audience: The Educated
4. Authority
Author: Anna Salleh
Credentials: Science reporter from the ABC Network
Institution: ABC Network
Expertise: Science
Address: Anna Salleh
Cited by: ABC news

Publisher/Source: ABC Network
Reliable: YES
Credentials: One of the largest independent news broadcasting networks
Institution: Independent ABC network
Expertise: National, local and Global issues

Notes:
The ABC network is a large independent news corporation, which has been recognized for its news reports on important and relative stories. The reports are always supported by people of an important educational or political profession, which therefore credits the network further. This is evident within the article that I have chosen. However, there is a biased throughout this article, as Dr Clarke is the only professional given a voice within the story, therefore limiting the range of opinion to simply his. The article would of benefited by having a different view on the idea of cyborgs rights, so that the audiences are better able to make a fair judgment on the matter.

DATE: 2nd August 2010 TYPE: Online Newspaper Article

Reference Details:
Metherell, L 2010 David Jones faces $37m sex misconduct suit, ABC News, 24-09-10


Relevance: Secondary

Importance (why) update: YES Support: New:
The news article I have chosen to critique is entitled David Jones faces $37m sex misconduct suit by finance reporter Lexis Metherell. This article was reported on the ABC News website on the 2nd August 2010.
This article could not be more relevant to this unit, as it deals with the harassment and derogation of women in today’s society, the focal point of Women Studies. As a case study, it reveals that sexism is alive and well, despite claims that equality has been achieved and that feminism has been rendered obsolete. The plight of Kristy Fraser-Kirk is imperative to feminism, as it reminds women alike that they should not just expect respect, but that they should demand respect “I am a young woman standing here today simply because I said it wasn't OK”. Fraser-Kirk stand reiterates the predicament of past and present feminists, that to be submissive toward unacceptable behaviour is to subscribe to the patriarchy and consent to continuing marginalisation of women. I think what is particularly struck me in the article, was Fraser-Lirk’s statement that she would donate all punitive damages to a charity for sexual harassment and bullying. This adds validity to her claim as it illustrates that she is not fighting for monetary recognition, but in an endeavour to receive recognition for women’s’ everyday struggles, that largely go unheard. It is her cry that they should no longer be suppressed, but rather used as ammunition to destroy the acceptance of inequality that underpins women’s lives.

What (key words or phrases)
I thought that the power of the article was in Fraser-Kirk’s statement that was placed near the end of the article for lasting effect “I am a young woman standing here today simply because I said it wasn't OK. Because I said that this should never happen to me or to anyone. I just wanted to be treated with respect." This persuades the reader to accept Fraser-Kirk’s claim as a reasonable one, an endeavour to be esteemed. Is that too much to ask in a world where we are supposed to be equals?
Another important point made was “She says she repeatedly told Mr McInnes not to touch her or kiss her, and also used a taxi door as a barrier.” I believe this was included to settle any qualms that perhaps Fraser-Kirk had encouraged Mr McInnes sexual advances. This statement supports the notion that Mr McInnes actions were completely unwarranted and therefore, unforgivable.
Fraser- Kirk insists that sexual harassment has ongoing repercussions and real effects "This has been a devastating period in my life - for me personally, for my professional career, and for the effect that it is having on my family and my friends,". This positions us as readers to believe that Mr McInnes has no right to intrude on someone’s happiness, and that sexual harassment has enduring consequences.


Issues (agree/disagree)
This article in not so much an opinionated article and therefore it is difficult to pinpoint particular points to agree or disagree with. However, the issues presented in the article are subject to opinion. I believe what Kristy Fraser-Kirk has done is a powerful act of defiance. I believe that that she has displayed bravery that so many women were unable to muster, due to fear of ostracism and further oppression. The construction of the article in effective as it presents the issue as a series of allegations, without stressing an palpable opinion, yet presenting them in a way the reader feels they are making their own conclusions that Fraser-Kirk’s claim is valid.


