Communication Technologies Mini Semester 2017

At a time like this in which freedom of speech is in jeopardy regarding various issues (some of which have been discussed in this blog), journalism has had the hard task of holding on together and avoid crumbling in the face of the government and social pressure. It has always held a crucial, yet troubling position throughout history because it was written by people - who are trying to get a point worth discussing -  to other people. Their argument can vary greatly from a passive article about an upcoming event to a roaring discussion about a recent political decision. Even so, writhin journalism, there are so many people that hold different opinions on the same subject. We can’t help it as human beings to have an opinion and acting upon it; this is what the French Revolution and  the Universal Declaration of Human Rights fight for. Besides freedom of speech and having an opinion, they also advocate for education. One is starting to believe that education is a social issue on ...

The Internet is one of the most – if not the most – widely used tool in the world. It serves various purposes such as: starting a business, gathering information, and making distances almost disappear; all of this can be done in a matter of minutes, even seconds. The true beauty of the Internet is that all of these interactions are accounted equally in this global community. The same applies for all the content uploaded. This is the concept of net neutrality, which now holds an unsteady position for the U.S government. Cable companies are fighting to bring net neutrality down and manipulate the speed and freedom at which users use other online-dependent services like Netflix and Google. This is a blatant effort to impose themselves as dominant communication companies. Subsequently, this will make it impossible for starting companies and small businesses. Everytime there is something good going on for everybody, like net neutrality, someone comes up with the great idea of cha...

Our rights end when those of others start. In India, the government is currently discussing if whether it should intervene or not with the “grossly offensive” or otherwise indecent user interactions in a communication service that may take place inside their borders. At first, I thought this article wanted to limit freedom of speech in another context. As in publishing defamatory allegations against the country or its government, or spreading controversial information about upcoming protocols or policies; in other words, I thought the section 66A of the Information Technology Act was an effort to censor the press. Soon enough, after two paragraphs and a half, it was clear that this document wanted to get rid of the offensive messages that could circulate in a communication service. As for any other discussion, there are certain grey areas that need to be clarified before reaching a veredict. As you may be able to tell, freedom of speech holds a dubious position in this Act. ...

Bitcoin is a rising trendy topic in economy that is rumored to change the way we handle our money. This is an active application of the Diffusion of Technology theory, which states that the tools we create shape us as well. The ideas - Bitcoin arises from - stem from the thought of giving the consumer more control over their money and perhaps over their lives. A form of money that could be coded into existance and be considered as valid in the market as the U.S. Dollar. The students at MIT have started a project to encourage the usage of this cryptocurrency in their campus. This iniciative has certainly spiked the technology savvy youths as they venture into what could possibly their standard form of payment in a couple years. Bitcoin's transparent management among users can give them a sense of freedom and even empowerment that could encourage superiority and control. People can truly feel they own their money because of this technology and this can shift a consumer's sen...

Humanity didn’t know it had rights until it realized its wrongs. The conundrum between freedom of speech and cultural appropriation has been one of the most controversial subjects in recent years, and the use of technology has made the world all too cautious but at the same time more aggressive about the matter at hand. One of the best examples is described by the executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists - Joel Simon - in an article regarding the standpoint of technology among french political and cultural struggles in the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack. For one, journalists and cartoonists (or anyone who wished to communicate) fight constantly to exercise their freedom of speech against a sea of ignorance and oppression coming either from their governments or international communities; but, on the other hand, their messages may not be culturally appropiate worldwide. So, where do we draw the line? To spice up the issue, the Internet has blurred the frontier even more...