Online Journal Entry 6 : Important issues around online identity, privacy and trust

Online Journal Entry 6 :

Important issues around online identity, privacy and trust

The article by Raynes-Goldie (2010) explain the way in which Facebook users’ debate about their online privacy. After careful consideration of this article I am able to see how younger generation are protecting their personal information and concerns about their social privacy rather than their institutional privacy. It shows younger generation are more concerned about controlling access to personal information rather than how the company behind the Facebook will use that information. This article examines advantages of Facebook (1) it increases efficiency and (2) transparency of communication. There two important features of Facebook (1) its terms of service that its users must use their real names, identities to connect with real world contacts and (2) all personal information is stored on a huge database where it can be manipulated where Facebook tracks down everything. Two major ways in which users try to protect their social privacy is (1) through the use of alias and (2) deleting wall posts and photo tags which otherwise would be kept permanently. The use of multiple accounts, direct URLs and photo album will also violate the privacy of others and should be dealt with caution. The advantages of online Facebook identities are twofold (1) it replaces phone or email as a default mode of interaction and 2) people tend to keep Facebook profiles updated rather than address book so messages will get relayed easily. An example of a social cost for users  for not having a Facebook account is they do not have an online identity.

After a careful assessment of the article by Mallan and Giardina (2009) I was able to reflect that social networking sites are giving younger people newer identities by using the web 2.0 for socialising with friends. It is stipulated in this article that younger people are adopting their identity work to fit into these web 2.0 technological applications. The major idea expressed in this article described how younger people make an effort to fit into the 4 key sections on Myspace categorised by a (1) profile content/design (2) profile image (3) friends list (4) comments section. These 4 categories offer an insight into younger generations perceptions of themselves and it’s a way to understand how web 2.0 is having a broader social impact beyond technologies themselves. After a careful evaluation of this article I conclude, that social networking sites provide (1) social connectivity to youths and (2) serve as an important identity validation that will help younger people navigate this socially networked world.

References

Davis, L. (2009). 8 tools to track your footprints on the web. Retrieved from http://readwrite.com/2009/02/01/8_tools_to_track_your_footprin

Mallan, K. & Giardina,m N. (2009).  Wikidentities : young people collaborating on virtual identities in social networks sites. First Monday, 14(6), 21-31. Retrieved from
http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2445

Raynes-Goldie, K. (2010). Aliases, creeping and wall cleaning: understanding privacy in the age of Facebook, First Monday, 15(1), 32-36. Retrieved from
http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2775/2432

Online Journal Entry 5 : Take home messages from these 3 journals

Catalysts for change: information fluency, Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and the new education culture

From this article I learned what educators need to know about information fluency and its relationship to the massive online-communication/sharing of web-based sources of information and how educators provide their support to current students to reach acceptable level of “information fluency” achieved in their academic careers. After careful assessment I learned the definition of information fluency – defined as the acquisition of three primary skills: (1) basic information technology skills, (2) information literacy skills, and (3) critical thinking skills. The article examined the new education culture, and  generation classifications mainly (1) “NetGeners” and (2) “Beyond NetGeners”.  The message are the concepts and tool used as a catalyst for change are “connectedness” “participatory environments” & “distributed cognition.” All of the above mentioned catalysts for change, in combination with new media developments, such as the latest video and imaging technologies, cell phones, and PDAs, give people more control over the digital files they want. The end result of this technology change is that individuals today have more control over their time and more self-power and choices in meeting their informational needs.  In conclusion, I learned that technology changes quickly therefore, having a basic understanding of how information is created; how information is communicated; and what’s needed to manage, evaluate, synthesize and present information is required. 

Credibility of content and the future of research, learning, and publishing in the digital environment

The messages drawn from Wittenberg (2007), reflect the need for publishers and librarians to understand the ways in which this generation of learners find and evaluate information, and the environment in which these students work. By focusing on these needs, I learned the role of information professionals in this new environment. The lesson learned from this article are that “credibility” is undergoing a rapid change in the current digital environment. It is unclear on who will create new models or will the libraries and scholarly publishers step up to propose new mechanisms, or will users establish systems for assessing credibility on their own? I learned from this article that library and publishing communities relied on students’ collaboration and community-based trust in designing new scholarly and educational resources, aiming to put them in a stronger position going forward. The message described was the change in mindset within the established library and publishing communities and professionals in these fields and their need to initiate conversations with new players and partners for example developers of web-based social communities, commercial search engines, manufacturers of electronic devices, and students who will become advisors and collaborators. I saw the need to go forward with the librarians and publishers and the need to adopt new perspective such as leading innovation by responding to the preferences and analyse the needs of younger users. I was able to see the communication between peers and see users as partners as leaders in innovation because they understand the new ways in which people can engage in research, communicate, and learn.

Wikipedia and the meaning of truth

After careful consideration of the article on Wikipedia I was able to draw the following main points. One major problem noted in Wikipedia’s epistemology is its traditional notion of accuracy. I have learned that Wikipedia is a community-written encyclopaedia which has redefined the word truth Garfinkel (2008). After  careful evaluation of Wikipedia's articles I conclude they are the first or second-ranked results for internet searches and people are linking to Wikipedia articles a lot. This means that the emphasis of content and truth in these articles really matters. Another message discussed in the article is Wikipedia's articles can't be trusted, because they are written and edited by volunteers who have never been vetted but studies have found that the articles are remarkably accurate. The reason is that Wikipedia's community of more than seven million registered users has organically evolved a set of policies and procedures for removing untruths and inaccuracies. In essence Wikipedia is the most widely read online reference on the planet, it is the standard of truth that most people are implicitly using and its advantages outweighs its disadvantages.

References

Garfinkel, S. (2008). Wikipedia and the meaning of truth. Technology Review, 111(6), 84-86.

Lorenzo, G. (2007). Catalysts for change: information fluency, Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and the new education culture, (March). Retrieved from

            http://www.edpath.com/images/IFReport2.pdf

Wittenberg, K. (2007). Credibility of content and the future of research, learning, and publishing in the digital environment, The Journal of Electronic Publishing, 10(1), DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3998/3336451.0010.101