Event Report Aaron Marks

For my event, I attended forum held in AU’s SIS Founders Room. It was titled, “The Role of the Media as a Non-State Actor,” and it was held on March 17^th. The event was sponsored by Delta Phi Epsilon and the Center for Media and Social Impact.

Penny gets addicted to World of Warcraft on Big Bang Theory

http://bigbangtheory.wikia.com/wiki/The_Barbarian_Sublimation

#TIDALforFEW

On March 30th, Jay Z, along with a host of other high-profile musicians, unveiled a new music streaming service called Tidal. 

The reason given for the creation of the music service is two-fold. The first provided explanation is to supply a 'quality' listening experience for consumers; this new service will provide high-fidelity audio to those who wish to pay a higher monthly fee. The second given reason was to allow artists to make more money through this new streaming model because the service is owned primarily by artists. 

Essentially, Tidal was created to take-on Spotify, which is another streaming service that offers a free, ad-supported experience for listeners. Spotify’s business model still provides revenue for artists, but at an admittedly lower-level than a pay-for-use service does. Tidal will not offer a free service for users.

The big problem with the concept behind the creation of Tidal is the ignorance displayed by these celebrities. The musicians got on stage on Monday and claimed they deserve “respect” and for people to “support the artist” through this "revolutionary" new service. But Spotify provides a model that both allows people that cannot afford to pay a monthly subscription fee to enjoy music and for the artist to also get paid. 

Much of the public has seen through the insensitivity of these musicians with multi-million dollar net-worths using the hashtag "TIDALforALL." The backlash on Twitter was swift and has remained constant.

At the end of the day, the fact that all of these high-profile celebrities would band together for the sole purpose of increasing their revenues is extremely disappointing. Many of these same artists claim to have experienced a number of financial and social tribulations throughout their lives; how ironic is it that these same people are perpetuating the systems that have affected their lives?

This is particularly infuriating with their relative silence on a number of social justice issues. Perhaps instead of attacking a system that allows people to enjoy the music they produce while still providing them money, these musicians should band together to attempt to deal with real issues facing the world.

@Midnight - Participatory Media & Culture

If you haven't seen it, this is a fun (though often crude) show. Each night they have "hashtag wars" and after panelists are done they invite people to add their own. The next night an audience response is chosen. Recently they had a new panelist - a viewer from Austin (who was, granted, a part-time comedian) who they found from following him following them. (Does that make sense?)

http://www.cc.com/shows/-midnight

http://atmidnightcc.tumblr.com/ - past hashtag wars

Economist articles re smartphones

Below are links to two Economist articles from a few weeks ago about smartphones that I reference in my presentation:

Planet of the phones: The smartphone is ubiquitous, addictive and transformative
The truly personal computer: The smartphone is the defining technology of the age

Blog Essay: The New Horizons of Social Media-Based Live Streaming: How Apps like Periscope will Change News, Politics and Advocacy

In late March 2015, Twitter launched a live-streaming app called Periscope.

So You've Been Shamed

Daily Show interview with Jon Ronson, author of new book "So You've Been Shamed" about social media shaming. Book includes follow up on Justine Sacco, the woman at center of "Has Justine Landed?"

Event: The Media as a Non-State Actor

     Last Tuesday I attended an event on campus called The Role of Media as a non-state actor.

Event Post: The Future of Mobile Health Technology

Our Data, Our Health: The Future of Mobile Health Technology

Whose Data Is It Anyway? 

Yik Yak and Racism on Campus

I attended the panel and conversation on Yik Yak on campus and Racism.

Facebook Reportedly Wants To Tighten Its Grip On Your News

In recent news Facebook has approached several news outlets in potentially joining Facebook in directly hosting the news outlets' content. This is can lead to a massive echo chamber on Facebook due to the fact that as of now only a few news outlets have been contacted. Questions such as will the news be the same? Will the content be the same as on the news site? Will all artless look the same?




http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/24/facebook-hosts-news_n_6931532.html

Event Assignment: FISA Section 215 (at Heritage Foundation)

On March 17th the Heritage Foundation hosted Steve Bradbury, former Head of the Office of Legal Counsel, as well as Lara Donohue, a professor of law at Georgetown Law and Director of Georgetown’s Center on National Security and the Law. The topic, FISA, is much contested and was first brought to the forefront after the Snowden Leaks.

