If you happen to be reading this article online from your computer at work, your boss may be reading over your shoulder-electronically. New technologies allow employers to check whether employees are wasting time at recreational Web sites or sending unprofessional e-mails. But when do an employer's legitimate business interests become an unacceptable invasion of worker privacy?
Last year, a software package came on the market that allows employers to monitor their workers' Internet use. According to Sculman, ‘it employs a database of 45,000 Web sites that are categorized as "productive," "unproductive," or "neutral," and rates employees based on their browsing’. It identifies the most frequent users and the most popular sites. It's called LittleBrother.
Though the title is tongue-in-cheek, LittleBrother does represent the tremendous capabilities technology has provided for employers to keep track of what their work force is up to. There are also programs to search e-mails and programs to block objectionable Web sites. Beyond installing monitoring software, your boss can simply go into your hard drive, check your stored history to see where you've been on the Net, and read your e-mail.
Did you delete that message you sent about his incompetence? Not good enough. The e-mail trash bin probably still exists on the server, and there are plenty of computer consultants who can retrieve the incriminating message.
Watch your moves at work because along with Big Brother, Littlebrother is watching you.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
MySpace, YourSpace, HisSpace
Social networking could not have been the topic of any discussion a mere ten years ago for the simple reason that it did not exist. To be sure, we already had e-mail and the Internet, which meant that many of us created pretty horrible Web sites that were all about us, our likes and dislikes and most of all, our dreams and desires, because, back then, that was the only thing to do.
Today we do something like that but rely on Web sites like MySpace and Facebook, and many others to let our family, friends and the rest of the world find out everything about us.
What private information should I share on my virtual wall? What consequences should I expect from the fact that such private information is now available to the world, not just the people I know?
This is just a sampling of the many questions facing us in this brave new world of social networking which is having an increasingly significant impact on allocation and the lives of young teenagers and adults.
The information that is released to the world can have a huge impact on the relationships you develop through these networking sites, along with your safety. At what point do you decide that information is inappropriate for the strangers of the world to see… Do you?
Today we do something like that but rely on Web sites like MySpace and Facebook, and many others to let our family, friends and the rest of the world find out everything about us.
What private information should I share on my virtual wall? What consequences should I expect from the fact that such private information is now available to the world, not just the people I know?
This is just a sampling of the many questions facing us in this brave new world of social networking which is having an increasingly significant impact on allocation and the lives of young teenagers and adults.
The information that is released to the world can have a huge impact on the relationships you develop through these networking sites, along with your safety. At what point do you decide that information is inappropriate for the strangers of the world to see… Do you?
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Cyber bullying
Following on from my last post on schoolyard V technological bullying, I want to raise something I heard on the Morning Show this morning. As a result of the escalating abuse through technological devices, teenage Girlfriend Magazine has launched the campaign “I DELETE BULLIES’. It is a campaign that has initiated the first Code of Conduct for online behaviour. Such code has been suggested to address the alarming statistics of online bullying. In a survey by Girlfriend magazine 1/3 of children surveyed recorded being ‘sexually abused’ online. 80% of all surveyed said they had been the victims of some sort of bullying and abuse. The anonymity aspect on online networks gives users the virtual dutch courage, they feel they have a right to bully and think they can get away with it. ‘I DELETE BULLIES’ particularly incorporates a set of guidelines that outlines when online behaviour crosses that line, it suggests pathways to reporting such behaviour. My Space has also been seen to promote such initiative and has launched a link on their website where users can record such inappropriate behaviour.
Technology: Re-birth of Bullying
The advances in our technology have greatly changed the structure of our lives, made those everyday tasks just that little bit simpler. Mmmm how grand, right?
Not so!
Modern technology has brought a whole new meaning to the concept of bullying.
“You are a fat pimple face and no-one likes you” is a message that many of us may not be hearing for the first time. We have all at one stage or another experienced bullying. We were either the one who was the bully, the victim of bullying or the quiet mouse in the corner who observed the act of bullying. When I was going through high school there was always those school yard conflicts, name calling and basically verbal teasing but once you walked outside those gates and through your front door you didn’t have to deal with it until the next day. I suppose you got a break. These days young children do not have such luxury. Through technological advancements bullying is making its way into all aspects of a child’s life. They are complaining to parents, friends, family and teachers that they are be bullied through text messages on the mobile phones and through their social networking service.
The news segment on sunrise this morning quoted that 7 out of 10 teenagers are either being bullied or know someone who is. You would think children have enough to deal with in the school yard without being the victims of such abuse in the safety of their own home.
Not so!
Modern technology has brought a whole new meaning to the concept of bullying.
“You are a fat pimple face and no-one likes you” is a message that many of us may not be hearing for the first time. We have all at one stage or another experienced bullying. We were either the one who was the bully, the victim of bullying or the quiet mouse in the corner who observed the act of bullying. When I was going through high school there was always those school yard conflicts, name calling and basically verbal teasing but once you walked outside those gates and through your front door you didn’t have to deal with it until the next day. I suppose you got a break. These days young children do not have such luxury. Through technological advancements bullying is making its way into all aspects of a child’s life. They are complaining to parents, friends, family and teachers that they are be bullied through text messages on the mobile phones and through their social networking service.
The news segment on sunrise this morning quoted that 7 out of 10 teenagers are either being bullied or know someone who is. You would think children have enough to deal with in the school yard without being the victims of such abuse in the safety of their own home.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
A Degree or a Computer
Are bloggers journalists?
The advent of our internet has provided many opportunities for industries and enabled individuals, businesses and journalists to reach extended audiences. It has allowed the average Joe to share his beliefs and views on the world through online blogs, mass-emails, webcasts, websites etc. But are bloggers considered journalists?
