Facebook and the desire for more

An interesting study that examines how metrics on Facebook, such as number of likes, lead to a desire for more. Have only read it quickly, but it seems to compare what happens when users don't see such metrics. An interesting quote from the conclusions:

"Facebook draws on our deeply ingrained “desire for more,” compelling us to reimagine friendship as a quantitative space, and pushing us to watch the metric as our guide"

http://computationalculture.net/article/what-do-metrics-want

Interview with Tumblr CEO

BBC interview with Tumblr CEO as to how he sees Tumblr distinguishing itself from other social media platforms:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-30455719

Children and screen time

Some interesting articles on how much screen time children should have. In particular:

A summary article, with good links
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/12/26/370322663/an-update-on-screen-time?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social

Kids who spend time away from devices are better at reading emotions of people's faces
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/08/28/343735856/kids-and-screen-time-what-does-the-research-say

Are devices limiting students' ability to listen
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/11/07/361921500/pythagoras-iphone-is-listening-a-lost-classroom-art

Curiosity

On a data-visualization blog that I like, I came across this review of a book called "Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends on It", with some provocative quotes:
But creativity doesn’t happen in a void. Successful innovators and artists effortfully amass vast stores of knowledge, which they can then draw on effortlessly. [...]
A major concern of this book is that digital technologies are severing the link between effort and mental exploration. By making it easier for us to find answers, the Web threatens habits of deeper inquiry—habits that require patience and focused application.


Might be an avenue to pursue?

Where to in the future?

Government review on the "Internet of things" looks at likely impact on society over the coming years:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/internet-of-things-blackett-review

iRights - Protecting children's rights in a digital world

There is a new move to protect children's rights online, called iRights. It campaigns for the following rights for children:

1. The right to remove – every child under 18 should be able to easily edit or delete all content they have created themselves.
2. The right to know – every child should know who is holding and profiting from their information.
3.  The right to safety and support – children should be protected from illegal practices, and supported if confronted by upsetting or troubling scenario online.
4. The right to make informed and conscious choices – children should be free to participate with the online world, and to disengage with it at will.
5. The right to digital literacy – children need to be taught the skills to really benefit from the opportunity the digital world offers them.

The above is taken form an introductory blog post at
http://www.crae.org.uk/news/blog-childrens-rights-for-an-internet-age

The iRights site is at
 http://irights.uk/

Steve Jobs Was a Low-Tech Parent

Here's a contribution to the children-and-technology debate: Steve Jobs didn't let his kids use iPads
Other high-tech executives are quoted in the article as having strict screen-time rules, and in particular "There are no screens in the bedroom. Period. Ever"

Social media - Edwardian style!

Here's an interesting paper discussing the postcard craze of the early 20th century.
http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/fass/projects/EVIIpc/docs/Early%20Postcard%20BERA%2009%20paper.pdf


There are some parallels with texts and tweets. People often used a more relaxed writing style than in formal letters, which led to worries about declining standards; the sender can choose a photo as well as text, and the robust, small format made them easy to write "on the go". Edwardian postcards were also a surprisingly rapid medium: in major cities there were up to 10 postal deliveries per day!


The authors have re-sent a lot of Edwardian postcards as tweets: https://twitter.com/eVII_PO

Personalised advertising

Interesting article on the BBC that talks of possibility of personalised advertising. In particular through
1) Facial recognition software, that either just identifies your age and sex, or that identifies who you are by matching with your photos on social media.
2) Retailers knowing when someone with their app installed on a smartphone walks into the store.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30219820

What is your data worth?

On the question of privacy, so not sure where it fits into our categories so far, but I think raises an interesting question about relationships.The article discusses how we often have no idea how much data we are giving away about ourselves, especially in social media, and how much this data is worth to companies. I link it to relationships because I think that things we once would only have shared in close relationships we are now happy to give to almost anyone. Often this data is shared without a true judgment e.g. do I really want social media sites to be able to use the photos I upload for their own purposes?

https://www.cable.co.uk/features/feature-complex-issues-online-data-security-future/

Quality of children's online use

Blog argues that we would be less worried about quantity of time kids spend online if we provided better quality.

"young people will only really engage with digital media for deeper and wider purposes if they believe their contributions will be valued and their voices heard. Until then, society will continue to worry about the time they spend online as if this reflects a lack in young people rather than in the opportunities that society has to offer them."

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/mediapolicyproject/2014/12/02/maximising-the-opportunities-for-kids-online-where-are-we/


This article relates to a comment in our dinner last week, that we give young people powerful tools without education. Maybe we need to think more about the responsibilities of educators. If we give young people access to such a variety of technological instruments, but without a real proposal that directs their use, are we doing more harm than good?

Initial steps and the way ahead

Last week a few of us organising the exhibition met for dinner. Here are some of the points that came out, plus some indications as to how we want to carry on this work from now.

Why?

