National Stalking Day

Apparently today is national stalking day in the UK, and I found this article that highlights the dangers of cyber - stalking. I thought it was quite appropriate as it shows that this is a curent issue, and that it is still being tackled today. This article is a new campaign launched today by the police:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/staying_safe_from_cyber_stalkers_1_1352131

Expressing yourself

I found this journal piece that links to my previous post. This looks at the idea of online personalities being an expression of a person, and that it is a way to socialise. I think this article takes a bit more of a modern take on cybercultures and its place in todays world.

Abstract:
The individualising and socialising processes, which shape the identities, are being affected by the information technological revolution. Synthetic worlds, despite hardly having taken their first step towards their evolution, constitute something else than just curiosity; they have restructured human entertainment but, above all, virtual worlds represent an incursion into new social, economic, cultural and educational environments. Virtual worlds create new contexts in which the new generations socialise in groups with rules, learning intellectual skills and expressing their singularity. Virtual communities offer a whole new framework to think about the human identity in the Internet era. Hence, a new horizon opens up for the understanding of the identities, which is characterised by the predominance of the personal over the merely cultural. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

link (might not work because its from Quest!):
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=sih&AN=33979745&site=eds-live

Online Identity - Another you

I found a Journal extract and thought it was appropriate to the topic of identity. I think that it also links quite nicely with the topic of online gaming communities as it explores the idea of creating a virtual person. I think it becomes, for some people, a bit of a game, and there becomes a need to better yourself by making up a 'character' online. Is it just a 'fake' you, or is it a way of expressing yourself?

Abstract:
"This paper presents the author's opinion on the impact of online life on identity. The online exercise of playing with identity and trying out new identities is perhaps the most explicit in role playing virtual communities where participation literally begins with the creation of a persona; but it is by no means confined to these somewhat exotic locations. For many people, joining online communities means crossing a boundary into highly charged territory. The development of the windows metaphor for computer interfaces was a technical innovation motivated by the desire to get people working more efficiently by cycling through different applications much as time-sharing computers cycled through the computing needs of different people. Cyberspace like all complex phenomena has a range of psychological effects. Time in cyberspace reworks the notion of the moratorium because it may now exist on an always-available window. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, I was first exposed to notions of identity and multiplicity. When 20 years later, I used my personal computer and modem to join online communities, I had an experience of this theoretical perspective which brought it shockingly down to earth. I created selves that were made and transformed by language. People who cultivate an awareness of what stands behind their personae are the ones most likely to succeed in using virtual experience for personal and social transformation.

not sure if this link will work:
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=sih&AN=2661506&site=eds-live

Identity - My Social Network Stalker

I watched a documentary recently on Channel 4 called 'True Stories: My Social Network Stalker', which told the story of a girl, Ruth, who was stalked for over three years online. Ruth believed the abusive messages were from former school friends but was then deeply shocked to find out it was in fact her own boyfriend.

We find out in the documentary that Ruths boyfriend Shane Webber had posed as her in chat rooms, and hacked into her Facebook page, trying to alienate her freinds and isolate her from her own life. She stated 'He was the person I trusted throughout the whole thing'.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/my-social-network-stalker/episode-guide/series-1/episode-1

I found this programme really interesting as it shows just how easy it is for someone to set up these pages online and steal your identity without you having any knowledge. The fact that it turned out to be the girls own boyfriend just makes the story even more frightening!

Cyber Bullying - Statistics

A recent study shows that Cyber Bullying is now an even larger problem than bullying in physical life, with 47% of teens ages 12-17 reporting that they have witnessed online cruelty or meanness on social media sites like MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter:

This statistic shows the amount of times teenagers and adults witness online cruelty and meanness on social networking sites. 29 percent of teens aged 12 to 17 report to witness cruelty "sometimes" whereas only 18 percent of adults aged 18 + observed any of this.

Cyber Bullying

Whilst looking into the world of Cyber Bullying, I came across a really interesting report conducted by 'The Cybersurvey Essex. 2010 Youthworks Consulting Ltd.'  

I've posted an abstract below which oulines how new technology today is helping to contribute to the ever growing number of people admitting to have fallen victim to cyber bullying.

Abstract: 

‘Cyberbullying is an aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual, using electronic forms of contact, repeatedly over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself.’

Although bullying has been around for generations, Cyberbullying is relatively new, constantly changing and poorly understood by many adults.

Young people have swiftly taken advantage of new technology. They use it to keep in constant touch with friends, share jokes and images, download music, TV and video clips. They try out identities and reflect their personalities in a public space. They search for information, learn and play games. As one girl put it, ‘If I lose my BB, it’s my life’. She was referring to her Black Berry. But young people might also send and receive hurtful or dangerous messages and images. They may be targeted by others with ill intent.

Technology opens up exciting new opportunities, but just as in driving a car - another freedom which technology offers – there are risks. Adults impart road rules to children, but a large proportion of adults do not understand the online or mobile phone world of young people – and a few do not understand any aspect of the digital world. This makes them ill equipped to teach children about e-safety or Cyberbullying. This is a form of bullying that no parent or teacher can have experienced when they were young, unlike real world bullying.

One of the challenges we face therefore, is not only to educate young people in e-safety but also to educate their parents and often, their teachers too. In a 2009 poll by the Anti- Bullying Alliance (ABA) 54% of parents of 8-14 year olds had not talked to their child about how they could protect themselves or deal with Cyberbullying. Indeed 45% of these parents did not know about the ‘report abuse’ button on social networking sites. Despite this, 23% allowed their children aged 10 or under, unsupervised Internet access at home and 38% allowed children aged 10 or under to have their own mobile phone.

