The Next New Thing

The next new form of media will be social media related. If someone is watching a show, movie or documentary on TV they can take a picture of their screen using their mobile device and they can upload it to an app. The app will track any feed, post or comment that are currently going on in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any social media site that you have an account on and you can have a discussion on any of the social media platforms about what you are watching. This will make watching your favorite shows more enjoyable. Instead of having to individually go on social media platforms to search for a topic that you are watching, everything will be accessible on one app.  

Our Class Wiki - So Far

I have contributed to the class Wiki by creating a page called "New Media in Music." In the Wiki, I discuss how new media has changed how users listen to music through the Internet and how people discover new music. It was a topic that no one has written about so far, and I thought it would be informative to others to write about new music services that have come about because of new media. I have included several subtopics to the Wiki page such as music streaming, online radio, music libraries, and music blogs. I have also contributed several definitions to the new media glossary. I plan on contributing more to the new media in music page and add more references.

P2P File Sharing

File sharing is the practice of transferring, sharing or distributing files through the Internet. These files can include audio, visual, computer programs and e-books. P2P file sharing is the sharing of documents through a peer-to-peer network. Other users that have the same P2P file sharing program can share documents through the network. This reduces the amount of leechers, which are people that download files but do not share the files they've downloaded to other users. According to the article, "The BitTorrent Effect" by Clive Thomas, the concept of P2P is, "Users download and share at the same time; as soon as someone receives even a single piece of Fokkers, his computer immediately begins offering it to others." An example of P2P file sharing is two users with the file sharing program, BitTorrent, one user can download a movie that other users already have downloaded on their computer.

Privacy

Privacy and confidentiality has been an issue for many people using social media websites. Posting too much personal information on your page can cause problems such as people using your information in an inappropriate manner. Posting too much information makes you vulnerable to people stealing your identity and makes it easier for people with bad intentions to find out about your whereabouts. It can make for a dangerous situation when too much personal information is posted. Also, employers are starting to search the social media sites of possible job candidates. When employers see inappropriate posts or racy pictures, it becomes a reason for them not to consider you for the position. People need to be aware that what they post online can be seen by many and the more information they publish, is just more that can be taken and possible used against them in the future.

Advice

As Baruch College's new media consultant, I would utilize social media websites to inform students of upcoming events and gatherings. Using Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media sites, students can post when club events, start a conversation, and post important dates. This would help promote school activities and get students to be more proactive during their leisure time in school. I would also create a Facebook page for each course in order for students to stay informed of exams, quizzes and homework. This will hopefully allow students to stay connected with other students and ask about difficult course topics, questions on the upcoming exam or just a comment on that day's lecture. Professors can utilize blogs by requiring that students post their assignments on their blogs for all to read. This method would get students to create work that tends to be better than work that is just submitted to the professor to read. These uses of social media at Baruch College will help Baruchians feel more united.

Creativity and New Media

I created a collage of my favorite singers and rappers and posted it on Flikr. You can check out the college if you click here. Flikr is an online photo sharing social media website. Music is a very big part of my life and through social media sites I can allow others within my online community to understand me better.

Creativity

     With social media websites that range from photo and video sharing platforms to microblogging services, the creative side of individuals that use social media are bound to start trends and fads that become viral. Creativity can be seen as the way someone expresses themselves in a unique manner. This creativity may or may not develop into something greater than just an individual's thoughts. For example, the creators of the social media microblogging service website, Twitter, had many doubts about the infamous #s and @s that are used on their site to inform people of a conversation they were mentioned in or allow users to read topics of conversations mentioned in people's posts. According to the article "Twitter Serves Up Ideas From Its Followers", the man behind the idea of #s said "I begged and pleaded for them to support this feature, and they said, ‘No, it’s only for nerds, no one will get it." Little did everyone know that it would become a big sensation and Twitter users adapted rather quickly to this concept.
     Creativity found on social media sites do not have to come from the creators or the team of people working for the site, it actually can come in the form of users looking to find what would make their experience on the website more enjoyable and expressing that. Being able to post in seconds and have feedback just as quickly, makes it easy for ideas and thoughts to spread. Creativity can come in many forms when it comes to social media, whether it's making a unique collage on Instagram or thinking of a new hashtag. The simplest thoughts and words can be thought of as creative if no one has thought of the idea before. Social media gives many individuals the opportunity to foster creativity through this medium of interaction within the online community. Creativity spans across a vast array of ideas and thoughts and has no limits to what is considered creative and social media has become the new outlet for these innovators.