Proposal

Social Media and Cultural transformation

Elizabeth Smurlick Maxym Chernyshov Sebastian Lopez Fernandez Samuel Roulston, Valentin Dianov

CCT205 Rhon Teruelle and Jeremy Fernie <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 14pt;">March 1, 2012

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">1. Introduction <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Internet can be perceived as an extension of ones social life. Through it one can share thoughts, memories, and experiences with others at any given time. The Internet also allows one to communicate with friends and family around the world instantly <span class="UnsupportedObjectText Selected SCX3808400" style="background-color: highlight; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;">[Soft Break] <span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">through text or video chat. The websites that provide these services are called social media and are comprised of social networks. Throughout the last decade social media has gained popularity to the point that it has become the number one form of communication in the word <span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">. <span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">However, one must be aware of the dangers or malicious Internet use as well as the implications of subscribing to social networks such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter, or even blogging and instant communication services. There are both positive and negative aspects of social media. This project will specifically examine the aspects of cultural transformation and Diasporas, social media interactions, cyber bullying, sexual perversions, and privacy. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">2. Cultural Transformation and Diasporas <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the past decade social networking has become extremely popular and far-reaching across our technology dependant world. The world has become a smaller place, but is that world shutting itself off to real life communication and sense of community? As Takahashi argues that social media is, “increasing global spatial proximity in the world today and how the media and ICT naturally play a significant part in this process of ‘making the world a smaller place’.” (Takahashi 459) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Communication technology is incredibly useful for immigrants in keeping touch with their relatives in their country of origin, but what affect does that have on their integration in their new country? Social media, and a reliance on the virtual could be ruining the possibility for a diverse yet connected, tolerant society. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">With social media, or technology “in a few seconds the ‘real’, of the hear and now, of a foreign location, or exotic event is available to someone back in the USA [or Canada]” meaning that the world is more connected than ever before (Webb and Schirato 256). A more connected society would suggest a more culturally diverse and interconnected society. As Webb and Schirato argue about social media, “an important aspect of its transformative capacity is its ability to bring cultures together, and to allow us to ignore the limitations of our bodies” (257). We are able to stay connected with loved ones we don’t physically get to see but are able to maintain a ‘real time’, virtual relationship. As a result, the need for an immigrant, for example, to integrate with a new culture would be diminished as they hold the ability to maintain their previous way of life with the same human relationships through virtual means. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Social media is supposed to “manifest any real connections among the peoples of the world or to initiate ‘community’, but rather to manifest difference” and could highlight difference and make a diverse group only more introverted and less able to integrate (Webb and Schirato 257). Technology, according to Webb and Schirato, “supposedly makes barriers, differences and contexts irrelevant. And yet it is as likely to reinforce different boundaries, and both reinscribe and police them” (Webb and Schirato 260). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Social media can also be argued to represent real life cultural groups. For example, the most popular social network in Japan is Mixi, comparable to Facebook’s popularity in Canada (Takahashi 456). Mixi enables an entire community, whether in Japan or not, to stay connected. Would this be detrimental to Japanese immigrants in being a part of Canadian society, and diverse culture? Webb and Schirato write that, “the claim that communication technologies elevate the sense of community and allow global populations to connect is a utopian dream” (257). Social media and communication technologies may be revolutionary in the way we connect as a culture and society but also limits communication and involvement into new cultures and societies. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">3. Social media interactions <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Social media and e-commerce, over the past decade, has revolutionized the way in which we interact with one another and our business practices, these new media platforms have created many new opportunities for people to express themselves and also create new business strategies. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Social networks have provided individuals with the ability to stay connected with one another unlike never before. For example, communication technologies such as Skype not only provide people with the ability to communicate with anyone around the globe via video conferencing, but has also revolutionized aspects of health care, such us psychiatry (Farrell, Mossman 2011). A practice, which formally relied on face-to-face interaction has been improved through the integration of social technologies (such as Skype) whereby patients are now able to connect with their doctors via Skype rather then in person. Although this is not a perfect substitute for face to face interaction, it does present several benefits such as the ability for patients with emotional problems which prohibit their ability travel to or communicate with their psychiatrist with out leaving their home (Farrell and Mossman 2011). This digital solution provides many other benefits, such as cost reduction and accessibility, by which patients are able so save travel costs and time and ultimately attain faster access medical practitioners. In the same effect other social websites communities such as Craigslist also provide convenient service to its users. Through convergence on a grand scale Craigslist is able to provide its users with access to their direct needs, whether it be a finding a job or a pet, it can be found in one place. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yet convergence and accessibility are not the only benefits to social media networks. An ever-increasing amount of networks are becoming marketing and advertising platforms for businesses. As in the case of Tumblr who acknowledges that encouraging celebrities to set up accounts on the site has become, "absolutely part of our road map and our business plan" (MacMillan 2009). The idea being that where celebrities go fans will follow, a point proven to be true on many occasions as reported by MacMillan, “Oprah Winfrey's recent debut on micro blogging service Twitter sent visits to the site skyrocketing 43% over the previous week” (MacMillan 2009). The power of reach of social networks has been understood not only by celebrities but even the government as during Obama’s administration the white house set up its first Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace pages to enhance communications with the public (MacMillan 2009). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">4. Cyber bullying <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cyber bullying is simply bullying conducted using electronic or online tools. While any online tool can be used to perpetuate bullying and hatred, social media is the predominant medium. While the breakdown of the term is simple, the issues themselves are not. Cyber bulling is a global problem (Shariff). Governments and schools around the world are struggling with how to properly react (Shariff). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Even though cyber bulling is an online issue, its effects carry directly into the real world. Cyber bulling  can have impacts on self-esteem; making individuals feel disrespected, insulted, and rejected. It can also have much more drastic effects. In the United States, suicide is one of the top three leading causes of death among 10-19 year olds (Hinduja and Patchin). Results from a research study with a sample size of 1,963 people concluded that cyber bulling is “associated with an increase in suicidal ideation” (Hinduja and Patchin). While this study determined that it is unlikely that isolated cyber bulling leads to suicide, cyber bulling is a contributing factor to suicide among adolescents (Hinduja and Patchin). