Media Security: How Much do we Have Online?

The hacker group Lulz Security is claiming it released log-in information for 62,000 private Internet accounts Thursday, including Facebook, PayPal, dating sites, Xbox Live and Twitter. These accounts include addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, credit card numbers, even identities; all online. People are being effected all over the world. The list of "victims" span from Canada to New Zeland.

But if you think about this from a logical point of view: who is really to blame? Although the hackers did "steal" the information from the respective owners, it was the owners who made the information so accessible. When you really think about it, the amount of personal characteristics that are put on the internet is unnecessary and in reality, quite a deficient way to run a society. These thieves have the ability to commit major crimes (stealing money, but more importantly identity theft) from the comfort of their own homes, with only the need for a username.

Beyond peoples individual "facebook lives", beyond their credit cards, beyond their video game accounts; these hackers are able to threaten entire countries by "attacking" governmental websites. If the information that is available online is important enough to be valued as a threat, why have it online? Obviously security and firewalls are enabled to protect it, but why take that risk? Are people really that attached to the social media, that they need the ability to share it no matter the content? I guarantee this problem would never occur 20 years ago when media wasn’t such a prominent aspect of our lives.

In conclusion, specific media texts are, and will always be confidential to certain groups of people, but what is hard to understand, is why this fact is not respected or protected? As we see with many other media sources, the audience can be controlled, but the best solution to such a ignorant problem is, don’t make the criminal’s job easy: take it off..

Micheal Jackson's Thriller Jacket Goes to Auction

The red and black leather jacket worn by Michael Jackson in the Thriller video is expected sell for $200,000 US when it comes up for auction later this month. The jacket, autographed by the King of Pop as a gift to longtime costume designers Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush, is to be sold during the Music Icons auction scheduled for June 25 and 26 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale will benefit the Shambala Preserve, where Jackson's two Bengal tigers, Thriller and Sabu, are now living. Other Jackson items up for sale include a wig he wore , a spangled glove he wore at the American Music Awards and towels from the "Neverland Ranch". The singer known as the King of Pop died in June 2009.

The media is the sole reason of why this jacket can gain such a profit. It just goes to show how prominent people such as Micheal Jackson are to individual's lives, because of how they were represented in the media. Television shows such as MTV, illuminates artists and in a sense, gives them a godly stature, which is what happened to Micheal Jackson; because of the production media provided him with, he was able to become a superstar. In turn, the production MTV and other broadcasters epitomized, created a target audience that continually grew and grew.

Although Micheal Jackson is one of the most famous individuals ever to exist on the planet, this phenomenon (creating superstars) can, and is happening currently. The production of media texts and visuals intending on accumulating a target audience is what most celebrities and pop stars rely on for a living.

So we must ask ourselves, is it that ridiculous: a leather jacket, an easily purchasable item common in many stores, can sell for $200 000 just because of who has worn it? Not when the media is involved.

Musical Media!

Music reflects society on a much deeper level than merely effecting peoples moods; music mirrors the attitudes of its time. For example, the 1950's were a very optimistic almost fairy tale period, and the music typically reflected this by being equally light weight and optimistic. It was not until the late 50's that we saw music with more substance, or in other words, the music that was created actually had a purpose. These songs included valued, intelligent information hidden in the perfectly strung lyrics, that addressed a problem the artist saw needed to be fixed.
Compare that with the 2000's, and the materialistic & superficial times we live in. Marketing and hype is at levels previously unheard of, and again music reflects this change. Too often rags to riches has replaced the dues paying musician, as the preferred or expected route to success.

Technology has also had a major impact on music, on one hand, it has made it much easier and cheaper to produce (which is good right?), but it has also made it exponentially more disposable and "same" sounding. The "anyone" can do it mentality is not without consequence, as it has resulted in a flood of bad to decent songs, with the seldom great song more likely buried in the mix.

The best guitar players spent years "honing their chops" (perfecting their singing ability) and experimenting with different amps / guitars to achieve their unique sound (3-4 bars was all it took to recognize them), now that same sound is stored on a microchip, easily emulated with a push of a button.

