Mind Control & the Internet

The topic of this entry is based upon the writing by Sue Halpern (2011), "Mind Control & the Internet".

How might the internet be controlling our minds? Directly? Indirectly? By setting our expectations? By becoming our psychic environment? Advertising is one of the key players to answer all these questions. The amount of data that is now captured when individuals are online provides marketing departments with an abundance of information that can be used to target very specific markets, acting before we do from past experience, making people aware of products they might not have ever searched for directly (Halpern, 2011). 

Are neural implants the way of the future? Would you have neural implants inserted? Under what conditions? Brain-interface technology will most likely have applications in the future for people with disabilities who cannot move limbs and will move robotic devices or prosthesis with their mind, such as the Braingate system. Microscopic sensors or neural dust is another technology currently in research stages,  and can record the equivalent of electrical signals of neurons. I would only try implants if I had a debilitating disability that made my life cumbersome for myself and other people.

Does Google's personalisation of our internet interaction assist us? Or is it exploitation? Does it deny our freedom or is it all part of being a collective? How is it affecting the climate change debate? It is both. Data is taken form everyone but only a percentage of people use the information and applications that Google can provide. Much of the data is used for business income. They create more freedom within the context of the internet and digital connectivity and provide solutions to be more collective as a culture, but this does not apply to people who desire freedom in nature, away from the digital world. Digital products save trees but produce e-waste, the climate change debate is more accessible to everyone who has internet access. People are living in areas that experience dramatic environmental changes and can let the world know of their problems while engaging people to receive support.

Is commercialization destroying the web or is the web improving the way we do business? with education people are free to choose the way in which they engage with the internet. Online business is hugely successful and provides a competitive edge for people who realize the future if digital business. People are able to look at business and their products before they decide to buy or visit a store or restaurant. Many people will not use many businesses now that don’t have an online presence.

Will Moore's law give out in 2015? What will happen then? not likely, but there is no definite outcome. Some people think 2020-2022 when chip-sets reduce to about 7-5nM, with the cost-benefit unlikely to take circuits any smaller. Once the size of circuits using current CMOS technology has reduced to the smallest viable size, then technology research will perhaps focus on bettering existing technology and moving to different materials that will allow further advancements – such as nano-ribbons for example. 

Or perhaps you can. Researchers at the University of New South Wales, Purdue University and the University of Melbourne, created a 0.1 nanometer transistor from a single phosphorus atom in 2012. "To me, this is the physical limit of Moore's Law," said Gerhard Kilmeck, Director of the Network for Computational Nanotechnology at Purdue and a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. "We can't make it smaller than this." There's plenty of scope to improve tomorrow's processors that we haven't talked about - parallelism offers ways of scaling up processing power without the need for new chips, while it can be argued that raw processing power is now less important than power efficiency. Software can be rewritten, I/O and memory can be tweaked. Further into the future, there's the prospect of tunnel transistors, photonics and quantum computing.

By then, perhaps Moore's Law will be adjusted to fit a new technology landscape. Or we may never see its like again. We'll leave the last word to DARPA's Robert Colwell, who points out that "when Moore's Law stops, it will be economics that stops it, not physics. So keep your eye on the money."

Halpern, Sue (2011) "Mind Control & the Internet", New York Review of Books June 23.

Cyberspace

What is cyberspace?

An attempt by humans to understand something by making it a tangible environment. The word "cyberspace" is credited to William Gibson, who used it in his book, Neuromancer, written in 1984. Gibson defines cyberspace as "a consensual hallucination experienced daily by billions of legitimate operators, in every nation, by children being taught mathematical concepts... A graphical representation of data abstracted from the banks of every computer in the human system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the non-space of the mind, clusters and constellations of data" (New York: Berkley Publishing Group, 1989), pp. 128. But simply put it is the notional environment in which communication over computer networks occurs.

The video below outlines another explanation of what cyberspace consists of.

Is cyberspace real?

This depends on the definition that is applied to both real and cyberspace, but generally cyberspace can be considered as real as it is something that exists, though not necessarily as something physical, but a tangible environment of which we can create real world effects (Strate, 1999). 

Where is cyberspace? There is no physical location, but perhaps it can be considered as anywhere there is a digitally connected presence, where people can communicate beyond physical presence. Is Facebook in cyberspace? Yes. 

Cybernetics is the study of systems of command, control and communication in machines and animals.

