Assignment 1 Submissions: Difference between revisions

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{{AssignmentCal}}


* Name: David Jodoin
===Submission Instructions===
My Wikipedia work was focused on contribution to the wiki page on VoIP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_over_Internet_Protocol.  I selected this wiki as I have done a significant amount of work related to next generation voice networks and have designed and developed solutions in this industry. My edits were primarily NPOV edits to the Fax handling section of the wiki and the discussion of T.38 faxing over UDP vs. IP vs. analog.  I selected this section as I found the section needed citations for some of the statements made by prior authors.  I specifically added a couple of references and re-edited some of the language to be less opinionated and more factual from an objective point of view.
Please make sure the name of your file includes your name or pseudonym (example: Name_Assignment1.doc) to avoid overwriting someone else's assignment. Grading for this assignment is on a 5-point scale; late assignments will be docked 1 point for each day they are late (final deadline: Tuesday, February 12, 5:30pm ET).


Specifically I found some of the language to be somewhat whimsical as the author attempted to act as an authority on the topic, yet I found some of the statements made were either anecdotal in nature and not backed by any rigorous research.  In addition, statements were made which belied the authors biases toward the topic and sounded immature; making me wonder how old the person was who wrote it.
Upload your file here: [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Special:Upload Upload file]. After you upload your file, please post a link to it in the "Submissions" section below in the following format:


I experimented with my entries to see if something comes up on my watch-list for this topic by in some cases deleting entire sentences of prior writers statements in favor of my own.  I also used an online shopping mart as one reference to see if the reference itself would be disallowed due to it being commercial in nature.  I am anxious to see the result of these two edits.  Of course when providing citations in other areas that needed it, I relied on actual RFCs or academic based definitions for factual representation.
* Your Name or Chosen Pseudonym:
* Link to rule: (URL of the Wikipedia editing policy you chose)
* Link to article: (URL of the Wikipedia article you edited)
* Link to report: (URL of the file you uploaded)


The neutral point of view (NPOV) stance within Wikipedia is a critical component of creating trusted information.  There will always be opinions that will be expressed or reflected by various authors, however, with peer review combined with NPOV the information that at first may seem opinionated can indeed be of value in helping guide the NPOV results of follow on editors. Without the threat of having your submission removed due to non NPOV content, I would think Wikipedia would revert into an endless see of contradictions, rants and rave with authors in chaotic conflict never progressing toward a useful result.
If you have trouble finding the file you uploaded, check the [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/Special:ImageList list of uploaded files].


For instance, I could easily state that T.38 faxing is by no means a true replacement for traditional fax over copper lines, and my opinion is universally shared by those who use it or implement it. However, in doing so, I am not exposing the underlying problem in that T.38 faxing is a means to accommodate legacy fax machines using a transmission standard that is long out of date. In fact I could go on to say that an entirely new era of technology needs to be developed that answers the call to solve the same problem that faxing does, but in a different way.  But due to the enormous amounts of these machines which exist in the marketplace, that is an evolutionary transformation that will only be slowed by our continued attempts of keeping a dying technology alive.  If we continue to support faxing in general, we might as well revive the 8track tape or the laser disc.
Alternatively, for this assignment, you can e-mail your file to the instructors at is2013+homework@cyber.law.harvard.edu. We are offering this option for Assignment 1 only, as a backup as you become familiar with uploading; future assignments will need to be uploaded per the procedure above.


I wonder what kind of discussions would ensue if I posted that on the wiki. Maybe I will if I don't get comments on what edits I did post.
Need help editing?  [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:How_to_edit_a_page Check out this guide]


--[[User:Lunatixcoder|Lunatixcoder]] 15:47, 7 February 2010 (UTC)
===Submissions===
Please post your link to your report below, in the following format:


* (Name or Pseudonym)


------------------------------------------------------------
* (Link to rule)
*Liz Davis - Response to Assignment 1


I chose to focus on the Wikipedia rule of "Neutral Point of View." I edited the article on Creative Commons: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_commons. This article included a banner requesting that the lead section be expanded. According to Wikipedia the lead of an article should both introduce and summarize the content of the article. I expanded on one of the paragraphs and added an additional paragraph introducing and summarizing the article below.
* (Link to article)


In the process of expanding the lead, I focused on ensuring that all of my information was referenced with verifiable sources. I used the book "The Public Domain" by James Boyle as one of my sources and the Creative Commons website as the other source. I tried to keep my own opinions and experiences, except where I could back those up with external sources, out of the article. However, I did push the limits a bit with these two sentences, "An easy to understand one-page explanation of rights, with associated visual symbols, explains the specifics of each Creative Commons License. This simplicity distinguishes Creative Commons from an all rights reserved copyright."  I was curious to see if another editor might find these statements too opinionated and thus not from a "Neutral Point of View."
* (Link to your submitted report)


At the time of writing this, there have been no significant changes to my revisions. Someone did go in and hack the page briefly by adding the line "hossein esmaili is a good." One minute later this line was removed. There have been some very minor changes to my page since my edit, fixes to my spacing, but no content has been changed or edited. I'm not sure if I should assume from this that my edits were acceptable or that no one has taken the time to look it over and make any substantial changes. Also, the banner requesting revision to the lead is still there. I'm not sure who takes that down, or how that will be affected by the changes that I made to the introduction.
[[User:Jeff Hermes|Jeff Hermes]] 09:44, 7 February 2013 (EST)
******


