The internet: every liers dream.

The internet is freedom. There are no rules or specific guidelines and people are able to write whatever they like. There are however, ethics. When do peoples morals come in? Sometimes, they don't.
In the blog 'bruises fade, internet history doesn't", the author states that there are no longer gatekeepers of information.  Also that we now have the ability to create, design and share any information online.
Hamelink (2006) discusses how the internet is full of lies and deceit. He raises the point that there is a great deal of misleading news and other information online which is often created by marketers, PR proffessionals etc.
This got me thinking about wikipedia. We all know that that this website isn't the most reliable of sources. In fact, WikiNews states that in 2005 Wikipedia was the victim of many April fool's jokes as any member of society can edit information on the website. One of these edits suggested that the reason their webpages load slowly is because their toaster broke and they've been using solar panels for power ever since!



www.google.com/images/wikipedia+jokes

 Clearly people, don't believe what you read online unless you are certian is fact.
Next time you're playing around with wikipedia, consider the ethics and those whose reputations you might be harming.

References
Hamelink, C. (2006). The Ethics of the Internet: Can we cope with Lies and Deceit on the Net? In Ideologies of the Internet, K. Sarikakis & Daya Thussu, pp. 115-130. New Jersey: Hampton Press.

WikiNews 2005. Wikipedia victim of onslaught of April Fool's Jokes. Retrieved from http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikipedia_victim_of_onslaught_of_April_Fool's_jokes. Accessed 28 March 2011

You're Welcome 2011. Bruises fade, internet history doesn't. Retreived from http://generationrepulic.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=3. Accessed 28 March 2011

We are who our playlists say we are.

What would you think if you saw this poster in a friends room?

Prepare to see me naked.

According to Steven Levy (2006), sharing your iPod playlist with others has the same effect as standing nude infront of them.

If someone was to sift through my iTunes library they would probably think that I had music bilpolar. Perhaps I do. Discover my mixed personalities as I randomly sift through my ipod.

First off the mark - the old school beach bopper comes out with "Little Deuce Coupe - The Beach Boys".

Next I'd like you to meet the cowgirl who listens to "Not Ready To Make Nice - The Dixie Chicks".

The mellow, acoustic guitar loving girl in me comes out whenever I hear "Rodeo Clowns - Jack Johnson".

Lastly,  I turn into a hopeless romantic, swaying as I hear "Fever - Michael Buble".

I judged and analysed myself as I realised how varied and sometimes bizzare my taste in music can be. God forbid what you must think! I have exposed myself.

Cambridge University’s Jason Rentfrow suggests that by allowing others to view your playlists may "reinforce stereotypes and, potentially social prejudices." (Cnet News 2009).

Perhaps sharing a music playlist really is the same as standing nude infront of a crowd.

References

Cnet News 2009. What your iPod playlist says about you. Accessed 21 March 2011 at http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10315679-71.html 

 

Levy, S. 2006. The perfect thing: How the iPod shuffles commerce, culture and coolness. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks

The world is a stage – and all those online, are the stars.

Pearson (2009) suggests that the owners of pages on social networking sites can be compared to actors in performances. I must say that I agree with this theory.

The creators of these pages are able to mould their identity into whatever they like through the use of pictures and words. They can describe their interests and hobbies without any evidence of being involved in these activities.

Does having the ability to edit your identity online give you the opportunity to perform as someone else?

Goffman (1959, quoted in Pearson 2009) describes social interaction as performance in the sense that humans are constantly sharing their identity with others. Social networking websites such as Facebook, support this theory as users showcase their lives to others.

Facebook (2011) now allows users to ‘check-in’ to their location so that virtual friends can know their whereabouts.  For some online performers, this tool is used in order to enhance their social status by ‘checking-in’ at places which are cool and trendy even when they are not there.

Reputations can also be created virtually when these websites allow users to carefully mould and display who their 'friends' are.

Social networking sites allow users to convince all of their online friends that they are more exciting than what they really are.

Reference List

Facebook 2011. Accessed 14 March 2011 at www.facebook.com

Pearson, Erika. 2009. "All the World Wide Web's a stage: the Performance of Identity in Online Social Networks" in First Monday, Volume 14, Number 3. Accessed March 14, 2011. http://blackboard.qut.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/contentWrapper.jsp?content_id=_3612480_1&displayName=Week+2+Readings&course_id=_74007_1&navItem=content&href=http%3A%2F%2Ffirstmonday.org%2Fhtbin%2Fcgiwrap%2Fbin%2Fojs%2Findex.php%2Ffm%2Farticle%2Fview%2F2162%2F2127.