Digital Society
By Travis Holland
Digital SocietyApr 16, 2024
AI, authorship and creativity
The conversation explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on writing, communication, and creativity. The guest, Daniel Whelan-Shamy, discusses his research on AI and authorship, focusing on the blurring boundaries between human and AI-generated content. Travis and Daniel also touch on the challenges of peer review in keeping up with rapidly evolving AI technologies. The conversation delves into the ethical and legal implications of AI in creative industries, including issues of ownership, attribution, and copyright, highlighting the need for societal discussions on the role of AI in shaping the future and the importance of considering the environmental impact of AI technologies.
Follow Daniel on Twitter/X at https://twitter.com/dannno0o
Check out his online profile https://research.qut.edu.au/dmrc/people/daniel-whelan-shamy/
Social media for academic communication
In this conversation, Jordan Millward, a PhD student at Imperial College in London, discusses the role of digital and social media in education and science communication. He emphasises the importance of providing accurate information to students from non-traditional backgrounds who may rely on social media for information.
Jordan also highlights the need for scientists to use social media as a tool for communication and to share their research and stories. He suggests that academics have a responsibility to combat disinformation and promote accurate information on social media.
Jordan also discusses the challenges of using social media, such as dealing with trolls and negative comments, and the impact of social media on identity and mental health.
Follow Jordan on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/askjordonltd/
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:10 The Role of Digital and Social Media in Education
04:46 Using Social Media to Combat Disinformation
06:00 The Responsibility of Academics in Using Social Media
08:20 The Importance of Clear Communication in Academia
09:25 Effective Communication Strategies in Educational Research
10:59 Examples of Effective Science Communication on Social Media
11:54 Challenges of Using Social Media for Academic Communication
16:39 Dealing with Trolls and Negative Comments
27:49 Institutional Support for Social Media Creators
31:06 Educating Young People about Social Media Literacy
34:30 Practical Considerations for Content Creators
36:21 The Importance of Having a Goal and Exit Strategy
36:57 Conclusion and Where to Find Jordan Millward
Regulating Facebook Groups and Cross-Border Digital Goods
Host Travis is joined by A/Prof Ben Hayward from Monash Uni to discuss how cross-border trade regulations impact digital goods while Facebook group admin Karina explains how she moderates large and active Simpsons shitposting Facebook groups.
Thrillhouse Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/4YxFiq3xWePGBkduHuljDL?si=a224351571004965
Thrillhouse Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/874499843809845
Ben Hayward's profile https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/ben-hayward
Hey there Mr Jenkins
In this conversation, Travis and guest Martin Feld discuss the concept of convergence culture and its impact on media platforms and audience behaviour. They explore the challenges and opportunities presented by convergence, including the democratisation of communication and the rise of disinformation. The conversation also delves into the industrial changes brought about by convergence, such as the fragmentation of content and the trend of companies merging to create holistic media experiences. They highlight successful examples of media convergence, including the Matrix franchise and Disney's transmedia storytelling.
Finally, they discuss the need to strike a balance in using social media, emphasising the importance of moderation and detachment from digital experiences. The conversation explores the responsibility of social media companies in designing addictive experiences and the need for moderation.
To check out Martin's work, see https://martinfeld.info/
What Bo Burnham's Inside says about technology and the internet
Host Travis and guest Tom discuss Bo Burnham's musical special 'Inside' (2021) and explore its themes related to technology, society, and the pandemic.
They delve into the dominance of online content, the impact of technology on relationships, the generational divide, the pressure to conform to online norms, and the challenges of accountability in the digital age. They also examine the effects of the pandemic on individuals and society as a whole.
The conversation highlights the thought-provoking commentary and the use of humour to address serious topics in Burnham's work. Topics uncovered in the work include the social impact of the digital world, the unregulated nature of the internet, the addictive nature of technology, and the challenges of content creation. The conversation also reflects on the effects of the pandemic and the longing for a return to normalcy. Overall, 'Inside' serves as a case study for digital creatives and marketers, highlighting the importance of creativity and authenticity in communication.
