CCT 300: Critical Analysis of Media Class 9: Enter the Internet

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

What is the Internet used for? No, not just that, Trekkie Monster.

A 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 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

ARPANet 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… 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 Mass Public, commercial access - a very new thing (Ontario ) Mosaic as interface to WWW 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 ) Mosaic as interface to WWW Mass popularity of AOL - hardly the first, but the first to market to neophyte users effectively, and in this new environment

Reaction 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 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 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 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 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 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? 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? 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 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? 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

Reality 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 Week Student Survey And/or, have your say here: wRatings.jsp?tid= 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: wRatings.jsp?tid= A closer look at Web 2.0 services and their potential Two weeks to final project - have some draft work to show for feedback!