Publics and Publishing in Transition

Hi there,

Here is a link my my radio show:

https://soundcloud.com/julian-psuedonym/arts2090-julian-ranny/s-S9YXv

Thank you!

Introduction

Discourse and ideologies are developed through the media and publishing to mass media and cultures exposed to them. In turn, they can be seen to develop associations and conventions to debate matters revolving around particular subject matters. These are been by Edwards as socio technical systems that produce knowledge about the whole world (2010), and can be coined under the term Infrastructural Globalism.

When we are to discuss the term Data Friction, we can see it as the act or the effort in publishing or spreading global data. This data is aggregated on global platforms, giving it exponential growth and distribution around digital world. To further these concepts, i'll be using Dribbble - a creative network for designers to collaborate and comment on each others world.

Above (Dribbble.com)

Dribbble: Show and Tell for Designers 

What is it's background?

Dribbble began as a side project for friends; Rich Thornett and Dan Cederholm in Massachusetts. It is a company that aims to helping the world's design talent share their creations and also to help the employment of these individuals.

What are its impacts?

Over time, it has become a go-to resource for new design, styles and inspiration - as well as connecting "designers all around the globe" (Dribbble, 2014).  It plays a unique role, in contrast to the other design blogs. Dribbble is invite-only, which aggregates the quality and creates exclusivity on the internet.

What "data" does it publish?

The data, in the case of Dribbble, are called 'shots' - these are an image file of a 'dribbbler' (a designer, in this case). It has an two-way communication model, which allows comments and apprecations. Alongside this, the data can be saved in personal archives - or 'buckets' for collection and saving for future use.

Where does this data come from?

Since Dribbble is a community of designers; we can see the data coming from web designers, graphic designers, illustrators, icon artists, typographers, logo designers and other creative types. These artists are from all around the world, creating a hub for all work, processes and current projects.

How is this placed within what Paul Edwards calls ‘Infrastructural globalism’?

Dribbble is a system which is a hub to produce knowledge about the whole world. Everyday, there are thousands of 'data' being read, enjoyed and inspiring to designers from the other side of the world. It has the ability to aggregate and publish, categorise and give authority to popular posts. It is a very powerful tool and can acknowledge some unseen talent from any country.

What kinds of ‘data friction’ are involved? How open is all this to manipulation or variation?

Interestingly, the idea of copyright between designers has always been an issue. In saying this, each piece of data gains a piece of value when posted on Dribbbble; this is in regards to the copyright which is applied to each post they make. Point out the former, in regards to the invite-only aspect, the community has all been tied connected - which maintains a culture of respect and sharing. All in all, it is quite simple to copy paste any image - also images or data, have the option of posting hi-resolution for viewing please, though can still easily be stolen by anyone.

Above (Dribbble.com)

References

Dribbble - Show and tell for designers. 2014. Dribbble - Show and tell for designers. [ONLINE] Available at: https://dribbble.com. [Accessed 07 November 2014]

The visualisation of data has become a trend over the past few years - especially within the digital world. Today, we can see beautiful visualisations through a handful of ways such as processed design, motion graphics and the most popular, infographics. What we can see here, is the transformation of data - into what seems to be, more tangible information for everybody. This information becomes an entertaining and educating piece of art and graphics.

Advantages of Visualisations

The main advantages of visualisations in the internet world involve being easier to read and to analyse information, therefore leading to a wider scope or public to read this information.

This is whether they are lazy, don't have time or  are uneducated. This provides an opportunity to share information, statistics and valuable knowledge to more people.

Disadvantages of Visualisations

On the other hand, in terms of disadvatanges and considering the above - it’s so easy to create and share, like we’ve done here, this further blurs the lines of authorship and reliable data. When we think about library books and archived journal articles with important data and information - we need to reconsider where the information has been sourced over all mediums.

Finally, all this is simply more data, consolidating into images and videos which can be considered more dense in terms of size. We can see it like modern societies archive fever.