Before the establishment of the World Wide Web I imagine answering the question of what is a journalist would have been quite simple. An article from CS Monitor states ‘‘Until the Internet, journalists were typically attached to an established organisation that could afford to own and run a newspaper, magazine, radio or TV station, TV network, or cable news outlet’ (CSMonitor. 2005). They were associated with disseminating information – “News” – for the public to consume and maybe even learn from.
Now, with new technologies the question is more contestable. With the internet, the cost of delivering the news is minimal. The idea that a journalist is associated with disseminating information and news to the public is now questionable. Now almost anyone can set up a web log ("blog") or send a mass e-mail and present themselves as someone who surveys the public scene and presents “news”.
So are our regular bloggers journalists? Journalists that have merely purchased a computer and have started to type out their emotions, comment on the world, public policy and international issues.
The advent of our internet has provided many opportunities for industries and enabled individuals, businesses and journalists to reach extended audiences. It has allowed the average Joe to share his beliefs and views on the world through online blogs, mass-emails, webcasts, websites etc. But are bloggers considered journalists?
Before the establishment of the World Wide Web I imagine answering the question of what is a journalist would have been quite simple. An article from CS Monitor states ‘‘Until the Internet, journalists were typically attached to an established organisation that could afford to own and run a newspaper, magazine, radio or TV station, TV network, or cable news outlet’ (CSMonitor. 2005). They were associated with disseminating information – “News” – for the public to consume and maybe even learn from.
Now, with new technologies the question is more contestable. With the internet, the cost of delivering the news is minimal. The idea that a journalist is associated with disseminating information and news to the public is now questionable. Now almost anyone can set up a web log ("blog") or send a mass e-mail and present themselves as someone who surveys the public scene and presents “news”.
So are our regular bloggers journalists? Journalists that have merely purchased a computer and have started to type out their emotions, comment on the world, public policy and international issues.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Ironic finding
The trend in my blog posts seems to be technological addictions- Obsessive use of mobile phones and the internet, Social networking programs, cyber pornography and bizarre online behaviour.
It seems this obsession with technology has been widely recognised and often described as an ‘impulsive-control problem’. Net addiction.com is an internet addiction recovery centre, where Dr. Kimberly Young has developed specific criteria to diagnose internet addiction in particular. Users can follow the criteria and if they recognise the criteria reflects their internet patterns they can further follow the prompts to treatment services and recovery resources.
I find it quite ironic that this site seems to be treating internet addicts via the internet... Should Alcohol addicts be treated by pub crawls? I understand that maybe information on internet and other technological addictions should be available on the internet and via other such technologies but should we really be treating these addicts via sources they are already addicted to?
It seems this obsession with technology has been widely recognised and often described as an ‘impulsive-control problem’. Net addiction.com is an internet addiction recovery centre, where Dr. Kimberly Young has developed specific criteria to diagnose internet addiction in particular. Users can follow the criteria and if they recognise the criteria reflects their internet patterns they can further follow the prompts to treatment services and recovery resources.
I find it quite ironic that this site seems to be treating internet addicts via the internet... Should Alcohol addicts be treated by pub crawls? I understand that maybe information on internet and other technological addictions should be available on the internet and via other such technologies but should we really be treating these addicts via sources they are already addicted to?
Confession...
I have to confess, in the last week or so I have given in to the ‘friend’ request emails I’ve been receiving in my hotmail account. I have been lured into the world of Facebook. For the last two weeks I’ve been receiving friend requests to join Facebook from people I haven’t seen for 3-5 years. Earlier this week I established an account and can’t believe how easy it is to find people and friends.
I tried to set up a MySpace account earlier this year and found it so time consuming – to find friends, to design a fancy background, curser and establish a visually appealing space. I gave up and haven’t visited the page since I made the account.
Facebook I found different. As I have described in past posts, I’m not the most technologically savvy person in the world and Facebook was more ‘user friendly’ towards the likes of me.
Facebook is a social networking website that allows people to communicate with their friends and exchange information. Launched on February 4 2004, Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, a former member of the Harvard Class of 2006. Initially Facebook’s membership was restricted to students of Harvard College. It eventually expanded to include individuals with a university email address, and since September 2006 it now extends its membership to anyone holding any email account.
I have not become addicted to the social networking site and can’t see my usage becoming obsessive. It has merely allowed me to catch up and communicate with friends from my past. In past posts I have been known to criticise socially networking sites, such as these, but my criticism has recently moved to the individuals that let these technological networks become the better of them. Again, I conclude is Facebook and MySpace the blame for an individual’s constant use of such spaces – does our technological progress create or merely enable distracting and, at times, disturbing behavior.
I tried to set up a MySpace account earlier this year and found it so time consuming – to find friends, to design a fancy background, curser and establish a visually appealing space. I gave up and haven’t visited the page since I made the account.
Facebook I found different. As I have described in past posts, I’m not the most technologically savvy person in the world and Facebook was more ‘user friendly’ towards the likes of me.
Facebook is a social networking website that allows people to communicate with their friends and exchange information. Launched on February 4 2004, Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, a former member of the Harvard Class of 2006. Initially Facebook’s membership was restricted to students of Harvard College. It eventually expanded to include individuals with a university email address, and since September 2006 it now extends its membership to anyone holding any email account.
I have not become addicted to the social networking site and can’t see my usage becoming obsessive. It has merely allowed me to catch up and communicate with friends from my past. In past posts I have been known to criticise socially networking sites, such as these, but my criticism has recently moved to the individuals that let these technological networks become the better of them. Again, I conclude is Facebook and MySpace the blame for an individual’s constant use of such spaces – does our technological progress create or merely enable distracting and, at times, disturbing behavior.
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