Time markers
00:00 Introduction and Context of Bo Burnham's Inside
04:31 Content: The Dominance of Online Content
06:31 Comedy: Social Mobility and Privilege
11:49 FaceTime with My Mum Tonight: Technology and Generational Divide
15:22 How the World Works: Reflection on Society and Education
18:46 White Woman's Instagram: Perfection and Online Persona
21:51 30: Expectations and Achievement
23:40 Bezos I and Bezos II: Power and Accountability
26:10 Sexting: Technology and Relationships
29:00 Don't Want to Know: Disconnectedness and Care
32:00 Problematic: Accountability in the Digital Age
35:00 All Time Low and The All Time Low: Reflection on the Pandemic
40:08 Reflection on the Impact of the Digital World
41:10 Welcome to the Internet
42:49 Unregulated Nature of the Internet
44:21 The Internet as an Addiction
46:57 That Funny Feeling
48:18 The Manic Showmaster Persona
49:06 The Traps of Content Creation
50:53 Goodbye
52:10 Any Day Now
52:21 Reflection on the Pandemic
54:38 Final Thoughts
Artificial Intelligence: Applications and Trajectories - Special Episode for the Big Rhetorical Podcast Carnival
In this episode of Digital Society, we revisit the question of generative AI and it's application in the media and communication industries. Michelle O'Connor and Travis Holland discuss the role and potential uses of AI in radio, journalism, podcasting and other aspects of media production and education. Student Rachel Vanderhel reflects on the links between AI and social media.
This is a special episode of Digital Society produced as part of The Big Rhetorical Podcast's 2023 Podcast Carnival, running from 28-31. Check out other episodes at https://thebigrhetoricalpodcast.weebly.com/.
The carnival will conclude with a keynote interview with Dr. Isabel Pedeson, Professor of Communication Studies at Toronto Ontario Tech University and Founding Director of the Digital Life Institute. To read more about Dr. Pedersen’s research, including her new book, Augmentation Technologies and Artificial Intelligence in Technical Communication, head to the Digital Life Institute website: https://www.digitallife.org.
Social Media and Cyberpunk
From Instagram to Snapchat and Facebook, social media has come to dominate how we communicate. For many, social media is the internet. Using these platforms subjects us to the whims of the huge social corporations. And occasionally, we push back. What’s more cyberpunk than that?
Internet communities
Four student-produced segments attack aspects of community building in participatory media.
Everything you never wanted to know about selfies
Flynn, Ruby, Luna, Charlotte, Annabelle and Gemma studied selfies this week, and now they're here to tell you all about it.
Regulation
Students discuss challenges with internet regulation via perspectives thrown up from two major case studies.
Georgia ats Dril
This is the first episode in Digital Society in which the mic is fully turned over to students. They're asked to produce segments up to around five minutes in length examining internet topics from their own perspectives and ideas. This week, it’s the history of the internet, which Georgia Fisher has covered with a segment looking at Dril and his relationship with the rise, and now fall, of Twitter. Then, through interviews with internet users, Georgia Lewis-Minogue gives us a social history of the net.
How to make a podcast
This episode focuses on tips to craft effective audio storytelling via podcasts.
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Referenced material and websites:
Berry, R. (2006). Will the iPod Kill the Radio Star? Profiling Podcasting as Radio. Convergence, 12(2), 143–162. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354856506066522
Euritt, A. (2022). Podcasting as an Intimate Medium. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003340980
Spotify for Podcasters. https://podcasters.spotify.com/
Riverside FM. https://riverside.fm/
Twitter thread between Travis Holland and Richard Berry https://twitter.com/travisaholland/status/1637557919406522368
Persona and the Selfie
Professor David Marshall convenes a discussion about the way we represent ourselves online.
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Extra info
- Ellen DeGeneres' celebrity selfie: https://twitter.com/theellenshow/status/440322224407314432
- Marshall, D., & Redmond, S. (2015). A Companion to Celebrity. Wiley Blackwell. https://www.amazon.com.au/Companion-Celebrity-P-David-Marshall-ebook/dp/B016PI948Y
WTF is social media? With bonus AI and Cyberpunk chat
Is social media really social? Is it good for society? How do we respond to the unprecedented power and influence of such global corporations? These are just some of the questions asked in this episode. Plus, a chat about cyberpunk with Dr David Cameron, and everything AI with Ph.D. candidate Jasmyn Connell.
