Fake News!!!

“Fake news” on the internet is an issue that must be address. Facebook and other social media has working diligently on how to combat “Fake news”.

Singapore is wagering war against “Fake news” by submitting new law forcing social media to carry out warning on posts that the government regarded as fault and forced the removal of any contents against “public interest”. Human rights are saying it is interfering with their freedom of speech. Some claimed that it puts too much power in the hand of the government and their determination what’s Fake or real news. If the new law passes, Facebook and other social media will need to comply or incurred a hefty fine. Facebook VP Simon Milner is concern “... the aspect of the law that grants broad powers to the Singapore executive branch to compel us to remove content they deem to be fault.” If “fake news” found on the media platform 3 times in a 6 months period there will be implication of the website, yet to be determined. Also, those who break the law there will be a $740000 fine and 10 years jail sentence.

I disagree with Singapore’s government enforcing their possible new law in regards to “fake news” in such a strict manner and along with a severe penalty. We’re living in world of social media and there are bound to be “Fake news”. Facebook and other social media sites are developing algorithm to detect “Fake news”. Although, I find it very interesting that Mark Zuckerberg is asking the government to play a more active role in regulating an online platform, when it’s clearly his responsibility. Users of the social media shouldn’t be too quick in believing what they read or seen that are posted on the internet. They should consider the source, read beyond the headline, check the credibility of the author, and question yourself if this real or “fake news”.

Is Transmedia Storytelling grown popularity?

According to Jenkins, Transmedia storytelling has grown an importance as Hollywood strategy because it is designed to share, and collaborate in a cohesive story experience across multimedia platforms. This will help the audiences to engage in the larger storytelling world. By integrating entertainment and marketing, it makes strong emotional attachments and use them to generate additional sales.  Also, Jenkin’s argument in the clip video regarding transmedia project is that by using the web to create transmedia exposure around their product, the amateurs and fans are able attaching themselves by adding fan fiction, fan video to expand their story with the use of convergence media of storytelling.

Some example of transmedia storytelling from Jenkin’s book was the original movie, The Matrix, which took us into a world where the line between reality and illusion is blurred. The Matrix phenomenon when originally viewed left many people perplexed, confused and some loved the movie. The movie created a huge fan base where people are voicing their opinion and interpretation of the movie. The Wachowski brothers played the transmedia game by first put the original film to stimulate interest, offering web comics, second film sequel, releasing computer game and followed by the last film sequel which later turn into a massive multiplayer online game. This is truly how transmedia work by building what has come before, while offering new points of entry.  

Star Wars is another example that moved from film into novels, it expanded the timeline to show events that were not contained in the film trilogies. Also, Star Wars transmedia went into games, those games did not just enact film events, they ventured into other stories such as the Jedi trainee, bounty hunter and many more for the fans and to generate revenue.  Other examples of transmedia storytelling he discussed in the book included Indiana Jones, and Lord of the Rings.

Another example is from the short clip video of how transmedia storytelling worked. In “2012 movie”, there was a whole website created that explained the destruction of the world which the scenario that played out in the movie and all the box stories were available in the web that the fan could drill much deeper into story than ever before. He explained it was about dispersing the information and created multi points of contact for the listeners to the story that have been told. It’s like one big jigsaw puzzle where audiences are comparing, sharing notes and collectively put together to form a meaningful hole...

Are you a member of online community?

Yes, I am !!!! I became a member of an online community called "Mom's Support Group" in the past few weeks. I decided to join this group because I am also a mom of two kids. This was my first time that I involved with strangers on social media. It was a bit weird when I posted my issue on this site for the first time since I usually never shared my own personal problems to the world.

So far, I am so happy with Mom's Support Group. There are a lot of members who have been in my shoes, gave me very useful advice how to cope with its problem. They gave very genuine comments and support that made me feel that I am not alone in this world.

It is an interesting online community, which can be found on Facebook. This group has very strict rule for members to comply. Every post or comment is screened by Admin before showing it on the site.

Last week, I just found out that one of my close friends in the U.S is also part of this group. She has been in hell with her marriage over 10 years and has 3 kids. She is still married but her husband and her do not talk to each other unless it is a significant matter, then they will talk. One member in the group posted her issues which was similar to my friend's issues. My friend shared her own story, and gave some advice to that member. That woman took my friend's advice serious and really appreciated too.   