Visualisations Experiment

As a designer, I found it very interesting to look more into data visualisation and would like to outline the process I went through. It started with a google search for data visualisation, and came across a very brilliant project called RAW (http://raw.densitydesign.org/). This gave me the opportunity to input data and develop a visualisation. At first it was rather confusing, though after a couple of hours - seemed to be quite a powerful tool. This is the following data that I put into the console:

Following this, the RAW engine was able to give me the following vector files to download (below). From what you see, it is a beautiful graph, though lacks a modern touch to give it that appeal for a sphere like the internet.

From this point, I was able to download the correct files to edit in a design software. From here, I am able to contextualise the data into a modern colour scheme that is fun to look at - and also delivers interesting information. The following data is about Serial Killers - here is a small presentation of the final visualisations:

Above (Incorrect Title): Serial Killer per Country

Above: Race of serial killer vs their motive to kill

In 2012, there had been an uproar against Facebook undertaking ‘research’ and manipulating data on Facebook. Published by the National Academies of Science argued that small shifts in the emotions of those around us can shift our own moods, and this is something that Facebook took part in. They made alterations in the News Feed of 310,000 Facebook users to measure what those users subsequently posted for it’s emotional content. The growth of utilizing social media today as experimental data stations has become morally and ethically uneasy on the users. Where social media users are sheer human subjects and blurring the line between our privacy and security – though I believe that this is seeded from the lack of knowledge and terms of use between the world and the enigmatic Facebook.

 The backbone to this computational social science comes from how Facebook algorithmically curates our social connections with friends and family - whether in the name of ‘research or innovation’. Facebook had introduced an EdgeRank algorithm to ensure that the top of our news feed is relevant and engaging, to ensure our time on Facebook is longer and more meaningful. Alongside this, it is from people which we regularly interact with, how popular they are on the social media and mutual friends - this alongside, 100,000 other aspects and factors. This is interesting to think about, as we need to realize that Facebook is constructing our connections and manipulating our social networks.

 Though what we need to come to terms with is that this was all legally justified, obviously. Within the Facebook Terms of Service and Data Use Policy, we have given them the permission and rights to make whatever adjusts they want, and curate all user data. Issues such as this, and angry users of Facebook are seen as naive and ignorant of the realities of Facebook, Edgerank and general terms and conditions. Facebook has grown significantly and also our way of life on the Internet, users need learn what they are getting involved in – instead of just jumping on the social media bandwagon, then complaining about privacy.

 This typical naive and ignorant user doesn’t grasp the idea that social media platforms all integrate algorithms and research upon their users. We have seen billion dollar deals over the past few years for business models such as WhatsApp and Instagram – it’s an expensive industry, and profiling is king. The reaction to this research from Facebook manipulating data was direct proof of this, as the dawning of a culture that is algorithmically organized. We are just not used to it - though these provide us the structure for efficient and effective communication in this technological generation. These invisible algorithms have a direct influence on our very real lives IRL (in real life).

Screenshot of Google Play - Facebook Messenger Terms and Conditions

Just on a final note, I thought it would be interesting to outline the recent attacks on Facebook in regards to terms and conditions and outlook on privacy. There has been a conspiracy as from August 2012 in regards to the Facebook Messenger app, which can be seen in a serious or quite hilarious light in my opinion. Facebook had rolled out the Facebook Messenger app as a tool for conversing with your friends and a compulsory download to smart phone use – and in turn, has received a 1-star rating on the app store due to this. They had asked for use of the microphone and camera at any time (alongside many other aspects), which are primary functions of the app and also, do not have any different conditions to the normal Facebook app for your phone. So what’s the real problem here?

I believe that media and general context, such as the NSA breaching data on the media recently, has had a large impact on the outrage. This is to the extent where there had been viral videos to delete Facebook messenger before ‘they kill your children’ – which are found, well, on Facebook. I find it interesting how this blew up and went viral, and how these naïve and ignorant users are fighting back – with no idea or education on the matter.