The first important point to keep in mind is why we want to do this exhibition, so that it doesn’t become just a sociological comment on society today. Taking into account the theme of the London Encounter, we want to understand how technology helps us to live the real intensely and where it hinders us in this. But what does it mean to live the real intensely? Here I suggest everyone to re-read the last section of chapter 10 of the Religious Sense. To live the real intensely implies living all of reality, forgetting nothing, until the point where we begin to know the mystery. My interest in doing the exhibition is so that I can be helped to live reality in a way that opens me to the mystery behind it. Without this perspective the work for the exhibition will soon become boring.

Related to this, the question came out “Does technology help to answer my need or does it define my need?”. We want to help each other in this awareness.

What?

There are many aspects of technology that we could look at in this exhibition. We have identified a few main categories that we see as the principal ones we found interesting to look at. In each category we wish to bring out the positive benefits, while helping each other to recognize the challenges. These are by no means finalised, but are just a structure to help us start working. The categories are

1.       Development of technology in recent years (20-50 years?). Look at how technology has developed and the great benefits that that has bought.

2.       Relationships – Technology allows us to keep relationships with friends at long distances. However it also affects the way we live those relationships. An example given was how WhatsApp provides a great way of keeping in touch with friends in Italy, but is not the method that you would use to talk about something serious. In what way are relationships influenced by technology?

3.       Knowledge – Technology provides access to a great wealth of knowledge and is a great tool in our desire to know the world. However, it can also make knowledge superficial, for example if we think that it is sufficient to have 100 books stored on our phone but never read any of them properly. Does storage become identified with knowledge?

4.       Social media – Again a great tool for building relationships and our desire to communicate, but clear challenges when it becomes an end in itself.

5.       Education – Two aspects to this. First, in order to face the challenges our freedom needs to be educated. How does this happen? Second, how does this affect the way we educate our younger people, so that their freedom can also recognize and face these challenges?

How?

We need to start gathering material and defining the scope of the exhibition very quickly. We will have another meeting on 17 December in London. Before that I ask everyone to contribute as much as possible in the following ways:

1.       Find any relevant articles of interest or other material and post links to them on the blog. As far as possible please write a couple of sentences as to what the article is about and why you think it is of interest, rather than just saying “this looks interesting”. There is also the possibility to add labels to your posts (right hand side of screen). Please try to add one or more of the following labels, corresponding to the above 5 categories
    Development, Relationships, Knowledge, Social Media, Education.

(Add other labels if you think it useful). This will help us to identify the main themes coming out of what we find.

2.       Add posts with your own thoughts or experiences. Again try to add labels to categorise them.

3.       Comment on the posts of other people. If you think something is particularly useful, say why. If you disagree with an article, say why. The blog is a possibility for us to discuss the different issues without us all having to meet together, so let’s start discussing!

Finally, enjoy it! As I said at the start, this should be a work which is personally useful for each of us.

Young person's point of view - Some thoughts from Rebecca

Technology is a part of my day to day life. When I wake up I check Twitter and Instagram, see if I have missed any messages and throughout the day I like to be able to check in on my Social media accounts. Technology has given me a way to communicate with people – who have similar interest to me- from all around the world. Also I am able to record moments and memories with just a click of a button and they are saved for me and my ‘followers’ to see.

Last year I decided to create a blog. Blogging has given me a lot of opportunities as well and giving me the chance to learn so much about coding and design of a website. In the blogging world online there is a huge sense of community. There are hundreds and thousands of blogs out there run by teenagers and young adults like myself. It is an amazing creative outlet that is free and so empowering. Also there is a really strong sense of community online between bloggers.

I love having a voice on the internet whether it is sending a tweet with what’s on my mind, posting a photo that shows how I am feeling in that moment or writing a post on something amazing that has just happened. It gives me an identity.

I am fully aware of the risks and hazards of the digital world but in my opinion I believe that if you know what you are doing and who you are talking to, the internet is a safe place.

There is also something else about the internet that isn’t really talked about but I am sure everyone has done it before.  The internet plays a huge role is allowing young people ( and anyone) to seek anonymous advice. Whether it be for stress, problems with friends , bullying, exams/school or family situations. The anonymity is comforting because you can find so much advice and help online without having to go and speak to someone. Obviously it is preferable to seek professional help if it is serious; however the internet is a great starting place for seeking advice. I for one have often sought for advice on the internet and quite often it has really helped me.

My dad asked me the other day, after I was talking to Ale about the London Encounter next year, “Why do you use technology?” and I simply replied, without even thinking, “Because everyone does.” At the time I didn’t think much of it but now I realise that we are all living in a reality where we are expected to use technology and to be honest we all use it not because we have to but because we want to. It has made our life easier, more practical and more rewarding. Instead of having to wait weeks for a letter from you American friend – all you have to wait is a few hours for an email. It is just so much easier. 