Effects of Right to be Forgotten

As a follow-up to the discussion in class today, this article really shows the dangerous effects of a 'right to be forgotten' law.

While I think most people would agree with not wanting to have their name tied to certain things on the internet, having the ability to self-censor those items and have links to major news stories deleted is actually a scary concept. This level of censoring would not be allowed to exist in the world of print journalism.

Pranking My Roommate With Targeted Facebook Ads

Hi all - I mentioned this 'stunt' in class and wanted to share it with you. While the roommate was convinced Facebook and the NSA were closely watching him and listening to his conversations, it is a great look into how you can use niche advertising via Facebook.

Check it out! And maybe even try it out....

http://mysocialsherpa.com/the-ultimate-retaliation-pranking-my-roommate-with-targeted-facebook-ads/

Some political cartoons on Starbucks

https://www.google.com/search?q=cartoon+about+starbucks+race+talk&espv=2&biw=1706&bih=817&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=1DgQVY6lDKPHsQTvj4KwDg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAw

Monica Lewinsky Ted Talk on cyberbullying

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/03/20/monica-lewinsky-gave-a-really-really-important-ted-talk-on-bullying/

The Role of Media as a Non-State Actor

The Role of Media as a Non-State Actor Event:March 17, 2015

Delta Phi Epsilon a fraternity with a strong focus on international affairs hosted a panel discussion about the role of media as a non-state actor.

This 'smart' Barbie is raising concerns over children's privacy

This 'smart' Barbie is raising concerns over children's privacy

Follow our discussion on privacy and this week's readings on locational tracking, this article presents a new set of concerns for the youngest generation.

Matell is set to release a new "smart" Barbie that can respond to a child's voice. Privacy advocates are raising concerns that this may lead to recording of children's conversations. With the locational tracking articles warning of a world where our every movement is tracked, it is chilling to imagine that it could begin in children as young as preschool. 

Blog Essay: Fact-Checking and Accuracy of Claims

Recently, watchdog groups have created websites dedicated to exposing the “extremism” of ideological enemies and journalists have begun projects that fact-check claims made by prominent political figures and media.

Blog Essay: Text messaging to fight human trafficking

More than 150 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, slavery is still a way of life for thousands in the United States.

Blog essay: Using hacktivism for advocacy

We have talked in class about different forms of activism in the digital age, ranging from clicktivism to more deviant strategic behavior.

Yik Yak in the NYT - Anonymous abuse on mobile tech

This was on front page, above fold of NYT today - about how Yik Yak allows people to post abusive comments anonymously. A lot of it is happening on campuses - aimed at students and professors.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/09/technology/popular-yik-yak-app-confers-anonymity-and-delivers-abuse.html?_r=0

How the British Government Deals with Antisemitism on the Internet.

Last Monday, we discussed the moral dilemma that society faces between fighting back against extremism while also protecting free speech. It reminded me of this article I found a few weeks back discussing the British government's efforts to combat racism and antisemitism. Parliament is essentially considering whether the law allows the government to restrict Internet access to antisemites, in the same way it can restrict Internet access for sex offenders. We can spend a lot of time debating whether or not this violates free speech, but I will say that it's interesting that European countries seem much more willing to do this than the US does. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-31246808

Blog Essay: Wearable Technology

Wearable technology is undoubtedly the future of communication. 

Photo by We Are Wearables

While they have faced a series of setbacks, developing an interactive device that provides information seamlessly to the wearer is the goal for every major tech company right now. 

When Google’s research team realized the potential of wearables, they worked quickly to cause a stir in the tech community. Announced in 2012, Google purposely made “Project Glass” a spectacle. In a post on Google+, Google first introduced Glass with a big claim by stating,

“We think technology should work for you—to be there when you need it and get out of your way when you don’t.” 