Use in forming argument background
method example: YES support: YES counter other
I would use this article as a case study to demonstrate how sexism still operates within our societal structure. It’s effectiveness as an example lies in the fact that David Jones is a revered Australian business, and that within this respected business, it’s chief executive was conducting himself is a morally inappropriate manner. I feel that you could use Kristy Fraser-Kirk as someone women should admire, and aspire to adopt her stance of strength against the patriarchy.

Relationship to other references (synthesis)
This article joins the support base of countless allegations against men in the workforce, a domain typically regarded as facilitating sexism. It is the most contemporary example of sexism prevalent in Australian society. The result that her case will have will have unlimited repercussions in workplace relations between men and women in Australia.
support : YES
counter
example : YES
other

Critical Evaluation: reliable
1. Character reliable: YES
Source Title: David Jones Faces $37m sexual misconduct suit
edition / revision: 1 bibliography NO evidence YES writing style: Journalistic emotive: YES
2. Currency current: YES: date 02-08-2010 Location: Online current links: NO
3. Intention: To inform the public of an important current situation in society. This article details the specifics of the case, providing readers with a general overview of the allegations against Mr McInnes and David Jones = credible= YES
author: Lexi Metherell
Audience: Educated persons
Source: ABC News
Audience: Educated persons
4. Authority
Author reliable x
Credentials: Financial Reporter from the ABC Network
Institution: ABC Network
Expertise: Finance
References: YES
Address: Lexi Metherell
cited by: WotNews

publisher/source
reliable: YES
Credentials: Largest News Broadcaster in Australia
Institution: ABC News
Expertise: National and Global matters of interest

Notes:
This article has credibility as it is sourced from a significant Australian News Channel, the ABC. It is based largely on fact as it primarily details particulars of Fraser-Kirk’s claim, including direct statements from her. It does not directly express an opinion, but it could be argued that the article is subject to bias as only comments from Fraser-Kirk were included and therefore the reader is only subjected to allegations from Fraser-Kirk. The author is addressing the Australian public in general, as ABC News is broadcasted nationally, and is not specific to particular gender or age, although it is argues to have a tendency to be left wing. As it is, sexism is an issue relevant to every man woman and child, and therefore this article is not limited to any type of person.

WOMEN = SEX

Hi guys. My male bestfriend and I got into this heated debate about women and power. Right off the bat, I'm not too sure how this is associated with our unit but since it has something to do with female representation on facebook, it shouldn't be too off tangent!

So I'm not sure if any of you are aware of the 'I like it on the ...' status updates on FB. Basically, it's intention is to raise awareness for Breast Cancer, with it being October - the Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this trend started last year, with people (always and normally female) copying certain information onto their FB statuses based on what bra colour they are wearing for that particular day.

This year, female users are encouraged to write 'I like it on the ...' based on where they first place their handbags when they get home. The more popular ones are, 'I like it on the floor' and 'I like it on the chair' (these are based on my personal FB status updates from friends).

So here's the deal: my friend immediately bombed a 'Women are only powerful through sex' at me and it got me really, really frustrated. Of course, in the heat of my anger I retorted almost immediately that THAT'S NOT TRUE. (By the way, this whole thing happened through text messaging. I couldn't express my real anger so I was just jabbing my keypad furiously - I pity my phone for taking the punch).

He asked then, why is there a need to raise awareness through quotes that insinuate sex thereby associating women with sex. I explained that the intent plays a role, bearing in mind that women as it is have already been heavily objectified through commercialism.

I'm asking you now of your views on this whole Breast Cancer Awareness on FB issue. Is it really fair that we are encouraging women to attach sexual connotations in our deeds to do good? Or are we simply just amplifying the fact that women, are after all, only good for sex.

ps. Please forgive me if this all seems like a big mad mess, because I had really just wanted to find an outlet to ramble on, and this seemed like a perfect idea.

pps. You don't really have to give your views if you don't want to, but I would appreciate it very much as I try to solely debunk this unjustified accusation.

