The Internet of Things – Wk.12

The Internet of things is essentially the modern world we live in, where almost anything can be connected to the internet. It is a term to describe all of the devices that are connected, both to the internet and then hence to each other. There is a growing number of 'things' that are now being …

Dark Fiber – Wk.11

Hacking relies on vulnerabilities in the security of networks, once a weak point is found you can have access to the network. 'LulzSec' took advantage of this when hacking into fox.com after a comment was made on their program that the members of 'LulzSec' disagreed with; calling the rapper 'Common' vile. The small group of …

Digital Resistance – Wk.10

Hacktivism is when individuals or organisations breach networks and access data they do not have authority, pursuing some kind of social or political agenda. Hacktivism is usually done to inform the public about issues the hacktivist deem that should be public knowledge. This is usually things that politicians and governments try to hide but should …

The Social Network Revolutions – Wk.09

Social media is a very powerful tool when it comes to activism. It allows a very large audience to be addressed and invites participation from all over the world. But it is also a kind of lazy way of protesting, as sometimes just tweeting a hashtag is not going to solve anything. Take the recent …

Bridges Made of Pebbles – Wk.08

Social media and citizen journalism are waging a war on traditional media. With the rise of platforms like Periscope and Facebook Live, gaps are being filled that were previously between the media and the public. Online content (depending on where you are both online and in real life) is not filtered anywhere near as much …

iOS vs. Android – Wk.07

This debate has almost turned into one of those things you just don't bring up. Religion, politics, and Apple vs Android. It can be quite a daunting conversation, cause it doesn't matter what side you are on, you will be told by the other side that you are wrong and that you are better off …

iFeudals and Walled Gardens- Wk.06

A walled garden is a notion referring to the control of data. The provider of the data has the ability to control the media and content they supply to users and has control over what users have access to the data. This is a way for the providers to make money as advertisers and marketers …

The Attention Economy and The Long Tail Effect – Wk.05

The Long Tail. It's essentially our move as a society away from mass popular products to smaller, more niche and specialised productions and content. This major shift is due to the growth of the internet, as it has offered a platform where smaller content can be shared and created; specific communities can be both formed …

Liquid Labour – Wk.04

This week’s topic of ‘liquid labour’ and the ‘liquid workforce’ is a very relevant issue relating to the current state of the workforce in this digital age. It is particularly addressing the fast pace that information and technology update and change, and the instability that comes with these changes. At least that’s what I think …

Understanding the Network Society Paradigm – Wk.03

This week we discussed the internet as one big interconnected system, and the potential it offers in terms of surveillance. While online, we create a digital record of ourselves, and when we document ourselves there comes a certain point where our patterns are ‘exposed’ and we become predictable. This kind of information is very valuable …