Introduction to the Commons

The commons is something worth sharing to everyone. It may already be a reality in which you walk in the shoes of. This is a societal structure which is conservative, yet progress. It provides sustenance, security and independence. It introduces a system without falling under the spell of corporate overshadowing, encouraging a free market and crashing the pillars of capitalism. The commons encourages the non-privitisation of cultural and natural resources, where goods and services are accessible to all members of society through trade and co-existence. But, is it this really the most efficient and effective model for todays society, remains a question.

Cyberspace Commons

The topic of a commons is a thriving issue surrounding the cyberspace. When we are to think about net neutrality and open accessinternet, it all falls under introducing a 'digital commons' for the world. It is interesting to think what a digital commons would introduce; without monetization or ownership, would the Internet be as sporadic, uncanny and wild? We are in a world that speaks money after all. 

What needs to be understood, is that the Internet is already a commons created by the voluntary cooperation, publishing and exchanging traffic to and from all around the globe. We are currently in a position where our ‘internet’ is over capacitated with data, its coming out of our ears. The Internet keeps all your secrets and history, where it’s all stored in archives and databases. Today, we have completely drowned within the sphere of the cyber world and we need to consider it's impacts.

Distraction of the Internet

In the cyberspace atmosphere, everything moves fast. Our journey through websites has become very profitable for brands and corporations online.  So much so that it’s shifted the basis of economics within the internet, and that publishing has taken direct influence from this too. In turn, we have become a society of multi-taskers online, which effects our overall attention spans - though not really in a good way.

The internet impedes short-term memory loss and also our mental performance from our devotion towards entertainment and ‘socialising’. There has been recent studies on the activity of teenagers on the cyberspace – it showed they engage in 10 hours and 45 minutes of a day, that’s quite a lot. This has had a direct influence towards the progression of the publishing world, as they have gained the interest of 'online attention'. This online attention I speak of, it’s where our internal interests and technology, meets a third aspect, which is another person, or publisher, to influence us.

Economy (of Attention)

The archive is, basically, the storing and arrangement of information or data. The human fear of forgetfulness is a driving aspect to this collection or as Derrida, the author of Archive Fever mentions that archives are made possible by “death, aggression and destruction drive”. They are constantly created and also destroy other archives; giving us an insight of the past, what is currently happening and a glance into the future.

Archives are a direct product and framework of publishing in todays society within the online and offline sphere, and can construct the way we think, construct our sense of selves and constitute the most fundamental level of society and culture. It can be seen through an array of modes; libraries, databases, diaries, kindles and so on.

Nālandā: http://www.flickr.com/photos/princeroy/93462777/

The image above depicts Nālandā, it was an ancient higher learning institution in Bihar, India and was the most renowned repository of buddhist knowledge in the world at the time. Further, it was the religious centre from the fifth century AD to 1197 AD. This archive of buddhist teachings, manuscripts and scholarly writings was made from tons of red bricks and occupied 14 hectares, attracting students from as far away as Tibet, China, Greece and Iran. 

In 1193, it was brought to ashes by the hands and fire of the Muslim Mamluk Dynasty army, to deplete all the information from spreading and developing in the future. There are only a few manuscripts which have survived in the hands of fleeing monks located in Los Angeles Museum of Art, Asia Society and On Ke Ru Lha Kgand Monestery. This is an intriguing aspect towards the importance of archives, even as early as 500 AD - where the collection or archive of religious information had become a detrimental threat and thus, destroyed to discontinue and only to be forgotten and withered away with the ashes.

In contemporary society, there has been an evolution towards the concept of the archive due to the internet and emerging technologies in our everyday lives. Derrida introduces the idea of archive fever, which can be influenced by today’s social media within the real-time web. Websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are all archives and databases of our daily lives and interestingly enough, has caused much dilemma over privacy and selling these archives in response - even though we don't have much drive to collect any of this data. Today, our society considers whatever is 'not recent' or not on our 'Facebook walls', is not important and allows businesses like the following to take advantage of the power of archives to the consumer in a beautiful way.

