Clay Shirky: End of audience

 

Media Magazine 55 has an overview of technology journalist Bill Thompson’s conference presentation on ‘What has the internet ever done for me?’ It’s an excellent summary of the internet’s brief history and its impact on society. Go to our Media Magazine archive, click on MM55 and scroll to page 13 to read the article ‘What has the internet ever done for me?’ Answer the following questions:

1) Looking over the article as a whole, what are some of the positive developments due to the internet highlighted by Bill Thompson?

• The network doesn't care what the data means or how it is used
• Stay connected

2) What are the negatives or dangers linked to the development of the internet?

• Impossible to stop spam, abuse, or trading of images
• The way it is regulated an controlled has major impact on our lives
• bullying, abuse and pornography and extremists

3) What does ‘open technology’ refer to? Do you agree with the idea of ‘open technology’?

It refers to the belief that if we want an open society based on principles of equality of opportunity, social justice and free expression, we need to build it on technology which are themselves 'open'. 

I agree in the sense that people control what goes on the internet and what doesn't and considering those policies that we want and how much influence the internet and the media has on our lives we should use that ability to regulate it ourselves and create the social justice and free expressions. However, that'd be difficult as because it is 'open' with limited regulation that allows trolls and everything else people are against to make light and create an influence.

4) Bill Thompson outlines some of the challenges and questions for the future of the internet. What are they?

• If it get more regulated, our access will be limited
• No consequences
• 'What could internet do for your friends? What could you make it do?'

5) Where do you stand on the use and regulation of the internet? Should there be more control or more openness? Why?

There should be more control. This is because the internet has become a staple and definite part of people's lives and every use, this means that it's influence on human mind, behaviour, beliefs and knowledge all at the same time. Therefore, it should be regulated to ensure that only essential and necessary information goes to the correct demographic of people, e.g. Age groups. 

Clay Shirky: Here Comes Everybody

Clay Shirky’s book Here Comes Everybody charts the way social media and connectivity is changing the world. Read Chapter 3 of his book, ‘Everyone is a media outlet’, and answer the following questions:

1) How does Shirky define a ‘profession’ and why does it apply to the traditional newspaper industry?
A profession exists to solve a hard problem, one that requires some sort of specialisation.

Newspaper executives are responsible for deciding what goes on the front page, which takes skill.

2) What is the question facing the newspaper industry now the internet has created a “new ecosystem”?
Changed it from 'why publish this' to 'why not?'

3) Why did Trent Lott’s speech in 2002 become news?
Because it gave liberal and conservative bloggers fond memories of segregation

4) What is ‘mass amateurisation’?

Describes  how digital technologies and the internet have removed obstacles to content creation and distribution.

5) Shirky suggests that: “The same idea, published in dozens or hundreds of places, can have an amplifying effect that outweighs the verdict from the smaller number of professional outlets.” How can this be linked to the current media landscape and particularly ‘fake news’?

The media is global which means many people of many cultures are accessing it at the same time, so that when ideas and information gets uploaded multiple time all throughout the media, the interpretations will vary and change along the way which causes fake news.

6) What does Shirky suggest about the social effects of technological change? Does this mean we are currently in the midst of the internet “revolution” or “chaos” Shirky mentions?
The advanced technology helps us connect with other people which gives us more access to information. This means we are currently in the midst of revolution.

7) Shirky says that “anyone can be a publisher… [and] anyone can be a journalist”. What does this mean and why is it important?

It refers to how the media shifted from a one to many distribution to a many to many distribution due to the revolution.

8) What does Shirky suggest regarding the hundred years following the printing press revolution? Is there any evidence of this “intellectual and political chaos” in recent global events following the internet revolution?
There will be a loss of professional control. E.g. Russia and China's intensification of control.

9) Why is photography a good example of ‘mass amateurisation’?

Because it makes creativity and ideas to make and see things easier, therefore removing obstacles.

10) What do you think of Shirky’s ideas on the ‘End of audience’? Is this era of ‘mass amateurisation’ a positive thing? Or are we in a period of “intellectual and political chaos” where things are more broken than fixed? 

I don't think there is a lack of audience but that the audience has grown larger a long with platforms that has increased due to the fact the internet has not only become free but global. Mass amateurisation was ok but is slowly becoming a problem due to AI and statics showing low IQ due to the usage of too much AI.