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bullying has always been, and will always be an issue. The added problem that cyber bullying brings is a virtual safety net for the bully. Bullies feel safer behind their computer screen. It allows them to say anything, as it is often the perception that there are no consequences in virtual environments. Many who partake in cyber bulling do not even consider themselves to be bullies, rather believing that they are just being funny (Shariff). In fact, the most common form of cyber bulling is “post[ing] something online about another person to make others laugh” (Hinduja and Patchin). In one case, a high school student Photoshopped his teacher’s head onto a naked body, a body of a chicken and a monkey’s body (Shariff). The pictures were posted on an online social form. The perpetrator did not realize that his acts were bulling, and he certainly did not realize that they were illegal. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">5. Sexual Perversions <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Internet is a platform that allows people to communicate across great distances, share content across multiple social medias, and engage in intimate cyber sexual encounters. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the early days of personal computing, computers were primarely used for two purposes: balancing checkbooks, and organizing recipes (Mills 1998). As more on-line services emerged and became available to the public, so did new ways of using the Internet. One very popular service that has taken the Internet by storm is anonymous online chatting. There is much allure to what practitioners refer to as “cyber”. Cyber tends to attract people who are too shy to physically engage themselves in interactions. The appeal of cyber encounters is the anonymity that goes hand in hand with it (Mills 1998). As diverse as one may be, one can trust in the Internet for there to be a number of chat rooms to cater to those different preferences. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Recently, online chat (text only) has evolved into online video chat. This service has become progressively popular and currently has websites such as Chatroulette, BlurryPeople, RandomDorm, Omegle, vChatter, etc... in its arsenal (Xing and Yu-Li 2011). The popularity of these anonymous video chat websites is growing at an exponential rate. Most of these websites were only introduced less than one year ago, and statistics show that membership and visits to websites like Chatroulette have grown by 500% since 2010 (Xing and Yu-Li 2011). More over, over tens of thousands of users are online every 24 hours at any point in time (Xing and Yu-Li 2011). In July of 2010, Chatroulette documented 1.3 million US users and 6.3 million users in total (Xing and Yu-Li 2011). Most of these chats involve people discussing different topics, playing music etc... however, as one can expect, many people are exposing themselves within these chat rooms and engaging in sexually explicit behavior such as “flashing” and or revealing themselves completely on camera (Xing and Yu-Li 2011). One cannot say that new needs emerged because these needs were always a part of society. There is really nothing new about sexual “chatting” because prior to the digitalization of pornography and sexual encounters there were singles bars, phone sex, “escort” services, “massage” parlors, and before all that, brothels (Mills 1998). All of these services were very well established far before the Internet became popular, peoples sexual focus has just shifted to a new platform. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">6. Privacy <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">For many users the Internet is a place where one can share their unique individuality with others and is therefore given a purpose in their lives. For example, in Canada alone there are well over 16.6 million Facebook users and over 750 million users worldwide (Barrigar). However, to the social websites, users are no more than categories of personal data for profit. As social media continues to gain popularity it is important to examine what many individuals sacrifice in order to be part of the ever-growing bank of personal information called social media. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Facebook is among the most popular social media websites. Upon registering to Facebook the user is asked to agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. In the next step the user has the option of providing personal information such as hometown, sex, religious beliefs, hobbies and other things that make you who you are. What many Facebook users don’t know is that this information is being categorized to target “you” through advertising and third party applications (Dwyer et al). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">A main area of concern with social media websites is privacy. Terms of service and privacy contracts are often very long and many users refrain from reading them. What many user do not know is that by agreeing to the policies one grants: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is problematic because users are no longer in control of their information and even their identity. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">By uploading personal information one also runs the risk of becoming victims of fraud or data theft. Because some social networks may choose to share personal information with the public, a evildoer may steal a users information to ultimately create a clone account in order to commit acts of fraud (Barrigar). Therefore it is important to read and acknowledge the terms of service and to privatize as much information in the “privacy settings” section of the social network. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">A second area of concern is information retention. Many websites such as Skype Blogger, or Hi5 do not allow account deletion and permanently retain personal information. Other websites such as Facebook, twitter and Tumblr do, however, they reserve the right to retain information for a few months or even years (Barrigar). This is problematic because the personal information that was once provided is now in hands of an actor who may choose to sell or share the information with others. This may lead to other forms of fraud or identity loss. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">While social media is appealing to many it is important to be aware of the implications of uploading personal information to websites that may hold the right to retain or use private information at their will. As the world thrives towards a technologically dependent global society it is imperative to read and acknowledge the terms of service and privacy before joining any social network to prevent identity loss or fraud. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">7. Conclusion <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Internet has revolutionarily improved the way society lives, communicates,, socializes, and, conducts business. However, although we benefit from this revolution, it also poses a series of problems that can affect one physically, financially, emotionally, as well as their community involvement or even safety. Cyber bullying, fraud, social exclusion, and sexual perversion each are some of the problems that are either created or encouraged by the use of social networks for our primary basis for communication. As promising as the Internet can be in transforming culture and virtually connecting individuals, one should be cautious of the problems implicated with such behavior as it can hamper our relationships and future. As we approach an evermore technologically dependent society one should question the influence and power of the Internet over our society, relationships, and individuality.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">third party applications to access the social media database including your personal information (Dwyer et al).
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">the right to share personal information with legal authorities upon a legitimate request (Facebook). Facebook’s terms of service and privacy no longer apply Facebook also holds
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">the right to publicly share your name, display picture, and network with others

