When one thinks of a search engine, Google is typically the next word that pops into mind. It has become so entrenched in our culture that it has become a verb used to describe investigating someone online (i.e. I googled that recipe the other day). There are other search engines like Yahoo, Bing, Ask.com but by far the most popular and most effective is Google. I do not foresee any other search engine that will usurp Google’s dominance in the near term. Microsoft is valiantly trying but some insiders openly mocked their latest attempt (Bing.com) as “google-esque.” It would appear that mockery is the sincerest form of flattery.
Prior to the efforts of Google and other search engines, when you needed to find information about a particular topic you had to go to the library and use tools like Lexis Nexis and you had a limited range of data you could find. Google revolutionized data mining and fact finding with their proprietary search algorithms and streamlined interface. However, having a search engine alone is not enough for Google. They have come out with various “apps” which is short for applications, their own web browser (Google Chrome), and many other software programs that have been well received. One very successful endeavor is Google Earth which uses satellite imagery to map out directions and also create three dimensional renderings of buildings and cities.
http://www.google.com/corporate/index.html
The Deep Web is a term that basically describes the vast amount of information that is not readily accessible through a normal search engine. Dynamically created webpages are not catalogued by search engines because of the infinite variables and permutations that can be performed on any one site. Google is developing a deep web search engine as are others but the mathematics of it all create a daunting task.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Web
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/technology/internet/23search.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
Intellectual property (IP) is a number of distinct types of legal monopolies over creations of the mind, both artistic and commercial, and the corresponding fields of law. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property#cite_note-0
Since the advent of the internet, intellectual property rights present constantly evolving legal issues which therefore must be countered with new policies and procedures. The US Department of Homeland Security has a website by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement where one of the programs listed is the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.
http://www.ice.gov/partners/cornerstone/ipr/index.htm
Another excellent resource for researching IP rights is the World Intellectual Property Organization. http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/ecommerce/ip_survey/ The latest policy and legal issues surrounding IP are climate change, public health, biodiversity and food security. http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2009/05/article_0001.html
In regards to what role corporate ethics, governance and citizenship play in terms of the freedom of information on the internet, time will only tell. Many countries are already filtering the information that their citizens have access to and there have been numerous reports where online bloggers have been imprisoned for expressing their views. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6724531.stm) Even in the United States, where we have the constitutional right to Freedom of Speech, we cannot be guaranteed that online because we are using a service rendered by another party. If we are spouting anti-American propaganda, a third party who is hosting our website has the right to deny us access to their services. I do not believe that Capitalism is at odds with information creation and privacy due mainly to the fact that capitalist societies have been the breeding grounds for new and adventurous thinking and the current countries that are right now blocking free thought and speech are primarily opposed to capitalism.
Finally, it appears that the Google Library Project is on hold. The judge postponed a fairness hearing Google was to have next month. The issues surround copyright and anti-trust issues from Google trying to distribute and sell digital versions of out of print, copyrighted books (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8274115.stm).
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2009/09/postponement-for-the-google-books-settlement.html
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Social Networking Sites
Social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn have connected millions of people across the world. They allow anyone with internet access the ability to post images, create accounts, and share anything and everything they could possibly want. While it is advantageous to be able to connect with many others who share your interests or connecting with friends from the past, these sites are not without their drawbacks. Without exercising restraint, these valuable communication tools can pose serious threats to a person’s well being.
Numerous incidents have taken place since these social networking sites have gained in popularity. Megan Meier, a 13 year old student from Missouri, committed suicide after she was duped into thinking a boy online was interested in her and then later rejected. It was found by police later on that it was actually a mother of one of Megan’s friends who was posing as the online boy as a retaliatory attack against Megan for the soured friendship with her daughter. Kylie Kenney, an 8th grader from Vermont, was bullied online for over 2 years by fellow classmates with online threats and homophobic remarks. Police intervened and charges were subsequently filed against those classmates. Cyberbullying has gained national attention and is a real and present danger in today’s society. As we become more connected and rely on the internet to function in society, the dangers of these social networking sites will become more pronounced.
