Thursday, December 4, 2014
TWIF Flattener #4 - Uploading
Use one of the current events sources linked at http://svhs-hwc-spring2015.blogspot.com/2014/12/approved-sources-for-twif-current.html to find a recent news article that relates to, supports, or refutes Friedman's assertion that uploading was a "flattener." Your comment should include the title of the news article, a link to the article, and a summary of the article including an explanation of how the article relates to this point. Don't forget to check your rubric for evaluation criteria!
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"Cuban Bloggers Find Their Voice"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000003416020/cuban-bloggers-find-their-voice.html
Included in this article is a video about Cuban bloggers and their reasons for voicing their opinions about the country and what's happening in it. The video explains that Cuba is a very isolated country and citizens barely have access to the Internet, preventing them from conveniently accessing news from the world. When citizens of Cuba began to start blogging, the government did not like the change, and actually blocked the first Cuban blogger's website from being accessed. Unfortunately for the government, this blogger was not the only one in Cuba, and more people began making their own websites used for writing about their opinions on subjects such as the economy. The Cuban government is trying to stifle down the voices of Cuban citizens. With the genesis of blogging in Cuba, a previously isolated country, more of the world is being "flattened," and more people are being able to connect with each other through the news.
"BuzzFeed Launches its Own 'Public Chat' Channel in Messaging App Viber"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jan/16/buzzfeed-public-chat-messaging-app-viber
This article discussed that the company Buzzfeed has partnered with the app Viber to create a public chat. Buzzfeed is an app that creates videos and articles stating their opinions on news, politics, celebrities, movies, etc. This app now will allow their followers to look at their public chats through Viber. Now people are able to see more of their opinions but in a more personal and informal manner. This situation ties in with the fourth flattener because it is a different form of blogging. Friedman discusses that when blogging was created people were able to say their opinions and view others'. Well this Buzzfeed is made through the same idea, people write articles or make videos and then the followers can comment or share. On top of it all, Buzzfeed is a free app and the word "free" was discussed many times in the section of the fourth flattener. Overall, the world continues to flatten because people use old ideas and innovate them, such as blogging.
"Wikipedia Emerges as Trusted Internet Source for Ebola Information"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/27/business/media/wikipedia-is-emerging-as-trusted-internet-source-for-information-on-ebola-.html
The main idea of flattener #4 was the popularity and affects of uploading. Friedmad gave multiple different types of uploading, including: Wikipedia, blogs, and websites. Wikipedia being one that could be edited by anyone, anywhere. It was popular, because it was easy to access and free, but also was considered risky because of anyone being able to post their own opinions. This article agrees with Wikipedia's riskiness, agreeing with Friedman, but also states that it has improved over the years. Specifically being a trustworthy website to find information about the gossiped-about virus, Ebola. Even though it isn't thought of as the most credible source, Wikipedia is still used at a mass amount today, and has branched out past the normal encyclopedia.
DESPITE BAN, YOUTUBE IS STILL A HOTBED OF TERRORIST GROUP VIDEO PROPAGANDA
ReplyDeletehttp://www.fastcompany.com/1701383/despite-ban-youtube-still-hotbed-terrorist-group-video-propaganda
I picked this article, because in the book, Friedman explains that data uploading gave terrorist more opportunities to promote their cause. This article is about a terrorist by the name of Anwar al-Awlaki, who uploaded propaganda videos on the web trying to convince muslims to take up arms against the United States. These videos started in 2010 and consisted of sermons on anti-homosexuality, and lectures on muslim history. This article explains how supporters of Jihadis would upload videos to jihadist bulletin boards and web forums that they received from file sharing sites. Users of theses sites then upload these videos on youtube or other social media for the public mainstream. Youtube's policy is to delete any dangerous or illegal activities, which includes "any account registered by a member of a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO)." Therefore, youtube does its best to delete these videos, but since unloading has become so easy, with new accounts that can be made, these videos are still pop up on youtube. Once a terrorist video is released, it usually takes time for Youtube to located it, therefore the videos may stay online for quite some time. After the government complained about Anwar al-Awlaki, youtube deleted these videos. However now these videos can be found in many other places on the internet, and thus still available for mainstream viewing. Youtube is a worldwide system, with a broad range of viewers, therefore things uploaded on youtube can be easily accessed even accidentally accessed. Another way terrorists can promote people is by making their own websites and uploading videos on that. Over the pass couple years, terrorist have been able to upload propaganda videos onto places like youtube, and use them as a powerful recruting tool.