What is an example of a cybernetic product from your own life? Computer, mobile. Is iTunes a cybernetic system? Maybe through its communication in podcast. Is the University a cybernetic system? Maybe through the communication of learning, especially online. Do cybernetics leave out the human element? Definitely not, it is concerned with the symbiotic relationships that can be determined between both humans and machines

What is an example of Cyberpunk from your own media consumption? Mostly movies and video games. Is Hunger Games cyberpunk or fantasy? What is the difference? There are elements of an elitist cyberpunk society, where a huge disparity exists between rich and poor, and where the poor people have no control and are subject to hardships from the wealthy. The technology of this environment is sophisticated, but is not used in typical cyberpunk tradition. Arguably, the wealthy element of hunger games could be seen as cyberprep. 

Strate, L 1999, 'The varieties of cyberspace: problems in definition and delimitation', Western Journal of Communication, vol. 63, no. 3, pp. 382-412. 

Cyberpunk 2077

Based on the pen & paper 'Cyberpunk' series written by Mike Pondsmith and published by R. Talsorian Games, Cyberpunk 2077 is an upcoming RPG being developed by CD Projekt RED. CD Projekt is the developer behind the international successful 'The Witcher' series, and will feature a dystopian futuristic world in which ultra-modern technology co-exists with a degenerated human society, while delivering cutting-edge graphics thanks to the REDengine that was also used in 'The Witcher 2'.

Check out the trailer below or head to their website where you can sign up and get involved with the 2077 and CD Projekt community: http://cyberpunk.net/

A Brief History of Cyberpunk

Google defines cyberpunk as "a genre of science fiction set in a lawless subculture of an oppressive society dominated by computer technology".

Timeline: The History of Cyberpunk

The timeline above attempts to provide a history of the cyberpunk genre through the development of film, novels, and video games. While the list is far from exhaustive, the direction of cyberpunk can be clearly observed. I have decided to begin the timeline with the movie 'Blade Runner' (1982), and end the timeline with the video game 'Watch Dogs (2014). 

Tyranny, Social Media, Internet Addiction, and Surveillance Cameras

Alphaville is a 1965 sci-fi, written and directed by Jean Luc Godard. A U.S. secret agent is sent to the distant space city of Alphaville where he must find a missing person and free the city from its tyrannical ruler (IMDb).

Cite three academic books that might provide useful material for an essay about Jean Luc Godard's Alphaville. On which campuses do they reside?

1. Thornton, MF 1992, Tyranny Unmasked, Liberty Fund, Indianapolis. (located in online database)
2. Bovard, J 2003, Terrorism and Tyranny: Trampling Freedom, Justice, and Peace to Rid the World of Evil, Palgrave Macmillan, New York. (located in online database)
3. Preparata, GG 2011 Ideology of Tyranny: Bataille, Foucalt, and the Postmodern Corruption of Political Dissent, Palgrave Macmillan, New York. (located in Nathan campus)

What is a book that will assist you to find out about possible research methods to explore social media? Full citation.

• Bertrand, I & Hughes, P 2005, Media research methods: audiences, institutions, texts, Palgrave Macmillan, New York. 
• Weerakkody, N 2009, Research methods for media and communication, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne.

What is the latest medical thinking about internet addiction? What database did you use? Full citation.

Internet addiction is a continuously increasing problem in societies all over the world, particularly in youth (Dreier, Wolfling & Beutel 2014). The study conducted by Dreier et. al. (2014), discovered certain factors that put youth at more risk of developing addictive behaviour towards the internet. These were: age; sex; education; and preference for gambling and gaming. Furthermore, "dysfunctional users show considerable impairments regarding a broad range of mental problems, especially aggression, attention-related, social, and also achievement problems"(Dreier et. al. 2014, p. 496).

• Dreier, M, Wolfling, K & Beutel, ME 2014, ‘Internet addiction in youth’, Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde, vol. 162, no. 6, pp. 496-496. 
• Wallace, P 2014, ‘Internet addiction disorder and youth’, EMBO Reports, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 12-16. 
• Finlay, F & Furnell, C 2014, ‘Internet addiction disorder/ problematic internet use and ADHD’, Archives of Disease in Childhood, vol. 99, no. 4, pp. 145-146. 
• Craparo, G, Messina, R, Severino, S, Fasciano, S, Cannella, V, Gori, A, Cacioppo, M & Baiocco, R 2014, ‘The relationships between self-efficacy, internet addiction and shame’, Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 304-307.

What are IT engineers thinking about surveillance cameras? Identify a theme you could write an essay about and cite three papers that would be useful.

There is a growing number of wireless enabled surveillance cameras being installed for both personal and business purposes. Security on these devices is a risk issue that needs to be mitigated through consumer education and increased security. 