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Works Cited <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Barrigar, Jennifer. “Social Network Site Privacy: A Comparative Analysis of Six Sites.” The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (2009): 1-48. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dwyer, Catherine; Hiltz, Starr Roxanne; Passerini, Katia. “Trust and Privacy Concern Within Social Networking Sites: A Comparison of Facebook and MySpace.” Americas Conference on Information Systems. (2007): 1-12. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Farrell, Helen M. and Mossman, Douglas. <span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: 新細明體,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“ <span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Practicing psychiatry via Skype: medicolegal considerations <span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: 新細明體,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">” <span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Current Psychiatry. 10.12 (2011): p30. Web. 25 Feb. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">MacMillan, Douglas. <span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: 新細明體,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“ <span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Social Media: The Ashton Kutcher Effect <span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: 新細明體,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">” <span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> BusinessWeek Online. 7.7  <span class="UnsupportedObjectText Selected SCX3808400" style="background-color: highlight; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;">[Soft Break] <span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">(2009): p1. Web. 25 Feb. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mills, Russell. "Cyber: Sexual Chat on the Internet." The Journal of Popular Culture. 32.3 (1998): 31-46. Print. 24. Feb. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Patchin, Justin and Sameer Hinduja. "Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Suicide." Archives of Suicide Research 14.3 (2010): 206-221. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Xinyu, Xing. Liang, Yu-Li. “SafeVchat:Detecting Obscene Content and Misbehaving Users in Online Video Chat Services.” Computer Science - Crypotography and Security (2011). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Shariff, Shaheen. Confronting Cyber-bulling. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009. Print. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Takahashi, Toshie. “MySpace or Mixi? Japanese engagement with SNS (social networking sites) in the global age.” New Media & Society (2010): 453-475. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; display: block; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="TextRun SCX3808400" style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Webb, Jen. Schirato, Tony. “Communication Technology and Cultural Politics.” Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies.(2006): 255-261. Web. 21 Feb 2012.