Timehop App: http://www.timehop.com

This is a smartphone application called Timehop. It provides a very interesting service to the wider community, and is directly influenced by the theory of archive fever and derived from archives. Everyday, this app extracts a certain piece of content from your social media database from exactly one year ago; this spans over instragram, Facebook, twitter, flickr and so on.

It will share any captions, the weather and other functions that help us remember what has happened, and the ability to re-share the past with our friends. This sense of nostalgia is a crucial element towards the drive to collect our archive information from the past and really exposes the importance it can have to us. This app has fundamentally withdrawn the more pleasurable aspects of archives and give us a chance to look back and stop composing for a few moments - it's just what we need right now.

The relationship between our offline and online existence can be exposed through a ‘theory’ by three writers; Michael Callon, John Law and predominantly Bruno Latour. The actor network theory or (ANT) is a method to measure the ‘semiotic-material’ relations within networks. It further recognizes that all human and non-human participants in a network, are equally treated and have equal agency. This has caused quite a lot of controversy, though is also considered deceivingly simple and rather effective in analyzing networks or assemblages.

“A systematic way to bring out the infrastructure” - Joseph Goguen, Professor of Computer Science

An example of applying this would be for the network revolved around a Kindle. We need to consider the every ‘actor’ which is involved, human and non human such as; the book, the book shop, environmental awareness, desire for simplicity, kindle design and so on – it can be as detailed as possible. Basically, it suggests that there is no difference in the ability of technology, humans, animals or any other non-human to act – but are all merely enacted alliances within these networks.  It treats human and non-human actors to participate in the same social networks – it is a material-semiotic method – this method maps relations that are material (between things) and semiotic (between concepts).

“Prevailing strategies of interaction” - Thierry Bardini, French Sociologist

It seems like a very neat and efficient system for measuring social relations and networks, though there has been quite a bit of criticism against the actor network theory. One is that it is dismissing basic social factors such as race, class, gender – which makes it incapable of challenging the power of racism, oligarchy or patriarchy in any social relation. But ANY scholars respond that they locate agency neither in human subjects nor in non-human objects, but in heterogeneous associations of human and non humans for their relations. All in all, it’s been particularly useful when we consider the relations between technologies, humans and the social sphere.

Currently we are in a very diverse age of multi-media and expansive resolutions of techniques and machines towards communication and publishing. Alluding towards last week’s blog entry, I have recollected the use of paper in 220 BC, yet there has been the progressive use of scrolls, codex and the printing press over the extended past, and we are now in the age of dependency in multimedia for information. In this contemporary age, we obtain more choice of where we receive our information and if we choose to believe it. This is in contrast with the past, as there was not as much privilege in education and their audience believed what they saw much more intently.

 The parody ‘how to report the news’ is an indicative video that expresses the contemporary medias psychological approach to re-presenting and reporting the news. I found this hilarious as to how true it was, it depicts values of the significance of visual reporting, opposed to audio or text. It is a contemporary sense of manipulation to form consent from the audience.

The world of publishing as I see it, has been one of the most essential adaptation towards human communication and on society as a whole. It is interesting to understand that the efficient synergy and evolution of digital information systems and the process of disseminating information for public view has created such a connected, smaller and even intrinsically mediated world today. In further thought, without this development of publishing, the concept of information, religion and even entertainment would only be present in acute and dispersed communities scattered all over the world, a world of a million cultures.

 Consider yourself in the Han dynasty, China, 220 BC. Your knowledge is as expanse as to what you can physically see and what you have spoken about with your friend next door. To your surprise, arrives a tenuous piece of paper with woodblock prints communicating the revolutionary circulation of Buddhism. In perspective, innovation has struck us in such a manner that we are now reading about a tsunami in Japan, or even maybe, earthquakes in New Zealand in an instant on our Apple iPad while we are eating our breakfast cereal. The Apple iPad and any eReader, such as the kindle, is quite the innovation in today’s society and broaden the concept of publishing. Yet, there are a handful of legal issues that are present towards ownership of a publisher that I have found valuable to the understanding of publishing.