A few months later, Google’s co-founder Sergey Brin interrupted Google’s annual developer I/O conference with a live demo of people skydiving into the conference while wearing Google Glass.

Google really sought after the coveted title of being the first player to a new product category. So Google worked to innovate on wearable technology in a large-scale fashion. However, they made a series of mistakes by attempting to mainstream a device that wasn’t quite yet ready for mass attention. 

Aside from the technical shortcomings, such as disappointing battery life and a poor quality screen, Google did not accurately consider the legal ramifications of this new type of technology. A series of legal troubles put Google on the defensive and has consistently challenged the company’s advancing of Glass. Labeled as a driving distraction, tool for piracy, and method of jeopardizing other’s privacy, Glass become a target in the news. 

In January of 2015, Google announced the end of the selling of the “Explorer” edition of Google Glass. While it may appear that Google has sidelined the project, they are certainly going to continue to work to maximize the advances they’ve made in this technology. Based on the success of their Android operating system, Google knows the benefits of advancing mobile technology to the next level.

Google’s not the only big player in wearable tech; Apple is ready to join in with their Apple Watch. Apple is expected to unveil the finalized details of their watch on Monday, March 9th. Based on the preview they’ve provided, the watch allows the user to message friends, check emails, see upcoming events, and pay for items using Apple Pay.

Unlike Google Glass’s questionable future, Apple’s watch will certainly stick around for many years. While a watch does not provide nearly the same amount of interactive abilities that a device like Google Glass provides, the Apple Watch still offers a number of ways developers can make useful third-party applications. 

All in all, wearable technology provides a huge opportunity for strategic communication. Just imagine walking down the street with some form of screen constantly in your line of vision or device in your ear; as you pass a store, the device notifies you that the store is having a flash sale on an item you were looking for a few days prior. This technology is already there and corporate powers are just waiting to tap into it.

This form of communication wouldn’t just benefit corporate interests. Activist organizers could potentially have new and extremely effective methods of effortless communication to boost visibility of their cause in addition to attendance at events. 

For instance, one could develop an application that uses the visuals of Google Glass or the geolocation data of the Apple Watch to suggest nearby rallies happening in realtime for causes that are known to matter to the user. This is just one example of the many ways wearable technology has the potential to completely alter grassroots activism. 

Long Blog Post Assignment: Social Media, Social Change

Social Media, Social Change, & Current Examples:

Tumblr and Facebook and their Roles in Racial and Environmental Justice

“If the Civil Rights Movement were still happening today, what would it look like?” was asked on the first day of class. We spent some time discussing how there would have been increased surveillance on leaders, polarized following of the movement, and decreased national media because of changes in information reception. However, like I said in class, this isn’t a hypothetical question. The movement for civil rights is ongoing. Organizing exists nationwide, but is led by those in Ferguson, MO.  

The other large-scale movement currently impacting the national dialogue is the environmental movement.Though environmentalists have been organizing for years, as the effects of climate change have escalated, so too has the organizing. Two notable examples to consider are the organizing against the Keystone XL Pipeline and the People’s Climate March in NYC.

When KXL was proposed, there was little reason to think it would be passed; it was another pipeline. But those concerned with its environmental and cultural impact-- it runs through water reserves and native lands-- took a hard stance, and President Obama has recently promised a veto.

The People’s Climate March was held on September 21, 2014. Over 400,000 people marched in NYC, and countless others in the 2,646 international events held throughout 162 countries. In NYC alone, there were 1,574 participating organizations, 50,000 college students, and over 100 world leaders. (As a slight aside, this march was one of the coolest things that I’ve been part of.)

Later in the semester I’m going to present about how Twitter can be used for social movements, but I think it is also worth discussing the role that other social media platforms have played in organizing, specifically with these two movements.

One of the most notable examples, and most relevant since we recently discussed it in class, is the use of Tumblr to help mobilize people for racial justice. After the decision was made regarding Ferguson and the city reacted, a tumblr page was created called the “Ferguson National Response Network.” The site allowed organizers to upload the movements in their city, and people to find actions in their hometowns to participate in. It is still being updated frequently, with ongoing events and ways for engagement. The two posts below highlight some of the examples of recent events: nationwide action for the 50th anniversary of Malcolm X’s death, and an online solidarity action on the day that would have been Trayvon Martin’s 20th birthday.

