001. Facebook as Medium & Message

Thanks to Columbia Pictures promotion and advertising team we had a chance to attend a pre-screening of The Social Network, a film directed by David Fincher. The plot tells the story of how Facebook came to be. Facebook is currently the most popular social network avaible in cyberspace with more than half a billion registered users by October 2010 according to its site's statistics. The movie focuses on the controversy surrounding the creation of Facebook with special emphasis on who came with the original idea while it presents an interpretation of the spychological profile of its co-founder Mark Zuckerberg who is -according to the movie--the youngest billionarie in history. Here is a trailer:

Here is an article you would like to read along with a couple of videos and references that are relevant to the discussion.

Click here for Bloomberg's article on The Social Network

Here is a link to a podcast published by Businessweek on the subject of Facebook

Facebook_social_network_podcast

In addition to reviewing all the material related to Facebook our first discussion will use other theoretical sources for critical analysis and commentary. These sources are meant to provide a theoretical framework where to center the questions that will follow.

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The first text -and its derived text--is authored by a key name in Media Studies, one that will be hovering your scholarship througout the development of your major. The name is Marshall McLuhan who was a Canadian educator, philosopher and scholar who coined what could be arguably defined as the obscure aphorism: "The medium is the Message" which debuted in his book published in 1964 and available via moodle and later on published as a co-joint project with designer Quentin Fiore under the name of Understanding Media, the Extension of ManThe Medium is the Message: An Inventory of Effects [1968] also available to all of you via moodle or upon direct request to -alvarezg [at] stolaf [dot] edu-

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The second text deal with the concept of copyright and the evolution of this principle and its legal implication based on technology progress. The name of the text is Free Culture: The Nature and Future of Creativity and the author is professor Lawrence Lessig who is co-founder of Creative Commons, a site devoted to help artist and culture producers stand for their rights in terms of legal ownership of -to a certain extent- intangible products such as Facebook, Napster, Twitter, digital photos, etcetera. For this particular discussion please cover only CHAPTER 2: MERE COPYISTS.

SIDE NOTE: Interestingly enough the official site of the Creative Commons is currently down. I may venture to especulate a possible hack-attack on it. We'll see later on. Here is the official link to download the book for free:

http://www.free-culture.cc/freeculture.pdf

For those runners, dreamers, and other forms of learning creatures who have managed to break free from printed text you may download the free audio version of the book here:

http://www.turnstyle.org/FreeCulture/

or listen to chapter two here:

"Free Culture" popup audiobook

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Finally, the last two other sources that all of you must complete before our fist discussion are these:

Here is a clip of the documentary we are watching in class called The Persuaders published by PBS. Take in consideration that you may find more clips in YouTube.

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Here you have some additional OPTIONAL material to watch for a more comprehensive scholarship to prepare you for the discussion:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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PLEASE RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

1. After intellectually walking through all the information, lectures, and all AV supporting materials about Facebook and basic communication principles how has your position changed in respect to Facebook and how would you explain it to your 92 year old grandma who owns an iPod touch HD when she asks you for advice about signing up for an account?

[keep in mind that you will have to reply with a commentary/question to at least one of the responses]

 

Comments

[Massey]

My position on facebook before this class was that it was a tool to sometimes use. i didn't use it very much and never for more than casual information searches.
That begin said, with the material we have already covered i would highly recommend my grandma to get on Facebook and use it for all purposes she can. Yes it can be an enormous waste of time but used efficiently it can:
-Help reconnect to people you lost connection with
-Help connect to people you never would have
-Get information and opinions not available without internet
The free culture book and Clay Shirky talked about how the internet allows amateurs, people not being paid not unskilled, to both receive and supply information. Like how the 'mybo.com' site allowed anyone to comment on Obama's policies and ultimately get him to respond back, Facebook allows uses to connect on causes, donate money, and discuss issues in ways never before possible.
Not only would i try very hard to convince my grandma to get on and use Facebook, i will use Facebook more extensively because it would be a waste not to.

