Key Terms

1. Neuromarketing ( psychological )- A New field of marking that studies consumers cognitive and affective response to marketing.  This study measures in the brain to track progress.
- Example: researchers actually measured the brain to see how people think in relation to what they actually do. 
2. Emotional Branding-  Creating a feeling surrounding your product.
- Example: McDonald's "We love to see you smile" commercials try to convince consumers that their service andfood will make you happy if you decide to purchase their products.
3. Branding/Creating a culture around a brand-  Creating a type of mood or a feeling that people associate with your brand.
-Example: Apple focuses on how it is the better option compared to a PC.  The Apple company is branded as a better choice because of its quality.
4. Narrowcasting- Producing and designing media content in order to target a highly specific segment of the audience.
- Example: Opposite of broadcasting.
5. Rhetorical Marketing- Creating support for a product, political campaign, etc. by simply changing around words. 
- Example: Companies using certain words that will appeal to the targeted audience.
6. Under the radar marketing- Placing ads in places or in a manner that people don’t even realize it’s an ad.
- Example:  The ads on twitter.
7. Across-media marketing- Having ads in all types of media.
- Example: Social networking sites, TV, radio.
8. Product placement across media-  Using one product to promote another product through another form of media.
-Example: Throughout different movies and TV shows, characters are shown using different Apple products.
9. Guerrilla marketing- Placing ads where people least expect it.  
-Example: Trojan ads in restaurants.
10. Viral marketing- A technique aiming at reproducing "word of mouth", usually on the internet or by e-mail, for humorous, political or marketing purposes.
-Example: Big companies who place ads on social networking sites which everyone use.  These people may come across the ad and confront their peers about it.  These people are spreading the word about the ad without realizing that they were being advertised to.

Internet Debate

1. Based on this debate and previous readings What Definition of democracy do you feel is most fitting for us to use in-conjunction with our growing reliance and integration of digital networked technologies?  Because of our growing reliance and integration of digital networked technologies, I feel as though  we need to use a more direct definition of democracy.  What I mean by this is, a definition that recognizes that the internet doesn't belong to any single person.  Everyone is socially equal and has the same rights to share their ideas and criticize the ideas of others.
2. How does your answer to #1 fit into the unchecked nature of Web 2.0 technologies, and what are some tangible examples of this? Do you feel this is an important issue that needs to be addressed further?  The unchecked nature of Web 2.0 technologies are built on the definition of democracy.  Both Web 2.0 and democracy are interdependent upon one another which means they need each other to grow.  A governing body that censors people on the internet and makes sure only certain people are allowed to have their voice heard is something that is not necessarily needed.  Everyone has that right to be heard. This is something that definitely needs to be addressed further.

3. Define and describe the phenomenon of the Media echo-chamber as described in the Internet Debates. What are some examples of this silo effect, and do you believe it is an issue that needs to be addressed? Why or Why not?  The media echo chamber is related to the thought that when there is a specific space which information is being dispersed and communicated, there is a huge echo effect. People continue to take information and copy it and spread it.  There are times when people even change information  much like the game of telephone. Everyone is in a confined space is passing around this same information creating a type of silo effect which is "when a managing system is incapable of reciprocal operation with other related management systems". In conjunction with Web 2.0 there is a silo effect because often times one media chamber cannot effectively exchange information with other media chambers because the information is quickly falsified and frequently invalid. This particular issues is one that i feel should be addressed because i feel like there is so much potential for more efficient, clean and organized media . 

4. What are some ways that expertise and authority could be (or is being) enforced on the internet? Who would be behind these forces? Why do you believe are they are needed or not needed?  There are many methods being used in order to keep authority and factual information out on the Internet. There are many ways that it is being enforced on the Internet. An example of this is, when a person goes in and changes the information on Wikipedia, this is immediately checked and changed back to the correct information. Creators  of these sites are the ones engaging in the enforcement. It is important for the creators to do this in order for them to maintain credible sites that many people continue to use.  I think that it's important that the Internet is regulated, or else it would spiral more out of control then it already is.

6. Give a through example of an adaptation or improvement made by a of a social, political, or cultural group, government, business or individual to keep up with changing nature of the internet.  People continue to watch TV shows on the Internet rather than on their actual televisions.  The website freetvonline.com enables individuals to access these shows online, legally and for free.  Television networks and creators of shows realize that in order to maintain ratings, it is necessary to adapt and keep up with the Internet.  

7. Is democracy threatened by the unchecked nature of the internet?  I don’t believe that democracy is actually threatened by the unchecked nature of the Internet.  If at all times the  Internet is checked, controlled, and restrained, the idea of democracy would be non-existent.  

The Great Seduction

1. Keen's idea of democratized media is a society which everyone relatively has the same digital power. Everyone is allowed to directly upload there ideas to the internet. This democratization of media may lead to a downfall in quality since amateurs will be able to create media. Job loss is also a possibility since professionals will have a lot more competition against people who most often upload their media for free. a site like Wikipedia.org is a good example of this because it allows anyone with internet access to create media and add or change any information. According to Keen, groups of people online have too much power because they are able to use their power online with almost no consequences. Websites such as 4chan.org have histories of using their anonymity to wreak havoc on anyone they deem an enemy. The free dispersion of information and data makes it very hard for people to make money off of web2.0.


2. Andrew Keen is strictly against web 2.0 because of the opportunity it creates for copyright infringement and ambiguity. He believes that user generated content messes with economy and the creative value of culture. He supports big media over small media and he believes web 2.0 takes away "middle man" and social media sets up barriers. He is very pompous and stubborn is his approach, with a very "I'm right, you're wrong" attitude. 
Rushkoff acknowledges those problems, but he believes we have the power to change them. He mentions how even experts have been rejected on Wikipedia to show us that we really can't believe everything that we're reading on the internet. He believes that of course there are problems, but we have the responsibility to take control of it before it takes control of us. He recognizes that the media can get completely out of control but as long as we keep it in control we can really utilize and benefit from it.