I think the rule of "Neutral Point of View" is essential to the effectiveness of Wikipedia as a source. Editors should strive to be objective when adding content to Wikipedia. There are other venues for subjectivity. Consumers of information on Wikipedia are looking for unbiased, referenced general information about a variety of topics. The NPV helps ensure a fair and balanced representation of information.
Mattyh (Matthew Haney)


For the most part the Neutral Point of View can only help maintain Wikipedia as a reliable source of information. Any encyclopedia reader would hope to find un-opinionated resources on wikipedia. However, neutral can be difficult to pin down. Even encyclopedias can appear biased when you look back on an entry. For example an article on the Women's movement written in 1950, might seem biased to someone reading it today. This rule could harm the community if it is viewed as too restrictive and thus prevents people from adding information. These rules definitely slowed me down in making changes. However, that is not necessarily a bad thing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view


--[[User:Lizbdavis|Lizbdavis]] 20:03, 8 February 2010 (UTC)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_the_Third_Reich


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http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Matt_Haney_-_Assignment_1%2C_02102013.docx


***


'''Mike Barker:''' [[Mike's Response To Assignment 1]].
Admits


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'''Rohit Chopra''' | Assignment 1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
[[http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2011/sites/is2011/images/Wiki_ass1_final_RC.pdf]]


----
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Googlization


*Erin Golden: Assignment 1
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Asmith_Assignment1.doc


I decided to begin with Wikipedia's "No Original Research" policy, which quickly led into Verifiability:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability, as a response to my longstanding perception of Wikipedia as unreliable and the particular challenge I found in becoming a Wikipedia editor. My past experience has largely involved my own analyses of literary texts, so it was both refreshing and daunting that the site officially did not want my, or anyone else's, un-self-published opinion. Wikipedia treats articles on living persons even more stringently under No Original Research to avoid libel or otherwise giving offense, so I selected http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Flewelling (as user Edolen), regarding a living author whose work I enjoy and with whom I have had considerable contact through the years.
[[User:Asmith|Asmith]] 00:10, 11 February 2013 (EST)


I first discovered a very brief entry with two banners at the top proclaiming the need for additional citations. When I looked at the "discussion" section of the page the only things present were the same two banners. The article included only two citations: one link to another author's review of Ms. Flewelling's work, and another to a blog post by Ms. Flewelling projecting the date of her next book release, with no references for any biographical information. The biography section included one broken internal link (to Ms. Flewelling's husband, who does not have his own Wiki article), and some information I either didn't recognize or thought was not specific enough (e.g. Ms. Flewelling is not officially listed as faculty on the University of Redlands website, although she does conduct lectures and workshops at the school). I changed the section to be more in accord with Ms. Flewelling's official website and cited it. Trying not to run afoul of the Wiki ownership and edit warring guidelines I left structure and phrasing alone where I could, to edit instead of completely re-write. I also added numerous citations to the Writings section, including convention appearances, praise from other authors, and a film update, and expanded the note on queer themes to reflect heightened reader and scholarly interest.
*****


I was not as thorough in reworking and adding to the article as I would have liked in order to comply with No Original Research. For instance, I know Ms. Flewelling was a guest of honour at every ConBust (a science fiction convention) since its inception in 2003 because I personally arranged her original appearance and have met with her there every following year; however, the official Smith College-hosted website for the convention only mentioned 2009-10 when I visited it, so I was unable to present the full history. Neither did I include a fuller picture of Ms. Flewelling's family and religious life, her feelings about her books and readers' responses to them, her thoughts on queer issues in and outside her work, or her stances on academic treatment of "genre fiction" or e-book piracy, all of which would add greatly to a biographical piece and can be found (and cited) throughout her contributions to her Yahoo! group and her blog because of the Wiki restriction on "using the subject as a self-published source." I was already uncomfortable with the number of outside reviews I could only find as pages on her official website, including an author-given exerpt from a yet-to-be-released scholastic anthology and a short piece from a relatively obscure magazine I could not locate in print. According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Biographies_of_living_persons#Reliable_sources, Wikipedia limits using the subject's self-publications but bans all such other sources: "Never use self-published books, zines, websites, forums, blogs or tweets as sources for material about a living person, unless written or published by the subject . . . Posts left by readers are never acceptable as sources"; therefore I did not use reviews from various fan sites or Amazon reader reviews. I found small exerpts from reccomendations by non-self-published authors on the Random House page for purchasing one of the books (cited in article) and on the printed novels themselves, but I was unable to locate the full reviews.
Dear Alice


So far no other user has edited my work, but the banners remain at the top of the main page. The discussion link now opens to a declaration that the article is a "stub": short and unfinished. I received a welcome note from a Wiki administrator after opening my account and editing the article, but no direct commentary on what I wrote. For an example of a more complete biographical article on a living person I visited the page for George R. R. Martin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_R._R._Martin), one of the writers I referenced in the Flewelling article. It was much longer and rounded-out, and the discussion page classified it as B-Class. Therefore I was surprised to check the page's references and see many of the citations were to Martin's self-published website, or to self-published fan sites. It made me question how seriously Wikipedia editors and administrators take the site's official policies, and whether my article would have received a higher rating had I been more liberal in my attributes. Ultimately, in my perspective, this places the reliability of Wikipedia articles, whether about living persons or other subjects, back in the dubious place from which I'd hoped this project would at least partially rescue it. I will continue to use the site, as a reader and sometime-editor, but I am disappointed it does not live up to its own credibility standards, which I believe will continue to hurt it in the public eye.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research


--[[User:Erin Golden|Erin Golden]] 09:30, 9 February 2010 (UTC)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Extension_School
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Internet_Assignment_1_(Dear_Alice).docx
 
--[[User:Dear Alice|Dear Alice]] 15:42, 11 February 2013 (EST)
 
'''Initials In Name:''' TAG Student ID#10789842
 
'''Pseudonym:''' interesting comments
 
'''Link to rule:''' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
 
'''Link to article:''' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disruptive_innovation
 
 
'''What the rule is?'''
 
