Don't Blame The Web

We as a society have become overly concerned with violence in the media.  We believe that the internet, television, movies, music and video games are corrupting the children and impressionable young adults of America and causing them to act out.

Placing the blame to such a great extent on the media, and social media in particular is wrong.  

To blame Craigslist for the murders committed by Philip Markoff would be like blaming Toyota for one of their cars being involved in a drunk driving accident.  Sure, a car can be dangerous if the operator is unable to use it properly.  But the creator of the vehicle isn't responsible for the actions of the operator.

This analogy applies perfectly to our current social media and the way it is being perceived ever so often.  Sites such as Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and Craigslist are products.  Nearly all the content on these sites is driven by users.  There is nothing inherently good or bad about them.  They aren't safe, but they aren't unsafe.  Your experience with these sites relies entirely on how you choose to use them.

So what needs to be done?  Nothing.  These social networking sites don't create crime.  They may facilitate violence, but only as much as a kitchen knife or a baseball bat would.  There is the potential for violence, but only when already motivated users decide to make it that way.  We all don't cut our steaks with plastic knives because Sharon Simpson or Sharon Tate were stabbed to death.  So why should we compromise our social media sites because of the outliers?

We shouldn't.  What we should do is be mindful of the possibilities of these sites--both the good and the bad.  By increasing our media literacy in this regard, we will be able to avoid these pitfalls, and not have to cower in fear at the thought of interacting with another person across the internet.

Why Alternate Reality Games Aren't For Everyone

The idea of alternate reality gaming is somewhat of a new frontier in the world of media.  The alternate reality game is a relatively ambiguous concept that involves taking elements from a fictional world or fictional set of circumstances and implanting them into the real world for users to interact with as if they were a part of their reality.  These alternate reality games can be implemented in a variety of ways, usually taking advantage of the the ubiquitous technology we've all become so entrenched in.  Also, they can be implemented for a variety of purposes such as advertising (The Art of the Heist), storytelling (The Lost Experience), and even social action (Evoke).

Alternate reality games provide a unique, pervasive form of "play" that is becoming increasingly popular, and amassing small groups of hardcore fans and followers.  But, a few of the factors that make these games so intriguing to some, make them nearly or completely inaccessible to others.  Alternate reality games are definitely not for everyone.

First, for someone to get involved in such a game, one must have a committed and deep interest in the content.  Second, even if that interest is present, one must have a certain knowledge base to attain or understand most of the content from the game.  Because of this, the number of actual participants in these games is quite small compared to the number of passive observers, or people who are completely oblivious to the game.

To examine these limitations more closely, let's look at The Lost Experience.  In a nutshell, the Lost Experience was an alternate reality game that provided an unfolding narrative parallel to the narrative of the ABC television program Lost.  Most of the content from this ARG was web-based, however there was also a tie-in novel that was published, and at least one live event that was considered part of the game.

However, for a user to even become aware of this game, he/she must have enough of an interest in Lost and enough media literacy to discover the allusions made to the ARG.

In addition to this, once one became aware of the game or "fell down the rabbit hole," an entirely different and unique set of skills were required to actually play it.  According to the Lostpedia wiki-entry on the game, to find all of the clues and fully comprehend all the information from the game, users must have some knowledge of web-browsing and source code, Adobe Photoshop, cryptology, mathematical coding, classical mythology, foreign languages, and more!

Undoubtedly, the game was designed to be a cryptic and difficult "scavenger hunt" and to require a great amount of collaboration among users.  However, this isolates the vast majority of the Lost audience and leaves The Lost Experience to only the most hardcore of fans.  And in the case of this particular ARG this was more than likely the intended outcome by the creators of the game.

There is definitely an exclusivity factor underlying all of these alternate reality games.  Sometimes it can enhance the game, as in the case of the mysterious narratives of The Lost Experience.  But this same exclusivity factor could easily be detrimental in the case of ARG's that are designed solely for the purpose of promotion and advertising.  While alternate reality games are very interesting and becoming more prevalent, they aren't reaching mass audiences in the same way other forms of media are. 

Wikipedia and Politics

"A Wikipedia article is a process, not a product, and as a result, it is never finished," says Clay Shirkey, author of Here Comes Everybody.  He describes Wikipedia as a collective knowledge base where anyone can contribute information on any topic at any time.  What results is one of the most up-to-date, detailed, and (usually) accurate sources of information on the web.

Because of these things, Wikipedia is currently one of the most visited websites in the United States.  So, in the search results for nearly any subject on any popular search engine will have the Wikipedia page near the top of relevant sites.  Of course, there are many positive and negative implications that come along with Wikipedia's ease of accessibility and editing.

To exemplify the fluidity and popularity of Wikipedia, let's examine the way in which the site was used in the 2008 elections.