[Kabao Xiong]

I am going to assume that my grandma is pretty social, out going, well informed about the latest technology (even though she is completely NOT). The ONE reason I would not encourage my grandma use facebook is the potential threat of facebook "selling" her to her facebook friends. Being a new user to facebook, she may not be as aware of control facebook has over it's users. As in the article written by Brad Stone, facebook has a way to track what you look at online and connect you to that item or brand as a technique of you endorsing the product. Sure, my grandma may be immune to such forms of advertising as I was, by just ignoring information that is not relevant or pertinent to me BUT if I see that my friends have liked a page I would be curious and check it out.

With that said, I still agree to what Massey says about facebook being a medium that reconnect people to each other. I think it's interesting what Marshall McLuhan said about print technology how it created the public and electric technology created the MASS. He also include that print technology has isolated and detached people from each other. I can agree to this to the extent that when we read we zone out and forget about our surroundings but the words on that page BUT, I think print technology has definitely share wealth of ideas that brings us more together in on one page. For example, the newspaper, I may forget about everything the moment I reading it but it also makes me feel a part of the word for those few seconds.
The same is true about facebook. Facebook provides a space where people can reconvene (cyberly but sometimes it can be extended to in person too). But still, I've had experiences where I am with my friends and I'm on facebook just browsing or chatting online with my "other" friends. In this sense, there is a feeling of isolation at the viewpoint of my friends in the same room with me.

I would advice my grandma to have a facebook account but caution how she uses it. Facebook is great that it distributes information quickly but quick is not always good...you write something on facebook, hit post and could regret it later. Facebook gives people the opportunity to talk to friends and see how friends are doing but it could also detach facebook users from their friends in person. Everything is best in moderation, this includes the use of facebook.

[Julie Fergus]

Before this class, I viewed Facebook as a great way to stay in contact with my friends and family--especially since I am not from Minnesota. In my opinion, the many articles and videos we have reviewed for this class have demonstrated many negative aspects about the social network. After the study of Facebook that we have conducted thus far for this class, I would not recommend that my grandma create an account.

The creators of Facebook have access to many aspects of our lives that many users of the site do not even think about. According to the "Facebook_Social_Network_Podcast," Facebook allows advertisers to view information on our profiles to select ads that are geared towards our likes. For instance, a recent relationship status change to "engaged" will cause jewlery companies to increase the number of ads users see. Users who access their facebook pages via their cell phones give Facebook access to their GPS coordinates, which allows local businesses in the area of those coordinates to increase the number of ads that this user see's as well. Similar to Kabao, I do not want to submit my grandmother to this sort of indirect media control.

I agree with Massey's point that according to the Free Culture article, Facebook allows amatuers to receive and distribute information. However, I think our reliance on a medium of communication in which we do not physically communicate with other individuals is a detriment to society. One point that "The Social Network" movie adamantly makes is that in the process of creating facebook and hoping to establish relationships via the online social network, Mark Zuckerburg destroyed all of his real, non-virtual relationships and friendships. My grandma still enjoys writing letters to friends and talking on the phone with her family. While these are not forms of in-person communication, they are still more real than interactions via the internet. I do not want my grandma to lose her appreciation of these "older" types of communcation, and this is the biggest reason why I would advise her against creating a Facebook page.

[Massey]

i disagree with you that these older types of communication are more "real" then interaction via the internet. there is a romanticized view of the older communication and is only seen as more personal or real because of our emotions attached to them.
internet communication is more effective because you can attached just about any existing media to your conversation. instead of talking about a cool video you just saw you can send it to them to view. instead of just talking about something you bought you can send them a picture of it. instead of just talking about some historical fact you can send them the source for them to read. communicating one to one on the internet is much more effective.
These older forms of communication also do not allow many people to send and receive information a the same time with everyone sending to and receiving from everyone else. Debates over politics can not happen without the internet to the extent it does. yes many people can come to the same building and discuss but people from opposite sides of the country or world cannot join.
Facebook is the best example of internet communication and allows you to do everything i just stated.

[Alora Killian]

Before taking this class, my personal opinion of Facebook was rather negative. The internet is a dangerous place, and what you put on your Facebook, what you buy on Amazon, what you write on Blogspot- all can be easily manipulated by other people and marketers looking for easy advertising. Now after I have read the material, I realize that my opinion is justified, and I am even more careful about what I put online.
If my grandmother asked for advice on starting a facebook, I would help her. Probably because if you live to the age of 92, then you should pretty much do whatever you want, and Facebook is pretty easy to set up. And there probably aren't that many privacy concerns for someone who is 92 and owns an HD ipod.