Neutral Point of View (NPOV), means representing fairly without bias the information that is published, which is supported by reliable sources. This deals with creating and maintaining a neutral point of view on internet.  Disputes or any sort of controversial subjects, such as religious believes or abortion, aim to be described as opposed to take a biased stand on the subject.  The explanation of the subject should be neutrally informative and factual and not stray towards an opinion. 
 
'''Why this matters?'''
 
Neutral Point of View matters because this rule established by Wikipedia, establishes a check and balance to provide the parameters of control to protect the integrity of the platform. With these protections and controls in place it not only protects the integrity of the platform and its participants, but it also protects the rights and freedoms of the owners of the content referenced. It is vital to discover a blend of technical and economic modernization  The challenge that face Neutral Point of View is the Wikipedia is written by open and transparent consensus  It can take a substantial amount of time before a correct "neutral approach  can be established for all parties to agree on (Poe 2006).  The purpose of this will be for implementing representation fairly, proportionately and and as much as possible, unbiased for all articles published by reliable sources (Poe 2006).
 
'''How it relates to other rules, and comments on the details/subsections of the rule.'''
 
Neutral Point of View has several related issues.  Two examples of this are:
 
'''Verifiability''" This individuals who are reading and editing the encyclopedia can check that the information comes from a reliable source that has been published such as books or newspaper. 
 
'''No Original Research:''' The term is a prohibition against original research and means that all material added to articles must be attributable to a reliable published source, even if not actually attributed (No Original Research! 2013). This rule is the third rule in content policies and determines the type and quality of material acceptable in articles. Because these policies work in harmony, they should not be interpreted in isolation from one another, and editors should familiarize themselves with all three.
 
'''What is the article you chose?'''
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disruptive_innovation
 
'''Why you chose it?'''
 
In 1997 the term “Disruptive Innovation” was created by a Harvard Professor Clayton M. Christensen and published a book on the topic. Throughout my professional career I have strived to bring to market paradigm shifts in technologies, some would classify as disruptive innovations. Three classic examples of disruptive innovations that sacrificed quality for the ability to have mobility are:
- The Transistor Radio
- Pocket Calculators
- Mobile Phones
 
'''What edits you made?'''
The edit I made was by adding the example of the pocket calculator, which was a form of disruptive innovation.
[[File:LSTUEdit]]
 
 
'''Did users made edits in response?'''
None
 
'''Rule for the article: How the rule played out in practice (if it did)'''
 
Neutral Point of View  did not play a significant role in this particular article, but it has the possibility of future violations. As new technology enters into the market there could be a cause for the technology being replaced to attempt to promote the inadequacies of this new technology in an attempt to keep market share. An example of this is how Rockefeller spent millions in an attempt to promote the inadequacies of electricity when it challenged his oil lanterns as the primary source of power.
Rule for the community: How you think the rule plays a role in maintaining Wikipedia.
In reporting or educating being neutral and unbiased is critical in forming free minds that can shape the world through their own interpretations and innovations.
 
'''How does it benefit/harm the Wikipedia community in any way?'''
 
The Neutral Point of View allows for the advancement of society, technology, and innovations.
 
'''Why is it important for Wikipedia?'''
 
This is important for Wikipedia so it sets the environmental parameters to establish them as a reliable informational resource, instead of a platform to promote individual’s political motives.  It also encourages cooperation among encyclopedia's contributors (Poe 2006).
 
'''Bibliography'''
Kempf, J. March 2004.  The Rise of the Middle and the Future of End-to-End:
Reflections on the Evolution of the Internet Architecture. ftp://ftp.rfc-editor.org/in-notes/rfc3724.txt
           
            No Original Research! 2013. http://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-liberal/2013/01/no-original-research-2454120.html
        Poe, Marshall.  September 2006.  A Closer Look as Neutral Point of View (NPOV).  http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2006/09/a-closer-look-at-the-neutral-point-of-view-npov/305120/
 
Robertson, Jordan. November 11, 2008.  Software Aims To Uncover ‘Data Discrimination’.http://www.nbcnews.com/id/22013943/ns/technology_and_science-internet/t/software-aims-uncover-data-discrimination/#.URVFKaVX3MA [[User:Interestingcomments|Interestingcomments]] 14:34, 8 February 2013 (EST)
[[User:Interestingcomments|Interestingcomments]] 16:14, 10 February 2013 (EST)
 
 
***
 
User777
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability,_not_truth
 
Assignment #1 – Neutral Point of View
Class user: user777
Wiki user: user55462*
February 12th, 2013
Internet and Society: Technologies and Politics of Control
 
For this first assignment, I chose to edit Wikipedia’s “Neutral Point of View” (NPOV) rule. NPOV stands that users of Wikipedia that edit an article should “fairly represent all sides of a story, and not make an article state, imply, or insinuate that any one side is correct”. Therefore, the cause of Wikipedia’s social and political bias, establish a quantitative benchmark for examining the presence of that bias. NPOV mainly defines the terms of objectiveness, bias and neutrality that provide a framework for considering neutrality within the Internet arena. In my view, however, the main questions would arise are: what is meant by neutrality? Is it fairness or perhaps positive opinion? What are the definitions of fairness and/or neutral?
 