I believe to be part of online community is very important because sometimes I do not want to share my issues with my family and friends, I rather share it with the strangers.

If you have not joined any online group yet, please find at least one that fit to your own preference, then JOIN IT!!!!   

Is anyone interested in watching Korean movies?

Recently, the Korean movies have gained popularity in America. I am one of those who is addicted to Korean movies than any other movies. How about you?  If you have never thought of watching it, you should consider, especially if you like romantic or drama.

Korean movies, generally, never go beyond one season, consist of only 16 episodes unlike the American's that continued with multiple seasons. Romance is forefront in the Korean movies, the movie mostly rated PG, no sexual physical relationship, only kiss is the most romantic things you can see throughout the drama. It emphasizes on the characters getting to know each other first before they become a girlfriend or boyfriend. Usually, main male character is from a rich family or more educated and main female character is from a middle class family or less educated. At the end of the movies, there always have a happy and peaceful ending, that is what I like about the Korean movies.

Thanks to convergence culture, now online streaming video are now getting easier to access, whereas the internet is available. I do not need to have Korean cable in order to watch its movies. Through online video streaming  services, I can just go to their websites using computer, or tablet, smart TV or my smart phone device to watch. 

There are a couple websites that I have been using to watch Korean movies such as Viki Ratuken, and Drama4fever. These are free websites that allowed you to view old episodes.  However, current ones are required to pay a fee.  The websites do allow me to watch for a few episodes of current movies to lure in and make me pay a monthly subscription fee if I wish to continue.  Those current movies will become available and free months later, usually 6 months to 1 yr later.

Since I did not want to pay the fee and still wanted to watch the remaining episodes, I was looking for other websites that could provide me with free access of the Korean's current movies, I came across this website https://www.viewasian.tv/tags/drama4u/. It is called "TV ViewAsia". It is free and available not only Korean movies but also Asian movies with English subtitle. There is an disadvantage of this website is the advertising always pop up at the beginning of each episode.

Also, now we can access some Korean Movies with English Subtitle through Netflix.

Check it out when you are available !!!     

    

Transmedia Storytelling

Transmedia Storytelling 

With convergence culture, transmedia storytelling  become an important tool for telling story using multiple platforms and digital technologies. For example, Harry Potter, a series of fantasy novels created by J.K. Rowling has expanded into a worldwide franchise because of the successful use of transmedia storytelling. Harry Potter originally a published series, consist of 7 novels and was eventually was produced into movies. This is a conventional path in transmedia storytelling within the entertainment industry.

Because of each transmedia storytelling reflects the economics of media consolidation, the media conglomerate has an incentive to spread its brand or expand its franchises across as many different media platforms as possible. Consider, for example, the comic books published in advance of the release of such films as Batman Begins, Superman Returns, Avengers, Super Heroes. These comics provided back-story which enhanced the viewer's experience of the film even as they also help to publicize the forthcoming release.

What Is Cool About Spotify?

Spotify is a digital music streaming service that gives users access to millions of songs, podcasts and videos from artists all over the world. Spotify was launched in 2008 base in Stockholm, Sweden. It is a “freemium” service which provide both free and subscription based services. For free version of Spotify is ad-supported which can be accessed on PC, Laptop and mobile phone, degraded audio quality, and cannot listen offline. For premium version, there is free-ads, enhanced sound, listened offline, and discounted “student” subscription, and can have up to 3,333 songs available to listen offline up to three different devices.   

Users can create a playlist and add their favorite songs to its Playlist for personal listening pleasure or share with friends or to public. Spotify is very smart to know what kind of genre, or artists, or specific mode/environment, users like to listen based on the past record, and then those type of genres or artists will present to users in the future.

Moreover, “Discover Weekly” is a playlist of songs that Spotify think users will love or suggest new songs based upon what the users have been listening recently. It automatically refreshes every Monday, so users make sure to save the favorite before it updates, however, it does not affect the users’ personal set up. Discover Weekly is considered to be worth pay attention for. According to Spotify, more than 1 billion songs have been streamed through Discover Weekly playlists, and more than 70% of listeners saved at least one track to their own playlists over the past 10 weeks. Here is the link: https://support.spotify.com/us/using_spotify/playlists/discover-weekly/

Spotify connect also allows users to listen the music in more places and with more devices through a variety of different Wi-Fi connected devices such as Wi-Fi speakers, Amazon Echo, Chromecast, PC and much more. It offers a choice in how the users control the music playing on Spotify account.  

