Where Old and New Media Collide - Assignment Example

Mass Communication Essay Compare and contrast the concepts of ‘collective intelligence’ and ‘data mining’, explaining their similarities and differences. As stated by Henry Jenkins, consumption has turned out to be a ‘collective process’, which he afterward referred to as ‘collective intelligence’. Basically, Jenkins argues that nobody is capable of knowing everything hence it is imperative to collaborate or cooperate with one another and bring together our skills and resources in order to come up with this ‘collective intelligence’. Media power can be acquired through collective intelligence. In fact, collective intelligence in popular culture is beginning to alter how the most basic and most important social institutions function, such as the military, advertising, politics, education, and religion (Jenkins, 2006, 27). Collective intelligence takes place in a ‘convergence culture’ where data, knowledge, or information is transmitted between several media types, between individuals and industries. It generally requires a participatory, communicative, involved rather than passive, unreceptive media culture, in which participants are dynamically involved and interactive. The concept of collective intelligence was introduced by the well-known thinker Pierre Levy. He talked about the concept of collective intelligence as used within the World Wide Web. He argued that online groups or communities that make use of collective intelligence are ‘knowledge communities’. In particular, social media is one of the sites where collective intelligence is developed and exercised. Hence it is likely to view collective intelligence as the strongest tool that people can use in a democratic society. Nowadays, people are given the opportunity to express their ideas and opinions while being a member of a larger community that scrutinizes official, established institutions and structures. On the other hand, data mining is the method of studying or examining data from various points of view and summing it up into beneficial information that can be drawn upon to raise profit, reduce costs, etc. A comprehensive profile of one’s personal information or life can presently be consolidated or brought together employing various sources of public information, and ever more advanced data mining processes. Nowadays, data mining can be utilized to make presumptions about an individual on numerous levels—as a potential employee, customer, lender, etc. As stated by Jenkins, the World Wide Web could eventually become a site where everybody knows everyone’s name. So what are the similarities and differences between collective intelligence and data mining? Both provide data, information, and knowledge to people through various mediums, especially social media. Both are concerned with knowledge creation and utilization of useful information for valuable purposes. And both are found and performed within ‘convergence culture’. However, collective intelligence and data mining differ in terms of participation, for in the former active involvement is imperative whereas in the latter it is not. Data mining can be performed without collaboration for it merely involves analysis, interpretation, and consolidation of information for various practical purposes. And, most importantly, data mining can be used to violate privacy whereas collective intelligence can be exercised to express opinions in democratic ways. Hence, in terms of personal risk, data mining poses greater risk. (2) Jenkins mentions J.R.R. Tolkien in “Searching for the Origami Unicorn” as an example of a storyteller adept in the art of world building. After reading this same chapter, is the art of world building different nowadays in comparison to the times of Tolkien? Explain your answer. Henry Jenkins explained the central notion of transmedia storytelling in the following manner: “More and more, storytelling has become the art of world building, as artists create compelling environments that cannot be fully explored or exhausted within a single work or even a single medium” (Jenkins, 2006, 114). Jenkins mentioned that J.R.R. Tolkien tried to write new types of literature that self-purposely copied the structure of myths and legends, forming an interconnected group of narratives that generally give substance to the realm of Middle Earth (Jenkins, 2006, 119). Jenkins’s idea of transmedia storytelling underpins the difference between the art of world building in the past and of today. According to Jenkins transmedia storytelling is a classical approach in that he firmly supports an all-inclusive or universal story which is motivated by the real authors and visualized at the beginning of the assignment. Transmedia storytelling characterizes the art of world building during the time of Tolkien and his contemporaries. Jenkins argues that the goal in examining transmedia storytelling is not to reiterate or duplicate the story by means of various media but to expand aspects of it all over the media continuum in a manner that each can be interacted with individually and still be entertaining, every element is still a part of one integrated narrative experience. Jenkins claims that the perfect, possibly only practical, approach to transmedia storytelling is that which is led by the real authors and visualized from the very start of a project. Such characterizes the art of world building during the time of Tolkien. Usually, characters in past narratives do not have to be introduced or repeatedly presented, for they are already experienced or recognized from other sources. Similar to