The article that I chose was “Wikipedia and the meaning of truth” which was published by MIT technology review. I found this article by searching different entries in wiki, and this article was linked via Wiki tools.
Here is the link to this article: http://www.technologyreview.com/review/411041/wikipedia-and-the-meaning-of-truth/page/2/, however it is mainly a support to the main article, which is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability,_not_truth
 
I chose this article because it greatly illustrated the clarifications of truth and fairness that was perfectly aliened for this assignment that supported the idea of NPOV. What is fairness? How to be fair?  Moreover, what is considered to be truth? According to Wikipedia’s entry on the subject, “the term has no single definition about which the majority of professional philosophers and scholars agree.” But in practice, however in “Wikipedia’s standard for inclusion has become its de facto standard for truth, and since Wikipedia is the most widely read online reference on the planet, it’s the standard of truth that most people are implicitly using when they type a search term into Google or Yahoo. On Wikipedia, truth is received as the consensus view of a subject” (article chosen). Within this rule, I edited the idea of fairness and opinion. I stated that fairness’s tone should be presented within competing views with a consistently fair and sensitive tone. Even when a topic is presented in terms of facts rather than opinion, an article can still radiate an implied stance through either selection of which facts to present, or more subtly their organization, for instance, refuting opposing views as one goes along makes them look a lot worse than collecting them in an opinions-of-opponents section. Moreover, I have added few edits about the manner of option: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
 
 
Furthermore, after my edits, I have placed it on “watch-list”, however I have not received any comments and/or edits. In my view, this rule is neutral in maintaining Wikipedia’s community. Due to cultural and social diversification of options and thoughts, this rule could play a neutral role within its community. Also, I read few other articles, and it’s interesting to note what Princeton’s reviews are about this rule: “NPOV is especially important for the encyclopedia's treatment of controversial issues, where there is often an abundance of viewpoints and criticisms of the subject. In a neutral representation, the differing points of view are presented as such, not as facts”. [[User:User777|user777]] 12:36, 11 February 2013 (EST)
 
AaronEttl
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:AaronEttl_Assignment1.docx
 
[[User:AaronEttl|AaronEttl]] 16:38, 11 February 2013 (EST)
 
***
 
Maria Paz Jurado
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
* http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gobierno_abierto
* http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Maria_Paz_Jurado_-_Assignment_1.docx
--[[User:Maria|Maria]] 17:19, 11 February 2013 (EST)
 
***
Milenagrado
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bras%C3%ADlia
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Assigment_1.doc
 
***
 
Rebekahjudson
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Putin
*http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Judsonassignment1.rtf
***
 
Your Name or Chosen Pseudonym: Joshua Henderson, joshywonder
Link to rule: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
Link to article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech
Link to report: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Assignment_1_-_Joshua_Henderson_-_Joshywonder_-_Feb11.13.docx
 
***
HGaylor:
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-sided_argument
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Hunter_Gaylor_Internet_Article_.docx
 
***
 
* Name: Zak Paster
* Link to rule: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
* Link to article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universities_and_higher_education_in_Brazil
* Link to report:  http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Zak_Paster_Assignment_1_Universities_and_Higher_Education_in_Brazil_2-12-13.docx
[[User:Zak Paster|Zak Paster]] 10:02, 12 February 2013 (EST)
 
***
 
J6428
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_AI
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/A1_JULIAN_J6428.docx
 
[[User:Julian|Julian]] 10:53, 12 February 2013 (EST)
 
 
[[User:Caroline|Caroline]] 11:02, 12 February 2013 (EST)
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Seasons_Hotels_and_Resorts#History
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:G%26M.doc
 
 
Rich Cacioppo
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_pool_cleaner
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Assingment_1_Wikipedia_article_Feburary_12_2013.docx
 
 
GregB23
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_8C_Competizione
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Assingment_1_Wiki
 
Michael Keane
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Ownership_of_articles
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrument_flight_rules#Instrument_flight_rules
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Michael_Keane_Assignment_1.docx
[[User:Michaelekeane|Michaelekeane]] 12:38, 12 February 2013 (EST)
 
 
Kaley Sweeney
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Uganda
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/KaleySweeney_Assignment1.docx
Kaley Sweeney 12:44, 12 February 2013 (EST)
 
***
Phildade (Phillip Dade)
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norb_Vonnegut
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:DADE_-_LSTU-120_Assignment_1.doc
[[User:Phildade|Phildade]] 15:50, 12 February 2013 (EST)
***
 
Raven
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driven_to_Distraction_(Inspector_Morse_TV-episode)
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Raven_Assignment_1_Due_February_12_2013.docx
[[User:Raven|Raven]] 16:02, 12 February 2013 (EST)
******
Tessa May
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Academy_of_Information_Technology
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIT,_Academy_of_Information_Technology
* http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Tessa_May_Assignment_1.pdf
[[User:Tessa May|Tessa May]] 16:32, 12 February 2013 (EST)
**
Update - The “Tamar Frankel” article which I also edited, has had the “orphan” designation removed.[[User:Tessa May|Tessa May]] 19:14, 16 February 2013 (EST)
****
 
 
 
Johnfloyd6675
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonegap
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:IS2013FloydAssignment1.txt
 
[[User:Johnfloyd6675|Johnfloyd6675]] 16:37, 12 February 2013 (EST)
***
 
Susan Goldstein
Rule:  Ownership of Articles  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Ownership_of_articles
Article:  Synchronous learning  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronous_learning
Report:  http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Goldstein_Assgn_1_Wikipedia.docx
[[User:Susan Goldstein|Susan Goldstein]] 16:56, 12 February 2013 (EST)
 