• Chen, C, Favre, J, Kurillo, G, Andriacci, TP, Bajcsy, R & Chellappa, R 2014, ‘Camera networks for healthcare, tele-immersion, and surveillance’, Computer, vol. 47, no. 5, pp. 26-36. 
• Xiaogang, W 2013, ‘Intelligent multi-camera video surveillance: a review’, Pattern Recognition Letters, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 3-19. 
• Abas, K, Porto, C & Obraczka, K 2014, ‘Wireless smart camera networks for the surveillance of public spaces’, Computer, vol. 47, no. 5, pp. 37-44. 
• Mukesh, KS, Pradeep, KA & Abdulmotaleb, ES 2014, ‘From smart camera to smart hub: embracing cloud for video surveillance’, International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, vo. 1, no. 1, pp. 1-10. 
• Sonali, V & Kamal, S 2014, ‘Real time video surveillance system’, International Journal of Computer Application, vol. 86, no. 14, pp. 22-27.

Stephen Stockwell, Friedrich Nietzsche and Communication Theory

"Where necessity and need have long compelled men to communicate with their fellows and understand one another rapidly and subtly, a surplus of the power and art of communication is at last acquired, as if it were a fortune which had gradually accumulated, and now waited for an heir to squander it prodigally."

Nietzsche, The Gay Science, 1882

Stephen Stockwell has been with Griffith University since 1996 and is currently an Associate Professor in Journalism and Communication. His most recent work consists of the manoeuvres of spin doctors, unconventional media in Brisbane, and new thoughts on deciphering communication theory.

Written in 2006, Stockwell's 'Theory Jamming: Uses of Eclectic Method in an Ontological Spiral' suggests the diversity and contrasts of communication theory can be used positively and provide certain coherence. This occurs when the collective of communication theories is considered as a form of expression of skill, like musicians who play together, unrehearsed, their melodies ephemeral and flexible, exploring ideas and moving towards an increase in feeling and knowledge.

I enjoyed the element of this work inspired by Nietzsche, who provides us with encouragement to leap forward with certainty, from possibility to possibility. Stockwell commends his bravery but realises the necessity for further guidance when dealing with the conflicts within communication theory. The article concludes with five thesis on theory-jamming which include: eclecticism requires ethnography; Enculturation and Enumeration need each other; Ephemera and Esoterica tell us the most; Experimentation beyond Empiricism; Extravagance and Exuberance.

Stockwell, S 2006 'Theory-Jamming: uses of eclectic method in an ontological spiral', M/C Journal, vol. 9, no. 6, pp. 1-4.

 Below is a list of books by Stephen Stockwell currently in the Griffith University library:

• Stockwell, S 2005, Political Campaign Strategy: Doing Democracy in the 21st Century, Australian    Scholarly Publishing, Melbourne. 

• Stockwell, S 2010, Rhetoric and Democracy: Deliberative Opportunities in Current Electoral Processes, VDM Saarsbruken, Germany.  

• Stockwell, S & Scott, P 2000,  All-media Guide to Fair and Cross-Cultural Reporting: For Journalists, Program Makers and Media Students, Australian Key Centre for Cultural and Media Policy, Nathan, Queensland.  

• Stockwell, S & Isakhan, B 2012, The Edinburgh Companion to the History of Democracy, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS), Cambridge. 

• Stockwell, S & Isakhan, B 2011, The Secret History of Democracy, Palgrave Macmillan, London.  

What database would you use to find Stockwell's first academic article about Brisbane in a national journal? What year? Provide a full citation.

Database: Taylor and Francis Online; 

Year: 1995;

Reference: Stockwell, S, 1995, ‘The Brisbane Model: considering a unique experiment’ Urban Policy and Research, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 89-96.

Communicating with New Communication Technologies

Like most people, I have a strong relationship with my mobile phone, but rather than social media, I prefer to use the technology in messaging, email and phone calls to communicate. I actually severed my ties to social media a few years ago now and haven’t looked back. My life feels no better or worse. To be honest it is probably better because it is one less thing I have to worry about. Going ‘cold turkey’ on social media is a trend I have come to see more frequently among users, although new product trends can have a mighty polarizing effect on people. I do see the benefits from using those platforms, but for my purposes I couldn't be bothered finding what I need through all the noise. I am, however, an advocate for the cloud technology and its applications. I love using both Microsoft 365 products and Google Drive. I believe the best and most productive use for communication technology is for organizational benefit. Having the ability to communicate and collaborate with team members at any time and place can be very beneficial for productivity and efficiency.