Popularity and financial success is more and more used as the device to judge talent and artistic success. How well an "artist" can work the social media game will more impact their career, than how many hours spent perfecting their fretboard or vocal skills.

The art of writing a memorable, meaningful song has taken a metaphorical back seat to performance and image. Which is fairly ironic due to the lack of skill current artists actually posses. Without the technology to "back them up" their live performances are misdirected towards dancing and image, instead of singing.

Media: A World of Oppourtunity

Ted Williams, a homless alcoholic drug addict seemed to have an insignificant spot on this earth. Previously, Mr.Williams hosted, MC'ed and even did voice over's for telivision using his eleged 'golden voice' as a perfect tool. As he fell victim to addictions, he lost his job and became homeless, wandering the state of Ohio without a family, bank account ; even clothes were hard to come by. This all changed when he was 'discovered'.



This video spurred his internet coverage; the video exploaded. Only 48 hours after the origional clip was posted, 24 million views had already been reached (the video, after reaching 60 mil. was taken down due to copyright laws). Responisible for getting him a job, a house and even fame, Ted rebounded using this viral video.

Through the media, and the media only (Ted has no connections with any of his 9 children or his mother) Mr.Williams was able to exploit his voice in such a manor that enabled him to eventually create a better life for himself. Due to his lack of personable qualities, the media created a great advertising method; a way for him to present his voice without any human interaction. This was probably the most important aspect of his discovery. Soon enough, people were coming to his street corner, acknowledging his presence, just to hear him speak in his stereotypical radio voice

Not long after this initial video was released, the basketball corporation, the Cleveland Cavaliers, offered a him a job as their official voice. Similarly, KRAFT macaroni and cheese presented the same offer. So it seemed, Ted's media coverage was turning his life around for him.

Evidently, the audience has a great effect on how popular something may become. Regarding the media triangle, this excerpt's audience directly effected the production it received. Ted began appearing on news broadcasters across the US and even the Today Show. His coverage skyrocketed, all because of the audience he had accumulated. The interest his viewers had in him are what created the success he had.

In conclusion, Mr. William's story is viable proof that modern media can be a huge opportunity generator. Other evidence can be seen in (obviously I had to mention) The Biebs, Rebecca Black (it's Friday) and, probably the most famous example, Mark Zukerburg (facebook creator and billionaire). Through audience accumulation and advertising, people are able to live off the vastly extensive source that is the media



Above is Ted William's in January of 2011 on the Today Show

Television....

Television can be a powerful entertainment and education tool for families, children specifically, given the right programming. However, studies have shown that television, and media in general, can also have a very negative influence. Some studies indicate it can shorten attention span, distort body image, work in conjunction with other factors to escalate obesity, create fear, and increase aggressive and anti-social behaviors if exposure is unmonitored and unlimited.

Children are most susceptible to these resulting aspects. Over the past 30 years, thousands of studies have examined the effects of TV violence on children. Viewing violence on TV has been linked to aggression in both males and females despite other factors such as intelligence, social status, or parenting style. It has been said to be a powerful influence in developing value systems and shaping behavior. Obviously television can be seen as a dangerous tool against our society. So why have it so available?

Despite most arguments that have been presented in the past, television programming has not made any positive change... ever. In relation to the video Tough Guise an evolution is television has been going in the opposite direction. More violence, more profanity and overall more explicit content.

The worst thing about this unfortunate evolution is the availability of these programs are increasing at almost an exponential rate. Even though most logical conclusions would result in the belief that television is a tool that does more harm than good, but the truth is: people have control over what they view. But even though all of the effects stated above can be seen as direct relations to television, the only reason these effects are significant is because television is not sufficiently monitered.

In conclusion, the television programes that play such a large role in each of our lives, should not be blamed for faults in our society. A look deeper into these problems may be benificial in regard to there solutions.