“A Million Users For Instagram”
ReplyDeletehttp://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9804E1DE1739F934A15751C1A9669D8B63
In the fourth flattener, “Uploading”, Friedman discusses when uploading first became popular. Most common uploads that Friedman discussed were blogging and Wikipedia, along with websites. Friedman says, “The genesis of the flat world enabled people to upload files and globalize that content.” Today, social media is very big for uploading content, such as pictures, comments, other posts, videos, and so on. It is a form of communication through what you have uploaded. One very popular app that people use a lot is Instagram. It started out as a place where people could take a picture and post it for other people to see. Since it came out, people now have the ability to upload videos, along with picture for your followers to view. Many people use Instagram today to communicate through the videos and photos that they upload.
"All the News That’s Fit to Print Out"
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/magazine/01WIKIPEDIA-t.html
In the second chapter of "The World is Flat" Friedman claims that the fourth flattener of the World is uploading. Friedman states that this is the most disruptive of all the flatteners. Friedman specifically discusses Wikipedia as on of the websites that allows users to upload. Wikipedia allows anyone to go on and add information to any particular page. This article discusses Wikipedia and how its goal is to "make the sum of human knowledge available to everyone on the planet at no cost". The article also discusses how Wikipedia is not still looked upon as only a type of encyclopedia, but also as a type of news source. A newspaper in Virginia claimed that Wikipedia was a good source when attempting to follow the mass murder at Virginia Tech, basically right after it happened. This is definitely a flattener and exactly what Friedman was discussing in "The World is Flat".
St.Kilda Diary from 1900s to be made Available Online
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-30829357
The fourth flattener Friedman discusses is uploading. Uploading allows multiple people to collaborate and view online projects. Some examples of websites that allow you to upload information are wikipedia, blogs and open source software. Friedman also considers uploading “the most disruptive of all.” Doing further research on the topic of uploading I found an article regarding the uploading of a womans journal from the 1900’s. This shows how much technology has advanced over the year, taking a journal from over 100 years ago and making it available to the anyone who would wish to read it.
“Uploading Images from the Bottom of the Ocean”
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/13/technology/news-watch-uploading-images-from-the-bottom-of-the-ocean.html
In the third flattener, Friedman discusses uploading. Uploading gives people the chance to collaborate on online projects and events. This means someone from America can work on the same project as someone in Japan, and collaborate with them as well. Examples of this are Wikipedia, blogs, and open source software. The article explains how a scientist is exploring on a submarine, and uploading live images to the Internet so selected middle school classes can see his adventure and retain information. This technology is possible by satellites and uploading. This shows ways that uploading can be used for collaborating and working together online.
Popular and Free, SoundCloud Is Now Ready for Ads
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/21/business/media/popular-and-free-soundcloud-is-now-ready-for-ads.html
In “The World Is Flat”, Thomas Friedman describes uploading as one of the “flatteners of the world”. SoundCloud is one of my favorite apps on my phone. SoundCloud is an app where artists, professional and amateur, upload music. About 175 million people use SoundCloud each month, and as a result many artists get discovered on SoundCloud. Lorde burst into the scene with her single “Royals” which she first uploaded onto SoundCloud. To make money they are starting to use ads in between some songs in order to keep the service free. Uploading allows people to produce their own product and get it out there own their own Before uploading data was so easy, it was extremely to get noticed and to even get anything published. Services like SoundCloud are flattening the world for many artists worldwide.
3D printing
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/3d-printing/2013/07/19/368ec8fe-ee5f-11e2-a1f9-ea873b7e0424_story.html
The fourth flattener Friedman talks about is uploading. Uploading is any sharing of information, photos, or videos on the internet. Uploading makes collaboration easier between people and it also makes finding out information easier. In the article I found it talks about 3D printing, which is exactly what it sounds like. It talks about the different applications of 3D printing in the home and the office. With a 3D printer at home you would be able to print anything up to the size of a basketball with strong plastic, you just have to look at a 3D printing projects website and find an object that you want and hit print. These project websites have files of objects that are created and uploaded by a user, these objects range from tools to miniature statues. Say you needed a wrench to build something you could just find the right size wrench on one of these websites and print it out. The article shows images of many things printed from a 3D printer such as guitars, phone cases, and sculptures. This article supports Friedman's argument that uploading is flattening the world. Uploading allows for the sharing of 3D print projects which can make life at the home or office easier.