****
 
CyberRalph
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ababi
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Martins_Assignment1.docx
 
****
Muromi
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiragana
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Muromi_Assignment_1.doc
 
 
****
 
 
****
 
AliciaPhan
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Charms
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:AliciaPhan_Assignment1.docx
--[[User:APhan|APhan]] 17:20, 12 February 2013 (EST)
 
****
 
JW
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_yogurt
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:JW_Assignment1.pdf[[User:JW|JW]] 17:29, 12 February 2013 (EST)
 
 
****
 
Jax
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juggalo
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Wikipediafinal.docx
 
*****
 
Rmcharv [RobMcLain]
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Charms
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:RobMcLain_-_Assignment_1.docx
 
*****
 
Baughller
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InfoArmy
 
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Baughller_Assignment_1.docx
 
 
******************
 
 
 
1303E7
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glitter_bombing
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Wikireview.docx
 
[[User:Douglas Forbes|Douglas Forbes]] 16:41, 19 February 2013 (EST)
Doug Forbes
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myspace
https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:ASSIGNMENT_1_WRITE_UP_WIKKIPEDIA_ADDITIONS,_MYSPACE.docx
 
Assignment One
 
In 2004 I was looking for a person to help me make a web site for my business.  A cousin of mine had a friend Laura who was making sites for people so I talked with her.  At that time Myspace was very new and while it seems unthinkable now, she wanted to make a page on Myspace for me for a small fee.  She sent me links to some examples she had done for some people.  Being an opera singer herself, she had set up pages for other musicians.  I didn’t like the concept at all because it seemed to me that only affiliates of the site would be likely to go there and I didn’t like the brand dilution of having a host who’s site was a visible shell around mine.  I had someone else help with my first site but because of this introduction, I figured Myspace to be more of a hosting site for artists or people doing some similar notable thing and their followers, a little more like Linked in with fans.  I didn’t know they were also a competitor to facebook, especially in the “friends” arena.  I didn’t realize they were even still around at all until a couple of weeks ago I got a email or facebook entry with a reference to a Myspace page and felt that my reservations were vindicated.  Having been introduced to Mysape through a Jewish opera singer I was quite surprised to read Boyd’s “white flight” article.  Even more so because almost all of my black friends who are on anything are on facebook, with the exception of one Linkedin user, I figured the myspace had positioned itself wrong as described above and fallen prey to peoples desire to be with the latest trends. 
 
My college educated black friends aside, Boyds’ research is pretty compelling and of course several people who’s research she includes note that race, class, buying tastes, fashion and homophily are all tied together.  (I won’t site these as they are all in Boyd’s article but for the benefit of anyone reading this who hasn’t read her article it can be found at this link): http://www.danah.org/papers/2011/WhiteFlight.pdf
Still I was particularly surprised to find myself in a pool of white bread on facebook, I see myself as pretty progressive and have a black wife, so to be totally unaware of that divide was disturbing.  This made me curious to see what the Wikipedia on Myspace page had to say and I thought it would be a good choice for a page to make an edit on.  I would have considered it a real coup if they had none of Boyd’s research there and to add the “white flight” element but she was already quoted there.  I noted that the sections they included did not include the fact that a lot of the perceived dangers that led people, especially parents to encourage some flight to a safer site such as facebook were actually untrue and that seemed a little unfair at best and worth mentioning as her research suggests that to a large extent, the media which often likes to exaggerate and create fear and their by parents-were largely responsible for the flight to facebook.  I found it particularly telling that students that Boyd interviewed thought of facebook as safer but couldn’t explain why which suggested to me that they had gotten this from a trusted source, their parents.  Lastly I thought it was important to note that some of this misplaced fear was around sexual predator apprehension, a pretty big disincentive.   
 
With all of the above in mind, I directly copied the following two originally non-sequential segments after some “white flight” discussion in the article.  The only change being that I added, “Boyd continues” because she goes into the first person after that point (highlighted in yellow below). I went back to check on the writing and they added the citation with the same number as some other Boyd quotes so it looks like it will remain as part of the article.  This means I’m now a successful contributor to Wikipedia.  : ) 
 
 
 
 
WIKKIPEDIA MYSPACE PAGE ADDITIONS:
 
 
Safety – or rather the perception of safety – also emerged as a central factor in teen preference. While teens believed Facebook was safer, they struggled to explain why.
 
MySpace was once a cultural center for youth culture. As Myspace grew increasingly popular, a moral panic emerged over the potential risks of sexual predators (Marwick, 2008). While the risks were overblown (Shrock and boyd, 2009), fear spread. Involved parents – typically from more educated and wealthier communities
began looking closer and they didn’t like what they saw.  Boyd continues, while my examination of MySpace profiles revealed that more teens referenced God, Jesus, bible quotes, and other religious symbols than uploaded scantily clad self-¬‐images, parents typically assumed that the latter dominated MySpace and this upset them. Furthermore, these parents were often horrified by the practices of the urban 20somethings, especially those from different cultural backgrounds who appeared to have different moral codes. The media helped produced a techno-¬‐panic, often by leveraging adult fears of urban black signals such as bling and hip-¬‐hop.
 