The Fallacy of Quoting Out of Context

Today's media effects many aspects of life beyond our own. Politics, advertising, even religious subjects are all altered in one way or another to please a certain audience, to make an argument easier to refute, or to simply change the overall meaning of a excerpt.

This unusual practice (yes it is a profession) alters the main point any person , magazine, TV show, political group... is trying to display. Usually referred to as "contextonomy" or "quote-mining", it basically removes any unneeded passages from its surrounding matter in such a way as to distort its intended meaning. This is a completely legal discipline and in fact, quite a useful and needed job regarding many political and journalistic corporations. As legal as it may be, it is a logical fallacy none-the-less.

There are typically two main arguments that are based upon this fallacious thinking. As a "straw man" argument, ,which is frequently found in politics it involves quoting an opponent out of context in order to misrepresent their position (usually to make it seem more simplistic or extreme) in order to make it easier to refute. Below is an example of how the straw man fallacy works. As you can see, it can be used very effectively distorted to change the meaning of any (usually political) passage.

1. Person A has position X.
2. Person B presents position Y (which is a distorted version of X).
3. Person B attacks position Y.
4. Therefore X is false/incorrect/flawed.
   

And as an appeal to authority argument , it involves quoting an authority on the subject out of context, in order to misrepresent that authority as supporting some position. Below, another example display how this fallacy's form

1. Person A is (claimed to be) an authority on subject S.
2. Person A makes claim C about subject S.
3. Therefore, C is true.

So regarding the media triangle, the audience is a very important supporter of these logical fallacies. Depending on how susceptible the chosen audience is, these altered passages can create a major impact on society. Whether it be a major refute to a government party, a bias regarding entertainment, or a change in religious heart, this contextonomy discipline can be used to alter the response that is received from the audience.

Examples:

• Entertainment: with The Times reporting its frequent abuse by promoters with, for example, "I couldn’t help feeling that, for all the energy, razzmatazz and technical wizardry, the audience had been shortchanged" being pared down to "having 'energy, razzmatazz and technical wizardry'".
• Politics: in the 2000 United States Republican primary campaign, George W. Bush's campaign screened advertising including a 'warning' from John McCain's "conservative hometown paper" that "It's time the rest of the nation learns about the McCain we know." The paper (The Arizona Republic), however went on to say "There is much there to admire. After all, we have supported McCain in his past runs for office."
• Religion: The following quote, mentioned in New Scientist, has been used to attempt to discredit evolution. “ In any case, no real evolutionist, whether gradualist or punctuationist, uses the fossil record as evidence in favour of the theory of evolution as opposed to special creation. ” However, the quote leaves out the very next sentence, which not only provides context, but shows the authors point of view much more accurately: “ This does not mean that the theory of evolution is unproven. ”

Overall, this idea of contextonomy or quote mining can, and does on a daily basis, change and audiences conception/opinion of a sampled piece of media. It heavily is related to key concept number 2, media construct reality.

Media Construct Reality- The CSI Effect.

Media construct reality. Obviously, the hit television series CSI, is quite unrealistic, at least to most sensible people, but a strange phenomenon called the CSI effect disturbes some veiwers sense of reality through a number of methods. This strange concept is changing people's perception of how real crime scene investigations actually occur.

Generally, a crime scene investigation takes quite a while; much longer than what CSI depicts. This can heavily distort the opinion and even standards of judges and other court evaluates. The convincing imitations on this show of how real crime scene investigators work to distort viewers into believing that technology, such as databases, devices and other futuristic gadgets, actually do exists. This raises the standards, and lowers the patience, of people everywhere.

For sake of an example, think of a family that has just had a member murdered, while ignoring the morbidity at hand. This hypothetical family is emotionally scarred and furious, and they want the criminal to be punished. "In CSI this would have been figured out already". But the problems for the actual crime scene investigators don't stop there. When they do finally find sufficient, or previously sufficient, evidence (which could include witnesses, alibis, or video footage) the judge asks for more. What he is looking for is material evidence, because its so easy to find with the all new high tech gadgets. This may seem absurd, but this kind of thing is becoming more and more real, all based on the images being displayed through the media that constantly distort our perception of how things really work.