Wikipedia articles were one of the first pages to appear after a search for any given candidate.  And because these pages were completely user generated, campaigns had very little control over what was posted on their candidates page.  Of course, it is the campaign's desire to paint their candidate in the most positive light possible.  So, naturally, they want the page to be as factually accurate as possible.  Or do they?

Supporters of former North Carolina Senator John Edwards apparently wanted to omit the highly publicized $400 dollar haircuts he received on the campaign trail.  Mitt Romney's campaign were attempting to leave out details of his two weddings--one for a Mormon audience, and one for those who were not part of the religion.  And Fred Thompson supporters were allegedly trying to conceal the fact that the former Senator from Tennessee's birth name was "Freddie."

Of course these are all minor biographical details about each individual, but all these pieces of information ended up being accurate--and they would have probably not been as widely known had it not been for Wikipedia.  Because any one can post anything on any subject, that information sees the light of day.

However, this free and fast information comes with a price.  Wikipedia, being user generated, often faces questions of legitimacy.  And sometimes this questioning is legitimate, as the site has seen it's fair share of vandalism.  For example, the page for President Obama has been attacked with false information and pictures on several occasions.  In one instance a picture of a naked black man was posted as a picture of Obama on his Wikipedia page.  However, in this case, the picture was taken down only two minutes after being posted.

So Wikipedia is definitely susceptible to its pitfalls.  However, what makes it vulnerable to such vandalism is also what makes it such a valuable tool in the information age.  And in Wikipedia's case, I believe the good firmly outweighs the bad.

Lamebook!

Without belaboring the obvious, social networking is something that nearly everyone is making use of, all be it in a variety of ways.  Users are able to carry over their daily personal socialization into Facebook, connect to old friends living in other parts of the world, promote and organize upcoming events, and much more.

Facebook, like it or not, has become a cultural institution, and most of the general population is familiar with it's more implicit functions.  However, there are also a variety of other functions that people may not be acutely aware of--like how funny it can be.

Now, Facebook has even become a source for humor.  Websites and blogs such as Failbook, Lamebook, and FacebookFails.com host captured images from anonymous Facebook profiles for all the world to see.  The images on these sights highlight a variety of things including humorous comments, status updates, and pictures, and the kind of content found on these sites covers an entire spectrum.  After all, the content on Facebook is whatever users choose it to make it.

Some of this humor is harmless.  Some is overtly offensive.  Most of it is really funny.  Examples:

One of the recurring themes of these sites is highlighting the ineptitude and/or carelessness of users.

Another theme is highlighting users that share too much information.

Yet another is the comical interaction between parents and children.







These images are funny and entertaining for us, but also serve as a friendly reminder to all of us.  First, that we should all be conscientious of the kind of content we are sharing on social networking sites.  Second, that the ways in which these social networking sites is constantly evolving beyond their intended or implicit functions.

Facebook wasn't designed to provide comedic entertainment, but it now does because of these sites.  And this is only one example of how easily secondary functions can emerge from a social networking site such as Facebook.  With time, creativity, and even more prevalent use, I'm sure we will see even more functions emerging from these sites.

The Double Function of YouTube

In YouTube: Online Video and Participatory Culture, Jean Burgess and Joshua Green highlight two distinct functions of the popular video hosting site.  On one hand, YouTube serves as a video repository, archiving and redistributing video from existing popular culture.  And on the other, it has become a forum for user created video, allowing anyone with a camera and an internet connection to upload and share whatever they desire--hence YouTube's mantra, "Broadcast Yourself."

Burgess and Green, seem to believe that these two functions work independently from one another, and dilute any singular definition of what YouTube really is.  However, I believe that there are many instances in which YouTube has been used to perform both functions simultaneously.  To explain, let's examine the YouTube phenomenon of Numa Numa.

This video became an internet sensation, and has now had millions upon millions of views.  It was a user uploaded video of said user lip-syncing to a song called, "Dragostea Din Tei" by the Moldovan pop band O-Zone, although most Americans know the song as simply the "Numa Numa Song."

The video became a sensation, not because of the song, but because of the way the song was used in the user's video.  However, in turn, O-Zone also gained popularity because of the viral success of the video.  Many American's are now familiar with their song, that would have otherwise never reached them.  The song has garnered so much popularity that it was even sampled in the popular hip-hop song "Live Your Life" by T.I. and Rihanna.

And so, the sensation surrounding the "Numa Numa Song" exemplifies not only the two distinct functions of YouTube, but also how these two functions can work together.  It is cyclical in a way--first, the song was created by professionals, and then further popularized by user generated content, which was, in turn, capitalized on by professional media creators.

While there is some distinction between the two major functions of YouTube explained by Burgess and Green, the line between the two isn't always clearly defined.  And the "Numa Numa Song" is not the only example of this.  So, let's not forget about the Tron Guy this winter when we are going to see Tron: Legacy in theaters.