Missing in my assignment zero paper:  I wanted to include the full name of the Marshall McLuhan book that I mentioned, the title of which contained the phrase Global Village.  I think I revised the paper in the process of submitting it so I don’t have the latest version so I’ll take the time to mention it here.  It is “War and Peace in the Global Village” (1968)
[[User:Douglas Forbes|Douglas Forbes]] 16:41, 19 February 2013 (EST)

Latest revision as of 16:41, 19 February 2013

Assignments

Assignment 1 Details and Reporting | Submissions
Due February 12

Assignment 2 | Submissions
Due February 26

Working in a group?
Let us know by March 12

Assignment 3 | Submissions
Due March 26

Assignment 4 | Submissions
Due April 23

Extra Credit | Submissions
Due May 7

Final Project | Submissions
Due May 14

Submission Instructions

Please make sure the name of your file includes your name or pseudonym (example: Name_Assignment1.doc) to avoid overwriting someone else's assignment. Grading for this assignment is on a 5-point scale; late assignments will be docked 1 point for each day they are late (final deadline: Tuesday, February 12, 5:30pm ET).

Upload your file here: Upload file. After you upload your file, please post a link to it in the "Submissions" section below in the following format:

  • Your Name or Chosen Pseudonym:
  • Link to rule: (URL of the Wikipedia editing policy you chose)
  • Link to article: (URL of the Wikipedia article you edited)
  • Link to report: (URL of the file you uploaded)

If you have trouble finding the file you uploaded, check the list of uploaded files.

Alternatively, for this assignment, you can e-mail your file to the instructors at is2013+homework@cyber.law.harvard.edu. We are offering this option for Assignment 1 only, as a backup as you become familiar with uploading; future assignments will need to be uploaded per the procedure above.

Need help editing? Check out this guide

Submissions

Please post your link to your report below, in the following format:

  • (Name or Pseudonym)
  • (Link to rule)
  • (Link to article)
  • (Link to your submitted report)

Jeff Hermes 09:44, 7 February 2013 (EST)

Mattyh (Matthew Haney)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_the_Third_Reich

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Matt_Haney_-_Assignment_1%2C_02102013.docx

Admits


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Googlization

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Asmith_Assignment1.doc

Asmith 00:10, 11 February 2013 (EST)

Dear Alice

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Extension_School

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Internet_Assignment_1_(Dear_Alice).docx

--Dear Alice 15:42, 11 February 2013 (EST)

Initials In Name: TAG Student ID#10789842

Pseudonym: interesting comments

Link to rule: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view

Link to article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disruptive_innovation


What the rule is?

Neutral Point of View (NPOV), means representing fairly without bias the information that is published, which is supported by reliable sources. This deals with creating and maintaining a neutral point of view on internet. Disputes or any sort of controversial subjects, such as religious believes or abortion, aim to be described as opposed to take a biased stand on the subject. The explanation of the subject should be neutrally informative and factual and not stray towards an opinion.

Why this matters?

Neutral Point of View matters because this rule established by Wikipedia, establishes a check and balance to provide the parameters of control to protect the integrity of the platform. With these protections and controls in place it not only protects the integrity of the platform and its participants, but it also protects the rights and freedoms of the owners of the content referenced. It is vital to discover a blend of technical and economic modernization The challenge that face Neutral Point of View is the Wikipedia is written by open and transparent consensus It can take a substantial amount of time before a correct "neutral approach can be established for all parties to agree on (Poe 2006). The purpose of this will be for implementing representation fairly, proportionately and and as much as possible, unbiased for all articles published by reliable sources (Poe 2006).

How it relates to other rules, and comments on the details/subsections of the rule.

Neutral Point of View has several related issues. Two examples of this are:

'Verifiability" This individuals who are reading and editing the encyclopedia can check that the information comes from a reliable source that has been published such as books or newspaper.

No Original Research: The term is a prohibition against original research and means that all material added to articles must be attributable to a reliable published source, even if not actually attributed (No Original Research! 2013). This rule is the third rule in content policies and determines the type and quality of material acceptable in articles. Because these policies work in harmony, they should not be interpreted in isolation from one another, and editors should familiarize themselves with all three.

What is the article you chose?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disruptive_innovation

Why you chose it?

In 1997 the term “Disruptive Innovation” was created by a Harvard Professor Clayton M. Christensen and published a book on the topic. Throughout my professional career I have strived to bring to market paradigm shifts in technologies, some would classify as disruptive innovations. Three classic examples of disruptive innovations that sacrificed quality for the ability to have mobility are: - The Transistor Radio - Pocket Calculators - Mobile Phones

What edits you made? The edit I made was by adding the example of the pocket calculator, which was a form of disruptive innovation.

File:LSTUEdit


Did users made edits in response? None

Rule for the article: How the rule played out in practice (if it did)

Neutral Point of View did not play a significant role in this particular article, but it has the possibility of future violations. As new technology enters into the market there could be a cause for the technology being replaced to attempt to promote the inadequacies of this new technology in an attempt to keep market share. An example of this is how Rockefeller spent millions in an attempt to promote the inadequacies of electricity when it challenged his oil lanterns as the primary source of power. Rule for the community: How you think the rule plays a role in maintaining Wikipedia.

In reporting or educating being neutral and unbiased is critical in forming free minds that can shape the world through their own interpretations and innovations.

How does it benefit/harm the Wikipedia community in any way?

The Neutral Point of View allows for the advancement of society, technology, and innovations.

Why is it important for Wikipedia?

This is important for Wikipedia so it sets the environmental parameters to establish them as a reliable informational resource, instead of a platform to promote individual’s political motives. It also encourages cooperation among encyclopedia's contributors (Poe 2006).