[Katie Caffrey]

My opinion of facebook has not changed much over the course of the last few weeks. I have had a facebook account for about four years and I believe that the benefits of facebook greatly outweigh the negative aspects. My seventy eight year old grandmother actually created a facebook account herself about a year ago without help from any of her tech savvy grandchildren. I believe that if a person is safe about the information they put anywhere on the internet and the "friends" they accumulate, then facebook can be a great way to stay in touch with people. My grandmother, and any older member of the population, is less likely to be harmed by facebook than any young adult who currently uses the site.
young adults frequently put up pictures or information that might hinder their ability to either get a job or make professional connections in the business world. In addition, young adults are more likely influenced by advertisements. Older members of facebook are more likely to have a stable job or living situation and are less likely to act on impulse or respond positively to advertisements.
In general I think that facebook is a great tool for staying in touch with friends and acquaintances and as long as you are aware of the nature of advertisements and are careful about what you put up on the internet, there is no problem with having an account. I would definitely encourage my grandmother to set up an account (although this is not necessary because she already did!)

[Katie Caffrey]

I think you bring up some great point about facebook's potential. Not only is it a great way to stay in touch with friends, but it is also a great way to keep up to date on political issues, volunteer work and other important issues in society. I definitely agree with your position and think that I would also greatly encourage my grandmother to get on and use facebook!

[Kabao Xiong]

I was thinking the same thing! If my grandma, who is 92 years old wants to know what it's like to be part of my generation than I'm not going to stop her. I think it might bring in a different perspective of communication from the one she knew or grew up with. The internet speeds things up (in terms of information), maybe she'll be able to reconnect with people she has lost touch with over the years and bring some excitement and closure to the few last years of her life.

[Alora Killian]

I completely agree with letting your grandmother have a Facebook. Since someone who is 92 probably doesn't have to worry about lack of privacy or being manipulated by Facebook ads, it's appropriate to let her have her own account. Your real grandmother sounds pretty cool- setting up her own Facebook and all that.

[Amy Mund]

After analyzing all the information about Facebook and mass media, I am much more aware of what Facebook is and what it could be. Before this class, Facebook was just a way to keep in touch with friends and a procrastination tool. Oh, and I happen to be fluent in Pirate-English thanks to Facebook. While it is still all of these things, I am acutely aware of many other aspects of Facebook. The ads on the side of the page that I never noticed before now catch my attention, and I find myself wondering what information Facebook knows about me that I may not have wanted to share with the world. I have a friend who calls Facebook the “tool of the devil” and refuses to get an account. However, you can “Like” his band of Facebook and his band-mates use Facebook to let people know when and where they are going to play. So even though my buddy doesn’t have a Facebook account, Facebook is in his life whether he likes it or not. It is kind of scary to think about how fully Facebook as permeated almost every aspect of our lives.
Would I encourage my 92 year old grandma to get Facebook? Sure. Why not? Facebook is a great way to stay current with friends/acquaintances, reconnect with old friends, and simply be aware of a larger network of people. The way I look at it is, if my grandma knows how to use the technology, then how is her having a Facebook account any different than me having one? Our generation may have made Facebook popular, but without adult support, Facebook wouldn’t be as big as it is today. There may be “risks” to Facebook but if something happens, it will happen to millions of us at the same time. And we are constantly bombarded with advertisements everywhere we go. If my 92 year old grandmother can handle the advertising forced on her from a trip to the mall or watching TV or reading the newspaper, then she can handle deciphering the “good” part of Facebook apart from the advertisements. So who am I to stop my grandma from experiencing the phenomenon that is Facebook?

[Amy Mund]

I basically agree with everything you have said, especially the part about ruining non-virtual relationships. However, is it really a "bad" thing that Facebook can customize ads to individuals. Advertisers can reach there target audiences more effectively, and consumers are not overwhelmed by products and services that they have no interest in. There is going to be advertising; I feel like there is just no avoiding that point. So given the fact that you have to deal with ads, wouldn't you rather they be ads about something you are interested in? I'm not saying I'm excited that Facebook can figure out what I like and even where I am. I'm just asking, is it really such a bad thing?