Black Lives Matter also has a tumblr page. It is updated mostly with illustrated images captioned. Some are made by artists in the black community, and some highlight issues happening that are relevant to the racial justice movement. Several posts focus on the intersection of LGBTQ equality and racial equality.

Facebook, too, has been a notable tool used by racial justice organizers. Some notable organizations with pages include: “Million Hoodies Movement for Justice,” the “Black Lives Matter” national page, and “Black Lives Matter DMV” (and other city-specific pages).

Social media is also a notable component of environmental organizing. I’m personally involved with American University's divestment campaign, and can attest to the importance of social media for connecting our campus organizers to a national network of support. Skype and Facebook were particularly helpful; I worked on traditional media for FFAU last semester, and Skype calls with 350.org organizers were incredibly helpful in solidifying a media strategy.

It was through the AU divestment campaign that I was made aware of the People’s Climate March. Students from AU organized busses for 200 AU students, as well as students from the other DMV universities. Our organizers used Facebook and other social media to connect to the organizers in NYC and across the globe.

The organizers in also utilized social media. Before I really knew what the PCM was, or the significance it was going to have, I had accepted a Facebook invitation to the event and was receiving updates.

During the march, huge screens streamed other marches from around the world to connect everyone who was marching. There were 630,000 posts made on social media, including those using the hashtags #peoplesclimate and #peoplesclimatemarch.

Social media has played an incredible role in shaping current activism. Above are just two examples-- two movements using two platforms. I look forward to discussing the role of Twitter in these movements later in the semester, and seeing how activism continues to be shaped by the integration of modern technology.

Event Assignment: IYEYS in NYC

This past weekend I had the privilege to attend the International Young Environmentalist Youth Conference in the Bronx. It was put on by an organization called Greening Forward, the largest youth-driven, youth-engineered environmental organization. Charles Orgbon III, a current college student at the University of Georgia, founded the organization in 2008. Partner organizations at the conference included the New York City Department of Education’s Sustainability Initiative, Solar One, Earth Echo International, Bronx Green-Up, Environmental Professionals of Color, Alliance for Climate Education, Rocking the Boat, GenerationON, IDEAS, Leave it Better, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Point CDC.

The Point CDC is where the conference was held. It is a community center in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the South Bronx, engaging youth in incredible ways through merging art and political education and civic engagement.

Several panels were offered at the conference, but I specifically attended “Diversity & the Environmental Movement” with the Environmental Professionals of Color,  “Climate Change” with the Alliance for Climate Education, “Digital Environmentalism” with Greening Forward, an “Environmental Justice Tour” of Hunts Point with high school students from the Bronx, and “Activism for Conservation” with the Wildlife Conservation Society.  The second day, everyone visited Rock the Boat headquarters and was shown some of the incredible work that organization is doing.

The most meaningful part of the conference, for me, was the environmental justice tour of Hunts Point.  Led by A.C.T.I.O.N. teens from the Point, these teens led us around their community, highlighting both problems and progresses regarding the environmental condition. Hunts Point is an industrial neighborhood; 15,000 trucks drive through every day on their way in and out of NYC. This creates incredibly polluted air. The tour leaders said that nearly all of them had asthma and had to have air purifiers in their homes; to get to a beautiful park in their community, students have to walk nearly a mile through truck traffic which.

Students have been working hard to help their community, though. They have led the movement to create greenways in their community, patches of greenery on roadways and sidewalks that help create a healthier neighborhood.  Students also pointed out murals that are being used to help educate the neighborhood about their civil rights; the one currently painted explains that you have the right to film police brutality. During the tour we passed a closed juvenile prison—located between a convent and a preschool—that was known for its incredibly high rates of recidivism; kids who were locked up for minor infractions came out hardened criminals who ended up in maximum-security prisons. Hearing the stories of this place from two young Hispanic high school men was incredibly powerful; one of these students is in the last phase of the audition process before being accepted to Julliard.