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More to read:
Carr, M. (2022, May 4). Is TikTok A Social Media Or Entertainment Platform? ScreenRant. https://screenrant.com/tiktok-social-media-entertainment-platform-is/
Figueira, L. (2022, September 5). TikTok is not social media. In fact, it marks the end of the social era. The Drum. https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2022/09/05/tiktok-not-social-media-fact-it-marks-the-end-the-social-era
Holland, T. (2017). How Facebook and Google changed the advertising game. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/how-facebook-and-google-changed-the-advertising-game-70050
NPR (2018). The Science in Science Fiction. https://www.npr.org/2018/10/22/1067220/the-science-in-science-fiction
Regulation of the Internet
Featuring a look at whether the internet can and should be regulated, and three case studies of regulation from around the world: the 'Great Firewall of China', the Christchurch Call, and Australian Mandatory Data Retention. The episode also engages with JP Barlow's thirty-year-old Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace.
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Sources discussed:
Barlow, J. P. (1996). A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace. https://homes.eff.org/~barlow/Declaration-Final.html
Barlow, J. P. (2014). A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace by John Perry Barlow. https://vimeo.com/111576518
Christchurch Call. (n.d.). Retrieved 23 January 2023, from https://www.christchurchcall.com/assets/Documents/Christchurch-Call-full-text-English.pdf
Galperin, E. (2015, April 7). Data Retention Law Passes in Australia, but the Fight Isn’t Over. Electronic Frontier Foundation. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/04/data-retention-law-passes-australia-fight-isnt-over
Greenberg, A. (2016, February 8). It’s been 20 years since John Perry Barlow declared cyberspace independence. Wired. https://www.wired.com/2016/02/its-been-20-years-since-this-man-declared-cyberspace-independence/
Morrison, A. H. (2009). An impossible future: John Perry Barlow’s ‘Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace’. New Media & Society, 11(1–2), 53–71. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444808100161
The Business of Participatory Media
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Sources, etc:
LEGO Ideas: ideas.lego.com/
Brabham, Daren C. ‘Crowdsourcing as a Model for Problem Solving: An Introduction and Cases’. Convergence, vol. 14, no. 1, Feb. 2008, pp. 75–90. doi.org/10.1177/1354856507084420
Ghezzi, Antonio, et al. ‘Crowdsourcing: A Review and Suggestions for Future Research’. International Journal of Management Reviews, vol. 20, no. 2, 2018, pp. 343–63. doi.org/10.1111/ijmr.12135
Jenkins, H. (2006a). Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century. MacArthur Foundation.
Lee, Ashlin. ‘In the Shadow of Platforms: Challenges and Opportunities for the Shadow of Hierarchy in the Age of Platforms and Datafication’. M/C Journal, vol. 24, no. 2, 2, Apr. 2021. doi.org/10.5204/mcj.2750
O’Reilly, T. (2005). What is Web 2.0? Design Patterns and Models for the Next Generation of Software. www.oreilly.com/pub/a/web2/archive/what-is-web-20.html?page=1
A History of the Internet
The internet is the realisation of a centuries-old dream: instantaneous global communication. It has shaped and continues to shape global economic, political, and social structures in extraordinary ways. It is a relatively new technology and yet we can find numerous traces of the internet throughout human history.
In this episode, we will introduce some ideas about the internet and describe both its history and that of the precursor technologies and ideas which have informed and shaped not only the net itself but also how we might think about it. There's also an analysis of Bo Burnham's song, 'Welcome to the Internet'.
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For further critique of Welcome to the Internet:
- Liza Quin, Filmmaker and Singer Reaction with Commentary https://youtu.be/GoqAXg2dfz8
- Wil Williams, Polygon, Bo Burnham's Inside begs for our parasocial awareness https://www.polygon.com/22553396/bo-burnham-inside-begs-for-our-parasocial-awareness https://slate.com/culture/2021/06/problem-with-bo-burnham-inside.html
- Leah Schnelback, Tor.com, Can I Interest you in a dark carnival? Bo Burnham, Ray Bradbury, and Our Modern Hall of Mirrors, https://www.tor.com/2021/06/15/bo-burnham-inside-and-ray-bradbury-something-wicked-this-way-comes-horrors-of-the-internet/