[Franke]

After reading and listening to most of the material, I can't say my use of facebook will change too much. I am already cautious about what information I share and make public because of how accesible it could be to others if I didn't and I don't see myself opening up more of my facebook after this. The fact that facebook is using our personal information to allow advertisers to direct their ads towards a certain part of the population is very interesting. The ability for companies to direct their ads towards their customers or friends of their customers is a great way to market their products. I appreciate seeing ads that pertain to me or my friends, even if I don't care to actually follow up on the ad. The endorsements from friends that the Businessweek podcast talks about relates well with the Nicholas Christakis TEDtalks presentation and I believe that using a more strategic selection of the population involving friends will be very helpful in all aspects of communication in the years to come.

I would sit down and have a talk with my grandma about facebook. I would explain to her how to use the site and some of the benefits it offers; like keeping in touch with friends and family, sharing photos and more. After the benefits thought, I would tell her that I don't necessarily see a huge advantage for her to use facebook over email since she would be writing short messages to family members and looking at pictures we post which could just as easily be sent directly to her or uploaded to a different website like snapfish or flickr where she could be sent a link and then view them there. In the end I would advise her not to register for a facebook, but I am definately not opposed to her getting one (she already has one) because as long as she uses it then I suppose it is worth it.

[Juanferyr]

I started using facebook 4 years ago. I have to accept that at the very beginning of this electronic-social-network experience, my position towards this -by that time- relatively new invention was not necessarily the most positive one. In fact, I opened a FB account just for the sake of opening one.

As the time passed and I moved away from home, I realized that Skype and MSN were not the best “getting in touch” tools that I could possibly use. There were so many things happening backhome: family gatherings, concerts, conventions, friends getting in troubles and so on and so for. Suddenly I realized that I could have access to all the information I was interested on through FB.

By the time I started using FB in a regular way, I got really excited about the idea of this “virtual connection” I had with my friends and family. I could see what was happening at all these events and they could “be in touch” with me and know a bit of my new life. In trying to make “a really good use” of this electronic medium of communication I will upload pictures at least twice a week. Insane!

At some point I thought that FB was the perfect place to be, everything was happening there and I was part of the storyline, and just as MacLuhan mentions in his book, this electronic diary became “a place for everything and everything in it’s place”

Then I realized that literally FB took over my daily life, I was trying to be here in the “real physical word” but at the same time I was also trying to be in the virtual network. That was the point when I decided to start reorganizing my thoughts about FB and it’s role in my life.(at this point FB was definitely playing a role in my life)

I deleted most of the pictures I was tagged in and cleared most of the applications I used. From then on I try no to depend on FB in order to plan my activities or even stay in touch with people. This is exactly the reason why I would warn my grandmother against the use of FB. I think that in order to access to the virtual world you first have to define what do you want out this experience, and be aware of the implications that could bring the fact of pretty much “having a life” in another dimension.

[Julie Fergus]

I agree with you on the form of advertising. If Facebook inevitably has to include ads, it is nicer to see them as posts in our news feeds such as a friend liking a certain piece of merchandise, rather than to be bombarded with similar ads.

However, I still do not want to suck my grandma in to the means that advertisers obtain this information. Suppose my grandma ends up in a nursing home, and advertisers discover this information because of her hometown listing or because she joined the nursing home's group. I do not know what will stop desperate small businesses in the future from taking this information and using it outside the realms of facebook, for instance by going to visit the nursing home to pursuade residents to buy their products. My grandma would be ultimately trapped with no way of not hearing their pitch. Futher, it is harder to say no in person than online, especially when we are unpracticed in our physical communication. While this is only a hypothetical scenario, I feel like it and others similar to it will be possible and reality in the future.