The Hypocrisy in The Anticorporate Attitude

"It is an attempt to capture an anticorporate attitude I see emerging among many young activists.  This book is hinged on a simple hypothesis:  that as more people discover the brand-name secrets of the global logo web, their outrage will fuel the next big political movement, a vast wave of opposition squarely targeting transnational corporations, particularly those with very high name brand recognition,"  Naomi Klein states regarding her book No Logo.

Klein writes extensively on culture jamming, which is a process by which people interrupt the "one-way information flow" of corporate advertising and oppose the general messages and/or ideologies of said corporations.  She separates culture jamming into three basic forms--Graffiti, Adbusting, and Media Collectives--all of which target and criticize established and recognizable brands and their advertising.

The problem with culture jamming movement and the anticorporate attitude it creates is that the entire process can easily become hypocritical and self-defeating.  In attempting to deter consumers from one lifestyle, they are in turn promoting and advertising their own agenda and lifestyle.  Of course, not all culture jamming is guilty of this, but there are more than a few parties guilty of making such superficial criticisms that they themselves could also be criticized for.

To exemplify this, let's examine Adbusters Media Foundation and the "Black Spot" sneakers that they are currently selling.  Adbusters is an anti-consumerist organization that is also a major proponent of "Buy Nothing Day."  The sneakers that they are selling resemble the classic Converse Chuck Taylor design, and are called "Black Spot" sneakers because of the black spot that is present where a logo would normally be present.  This black spot is supposed to represent a lack of branding.

However, I think one could easily argue that this black spot, or declared lack of brand, can be interpreted as a brand in itself--and an expensive one at that.  These shoes retail at $65 a pair, whereas Chuck Taylors retail at least $15 to $20 cheaper.  And not only that, but Adbusters ran a $500,000 dollar campaign promoting these shoes on television on CNN, and also in the New York Times.  So, how is this anti-corporate organization selling a product and promoting a brand any differently than the corporate organizations they oppose?

In their defense, Adbusters does pride themselves on their labor practices, and the fact that their shoes are manufactured without the exploitation of workers in third-world countries.  But aside from that, it is of my opinion that this organization in particular is no different from the organizations that they criticize.  They are merely selling a lifestyle that is slightly alternative to the one promoted by most organizations in the mainstream media.

The New and Improved Transmedia Storytelling of Marvel Comics

Henry Jenkins has layed out a set of basic characteristics and components for what he calls transmedia storytelling.  According to Jenkins, "Transmedia storytelling represents a process where integral elements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience."  It is storytelling created by horizontally integrated media companies, which is oftentimes encyclopedic, and built off of the creation of entire fictional worlds.

Transmedia storytelling is something that is becoming increasingly popular.  In a culture that is becoming driven by consumption and consumers that are, more and more, accessing media in a variety of ways, it is something that is becoming almost necessary for the ongoing success of a franchise.  To exemplify this, let's take a look at Marvel Comics.

Marvel Publishing Inc., which most people will recognize for their characters such as Spider-man and Iron-man, are increasingly making use of such transmedia storytelling, and becoming very successful in doing so.  Marvel began primarily as a comic book publisher, but in recent years have extended their brand into television, film, video games, toys, and more.  They have developed characters and storylines and worlds across all of these platforms to the point where it is encyclopedic (Marvel Comics Database).

Up until recent years however, much of this storytelling on Marvel's part has been disjointed, with special regard to the relationship between movies and comic books.  Many of their movies were being released not in canon with other movies or comics.  Each one existed as it's own separate entity, or as a direct retelling from an already existing comic book.  And even within the comic books there exist a multitude of realities, unrelated to one another.

Now, however, Marvel has become more aware or more skilled at transmedia storytelling.  A few years ago, they launched a massive reboot of movies based on their characters, including Iron-man and the Incredible Hulk, with future plans of releasing movies based on Thor, Captain America, and Ant-man.  They are even planning to release new Spider-man films, so that the character can be part of the rebooted canon.  

And all of these movies are intertwined.  They may not feature all of the same characters, but through cameos and other storytelling devices, it has been made apparent that all of the events in these movies are taking place in the same fictional world.  With the reboot of these movies, Marvel has also had launched new comic book series' and created video games that are meant to expand on story.  They even have plans on making an Avengers movie, which would take all of the characters from the above mentioned films and put them all in the same film.

They are doing all of this through following the basic guidelines put forth by Henry Jenkins, and they are staying very successful because of it, in spite of waning comic book sales.  They have learned to reach a variety of audiences through a variety of mediums, without abandoning any particular medium.  And all the while they are able to make each individual piece of fiction coherent and enjoyable, regardless of the platform.  Because of this, I think Marvel exemplifies how good transmedia storytelling is something that is and will continue to be important for the success of many forms of fictional media.