WEEK 10 BLOG POST – WHEN COUPLES FIGHT ON FACEBOOK, EVERYONE KNOWS THE SCORE

Hey guys, here's my blog post for week 10.

I found this article on the New York Times website and thought it was relevant to the endless discussions about facebook in (and out of) class that I’m sure we all have. It basically appealed to me because I hate it when people publicise every little part of their lives on facebook, especially when they fight with their boyfriend/girlfriend where all their friends can see. So yeah, that’s why I chose this article.

RELEVANCE:

I feel this article is extremely relevant to the unit as from week one, every discussion in tutorials always finds a way of coming back to facebook (well most of the time anyways) and this shows how big a part of our lives facebook actually is, wether we have our own profile or not. This article isn’t entirely ripe with new, or even very useful information, but it does contribute another opinion and discussion topic to the unit. It also supports many of the ideas about social interactions and practices in contemporary society that we have come up with in class.

One point that this article raises, which is particularly relevant to this unit, is the issue of privacy, especially on facebook. This article claims that online privacy is a fickle thing, and some people value it more than others and I agree with this point. It is evident, when some people post status updates of what they are doing every second, while you barely see any updates from others.

Im not sure if I would use this article when forming an argument, but I think it would be a good source to refer back to, or even use as a real life example to offer support to an argument.

CRITICAL EVALUATION:

1. Character

The source I’ve chosen, titled I Need to Vent. Hello, Facebook, is a secondary, online news article published on the New York Times website.

2. Currency

The article was published on the 17^th march 2010 in New York, which makes it current and relevant for research.

3. Intention

The author of the article is a man named Douglas Quenqua, a writer for the New York Times. The article is generally aimed at facebook users, but it could be narrowed down to those users who are married/in a reletionship.

4. Author

The author, Douglas Quenqua, is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn, New York.

The article was published in the New York Times by editor Bill Keller and publisher Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. it is circulated to approximately one million people daily, thus this article would have been widely read.

Quenqua, Douglas. 2010. 'I Need To Vent, Hello Facebook', The New York Times, 17th March, viewed on 06/10/2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/18/fashion/18facebook.html?scp=29&sq=facebook&st=cse>

Gender Guesser

Hey guys!

I was just doing a spot of vague internet surfing and I found the Gender Guesser which I thought was pretty amusing - basically some researchers came up with a program that profiles you based on a segment of original text and attempts to discern your gender.

Thought it might be interesting!

Reading Presentation: Virtual Community

This article is about virtual communities, and how they are the same as ‘real’ communities. Although the medium in which they communicate differs as they use words on screen to exchange pleasantries, argue, engage in intellectual discourse, share emotional support etc, leaving there bodies behind to do just about everything people do in real life. You can use virtual communities to find a date, sell a lawnmower, publish a novel, conduct a meeting – so here we are able to see how similar virtual communities are to so called ‘real’ communities; all that has changed is the medium in which people are forming the communities and the presence of the physical body is left behind.

To me, Howard is expressing his beliefs that virtual communities are no less real than traditional or other kinds of community and that their distinctive nature consists in their ability to make communication the essential feature of belonging. He even quotes by saying “my virtual communities also inhabit my real life”. This is important as it shows how the binaries of ‘real’ and ‘virtual’ life are further distorted, and that what happens online in the ‘virtual’ can also effect an individuals everyday life as well.

Not only is this article illustrating the importance of virtual communities and the significant role it plays in people’s sense of belonging, but the article is also trying to be self-aware, as it points out that large organisations with big money and big power are more than likely to find a way to control access to virtual communities; as big money and big power have always found ways to control new communications media when they emerged in the past. He emphasises that if we do not develop such a vision for ourselves, the future will be shaped for us by large commercial and political power-holders. This is something important to fight for because of the potential influence on many people’s beliefs and perceptions; the future of the Net is connected to the future of community, democracy, education, science and intellectual life. When put into this perspective, we can see how important and what a vital role the Net plays in our lives, which is all the more reason why we cant let the big money and big powers control it for their own gain.