Privacy and security in the technology context is an issue that I see as a continuously growing concern. The integration of technology in so many areas of our lives arguably creates higher risk for criminal activity and misconduct for both the individual and the State. Governments and policy-makers frequently encounter new threats that are not restricted by borders, which need to be prepared for with adaptable frameworks and infrastructure (Gürkaynak, Yilmaz & Taskiran, 2014). Simple measures such as learning how to develop a more complex password are worthwhile ventures. When people are trying to develop skills in a specific field or have aspirations for certain achievements, it is best to observe those people who have already accomplished what you are trying to achieve. In the case of privacy and security, we can observe programmers and cyber security experts. Many of these people are telling us to be careful and to mitigate our risk exposure.

Currently a big topic is the collection of data, and in Australia, meta data in particular. New security legislation on privacy has been drafted to give ASIO (Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation) more information for counter-terrorism measures. I personally do not have an issue with my basic data being collected as long as that data is being stored correctly and in the safest environment possible. Companies like Google give me peace of mind about the direction of data collection and storage. However, people need to be aware of the risks out there and not open their devices and infrastructure to avoidable risk. It is worthwhile doing background checks on companies who you might own or download products from and how they manage their data. 

Another interesting topic is the building of relationships over digital mediums which never constitute actually meeting that person face-to-face. The best example of this is an acquaintance of mine, Ray. He lives in the Philippines and we met through an online design website where I requested his design skills for some t-shirts I was doing. We have communicated various times and I have used his skills for various company logos, business cards, etc. We have never spoken to each other or met face to face, but have communicated purely through the internet. It is this technology use that makes the world a smaller place and provides people with the resources they need, and a choice of who will provide those resources.

Gurkaynak, G, Yilmaz, I & Taskiran, MP 2014, 'Protecting the communication: data protection and security measures under telecommunications regulations in the digital age', Computer Law & Security Report, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 179-190. viewed 12 August 2014, <http://www.sciencedirect.com.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0267364914000272>.

Someday, I'd Like to Learn How to Have a Conversation

Our relationship with technology is a contentious issue in today's world.  Are we more connected or less connected than in the past?

Sherry Turkle is a psychologist who studies how digital technology is shaping our modern relationships and ourselves. This video was presented at an official TED conference and explains the theory of being technologically connected but removed from human interaction. Turkle argues that "We need to make room for solitude in our life and we need to mark the difference between connection (of which we have plenty) and conversation (of which we don't have nearly enough)".

Knowledge Before the Known - Initial Thoughts on New Communications Technology

This blog has been created as part of a university course to explore communication in the Age of Information through the contexts of media theory and the history of communication technology. I myself have taken this course as an undergraduate for an arts and business degree, relishing the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge in an area that is so very prominent the world over. I start my journey being asked these simple, yet sizable questions to one of the most important constituents of mankind, communication. 

What are the main issues in new communications technology from your point of view?
 
There is such a flood of information that stems from so many platforms that sometimes it is difficult to distinguish what information you need through all the noise. I think it is important to communicate in effective and efficient ways, using that technology to your advantage and not being caught up in menial tasks and trends. 

Another significant problem is security. However, I believe security issues with web-based technology can be mitigated, to a greater extent, with knowledge. The LinkedIn incident would have been far less severe if people had the knowledge of the security risks that simple passwords pose. Many of the accounts that were hacked used passwords like 'link1234' for example. Knowledge, skill, and risk mitigation are an essential element for anyone dealing with the technologies of the information age.

How do we distinguish between old and new communication technologies?
 
Two words instantly come to mind; digital and internet. With those two words comes a slew of imaginative constructs that I can only dream of or read about. Those constructs come from the comparison I draw from my lifelong exposure to digital technologies and that of a person still pushing the technological boundaries of the time, but eclipsed by the power of the digital age. 

Under what circumstances will new communication technologies become old communication technologies?
 
This is a particularly important question to the minds behind marketing teams of communication products, and any business that relies on innovative solutions to provide them with a competitive advantage. I believe it is a combination of the innovation and creation of new technologies and the appetite of the masses to adopt to that new technology. 

What is your favourite digital technology? Which analog technologies are still part of your life?

Without contextualizing this question it is hard to pinpoint favourite technologies. This question also makes you realize how many parts of your life are shadowed by some form of digital technology. The two that come to mind first however are the increased ability to make music, and the efficiency and effectiveness of team collaboration and communication. As a guitarist I can appreciate the simplistic methods we have been given in the way we make and change sound. For a few hundred dollars I can make my guitar do pretty much what a room full of analogue equipment and hundreds of thousands of dollars could do in the past.    

Having the ability to collaborate with teams anywhere in the world is a popular way of building competitive advantage. People are able to access skills and knowledge by communicating through various digital channels, then apply those skills and knowledge to projects. People no longer need to be physically present to contribute to projects which saves time and money, and in turn be invested in further innovation activities. These activities continue to be an essential component of business sustainability in the contemporary world.