If parents believe Cyberbullying does not happen to their young children, they might be distressed to find that one in five of year 6 primary school pupils surveyed by the ABA in 2009 had been cyberbullied in the last twelve months. This excludes other dangers such as solicitation, harassment and problematic content which their child might inadvertently access.

While new technology has revolutionised young people’s social networks - being fun, cheap, convenient, instant and above all desirable – there is much to learn about the less positive ways it might be used and how we might help them protect themselves.

What type of Cyberbullying is seen?

There are a number of methods of Cyberbullying another person and these methods change and become more sophisticated each time there are new models, games or sites launched. A few are outlined below:

+ Text message bullying - messages via text that contain threats, harassment, insults or hurtful content including photos. Texts can also be used to spread rumours, set up victims for humiliation and to share information about someone.

+ Picture/video clip bullying via mobile phone cameras

Using photos taken on a phone to hurt or humiliate someone, with the images usually sent to several other people. ‘Happy slapping’ involves filming and sharing physical attacks. Intimate photos from a relationship are often misused after friends fall out.

+ Phone call bullying via mobile phone – silent calls or abusive messages are often used, with the caller disguising their number or using someone else’s phone. The bullied person’s phone may be stolen and used to harass others, who then think the phone owner is responsible.

+ Email bullying - bullying or threatening emails, with or without images, but often with an invented pseudonym or using someone else’s name and email account to avoid discovery.

+ Chat room bullying – when children or young people are in a web-based chat room they may feel they are among friends. It is especially hurtful and embarrassing to receive menacing or upsetting responses in this public forum.

+ Bullying through Instant Messaging (IM) - unpleasant or threatening messages sent in real time, online conversations. Some games also permit messaging.

+ Bullying via websites includes – defamatory blogs, websites set up to humiliate someone (may use images) and online personal polling sites.

+ Social Networking sites – The Essex Cybersurvey carried out with 1452 respondents in the spring of 2010 found that 76% of young people aged 10 -16+ had a Facebook page or used another social networking site. Age 12-13 is the largest age group in the sample and Facebook is meant to be for 13 year olds upwards. These sites allow users to seek, admit and reject friends in the glare of public view. Blocking someone on a social networking site is a common form of bullying. Rumour spreading via friends or posting malicious comments are frequently used.

+ Using someone else’s account or phone – disguising identity by using a computer at a friend’s house, stealing a phone or simply using it for a few minutes to send a bullying message that may get someone else into trouble.

+ Via electronic games – Hacking into someone’s account or score to alter it or using a game box to send messages.

Link to report - http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/PDF/Essex_cybersurvey_final%20report.pdf

An Interview with Dan... World of Warcraft enthusiast

I recently managed to catch up with former gaming fanatic and close friend Dan Leadbetter, to discuss the effect that World of Warcraft has had on him, and how he feels about MMOs (massively multiplayer online game) in general. I asked him a series of questions that I felt would give me a better understanding as to why the franchise has become so popular over the past few years...

1.Where did you first hear about World of Warcraft?

My friends at school 

2. What was it that first attracted you to the franchise?

The fact that all my friends were always talking about it and recommending it, and obviously the online aspect that meant I could play with them and thousands of others. 

3. How long did you play it for?

Around 2 to 3 years.

...and why did you decide to stop playing?

 I stopped playing because of a new game version that I didn’t like, and it meant that I would have had to play more hours to reach the same level I was before. I didn’t have enough time alongside my college work, and I felt that the designers had introduced a system whereby every 6 months a new installment would completely change the game (I found myself constantly harking back to the ‘good ol’ days’ )

4. WoW is arguably one of the biggest online-gaming franchises. What makes WoW stand out from other MMO's?

It is easy to play for any gamer, whether serious or occasional. This is as opposed to other MMO’s that can be too in depth and complicated for a casual gamer. Due to the large numbers of other players, the game play heavily features teamwork and in game interaction, as well as a thriving online community. It is also backed up by an extremely popular RTS (real time strategy) upon which it is based and takes its storylines. 

5. Do you play any other MMO’s.

I tried Star Wars Galaxies, but found it too abstract and involved for my casual gaming style.

6. Some people consider online gaming to be an addiction. How many consecutive hours have you spent in one session?
 
No more than five hours

7. Has it affected your daily or social life in any way, and if so, how?

I suppose I could have been reading or doing something useful like learning an instrument instead of playing WoW. I wouldn’t say it affected my social life more than, say, television does now, and I would always choose real life social events over playing online. 

8. Internet MMOs have a negative reputation in some circles; players are often referred to as ‘Geeks’ or ‘Nerds’. Do you think this a fair assessment?

Sure there are people who get completely immersed in the online WoW environment, and it consumes an inordinate amount of their time. However, I disagree that they should be branded ‘Geeks’ or ‘Nerds’ any more so than gamers who play other games.

9. What kind of investment and preparation advice would you recommend for a new gamer?

 Make sure that you can pay the monthly fee (around £10 a month?) and try to limit your hours on it – don’t fall into bad habits of playing too late at night, or playing before a certain time on weekdays.

10. Finally, what do you think the future holds for MMO’s? Is it just a fad, or will online gaming just keep growing?

I believe they will continue to grow, both in this country and worldwide (especially in developing countries such as China, India and South America).