Spotify’s premium fee is $9.99 per month, which now comes with Hulu and the new users can access for 30 days free, including millions of music, Podcasts, T.V, and movies. Here it is a link to the promotion: https://www.spotify.com/us/hulu/

Teens and Cyberbullying

Dana Boyd argues that social media has not radically altered the dynamics of bullying, but it has made these dynamics more visible to more people. I agreed with her, Bully has been the main issue for teens before the social media was widespread. Blaming technology is not going to resolve or minimize its bully. Teens nowadays are very stubborn, especially things that we do not want them to do it, they will rebel and aggressively do it to against adults or parents’ order. It is true what Dana Boyd said “recognizing where teens are at and why they engage in particular acts of meanness and cruelty is important to creating interventions that work.” I think we needs to know where the teens are at now and what kind of friends or groups they involve with, these may lead to define issues why they engage in such mean and cruel activities. I believe some bullies are happened because teems are struggling with their own problems and do not know how to cope with its situation may decide to harm others. However, some teens think that by creating aggressively and repeatedly action toward others, it will make them feel happier, look cool, and sometimes creating an excitement for them. 

Even through, I agreed with Dana Boyed, I still think Illinois should adopt the cyberbullying law like Michigan. Majority of teens do not listen to adults or their parents, and do whatever they want to do behind their parents. With the law in place, it will help limiting and setting boundary for teens to behavior or act within certain range and if they still want to do, they may face consequences to be in jail and pay fines.  

The punishments only add to the “drama”, I think it is true. If adults or parents punish their kids by halting teens completely from using social medias or online sites, this may cause more trouble. As I mentioned early teens at this age are very curious with everything and stubborn. Things we do not want them to see, they will want to see and things we do not want them to do, they will do it. And sometimes teens start to losing trust in adult or parents when they find out that what parents or adults tell them are not true. It is hard when teens are living in society that full of freedom and opportunity. Teems think their ideas and action are more logical and so current. They believe adults’ thinking are in old fashion and need to be up-to-date.  

What is Online Ethnography?

Online Ethnography is an online research method used to study detail or “thick description” through observation and understanding of online behavior and level of knowledge within a group of individuals with a common interest need or desire. Online Ethnographers observe the online websites, forums, or communities where the individuals in the group are talking, sharing information, experiences or providing support with a situation. Also Online Ethnographers will immerse themselves and engage directly with active members of the online communities to gain a deeper insight.

Have you ever heard of “LambdaMOO”?

I have never heard of LambdaMOO until my professor introduced it to me in the class last week. It is an free Online Community that allow users to interact with other users within the same room. LambdaMOO has been around since late 1990 or early 1991 by Pavel Curtis at Xerox PARC. LambdaMOO is required users to have a working email in order to join. Once users submit the email, the users must wait a few days before they receive a randomized character name and password. In the meantime, users can play LambadMoo as a guest. I started as a guest, so I could join LambdaMOO immediately. It was a different experience compared to other social medias I have been using. It was bit confused for me at the beginning on how to get into the room, but later it was fun to chat with other users in the same room about any thing. 

New players and guests traditionally connected in "The Coat Closet” which open onto the center of the house and in The Living room, a common hangout and place for conversation. Guest can leave any time from one room to another by typing the direction user wants to go such as “S” or “N” or “E” or “W” or “NW” and so on but the users cannot go farther or skip rooms to get to the destination. It has to be connected from one room to another room.

Come and give a try if you have not joined LambdaMOO yet. It will be more fun if you explore it yourself.

What is PINTEREST?

Recently, I was introduced by one of my friends to a new app called “Pinterest”. She recommended to download its app if I want to look for food recipes from all around the world. I have never heard of Pinterest before until she told me. I can check any thing I want by typing in the search engine of Pinterest, it will be popped out, which is similar to Google’s search engine, but it is in smaller scale. On the homepage of Pinterest, there are variety of images rather than the contents. If I am interested in food, I click on food, it will appear variety of food images and when I select on its image, it will show recipe of its food at the bottom. 