[Akoenig54]

There is not a chance in the world that I would recommend for my grandmother to start using facebook. Let's just ignore the fact that it might take her a week and a half to find the power button on whatever MS DOS computer she has laying around the house and look at the information overload that would ensue. This is not meant to trash or to slight my beloved grandmother's intelligence but I think that her perception of reality would not coincide well with the facebook experience.
Free Culture talked about how the internet allows amateurs to both provide and receive massive amounts of information. I believe that Grammy would have an incredibly challenging time deducing what is reality and coming from a trustworthy source from what has been posted by uninformed, untrustworthy amateurs.
Again this is not a slight at my Grandmother, I love her dearly but I think that the generational gap in technology would be incredibly difficult to overcome. In Clay Shirky's presentation he commented on the way that media has changed and the revolutions that it has encountered. Now instead of just being there for information, the internet allows people to interact. He explains that it is centered around coordination. You can reach a large audience, as well as an audience of one on the same platform. This is much different that the previous revolutions, technology that my grandmother would be more comfortable with.
My intention is not to state that no 92-year old should be using the internet, I just feel that it could be potentially dangerous in the situation of my grandmother.

Examining facebook like we have in this class has really shed a great light on the mystery that is facebook. It became apparent to me early about how little I know about something I spend time participating in everyday. In fact I have it open in another tab right now. I guess I really just never thought about facebook as a company. Sure I knew it was worth gobs of money and the name Mark Zuckerburg rang a bell but I never attached the features of facebook with what they were trying to accomplish on their end of things. Between viewing "The Social Network" and finding various web-based sources I have gained a deeper understanding about what facebook is trying to accomplish. With every new feature added, or webpage redesign facebook is on a journey to become more and more prevelant in society. Each move they make means something, and it's not always in your best interest. Facebook has been trying to harness the extreme amount of information they have on its members and with that more skillfully advertise to them. Whether it be through fan pages, status updates or sidebar advertisements, facebook is trying to take their share of the handling cost for allowing access to this vast and expansive community that they have developed.

[Akoenig54]

I agree that the internet can be a dangerous place, but is it really so bad for websites like facebook and amazon to have information on you? Stuff like consumer preferences... The whole point of harnessing that information is to provide you with a more direct and concise advertising pitch. I find it useful that every time I log into amazon it shows me a few books I might enjoy or a new video game that fits my taste preferences. I agree with you that the internet can be a dangerous place and that you don't want the wrong information falling in the hands of the wrong people, but is it really so bad for reputable sites like facebook and amazon to have a little knowledge on your consumer preferences?

[GM]

I'm a facebook junkie and all this is information has made me realize how valuable a tool it is. I'm able to keep in touch with friends all over the United States and abroad easily as well as my family. I think it is important though to have an awareness as to the power of this tool. Security is such an important aspect of profiles because there are sex offenders and pedophiles on facebook that I personally don't like looking at my profiles. The Media is the Massage book really highlighted for me how much media like facebook does touch us in such a way that we are powerless to resist, almost.

[Michelle Wheeler]

I think you bring up some very relevant points! I especially like how you mentioned the potential “threat of facebook ‘selling’ her to her facebook friends.” Every time I look at the About Me section of my profile, I get very frustrated. How am I supposed to summarize the various facets and dimensions of who I am as a person? Perhaps the more important question is why would I ever try?

Facebook is a medium driven by labels (Single, In a Relationship, Male, Female, Buddhist, Catholic, Atheist, Interested in Men/Women, Citizenship, Education Level, Hometown, etc.) These labels are designed to unite facebook users by showing them common characteristics. However, what happens when you do not fit into the cookie-cutter labels that facebook offers? In my opinion, to try and label yourself in this way detracts from the fluid experience of life. People are constantly changing, so to write a short blurb about who you are a person, with the intention of making yourself more appealing, strikes me as phony.

[Abby Benson]

After reading through loads of information regarding Facebook and what its role has become in our society, I have begun to lose some respect for it. The only reason I acquired Facebook in the first place because I wanted to check out my first year roommate to see if she was legit. From that day forward, I was sucked into the world of Facebook and communicating with some people only through Facebook messaging. Especially after watching “The Social Network,” I was introduced to the corruption and other vast issues that concern not only the creation of Facebook but also how it influences society today. It was sad watching how Facebook successfully developed but how many relationships were ruined and people hurt in the process. Over time, I have lost interest in Facebook communication, only using at times when I deem it absolutely necessary. It was also a great resource to use for sharing my photos and other information while I was studying abroad last spring. I do believe it is a good way to stay in touch/stay updated with people’s lives, but if you truly care about someone, you will call them instead of just writing on their “wall.”
If my grandmother wanted advice about signing up for an account, I would guide her through the process and encourage it. I think it’s a great way to stay updated on people’s lives and it shouldn’t be restricted to the young population. Older people deserve to stay connected as well!