Questions:
1) How would you define community?
2) Does anyone belong to a virtual community – if so, does it affect your ‘real’ life in any way?
3) Is belonging to a virtual community lesser than belonging to a real one in any way?
4) In what ways would the Internet change if ‘big powers and big money’ controlled it, and in what ways would this change of ownership and control affect virtual communities?

Julian Dibbell: "A Rape in Cyberspace"

Hey everyone. This week I'm doing the presentation on Julian Dibbell's article entitled "A Rape in Cyberspace." I'll just post a short summary of the article in case you didn't have the chance to read it, and then some questions that we can discuss in class on Tuesday.

In the article, Dibbell recounts a "cyberrape" which occurred in an online multi-user dimension (MUD) known as LambdaMOO (short for MUD, object-oriented) and its effects on this virtual community. In this virtual realm, users participate in a text-based database which allows them to interact with the environment and each other, giving the users "the vivid impression of moving through a physical space" (201). Unfortunately, one day a user by the name of Mr. Bungle decided to use this venue in a way that defied the societal norms of the online community and caused harm both to the virtual and real-life versions of some of the users. In short, Mr. Bungle used a sub-program called a "voodoo doll" which enabled him to depict some other users in the room performing various sexual acts, making it appear as though they were acting of their own accord. The victims and many other players of the game were outraged and hurt by the actions Mr. Bungle committed, and made this clear by posting in the public mailing list. One victim said that the acts of Mr. Bungle were a breach of civility, and another admitted later that while she wrote in the forum, posttraumatic tears were streaming down her face. This all lead to a debate over whether or not Mr. Bungle should be "toaded" or permanently removed from the MOO, as well as how and whether or not the community should be governed. In an online meeting that took place in LambdaMOO, an end to the debate was never really reached, but one of the technicians (or "wizards") of the game took it upon himself to toad Mr. Bungle shortly after the conversation ended. This event also lead to the establishment of a balloting system which allows users to vote on petitions in the realm, the results of which are binding to the wizards.

One of the main points that arises in the article is the continuously blurring line between virtual and reality. Dibbell suggests that "Since rape can occur without any physical pain or damage... then it must be classed as a crime against the mind - more intimately and deeply hurtful... than cross burnings, wolf whistles, and virtual rape, but undeniably located on the same conceptual continuum" (212). Is physical rape different to/more hurtful than emotional or virtual rape? Since the victims of the cyberrape experienced emotional pain in real life, should Mr. Bungle's user be punished in real life as well? After Mr. Bungle was removed, he was easily able to make a new account and return under the username of Dr. Jest, which Dibbell argues "only underlined the truism... that his punishment, ultimately, had been no more or less symbolic than his crime" (211). Is this a reasonable point to argue in favour of Mr. Bungle/Dr. Jest?

This also raises the more philosophical idea of the virtual body as an extension of the physical body. Dibbell proposes that "perhaps the body in question is not the physical one at all, but its psychic double, the bodylike self-representation we carry around in our heads" (203). To repeat the question of a LambdaMOO user, "Where does the body end and the mind begin?" (208).

Another point raised in the article surrounds the debate between online censorship versus freedom of expression. The new system of voting and balloting introduced to LambdaMOO as a result of the cyberrape event gave the users access to an @boot command which allows them to eject misbehavers from the room. Do you think that the wizard was right in his decision to "toad" Mr. Bungle, although the users had not reached a definite conclusion to the debate? Should users be able to censor each other at will? Is the internet meant to be a realm of complete freedom of speech, or should certain restrictions be applied in the case of harmful/hateful speech?

I have one final question just out of my own interest to see what you guys think. Can you envision a possible future where people interact solely in the virtual world, or do you think that physical interaction is a necessary component to human society?

Looking forward to discussing these and other ideas on Tuesday.