Here is the general information about Pinterest, Pinterest is a social images platform and a visual discovery engine for finding ideas like recipes, home, and style inspiration, and more. Home feed is the center of Pinterest, where we will find ideas, or pins, with recommendations based on your interests. When we discover ideas or Pins we love, save them to boards to keep your ideas organized and easy to find. There is a following tab on the home page where we can discover ideas by clicking on the people we want to follow. Thus, it allows users to visually share, and pose images or videos. Users can interact with each other through liking, commenting, re-saving each other’s stuff and private messaging each other. It is a free web and app but needs to set up an account to start using it. 

Pinterest was found in 2010 and the company has received $1.5 billion in funding from 37 firms including Rakuten, Goldman Sachs, and Andreessen Horowitz. Roughly 250 Roughly 250 million users, or "pinners," use the bulletin board-like platform every month to browse and share images and other content in the form of "pins." Here it is linked: https://www.pinterest.com/barbfriedberg/investopedia/ 

I would strongly recommend to use Pinterest app, especially people who are interested in cooking and want to discover new food to cook for family, Pinterest will be your best friend.

What do you think about Google/Alphabet?

In my opinion, Google has changed people’s lives significantly through Google’s search engine and other tools. People can find information at fingertip and quickly whereas the internet is available. People used to watch TV or read newspapers or listen to radio to know the news and things happen around the globe, however, Google has brought us to a new level of accessing news and information by typing whatever we want to know in the search engine, its information will be popped up immediately. It is simple, easy to use, and free. Based on Internet Live Stats, an average people use search engine per day is 3.5 billion and 1.2 trillion per year. Here it is the link: http://www.internetlivestats.com/google-search-statistics/. 

Google needs to make money somehow in order to keep the company runs long-term and to provide free search engine, email service, web browser, and various online tools for users to use at work, at home, and on the go. Google’s main revenue are from advertising the products or services. I noticed that when I search for a method to release stress in several websites, there will be several kinds of products or services popped up on the top or on the sides that related to release stress. I did not bother with those advertisings because sometimes, it helped me to reach to the products that I did not know it exists.

Thus, in October 2015, Google/Alphabet changed motto from “Don’t be evil” to “Do the right thing” due to criticisms. The question is “Does Google/Alphabet really always do the right thing?” It is hard to answer its question, Google does not charge advertisers unless the users click to view its ads unlike TV, Newspaper, or Radio. Also, Google tries not to influence on users’ decision to buy the products or services that advertise through its websites. However, some people believe that Google still provides some bias information regarding ethnic, gender, and so on. So, I cannot say Google always do the right things, there are still some errors that needs to be fixed but overall, I think Google has been doing a good job.

Should I have a Blog?

When Trine-Maria Kristensen was introduced to the blog at the first time in 2003, she was in skeptical. I am now in her shoes as I am new to weblog. I am wondering and questioning myself, what is the use to have a blog to express my opinion about things, and who would care to read my opinions if we are not relatively known each other. Kristensen had precisely explained why she started to have her own blog which helped her connecting to other bloggers and built network all around the world whose shared the same interests and perspective on specific topics. She used the weblog to post things that irritated her or sometimes she requested the tips or advice from the bloggers and she got good responses. I agreed with her, most of time it is really good to get other’s opinions on things that bothering us and probably we learn new things unexpectedly by engaging with others. I believe the new media bring people close to each other with physical distance. 

She also mentioned blogs are benefit to businesses for commercial their products and services and to get feedback honestly from bloggers on change, problems, dilemmas the businesses may face. It is kind of making sense with the advance media technology, businesses must take advantage of its new media to approach consumers and get feedback from them on how to improve their products or services with minimizing the costs. The most important, we can get the honest responses.

By reading her story and the benefit of using blog, I am inspired and anxious to have my own blog, even though, I am a bit shy to express my ideas to the world. It seems the weblog is very benefit to people who want to connect to the world or want to world to know them either for the career or personal reasons in the informal way. Kristensen gave very good tips for new blogger and how to make blog very catchy to the outsiders. So, I need to stay true to myself, express sincerity and being serious to what I wrote but be kind when I comment on the blogs and provide the link that are useful to readers or bloggers to support the ideas or arguments.  

My First Blog Post!!

Hi, This is my first blog post!