the viewers of Homer’s The Odyssey who related to various characters in the story, the audiences of today watch a film with prior knowledge of the characters because they have possibly experienced them through other mediums, like games. The transmedia storytelling of one masterpiece offers a huge stage for expanding the customers’ experience of or interaction with the creation as well as the chance for enhancing brand popularity and building a way for making public the main narrative. Nevertheless, there is an apparent difference between Tolkien’s transmedia storytelling and today’s transmedia branding. In Tolkien’s transmedia storytelling the fictitious realm of the media content should be viewed as a leading character or protagonist in its own essence. This is because the depth and breadth of nearly all transmedia stories surpass one character or one narrative. A perfect example is Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, which showcases different interesting characters and various narratives, which, as I am aware of, aims to illustrate the chaotic, war-ravaged period of Tolkien. On the other hand, transmedia storytelling today is more focused on commercial goals, such as building brand awareness. Thus there is a difference between the past and present transmedia storytelling in terms of purpose, worldview, and character building techniques. (3) Why Facebook can be regarded as the last step in the long evolution of the Surveillance Society? Explain your answer. Across the globe, surveillance societies have begun to surface. Surveillance societies are those which operate, partly, due to the wide-ranging gathering, recording, storing, analysis, and use of information on groups and people in these societies as they carry on with their lives. Analyzing about society making use of surveillance as an idea allows us to give a spatial, social, and moral scrutiny of the information processing procedures which are component of how the society is built, organized, and ruled. It allows us to challenge and verify its effect on the social foundation—on social justice, freedoms, access to services, accountability, and discrimination. Furthermore, it allows us to take part in discussions with important or relevant people and/or groups about the effects of their surveillance-based programs. This is what Facebook does. It is becoming more and more apparent and definite that fast-paced technological development will be the crucial feature of the 21st century. Facebook is a globally known social networking site that had created an extensive ‘news feed’ system to show personal information of its members. Facebook users posted almost everything about them and their everyday experiences in their profile accounts. Some users protested that the new scheme encroached upon their privacy. Facebook claimed that it was only disseminating information members had already posted or made public. The struggle—and the expanding market control of Facebook in the previous years—demonstrate how social media are breaking the long-established notion of privacy and creating a new era of complacency and lenience within surveillance societies. Facebook users have the right to protest, but the information continues to be disseminated. Facebook can be regarded as the last step in the long evolution of the Surveillance Society because it is characterized by the most severe form of surveillance, one that disrespects boundaries and privacy. Facebook members did not realize how at risk their personal information was in the site’s system. Eventually, the social media are tremendously popular exactly because they distribute or reveal personal information quite efficiently. Posting to a social networking site is simpler or more convenient than e-mailing people, and generally more enjoyable. The threat is that surveillance capability, such as that manifested by Facebook, becomes universal: implanted within the architectures, processes, and the interests they cater to. Its value or use becomes ignored and its outcomes overlooked. As information is being transported quietly across national boundaries, the effect of surveillance becomes even more difficult to detect, monitor, and control. It is essential that this surveillance capability, derived from the supervision of operations and of private information, is used responsibly, justly, and respectfully as regards the law, civil and human rights. Exercising surveillance capability, such as that demonstrated by Facebook, can have quite unfavorable outcomes. Surveillance raises doubt or mistrust on those who use it. It places emphasis on resolving the damaging and adverse and it conveys a message to people who are watched that they are suspected or doubted. It is not impossible that in the near future Facebook will become the most powerful surveillance system the world has ever known. (4) Explain what Jenkins means with the following statement: “Welcome to convergence culture, where old and new media collide, where grassroots and corporate media intersect, where the power of the media producer and the power of the media consumer interact in unpredictable ways.” Henry Jenkins defines convergence as the transmission of information across various media systems, the collaboration between various media entities, and the wandering attitude of media spectators who will search everywhere in pursuit of the forms of entertainment they prefer. Convergence is a concept that tries to explain social, cultural, industrial, and technological changes relying on the person talking and his/her thoughts on the issue. In the domain of convergence, all major