Another major issue with Facebook and other sites like it is the overshare of personal information. While most people are very careful about not sharing their social security number, they do not seem to feel the same about posting every other personal detail about themselves online. You can look at anyone’s MySpace or Facebook account and find out if they are married, divorced, where they live, where they work, what they did last night, where they are at right now, and what they plan on doing tomorrow. By posting all of this information, a predator has an easy time planning out either a virtual or physical attack. For instance, a friend of mine posted a picture with comments taken from his cell phone about a trip he was on. By doing this, I knew exactly where he was, who he was with, and how far from home he was. If I were a criminal, I would know that he is out with his entire family and how long it would possibly take for him to get home and therefore could break into his house. Or if I were an online stalker, by posting messages constantly updating your location or status, it would make following you that much easier. Even though these sites are accessed by anyone, most people seem to think that they have some privacy online or they never think that by sharing this information that someone could use it maliciously. Even businesses are using social networking sites to screen potential candidates. They can see what kind of images, messages and other information about the interviewee are posted to understand what kind of person they really are. This is becoming much a more common and accepted industry practice.
While these sites are often extremely useful and most of the interactions online are positive, like everything else they must be treated with caution and nothing is ever private.
Numerous incidents have taken place since these social networking sites have gained in popularity. Megan Meier, a 13 year old student from Missouri, committed suicide after she was duped into thinking a boy online was interested in her and then later rejected. It was found by police later on that it was actually a mother of one of Megan’s friends who was posing as the online boy as a retaliatory attack against Megan for the soured friendship with her daughter. Kylie Kenney, an 8th grader from Vermont, was bullied online for over 2 years by fellow classmates with online threats and homophobic remarks. Police intervened and charges were subsequently filed against those classmates. Cyberbullying has gained national attention and is a real and present danger in today’s society. As we become more connected and rely on the internet to function in society, the dangers of these social networking sites will become more pronounced.
Another major issue with Facebook and other sites like it is the overshare of personal information. While most people are very careful about not sharing their social security number, they do not seem to feel the same about posting every other personal detail about themselves online. You can look at anyone’s MySpace or Facebook account and find out if they are married, divorced, where they live, where they work, what they did last night, where they are at right now, and what they plan on doing tomorrow. By posting all of this information, a predator has an easy time planning out either a virtual or physical attack. For instance, a friend of mine posted a picture with comments taken from his cell phone about a trip he was on. By doing this, I knew exactly where he was, who he was with, and how far from home he was. If I were a criminal, I would know that he is out with his entire family and how long it would possibly take for him to get home and therefore could break into his house. Or if I were an online stalker, by posting messages constantly updating your location or status, it would make following you that much easier. Even though these sites are accessed by anyone, most people seem to think that they have some privacy online or they never think that by sharing this information that someone could use it maliciously. Even businesses are using social networking sites to screen potential candidates. They can see what kind of images, messages and other information about the interviewee are posted to understand what kind of person they really are. This is becoming much a more common and accepted industry practice.
While these sites are often extremely useful and most of the interactions online are positive, like everything else they must be treated with caution and nothing is ever private.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Assignment Week 1 (Internet and Politics)
The Internet is fundamentally altering the political landscape of America. This was no more evident than in the 2008 Presidential election where Barack Obama skillfully and masterfully used every facet of the Internet to convey his message, reach his constituents, and fundraise. It has been said that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” and given how successful the current President’s campaign was, it should be no surprise that many other local, state and national politicians are embracing the Internet like never before. Senators, congressmen, local politicians are creating Facebook accounts, posting videos on YouTube, and sending updates to their constituents via Twitter.
Like any new medium, this unprecedented level of access to politicians comes at a price. For years, the public persona of elected officials has been carefully crafted by highly skilled people who understand brand management. However, with the use of the Internet, the world is connected 24 hours a day and information is always within a click of a mouse. An errant blog, a post on Twitter or a rant on Facebook can have disastrous results for a politician who is seeking re-election. We have seen numerous examples of mayors, governors, and other elected officials having their credibility questioned or being shown in a negative light by information initially found on the Internet. Arlington mayor Carmen Kontur-Gronquist made national headlines for posting racy images of herself on her MySpace account. During the 2008 presidential election, Senator John McCain’s campaign had stated that his running mate, Governor Sarah Palin had opposed the bridge-to-nowhere in Alaska and quickly it was disproved by online followers and only after an uproar ensued did the campaign stop saying that. One wrong misstep and it can be posted on YouTube for millions to watch. One omission of the truth and anyone that can use a search engine will find out for themselves where the truth actually lays.