Bibliography

Kempf, J. March 2004. The Rise of the Middle and the Future of End-to-End: 

Reflections on the Evolution of the Internet Architecture. ftp://ftp.rfc-editor.org/in-notes/rfc3724.txt
            
           No Original Research! 2013. http://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-liberal/2013/01/no-original-research-2454120.html

        Poe, Marshall.  September 2006.  A Closer Look as Neutral Point of View (NPOV).  http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2006/09/a-closer-look-at-the-neutral-point-of-view-npov/305120/

Robertson, Jordan. November 11, 2008. Software Aims To Uncover ‘Data Discrimination’.http://www.nbcnews.com/id/22013943/ns/technology_and_science-internet/t/software-aims-uncover-data-discrimination/#.URVFKaVX3MA Interestingcomments 14:34, 8 February 2013 (EST) Interestingcomments 16:14, 10 February 2013 (EST)


User777 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability,_not_truth

Assignment #1 – Neutral Point of View Class user: user777 Wiki user: user55462* February 12th, 2013 Internet and Society: Technologies and Politics of Control

For this first assignment, I chose to edit Wikipedia’s “Neutral Point of View” (NPOV) rule. NPOV stands that users of Wikipedia that edit an article should “fairly represent all sides of a story, and not make an article state, imply, or insinuate that any one side is correct”. Therefore, the cause of Wikipedia’s social and political bias, establish a quantitative benchmark for examining the presence of that bias. NPOV mainly defines the terms of objectiveness, bias and neutrality that provide a framework for considering neutrality within the Internet arena. In my view, however, the main questions would arise are: what is meant by neutrality? Is it fairness or perhaps positive opinion? What are the definitions of fairness and/or neutral?

The article that I chose was “Wikipedia and the meaning of truth” which was published by MIT technology review. I found this article by searching different entries in wiki, and this article was linked via Wiki tools. Here is the link to this article: http://www.technologyreview.com/review/411041/wikipedia-and-the-meaning-of-truth/page/2/, however it is mainly a support to the main article, which is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability,_not_truth

I chose this article because it greatly illustrated the clarifications of truth and fairness that was perfectly aliened for this assignment that supported the idea of NPOV. What is fairness? How to be fair? Moreover, what is considered to be truth? According to Wikipedia’s entry on the subject, “the term has no single definition about which the majority of professional philosophers and scholars agree.” But in practice, however in “Wikipedia’s standard for inclusion has become its de facto standard for truth, and since Wikipedia is the most widely read online reference on the planet, it’s the standard of truth that most people are implicitly using when they type a search term into Google or Yahoo. On Wikipedia, truth is received as the consensus view of a subject” (article chosen). Within this rule, I edited the idea of fairness and opinion. I stated that fairness’s tone should be presented within competing views with a consistently fair and sensitive tone. Even when a topic is presented in terms of facts rather than opinion, an article can still radiate an implied stance through either selection of which facts to present, or more subtly their organization, for instance, refuting opposing views as one goes along makes them look a lot worse than collecting them in an opinions-of-opponents section. Moreover, I have added few edits about the manner of option: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view


Furthermore, after my edits, I have placed it on “watch-list”, however I have not received any comments and/or edits. In my view, this rule is neutral in maintaining Wikipedia’s community. Due to cultural and social diversification of options and thoughts, this rule could play a neutral role within its community. Also, I read few other articles, and it’s interesting to note what Princeton’s reviews are about this rule: “NPOV is especially important for the encyclopedia's treatment of controversial issues, where there is often an abundance of viewpoints and criticisms of the subject. In a neutral representation, the differing points of view are presented as such, not as facts”. user777 12:36, 11 February 2013 (EST)

AaronEttl

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:AaronEttl_Assignment1.docx

AaronEttl 16:38, 11 February 2013 (EST)

Maria Paz Jurado

--Maria 17:19, 11 February 2013 (EST)

Milenagrado

Rebekahjudson

Your Name or Chosen Pseudonym: Joshua Henderson, joshywonder Link to rule: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research Link to article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech Link to report: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Assignment_1_-_Joshua_Henderson_-_Joshywonder_-_Feb11.13.docx

HGaylor:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-sided_argument http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Hunter_Gaylor_Internet_Article_.docx

Zak Paster 10:02, 12 February 2013 (EST)

J6428

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_AI

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/A1_JULIAN_J6428.docx

Julian 10:53, 12 February 2013 (EST)


Caroline 11:02, 12 February 2013 (EST)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Seasons_Hotels_and_Resorts#History

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:G%26M.doc


Rich Cacioppo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_pool_cleaner

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Assingment_1_Wikipedia_article_Feburary_12_2013.docx


GregB23

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_8C_Competizione

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Assingment_1_Wiki

Michael Keane

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Ownership_of_articles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrument_flight_rules#Instrument_flight_rules

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Michael_Keane_Assignment_1.docx Michaelekeane 12:38, 12 February 2013 (EST)


Kaley Sweeney http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Uganda http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/KaleySweeney_Assignment1.docx Kaley Sweeney 12:44, 12 February 2013 (EST)

Phildade (Phillip Dade)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norb_Vonnegut

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:DADE_-_LSTU-120_Assignment_1.doc Phildade 15:50, 12 February 2013 (EST)

Raven

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driven_to_Distraction_(Inspector_Morse_TV-episode)

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Raven_Assignment_1_Due_February_12_2013.docx Raven 16:02, 12 February 2013 (EST)

Tessa May

Tessa May 16:32, 12 February 2013 (EST)

Update - The “Tamar Frankel” article which I also edited, has had the “orphan” designation removed.Tessa May 19:14, 16 February 2013 (EST)


