Screen Cast Project!

I made a screen cast for class based on my paper on copyright and StumbleUpon. Enjoy.

Try to Walk Away but I Stumble

Logo for StumbleUpon.com

Everyday, several individuals find themselves killing time by using a site known as StumbleUpon.com. This site allows for users to post sites, photos, music, articles, and everything else you can think of. A user will create a profile that discusses their preferences and StumbleUpon will then send you content that fits you. Then the user gets to comment on, Like, or dislike the content that was provided. The purpose of this site is to push around user-generated content like a virtual art gallery, and by doing this, allowing information to be passed from one another. Though some might argue that StumbleUpon is used only for humorous pictures and videos, I would argue that useful and interesting articles are available as well. For example, I was recently sent a quiz that from the BBC Science to Test my nervous system.

            I would argue that this falls under Lessig’s view of a Read/Write culture. One of the main differences between a Read/Write culture and a Read-Only culture is the ability for the producer of the content and the receiver of the content to have an open line of communication. So on Stumbleupon.com, a generator of a certain video or article can discuss with anyone about everyone’s opinions, feelings, and thoughts about the content that they just viewed.  So as opposed to a Read-only culture, a site such as Stumbleupon.com allows individuals to have a constant communication with others about art and by keeping an open discourse, we learn more. I believe that Lessig would certainly agree that this site works as a Community Space that allows users to be in control of what they view and post reviews based on their opinions.

Lawerence Lessig

            But how does StumbleUpon.com get away with using all this content without breaching some form of Copyright law? StumbleUpon.com has a nifty legal document attached to it’s homepage that discusses that exact point. In section 3 of Stumbleupon.com ‘s Terms of Services, it discusses the use of content and intellectual property on the site. Overall it states that they do not own the content that is placed on their page. They state that by agreeing to the Terms of Services, a user of the site that places content agrees that they are placing their own work and is responsible if they place content on the page that is illegal. That being said, StumbleUpon.com has the ability to remove anything from their site that they deem illegal. This Terms of Service is a way for Stumble Upon to protect themselves from any sorts of legal action. Even though Lessig would disagree with taking legal action upon one of the users of this site, I think that he would agree that with the existing law, that it would certainly be possible. But that is why Lessig created certain amendments he feels should be made dealing with copyright law.

All Get Out

            One of the first arguments Lessig makes is Deregulating Amateur Activity. What this means is that using content for a noncommercial reason by someone who is an amateur should not have to deal with the copyright law. For instance, someone who produces a video about a baby dancing, puts it up for free, who just wanted to create a minute video about their joy of being a parent, is no reason to sue. However, if a Miramax film uses an All Get Out song without receiving credit, then a breach of the law has happened and Miramax deserves to deal with the consequences.  Another change that Lessig discusses is decriminalizing file sharing. Lessig argues that, "authorizing at least noncommercial file sharing with taxes to cover a reasonable royalty to the artists whose work is shared, or by authorizing a simple blanket licensing procedure, whereby users could, for a low fee, buy the right to freely file-share." I talked to a friend of mine who once went to a Blue Scholars' concert. My friend said that one of the first thing that the hip-hop duo said when entering the stage was “I know that all of you didn’t buy our album, but that’s ok because we don’t see a lot of that money anyways. We get paid by our shirts and shows, so thanks for paying for our ticket and grab a shirt before you leave.” Blue scholars then began to play. This is why I believe a lot of people get angry when a record company starts a war over a song arguing that the band isn’t getting paid for the songs that one steals. Though some might argue that decriminalizing file sharing might keep bands from making the money they deserve for their work, I take the stance of the indie band that see’s more money from selling shirts, posters, stickers, and concert tickets that would rather have you come to the concert.

 I feel as if Lessig makes a great argument for bettering copyright law.  I look at sites like StumbleUpon.com, Wikipedia, and Youtube.com and I realize how much I learn from these sites. StumbleUpon.com shows me useless videos, but I have also received a good amount of useful articles about filmmaking, psychology, and music. Some of these videos are of local bands playing a concert that was recorded on a smart phone. At the same time, had I not seen that video, I might not be the fan that I am today. I argue that a read/write culture is an important part of the way we learn, and if that is taken away from us, then we won’t really have a lot left. 

A video about how most popular bands are thieves. Enjoy

Remembering the Good 'Ole Days

The memory of using American Online is a little bit blurred by the years that have gone by, however certain thing stay in my mind like no time has passed at all.  While most of my friend’s families that had computers were placing them in central locations, my family was taking a different approach. Our computer was shoved into a tiny closet in my dad’s closet like a stepchild being punished. I never understood my parent’s choice of placement. Last time I checked, closet computers never really did much for the Feng Shui of a room.  The computer itself was a large chunky piece of equipment that took up more space in the closet than it gave you to sit.  The real question at the time was whether or not this new piece of technology was going to lead me to a new world of knowledge or destruction.

                My father first helped me sign in to AOL. We set up my screen name and password and I was so excited about the adventure that I was about to embark on. When I sign in, what do I hear? It sounded like what I would imagine the sound of 1,000 Furbies getting strangled by owners who had finally reached the breaking point. It was quite possibly the most horrendous sound that I had ever heard. Why did I have to listen to that noise when all I wanted to do was get to my AOL Kids Only area?  When I had finally reached my Narnia, I could not have been happier. I was web surfing all over the place. I took quizzes, looked at sports, and played games until my dad realized that I had been clogging up the phone line for 2 hours.  They eventually placed a restriction on the amount of time I was allowed to be on the computer at one time. They had hoped that this would keep me off the phone line for long amounts of time, but the monster had already been created. Even if I wasn’t using the phone line, I was always on the computer. So many games needed to be played. I played Number Muncher all the time. I made that little green man eat so many prime numbers that he started to have an obesity issue. I died so many times in Oregon Trail that Cerberus was like a pet. I made so many roller coasters that I should have already had a degree in physics. Playing on the computer was not my only activity of choice.  I played baseball, I swam on the swim team, I had friends, but when night rolled around and it was close to bedtime, you could be sure that I would be playing some sort of computer game.  Were my interactions with this new technology hurting me or helping me.

                I honestly believe that by learning and becoming comfortable with the computer and the World Wide Web helped me to become a more involved citizen of society. Take my parents as an example. Over time, they have not logged the hours of time that most people spend on the web. It’s hard for them to do simple task without calling my siblings or I when it comes to loading files from one disk to the hard drive. If I needed to find information on a certain topic, chances are that I can find what I need by the time that my parents have typed www.google.com. I took classes as an elementary student that helped me become a more efficient typist and researcher. I can use Adobe products to create concert posters or flyers to promote friends bands or my own agenda. I can edit songs and hour long radio programs together without thinking much about it. I contribute all of my technological abilities to an early start. Now, it can certainly be argued that Internet has and always will be used for the passing useless information from one’s brain to another, but at the same time, it is a powerful tool that can be used for good. Internet is a just like every other medium. Parents need to monitor what their kids are looking at, and it needs to be treated with respect. I think that  Vannever Bush’s intentions of creating a device that will pass along knowledge from one place to another has been fulfilled and it is up to us to use Internet in a responsible way. 

I have decided that I am going to help pass on something useful with every little blog post. 

This is a poet that I really dig and I think that others will as well. Enjoy.

Internet Studies - I'm pretty stoked about it,

I think it is safe to say that I am pretty stoked about studying them Internets. But sometimes being stoked can be dangerous. You'll see what I mean.