Work is no longer a place people go, but a thing that people do.

Throughout this subject I have found that it is not until I complete a weeks reading or become involved in seminar discussion that I realise how much of an impact the internet is having on my life. For me being constantly connected to my global network of Facebook, Twitter, Email, SMS, HeyTell and Words With Friends via push notifications has become the norm and without even having a full time job I am already experiencing the notion of ‘presence bleed’.

This concept of presence bleed is frightening; as it has created a world where work is no longer a place that people go, but a thing that people do. Recently on a family holiday to Fiji I witnessed the impacts of presence bleed first hand, as my sister a HR manager was freaking out that she couldn’t access her work email account. I couldn’t understand why she cared so much about this dilemma, she was on holiday on a tropical island, her colleagues were all aware that she was out of the office and on annual leave so why should she need to be connected to them during this time? A week later when we landed in Sydney, she checked her email and was bombarded with over 400 messages from her workmates. It was clear that although they knew that she was out of the office, this didn’t matter,  as they realised that as long their was the slight possibility that she could still be connected- she could still work.

This is just one instance, but I assume there would be similar stories every day from those within this demanding industry, which leads me to the point raised in the article that not one of the organisations within the study had formal policies for managing online obligations. I think that this is concerning as communication via email has become so fundamental for these organisations to operate; yet there is no regulations governing its use. If companies did develop a framework for what is expected from employees, including appropriate response times and time restrictions of when emails can be sent (e.g. between Monday-Friday and 9-5) then I think that the stresses associated with presence bleed could be significantly reduced.

Cyberspace- complications and concerns for children.

This week’s reading explores the concept of ‘Cyberspace’ and how within this space the mind and body are disconnected to communicate and express beliefs in an unprecedented fashion.   Although this was the main point expressed in the article, Barlow also believes that the internet has created a world where parents and authorities are foreigners.  He express this through the quote, “you are terrified of your own children, since they are natives in a world where you will always be immigrants” (Barlow, 1996, p2) and although written quite some time ago, I believe his statement accurately reflects  the moral panics which continue to circulate around the use of this medium by children.

While reading this article, the ABC just happened to post a link to an article on Twitter titled “Woman accused of Assaulting son for having a Facebook page”.  Intrigued by this title I went on to read the article which discussed how an American mother had beat up her son because she was angry that he had been using Facebook even though she said he was not allowed to.  Although an extreme case, I think it is a relevant example of how many parents are over-reacting about the impact the internet is having on their children. BUT do parents have a legitimate reason to be afraid? On one side of the argument scientists argue that social media “is moulding children’s brains so that they are unable to empathise with others; in short we are breeding a generation of narcissists” (Ostrow, 2011). While in contrast others suggest that instead of pushing children away from the world, social media unites them with it. As with every new technology (think TV, video games) this moral panic has escalated with an abundance of content arguing each side of the debate and with so much conflicting content trying to persuade me one way or the other, I am still not entirely certain of my position on this issue.

So, I would like to know, what is your opinion? Should we believe the hype over social media effects? Or is it just another moral panic which will slowly become forgotten about when a new and more ‘dangerous’ technology supersedes Facebook.  

References:

Barlow, J.P (1996) A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace

Ostrow, R (2011) ‘Lost in Cyberspace’, The Australian, Accessed 15/08/2011 http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/lost-in-cyberspace/story-e6frg8h6-1226098292630

Why do people want to be on the internet?

According to Sterling, the answer to the above question is simple; Freedom.

The introduction of the internet has provided the average citizen with an unprecedented freedom to communicate in a world where barriers of time and space are eliminated and where every node is considered as equal. In 1993 Sterling stated in awe of this liberty that “The internet is a rare example of a true functional anarchy. There is no “Internet Inc”. There are no official censors, no bosses, no board of directors, no stockholders” (Sterling, 1993, p3). After reading this statement, I couldn’t help but think that, today just over a decade since the internet was introduced; these simple freedoms and the foundations for what has made this ‘functional anarchy’ so popular, are dangerously at risk.

This risk that I am referring to is presented by the Australian Governments proposed ISP filter which even though is strongly opposed by the majority of population, is STILL being considered by the government. I believe that if this filter was implemented it would erode the free and anarchic nature that Sterling (1993) refers to as the internet would no longer 'belong to everyone and no one’. Instead the Government would be granted a degree of ownership as they would be able to control ones access to information, thus re-creating the barriers which the internet has aimed to eliminate for so long.

In saying the above I do believe that some regulation on the Internet is required, although I am just not sure if a mandatory content filter is the answer.  What are your thoughts?

References:

Sterling, B. (1993) 'A Short History of the Internet', The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction

http://sixrevisions.com/resources/the-history-of-the-internet-in-a-nutshell/, accessed 14/8/2011

Welcome to the blogosphere!

Hello friends!

My name is Corryn Queenan, I am a nineteen year old student studying a Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies at the University Of Wollongong. Although I have been an active member of the blogosphere for past digital communications subjects, this is my first time using Blogger.com. I am looking forward to using this space to learn and discuss how the concept of Global Networks have impacted upon and changed the way we live. For those of you who are interested, progress of my educational journey throughout this subject can be also followed on twitter.