Illustrator Project

This is the original image.  URL:    https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4w3mrKL5-5PuOM8dTciTn1BxiGnzongka5VRB8FDazQpL09q4d1YTowlIUgVkKe6Llobi5oqUJ6G7B8tHPAdxOT6o5qZmNf6Y2CFRANCG-rzcGBRuOxJurpvWUvfAWIhD_3gHYDMSAqSf/s200/nike_logo_hjemmeside.jpg

This is my version of the image.

Digital Nation Paper

The Mob. 
What are the, perhaps, unintended effects unleashed by our connectedness? Does anonymity plus connectivity always equal misbehavior and cruelty? How are we to explain some of the collective anger that seems to be unleashed online - and is it a result of the same anger characterizing much of our society's discourse, or is it the cause?

            Whether one realizes it or not, the internet has changed our society in many ways.  It has allowed to us an ease of access to those who are far away in distance by simply sending emails, using social networks, or possibly by video conferencing.  It has also attracted bigger audiences mainly in the gaming world.  The internet is definitely something that is here to stay whether it we realize it or not.

            The internet in the aspect of its ease of access has allowed its users to stay in touch with many others.  Everyday many new users are beginning to join social networking sites in order to meet new people as well as connect to familiar ones.  I have been using social networking sites since my freshman year of high school.  Myspace was very popular while I was in high school.  My reasoning for joining this site was because everyone else around me was doing the same so I sort of followed the increasing trend.  Around this time I wasn’t too concerned with privacy so I put loads of information about myself because I figured that I would only accept requests from the people I knew so I would have nothing to worry about.  Many people like myself tend to not realize just how dangerous social networking sites can be.

            More often than not, people accidently lead others on just by simply being nice especially in social networks.  Small acts like accepting friend requests, responding to comments, and even pop chatting even can be very dangerous if you aren’t too familiar to the person talking to you.  Around August of this year, someone who I am very close with encountered this kind of problem.  Her attacker was a lot more anonymous with his approach.  He hacked her facebook page and email.  By doing this he was able to get her number also.  He called her often harassing her and demanding things such as pictures or else he would try and expose her to everyone over the internet.  She contacted the police to try and help fix her problem.  It has been almost two months since she has received a call from the hacker and she has not used facebook since nor has the hacker been caught. 

            It seems apparent that no one is completely safe from the internet because everyday people are finding ways to cheat the system and do things that aren’t allowed.  Acts of misbehavior and cruelty are becoming more and more evident online and very heavily within video gaming as a result of anonymity and connectivity.  Online gaming has become very big over the past few years with the evolution of the xbox 360 and playstation 3.  All a gamer needs is to create a profile for saving achievements and then they are able to play online.  These profiles are very private and other gamers only are able to see what you allow them to.  This is a positive in regards to privacy and identity.  With the positive comes the negative.  With all the hidden identities within these profiles and online gaming, video gamers tend to misuse their privacy.  The realization that things can be done without being reprimanded for it influences users to commit acts of name calling, harassment, racial slandering, as well as cyber bullying.  Every time I play online I witness things like this.  People from all over the world act horrendous online because they know that the no one will ever find out who they are.

            As an individual who is also part of the online video gaming realm, I find it unacceptable for people to act in such a way whether or not they are joking around because it really does affect people.  Possible reasoning behind this excessive unleashing of anger online may be due to personal problems.  A person may be constantly bullied, mistreated, or just have a low amount of self esteem so they use online gaming to help relieve stress.  The online realm is actually a very popular place to help people to let out their anger because they are able to express how they are feeling and be able to find others who are feeling the same.

            The internet is a very huge area with many users all of which use its anonymity and connectivity in their own personal way.  Whether good or bad, people will continue using the internet this way because they are in control.  This trend will continue because there are too many people to try and control within the internet.  

Communication Design and Theory / Social Media & Web 2.0

1.         Today many TV shows and advertisements try to look amateurish or "homegrown" to emulate what is often seen on the Web. Do you think professional production values will continue to drop, or do you think amateur user-generated content will get better over time? Why?

I believe that amateur user-generated content will get better over time while.  The more that other amateurs begin to see others like themselves making user-generated content, the more innovations that will begin to take place which would help amateur user-generated content get better over time.

2.     What social media sites do you find yourself using the most, and why? In your opinion why is Facebook so much more successful than MySpace, and do you think Facebook is "here to stay" for the long term?

The social networking sites that I find myself using most are Facebook, Twitter, and Worldstarhiphop.  These are my most common sites because I can be informed on what is going on around the world by simply visiting these sites.  Also, I can communicate with others through this site.  I think that Facebook is so much more successful than Myspace because it seems more professional in an older population sort of view.  It is easy to stay in touch with friends and meet friends.  It seems to appeal to college students because many people tend to create Facebook profiles when they enter college rather than high school students, who use Myspace more often.  Overall, I do believe that Facebook is here to stay for the long term simply because it is so appealing and easy to use to a majority of the population.

3.        Why is transparency such an important concept in the Social Media world? Is it MORE or LESS important in the offline world? Why?

It is an important concept of social media because it is something that gets information out on the web for other to view and interpret and decide whether or not it is something that they can agree with.  Transparency can be detrimental because those who put things on the net do not have to follow a code of honesty which would lead to biased information.  I would have to say that transparency is less important in the offline world.  More and more people are getting connected to the internet and are more likely able to see the streams of information on the web rather than reading it from a newspaper.