The Digital Environmentalism panel is the one that most relates to this class, but generally provided social media tips that I already knew and was geared towards running a social media page for a green organization. One interesting takeaway was something that got mentioned briefly: Facebook is changing its algorithm so that pages have less natural reach and are forced to use paid promotion to reach more people. To me, this has a huge implication for how social media can be leveraged; if organizations are now expected to pay, that may mean that social media is becoming less of an equalizing platform for social justice organizations.

The other panels I attended were helpful and interesting, but not as meaningful to myself, or this class. This conference did, however, offer some insights into how social media can connect students from across the country; the students who were in charge and planned the conference came from all over the country. A conference like this, without social media, seems like it would be nearly impossible to plan.

Overall, I think this was a powerful event. It might have been more meaningful for younger students, but even as a college senior I left with a new understanding of what it means to be an environmentalist. 

Filter Bubble Experiment - Search term: Netanyahu

Here is screen shot of my Google search on Netanyahu. Look forward to seeing what other people get.

Filter Bubble - Eli Pariser's Ted Talk

Here is an abbreviated version of the Ted Talk mentioned in class.
http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles?language=en

Pizza Hut, Visa and Accenture want you to buy pizza from your car-

Here's an interesting article from the Washington Post talking about a new way for customers to order pizza more quickly and more conveniently: by turning your car into a payment system.  This reminded me of the discussion we had about same-day shipping from Amazon, but I also thought this was interesting because it takes a look at a an innovation involving a piece of technology we've come to accept as common place-our cars.

Check it out here.

Apple’s New Job: Selling a Smartwatch to an Uninterested Public

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/02/technology/apples-new-job-selling-a-smartwatch-to-an-uninterested-public.html?ref=technology&_r=0

Relevant article in light of reviewing Pew's predictions for the future of wearable technology. After seeing the failure of Google to market Google Glass to the public, it will be interesting to see whether the Apple Watch is the wearable technology that sticks.

The Apple Watch has noticeable differences from the characteristics that doomed Google Glass.


Aesthetically, it fits in with what people wear now. It doesn't look like it is from a sci-fi movie. The vocal criticism of the privacy and surveillance concerns of Google Glass are also present. And price wise, it appears it will be substantially more accessible than Google Glass, making it avaiable to a wider audience.

Apple has also been able to learn from Google's mistakes and has likely been watching carefully as Samsung, Motorola, and LG have failed in selling their versions of smartwatches.

Do you think Apple Watch will succeed where wearable technology has so far failed? Is it simply an update to the "Fit But", or will we all eventually be wearing mini-compuer?

Fighting Hate with Satire

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/h-a-goodman/snl-isis_b_6782684.html

Views of Online Advocacy

JJ Dawson

Comm 551

Online campaigns have become an effective way for non-profits and companies to connect, engage, and lobby for their respective causes. They have shown the potential to double response rates through online fundraising and advocacy initiatives. Recent studies indicate that donors are seven-times more likely to donate through online campaigns compared to traditional fundraising methods. In today’s difficult economic climate, it is important that nonprofits and organizations use effective messaging that motivates followers— and potential followers—to get involved and donate. It is equally critical to implement best online practices to ensure the highest possible response rate to your advocacy appeal. In the last decade, the number of organizations that pursued online advocacy methods exponentially increased. Organizations are using three primary channels to communicate to and engage their followers: advocacy centers, email and social media.

            First, advocacy centers provide constituents a space to learn about and discuss topics and provides an opportunity to directly get involved. Traditionally, organizations will use an online platform and/or advocacy center as a basis to reach out and communicate to their followers. Advocacy centers also provide a centralized communication location and serve as a hub for followers to get involved and ask questions. Advocacy centers are a place where actions such as publishing petitions, holding press conferences with elected officials, and information gathering take place. This past summer, I worked at an advocacy center for Environment America in Washington D.C. At the center, we brainstormed effective ways to reach new members and ways to educate the public on environmental policies. The advocacy center also served as a hub for canvassers and political activist to meet and strategize. The advocacy center was important because it served as a central location for all advocacy needs.