This is what people don't understand; CSI is a production designed solely for the entertainment of it's viewers, not for the purpose of educating in any way.

The media triangle can be used in this situation, to examine the audience that is being altered. Through the very theatrical and dramatic production, a false understanding is adhered. Because the audience does not see how this production that actually makes the show entertaining, their thought are directed towards a reality that does not exist. "If this is how it is being portrayed, it must happen kinda like that", but the problem with this thought is, is that the word kinda is not fully understood, and usually ignored.

Now this is quite a general statement, and obviously media texts appeal differently to everyone, but it is safe to say that the population of these impressionable people is growing almost exponentially.

Photo Retouching- Media Construct Reality/ Media are a Construction

Reality, in a sense, is decided by our perception; how we choose to believe, or to not believe the images in front of us. Media contributes in 'reality' by, not decided for us, but providing us with options that we must choose between. Most audiences, which we understand to be uneducated, grasp the concept that media is constructed, whether it be cinema, television or magazines. But where does reality end and construction begin? That is the question that we must unravel for ourselves.

Photograph retouching has become a popular tool used in media sources, specifically, the magazine industry. This retouching exemplifies just how powerful media sources are regarding the distortion of reality. Magazines don't want a cover model that is anything less than perfect, and as the overly used, cliche saying goes, "nobody is perfect". The only method to achieve perfection is to create it. As seen in the photo example above, many hours of work can be put into the alteration of an image. The model's wrinkles are removed, her freckles diminished, and ever her arm is lengthened to appear smaller. With this perfect, non human image now placed on the front page, phrases like "look and feel your hottest" and "love you life" are included just to make sure you get the point; to enjoy yourself, it is imperative to look perfectly... fake.

Although we know the media stretches and contorts reality to their pleasing, it still has an effect on how we think, feel and even act. Females are under the most pressure than ever before. Negative physical, physicological and emotional effects have probably been a popular occurance in the general population now-a-days. The standards for what women are 'aiming' to look like are continually getting more impractical and not to mention impossible. Generally, average citizens do not have the ability to, in a sense, 'customize' themselves so even the idea of perfection is out of reach.

Overall, i feel that image retouching has gone way over the top. As the technology we use becomes more and more dominant in our ever changing lifestyle, a new aspect proves to emerge. The abuse and overuse of this 'skill' (as it is; high paying and quite arduous) will result in an overall corruption of how we view and even react to reality.

As seen above, the ability to distort reality is quite real. Its this ability that will completely alter society's perception, as well as acceptance of reality.

Modern Media

Throughout the decades, the definition of mass media has changed. Media construct reality for the audience observing it, whether it be through controversial or simple ways. Media texts are found in every room of most homes. Magazines, T.V. shows (Much Music being one of the most notorious), internet, billbords; every observation we make pushes the imminent inclination for us to rely on media more and more everyday. Currently, media is creating the most distress it ever has.

In the 21st century, most human beings rely heavily, sometimes beyond belief (if you have ever seen a tween girl check her Justin Bieber tweets), on this media. Excuses, corruption, and many many problems are a result of this reliance. "Because of the liberal media..." and "The media has distorted..." are common phrases of most Canadians, but American citizens as well. In my opinion, media exploits at least 99% of America's problems. Think of it like this: many media sources report that, in America, an economic crisis is imminent within a year. To no one's surprise, the 'prediction' (more like guesstimate) proves itself correct.
For sake of an analogy, think of the chicken and the egg quandry; which comes first? Is reality a product of media, or does media simply copy the reality we create? Could media be the oracle of the modern world? Only 2012 will tell. :)




Who is this guy? What does he know? How do we know he knows? It looks like he knows cause he's on a YOUTUBE video. Lets believe it, the background looks proffesional.. ALL MEDIA IS A CONSTRUCTION!