The use of the Internet is obviously not without its advantages. President Obama set fundraising records every month during his election campaign and this was in no small part due to his online fundraising websites. By using YouTube, elected officials can carefully craft their messages without being reduced to a snippet on a national news program. Also, constituents can watch it at their leisure and review it at any time they want. This also allows the general populace to compete with better funded adversaries. By using YouTube and other Internet media (which is free), a person choosing to run for an elected office does not need to have a warchest and instead can focus on the message. Where it would have taken an army of volunteers, Flashmobs can be assembled through the use of Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and various other social networking sites. Fundraising can be handled online and contributions can be handled electronically. All of this creates a minimized overhead and helps to even the playing field.
Just like John F. Kennedy embraced television as the medium to broadcast his message, Barack Obama embraced the Internet. He showed how a young senator could attain the highest office by using technology to his advantage. The upcoming elections in 2010 will most certainly leverage what was done in 2008 as well as find new and creative ways to connect with the American people. However, time and history have proven that those that do try to use new and creative means must do so cautiously as the political landscape is pockmarked with elected officials who have done so without restraint.
Like any new medium, this unprecedented level of access to politicians comes at a price. For years, the public persona of elected officials has been carefully crafted by highly skilled people who understand brand management. However, with the use of the Internet, the world is connected 24 hours a day and information is always within a click of a mouse. An errant blog, a post on Twitter or a rant on Facebook can have disastrous results for a politician who is seeking re-election. We have seen numerous examples of mayors, governors, and other elected officials having their credibility questioned or being shown in a negative light by information initially found on the Internet. Arlington mayor Carmen Kontur-Gronquist made national headlines for posting racy images of herself on her MySpace account. During the 2008 presidential election, Senator John McCain’s campaign had stated that his running mate, Governor Sarah Palin had opposed the bridge-to-nowhere in Alaska and quickly it was disproved by online followers and only after an uproar ensued did the campaign stop saying that. One wrong misstep and it can be posted on YouTube for millions to watch. One omission of the truth and anyone that can use a search engine will find out for themselves where the truth actually lays.
The use of the Internet is obviously not without its advantages. President Obama set fundraising records every month during his election campaign and this was in no small part due to his online fundraising websites. By using YouTube, elected officials can carefully craft their messages without being reduced to a snippet on a national news program. Also, constituents can watch it at their leisure and review it at any time they want. This also allows the general populace to compete with better funded adversaries. By using YouTube and other Internet media (which is free), a person choosing to run for an elected office does not need to have a warchest and instead can focus on the message. Where it would have taken an army of volunteers, Flashmobs can be assembled through the use of Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and various other social networking sites. Fundraising can be handled online and contributions can be handled electronically. All of this creates a minimized overhead and helps to even the playing field.
Just like John F. Kennedy embraced television as the medium to broadcast his message, Barack Obama embraced the Internet. He showed how a young senator could attain the highest office by using technology to his advantage. The upcoming elections in 2010 will most certainly leverage what was done in 2008 as well as find new and creative ways to connect with the American people. However, time and history have proven that those that do try to use new and creative means must do so cautiously as the political landscape is pockmarked with elected officials who have done so without restraint.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Monday September 7,2009
This is my very first blog. This feels kinda odd, I have not kept a " diary " since I was a young girl. I don't want to bore anyone that might read this so I'll try to keep it short.
I am a mother of two ( a son who is 10 and a daughter who is 7) and I have been married to my husband now for 3 years. We met at work ( where else do you meet when you work all day and spend evenings doing homework and activities with the kids :> ) He is the best. We have a house in New Hampshire and last year his parents moved in with us from California. This has been a great year. We have had a lot of fun and the kids love being so close to their grandparents.
Yesterday my mother in law and my sister in law and I took " girls day off " and we took the T into Boston. What a great day. The weather was beautiful, sunny and in the 70's. We went to Fannuiel Hall and had lunch at English Todd's and did some window shopping. We took a walk Through the Common park and my mother in law finally tried Fried dough. How is it possible that she didn't know what fried dough was???? I HAVE to have one every summer, it is just not summer without one. Boston is a really great place to visit, but I think I like the quietness of the suburbs myself.
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