Another way in which organizations often communicate to their followers is through email. Email serves as an efficient way to grab the attention and motivate inactive followers to get involved. It is also a way to highlight and remind active followers why they should do more. Usually, advocacy through email has an option to donate to the campaign. For many people, this is an easy way to indirectly get involved in a cause. Giving to campaigns is crucial because the more money that is garnered, the more influence and credibility the organization will have. Supporters’ being able to donate large amounts of money from the convenience of their homes stimulates indirect activism. In fact, this idea runs closely to the concept of “clicktvism”, which leads to my third and final point.

The use of social media has gown exponentially and its use has been very effective. Users of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms often “like” and “follow” organizations that they feel connected to. This serves as a way for organizations to strategically communicate to their audience. However, to maximize the effective of the message, it is important to understand your audience. The audience that is on Tumblr is a lot different than the audience on Twitter, and the same follows for other social media platforms.  The use of social media has promoted the idea of clicktivism by which supports are able to engage with and support their organization by simply clicking “like” or “share”, which then shares the content with potentially thousands of other users. If strategized correctly, like the Ice Bucket Challenge, it could capture the attention of millions around the world, which almost always results in profits for the organization. 

Event Rapporteur- Comms for a Cause: #DigitalAdvocacyAU Panel

As a part of SOC Week at American University, Professor Scott Talan moderated a panel, Comms for a Cause: #DigitalAdvocacyAU, on February 26, 2015. The panel featured four American University graduates, all of who currently hold careers that deal with digital advocacy- Gaby LaVerghetta (SOC-MA ’13), the Global Communications Director for the World Affairs Council in Washington DC; Daniel Maree (SOC/CAS-BA ’08), founder of Million Hoodies for Justice and a former employees of The World Bank and Participant Media, Jason Rahlan (SPA-BS ’07), Communications Director of the Human Rights Campaign, and Keosha Varela (SOC-BA’07, MA ’08), a senior digital editor and producer at the Aspen Institute in Washington.

The panel mostly dealt with the best ways for students of communication to break into the field and included advice from the four panelists addressing how to do the best possible work to get a job in digital advocacy. After the panel, there was a chance to sit and talk with the panelists to learn more about their work and solicit more advice.  Though the panel was predominantly focused on the career-goal aspects, there were some moments that dealt with the uses of digital technology to create campaigns and foster advocacy.

The panelist briefly addressed the best ways to encourage real life advocacy through digital media. Maree stated that one of the most successful tactics he has found was to give people several different options for ways they can get involved that are more effective than just clicking “Like,” but less committal than donating money. For example, tweeting about a cause is something low effort that can increase participation. Another example was to offer them avenues so that they can continue to participate in the cause’s activities, such as an email list.

Other advice on the matter included paying special attention to the quality of the media you are producing. People are more likely to relate if what they’re reading is well written, but also sounds less like a press release and more like something a human being wrote. Finally, the panelists hit on the ever-important point of knowing who your publics are. The stakeholders and relevant audiences are going to be the ones most likely to take real action, so catering to them can not only allow a goal to be reached, but also expand who you’re talking to thanks to the networks of your stakeholders.

Another point that was made when it comes to campaign management was that it is important to always be plugged into to the media and digital environment surrounding your cause. Conversations and actions are always happening in the digital sphere, so it is crucial that advocates keep an eye on which way the discussions are heading so as not to miss an opportunity to promote their brand or further their cause.

So of the best advice imparted was not during the panel, but in the roundtable discussions after. At Maree’s table, he outlined his method for crafting a campaign strategy from scratch, including figuring out what your goal/problem is (solve for x), understanding the landscape you are operating in both in the digital and real worlds, and what the conversations should be on the community and individual levels.

Though the event was not totally relevant to the discussions we are having in class, the panelist clearly think about and deal with the same things we are learning about in their day to day lives. The advice and comments imparted could be applied to the field of digital advocacy in a multitude of ways, and their insight as to how to best operate a career in the field was certainly useful. I wish there had been more discussion about their strategies and past projects they had worked on, but overall I thought the event was well done and very informative.