The internet and digital world is so ‘natural’ for young people because it is fully integrated in to our lives. I have grown up with technology and watched as the Nokia ‘brick’ phone has turned into a sleek touchscreen powerful smartphone that carries your whole life on it but lives in your pocket. This honestly amazes me and I am excited by the future of technology and what is to come.

Here are some quotes I have find that I find really interesting:

“Technology is supposed to make life better” – Veronica Roth, Insurgent (Divergent Trilogy Book 2)

The PC has improved the world in just about every area you can think of. Amazing developments in communications, collaboration and efficiencies. New kinds of entertainment and social media. Access to information and the ability to give a voice people who would never have been heard. - Bill Gates

Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, allowing us to do things more quickly and efficiently. But too often it seems to make things harder, leaving us with fifty-button remote controls, digital cameras with hundreds of mysterious features and book-length manuals, and cars with dashboard systems worthy of the space shuttle. - James Surowiecki

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_technology.html#TsV1ri40tsfg4ch0.99

Some facts that I can’t quite believe; but at the same time it doesn’t really surprise me because I do and agree with all of these:

Young people use a number of digital devices and different modes of communication, at the same time.

◾45% of young people said they felt happiest when they were online

◾75% of young people claimed that they couldn’t live without the internet

◾86% loved how new technology helps them communicate with people

◾96% of 16 to 24 year olds say they use another media device whilst using the internet

Some articles I found interesting:

http://www.youthnet.org/what-we-do/key-facts-and-figures/media-factsheet-young-people%E2%80%99s-needs-in-the-digital-age/

http://old.digizen.org/cyberbullying/fullguidance/understanding/context.aspx (this is about cyberbullying but I think it is really good the way they explain about why young people use the internet and why it is so important for adults and teachers to understand this.)

Communication at the Service of an Authentic Culture of Encounter

Some interesting thoughts from Pope Francis

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/communications/documents/papa-francesco_20140124_messaggio-comunicazioni-sociali.html

And an interesting article from today's Telegraph

Four technology addicts describe how their habit affects their lives

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11232503/Four-technology-addicts-describe-how-their-habit-affects-their-lives.html

 

Some thoughts to get us started ...

Chatting with Ale we were thinking that the starting point for this exhibition should be a reflection on our own experience, to understand both the positive aspects and the difficulties we have in our use of technology. The idea would be to use our experience to identify some common themes that we can work on. Here are a few immediate reflections of my own to start the process off.

1.    Relationships – Modern technology has great possibilities to help build relationships between people. The fact that I could speak to my friends and family and see their face at the same time was science fiction when I was growing up (and I’m not that old!). I can also build relationships with people I rarely meet face-to-face.  However, it is also easy that we begin to measure our relationships by the number of followers we have on Twitter/ Facebook, that I get excited by the fact that I have a new follower or that someone has responded to me. When does technology serve our relationships and when does it dominate?

2.    In many occasions I find myself easily distracted from what I am doing, e.g. the temptation to check the news on the internet, email or Twitter as a quick break from my work is constant (and very easy when you work in front of a computer). Does our desire for novelty take us away from the task we have in hand, to look for a novelty or satisfaction elsewhere? Or is the fact that a new email arrives while I am in conversation with someone else part of the reality to which I am called to respond?

3.    Also connected to point 2, it is often difficult to concentrate on just doing one thing. A particular example that struck me recently is that sometimes I spend time reading in the office at the end of the day, while waiting for the traffic to die down. If I leave my computer on, I find it impossible to read for more than 20 minutes without a quick check of my email.

4.    Does modern technology change the value we put on things? A few years ago I had a new mobile phone contract with free download of any music during the first year. I was completely lost and actually downloaded very little! The fact of having immediate access to so much choice meant that I didn’t know what I actually wanted to listen to.

5.    Modern technology gives me the great possibility to work from home. However with this easily comes the ‘always available’ culture, when I feel the need to respond to emails immediately, no matter when they arrive. Why is it so difficult to decide that I’ll respond later?

In Jonah Lynch’s book The Scent of Lemons he touches on the problem of concentration, saying that we now read books the way we read web sites, with a quick scan. An interesting study he points to in this respect is at
   http://www.nngroup.com/articles/f-shaped-pattern-reading-web-content/
which shows how we scan web pages forming an F shape. Studies have shown that people no longer read in a linear way. I’ll try to post more from this book in future.

Please reply with comments or new posts to help deepen some of these themes or bring out new ones.

Welcome to the LE technology blog

I have set up this blog as an easy way to share ideas and articles for the London Encounter exhibition on technology and reality. As a start I have found this

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dr-richard-graham/the-digital-rites-of-pass_b_6040214.html


which is by a London psychiatrist dealing with technology addiction.


Ale has also passed on these articles

http://themindunleashed.org/2014/10/heres-steve-jobs-didnt-let-kids-use-ipads-shouldnt-either.html
 
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4899218


Please feel free to post anything that is relevant.