stories are recounted, all brands are trade, and all consumers are targeted across several media levels. The World Wide Web is transforming the relationship between the media and the people from nonparticipation or inactivity to active involvement or interactivity. By means of the Internet, users have obtained a medium to dynamically express their opinions and ideas, which can possibly influence how laws, regulations, and entertainment are created. It is a medium for the people to communicate their interests and ideas and influence lawmaking and other important public activities. The disadvantage of collective intelligence, though, is that it is a framework being exercised more dynamically to condemn and influence the entertainment sector than the political realm. Policymakers keep on occupying the position they consistently have and it is not yet definite if people really occupy a dynamic position in how policies and laws are developed. The political system has constantly been considerably affected by media industries. Hence, it is by means of the media that the people can communicate their opinions and ideas and have a dynamic position in their political institutions and governments. Jenkins discusses the way industries and marketers take into account the interests of their loyal customers. A person by him/herself cannot do a great deal in the World Wide Web or protesting with a placard in the street. Yet the Internet supports or assists the person in interacting with others who share common perspectives and goals, it is simpler and more convenient for individuals to interact, socialize, and mobilize through the Internet. Today, the challenge is to promote the application of collective intelligence to objectives outside entertainment which influence the society we inhabit. Convergence does not take place by means of media tools, regardless of how advanced they could be. Convergence arises in the thoughts of people and by means of their socialization with other people. Every person creates his/her own narrative from parcels of information obtained from the media dissemination and converted into useful ones or resources within which people interpret their daily existence. Today, individuals are becoming skilled at participating in knowledge communities beyond established educational settings. Convergence does not only include commercially formed services and products being transported along highly controlled, monitored, and expected mediums. It also takes place when people seize control over their media. Entertainment materials are not the only ones that are transmitted across several media channels. People’s preferences, dreams, and lives are also being disseminated across media platforms. This is the convergence culture that blurs the boundaries between fundamental societal fabrics. (5) Explain the characteristics of a knowledge community using as an example the Survivor community discussed by Jenkins. Knowledge community is a kind of online group focused on exchanging information or knowledge about a particular issue or concern to the audiences. A knowledge community generally promotes and is an outcome of the involved or participatory practices of a particular audience group. Knowledge communities emerge in social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Those who have similar goals and fascination in a particular issue locate one another in these online sites and in collaboration they create their collective intelligence, collaborating to assess the inputs of every new member to the collective intelligence to assess the validity, reliability, and precision of that newly formed or acquired knowledge on their particular issue. Jenkins characterizes knowledge communities as the core of the system of popular or grassroots convergence. A program’s producers prefer to point their audiences to the Internet and other mediums into the show to advertise both the program and their backers or supporters. Audiences respond to such and “look for ways to prolong their pleasure and engagement in a program and they are drawn towards the collaborative production and evaluation of knowledge” (Jenkins, 2006, 56). The preferences of the audiences and producers are not constantly similar, yet they can coincide or even clash. As stated by Jenkins, “The communities that are on one level are the producer’s best allies on another level may be their worst enemies” (Jenkins, 2006, 58). The involvement of the audiences is a very important idea included in convergence. In ‘Spoiling Survivor’, he talked about online groups’ collective intelligence that collaborated to foretell or spoil the ending or result of the widely watched reality show, Survivor. These alleged ‘spoilers’ exploit the knowledge that the whole season of show is videoed or recorded several months prior to its airing. Fanatic spoilers really exert tremendous efforts to find out the secrets of the reality show and find out who the successful competitor is. These spoilers severely desire to conquer or defeat the media producers. While these online groups exchange information, their objective is to look for secrets and truth. When unexpected spoilers seem declaring that they possess classified information, both the Survivor personnel and the spoiler groups challenge the legitimacy or credibility of a person who holds a great deal of information or knowledge. Jenkins stresses that this rise in collaborative capabilities of organized audiences can in fact assist the groups in promoting objectives or products. Reference Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York: NYU Press. Read More