Johnfloyd6675

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonegap

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:IS2013FloydAssignment1.txt

Johnfloyd6675 16:37, 12 February 2013 (EST)

Susan Goldstein Rule: Ownership of Articles http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Ownership_of_articles Article: Synchronous learning http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synchronous_learning Report: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Goldstein_Assgn_1_Wikipedia.docx Susan Goldstein 16:56, 12 February 2013 (EST)

CyberRalph

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ababi

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Martins_Assignment1.docx

Muromi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiragana

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Muromi_Assignment_1.doc



AliciaPhan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Charms

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:AliciaPhan_Assignment1.docx --APhan 17:20, 12 February 2013 (EST)

JW http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_yogurt http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:JW_Assignment1.pdfJW 17:29, 12 February 2013 (EST)


Jax http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juggalo

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Wikipediafinal.docx

Rmcharv [RobMcLain]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Charms

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:RobMcLain_-_Assignment_1.docx

Baughller

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InfoArmy

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/sites/is2013/images/Baughller_Assignment_1.docx



1303E7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glitter_bombing http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:Wikireview.docx

Douglas Forbes 16:41, 19 February 2013 (EST) Doug Forbes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myspace https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/is2013/File:ASSIGNMENT_1_WRITE_UP_WIKKIPEDIA_ADDITIONS,_MYSPACE.docx

Assignment One

In 2004 I was looking for a person to help me make a web site for my business. A cousin of mine had a friend Laura who was making sites for people so I talked with her. At that time Myspace was very new and while it seems unthinkable now, she wanted to make a page on Myspace for me for a small fee. She sent me links to some examples she had done for some people. Being an opera singer herself, she had set up pages for other musicians. I didn’t like the concept at all because it seemed to me that only affiliates of the site would be likely to go there and I didn’t like the brand dilution of having a host who’s site was a visible shell around mine. I had someone else help with my first site but because of this introduction, I figured Myspace to be more of a hosting site for artists or people doing some similar notable thing and their followers, a little more like Linked in with fans. I didn’t know they were also a competitor to facebook, especially in the “friends” arena. I didn’t realize they were even still around at all until a couple of weeks ago I got a email or facebook entry with a reference to a Myspace page and felt that my reservations were vindicated. Having been introduced to Mysape through a Jewish opera singer I was quite surprised to read Boyd’s “white flight” article. Even more so because almost all of my black friends who are on anything are on facebook, with the exception of one Linkedin user, I figured the myspace had positioned itself wrong as described above and fallen prey to peoples desire to be with the latest trends.

My college educated black friends aside, Boyds’ research is pretty compelling and of course several people who’s research she includes note that race, class, buying tastes, fashion and homophily are all tied together. (I won’t site these as they are all in Boyd’s article but for the benefit of anyone reading this who hasn’t read her article it can be found at this link): http://www.danah.org/papers/2011/WhiteFlight.pdf Still I was particularly surprised to find myself in a pool of white bread on facebook, I see myself as pretty progressive and have a black wife, so to be totally unaware of that divide was disturbing. This made me curious to see what the Wikipedia on Myspace page had to say and I thought it would be a good choice for a page to make an edit on. I would have considered it a real coup if they had none of Boyd’s research there and to add the “white flight” element but she was already quoted there. I noted that the sections they included did not include the fact that a lot of the perceived dangers that led people, especially parents to encourage some flight to a safer site such as facebook were actually untrue and that seemed a little unfair at best and worth mentioning as her research suggests that to a large extent, the media which often likes to exaggerate and create fear and their by parents-were largely responsible for the flight to facebook. I found it particularly telling that students that Boyd interviewed thought of facebook as safer but couldn’t explain why which suggested to me that they had gotten this from a trusted source, their parents. Lastly I thought it was important to note that some of this misplaced fear was around sexual predator apprehension, a pretty big disincentive.

With all of the above in mind, I directly copied the following two originally non-sequential segments after some “white flight” discussion in the article. The only change being that I added, “Boyd continues” because she goes into the first person after that point (highlighted in yellow below). I went back to check on the writing and they added the citation with the same number as some other Boyd quotes so it looks like it will remain as part of the article. This means I’m now a successful contributor to Wikipedia.  : )



WIKKIPEDIA MYSPACE PAGE ADDITIONS:


Safety – or rather the perception of safety – also emerged as a central factor in teen preference. While teens believed Facebook was safer, they struggled to explain why.

MySpace was once a cultural center for youth culture. As Myspace grew increasingly popular, a moral panic emerged over the potential risks of sexual predators (Marwick, 2008). While the risks were overblown (Shrock and boyd, 2009), fear spread. Involved parents – typically from more educated and wealthier communities began looking closer and they didn’t like what they saw. Boyd continues, while my examination of MySpace profiles revealed that more teens referenced God, Jesus, bible quotes, and other religious symbols than uploaded scantily clad self-¬‐images, parents typically assumed that the latter dominated MySpace and this upset them. Furthermore, these parents were often horrified by the practices of the urban 20somethings, especially those from different cultural backgrounds who appeared to have different moral codes. The media helped produced a techno-¬‐panic, often by leveraging adult fears of urban black signals such as bling and hip-¬‐hop.

Missing in my assignment zero paper: I wanted to include the full name of the Marshall McLuhan book that I mentioned, the title of which contained the phrase Global Village. I think I revised the paper in the process of submitting it so I don’t have the latest version so I’ll take the time to mention it here. It is “War and Peace in the Global Village” (1968) Douglas Forbes 16:41, 19 February 2013 (EST)

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