[Klefsaae]

I, on the other hand, feel that because of how Facebook, Amazon, and Blogspot and activity generated by these sites are "connected" gives users a valuable way to personalize their online experience. I have had multiple experiences where the "manipulation" of data from my internet activity has been beneficial to me. What my friends are purchasing, listening to, wearing, and writing, have influenced me to at the very minimum check it out. This is exactly what Facebook and it's advertisers want. This form of advertising through friends and their activity online is undoubtedly a more refined way for companies to target their specific market, and will only get better and more sophisticated in the near future.

[Klefsaae]

For the last 5 or so years, I have been using facebook pretty much for the purpose of enhancing my social experience in college, and keeping in touch with old high school friends that I would normally never talk to without facebook chat, or facebook in general for that matter. Now, however, I realize what facebook is doing to target market it's advertiser's products, and the extent to which they are doing it. I was floored after reading Bloomberg's article on facebook. Not because of their integration of ads (facebook has to make money somehow), but because of how sophisticated their system has become. I guess I can say I never really checked out or clicked on the ads surrounding my facebook page, but after taking a look at them I am amazed at how specific and tailored they are solely based on my interests and activity on facebook.
If my 92 year old grandma wanted help with signing up on facebook on her iPod touch HD, I would first explain to her what she is getting herself into and what the true facebook experience is built around. Facebook is for users that have friends that are on facebook; I doubt my grandma's weekly church group are all on facebook and would be surprised if there are any at all. Facebook is also for people that use the internet for daily purposes such as shop, chat, and browse, and I highly doubt my 92 year old grandma knows how to operate a Macbook, much less an iPod touch in which the size of the font on the screen is 20 sizes too small for her to read. To end it I would simply tell her that facebook is beyond her generation and her capacity to utilize it's features, and thus to not waste her time.

[Konomi Takemoto]

Thinking about what we have been talking about facebook in class and reading comments made here, I became more confused about this whole Facebook business. I do not have Facebook so I cannot really talk about it since I do not have any personal experiences with it, but reading the comments, I felt that it is about how much you understand the influence of using Facebook. If my grandmother understnads both positive and negative aspects of Facebook, I will encourage her to get Facebook account. I also agree with the fact Facebook enables us to meet new people all over the world or reconnect friends you have not seen for a long time and these are very positive influence Facebook has.

[Konomi Takemoto]

I totally agree with the fact people can be part of Facebook without having Facebook account. I do not have Facebook but whenever my friends who have Facebook upload their pictures which I am in, they put my name on the picture too. It is definitely weird for me when someone who looked at my friend's facebook page tells asks me about my weekend based on the picture the person saw in Facebook. I think this kind of shows how much Facebook plays a role as extensive medium. Since Facebook allows us to use multiple medium such as sedning messages, seding vedio, and uploading pictures, more and more people involve in the medium even people who do not have Facebook are included.

[Max Mayrhofer]

Drawing the connection between politics and facebook is important, because it shows how the function of the website has changed over time. While it was initially made for a very specific group of individuals (Harvard students) with a specific purpose in mind, it now has expanded to reaching into every element of society and consequently is being used by politicians for campaigning and interaction with supporters. It goes to show how flexible ideas can expand and grow in ways that allow them to adjust to changes in culture and society.

[Max Mayrhofer]

After watching the Social Network and reading through the resources provided in our course, I have become much more aware of the business side of facebook. Up until now I largely used it as a tool without giving much thought to how the company operates or how it makes a profit. Knowing how to reach people on an individual level is crucial for facebook advertising, since there are now hundreds of millions of users, who are often very different from each other.
If my grandmother wanted to know more about facebook, I would tell her that it is an elaborate way of connecting many people with their friends, relatives, colleagues, acquaintances and others. Facebook is a virtual reality that allows others to chat with you, get updates of your day-to-day activities, and see pictures and videos of you or people you know. You are (to a point) advertising yourself to a segment of the rest of the world in a way that can be completely honest or fabricated, and the effects of this perception have a major impact on “reality”. I would adviser to weigh the positives and the negatives of creating such an account, because her generation does not require facebook to the same extent as mine does.