"Oh noez, it's da Predator!1"

People always told me that when I go to college, I can be anyone I want to be because no one knows who I am. One can argue that this statement is true, but I can update this phrase to an even truer statement. “People always told me that when I log onto the internet, I can be anyone I want to be over and over and over again.” There are many reasons for this but perhaps the best reason is because no can physically see who I am. Judith Donath sums it up perfectly by stating, “The virtual world is different. It is composed of information rather than matter” (1996). When I am on the internet I am protected by a barrier (in this case a screen) that simply displays infinite amounts of information. It can often be a difficult task to sort out what, or who, is real and fake.

Everyone who uses the internet has an online identity. According to John Suler, the internet allows:

“people to present themselves in a variety of different ways. You can alter your style of being just slightly or indulge in wild experiments with your identity by changing your age, history, personality, physical appearance, even your gender. The username you choose, the details you do or don't indicate about yourself, the information presented on your personal web page, the persona or avatar you assume in an online community - all are important aspects of how people manage their identity in cyberspace” (Suler, 2002).

Like Suler suggests, the identities I use vary depending on which online community I participate in. I generally use two identities online. I use one for online gaming and one for more formal online communities such as e-mail, blogs and instant messaging. When I play games online I like to use an alias such as “ThePredator” This originates from the Predator movies. Ever since I saw those movies I fell in love with that creature…it was the coolest looking killer alien I had ever seen. He was ruthless, stealthy and cunning, all attributes that an online gamer should have. Not to mention it’s a cool name to have people recognize you as. It’s simple and secretive as well. People simply know me as “ThePredator” and that creates a mysterious vibe. There is no need to reveal any personal information about myself in online games because I am only there to play and have a fun time. I have noticed that almost no one who plays online games talk to each as if they would in real life. This is most likely due to the freedom and ambiguity present. Online games have their own language, such as ‘noob’ and ‘pwned’ which further separate reality and virtual reality, and they don’t encourage people to interact on a personal level either.

When it comes to communities where I know I have to interact with ‘supposedly’ real people or friends and family I use an identity that they can relate to. In these cases I use a simple ID such as “JaredK511.” This too is simple and easy to call me as, but it is much more personal. I am revealing my true first name and last initial, as well as my birth date. I believe it shows that I am not trying to pull any ‘funny business’. I usually include a profile with this ID in order to explain a little more about who I truly am as well. I do this so I can establish a better reputation to those whom it may concern.

Just like with everything else in the world, devious activity can be found with even online identity. Perhaps someone wanted the name “ThePredator” but could not have it because I already own it. Well there are ways that that person could hack into my account, change the password and steal my ‘name’. I am not that tech savvy so I have found an example that explains how people could hack into your account. According to the TWL (TeamWarefare League) forums, “The primary way these [accounts] are being stolen is by someone contacting the person on MSN (easily found on a high honor account by looking at their AAO Tracker profile) and impersonating a female. "She" then sends a picture of "herself" and offers to send you more. When you say yes "she" sends a file called "Christina's_Gallery_2003" that contains the "MultiDropper-FD" Trojan in it” (2004). Something as simple as that could really ruin a gamers’ experience. A lot of times though people are gullible and fall for certain traps like the one mentioned above. That is why it is always important to read things carefully and think critically about what it is you’re being prompted to do. There is clearly no way to prevent people from changing who they are online, but with some caution and knowledge, people can navigate the digital world safely and problem free.

References

Donath, J. (1996). Identity and Deception in the Virtual Community. Retrieved February 20, 2007, from http://smg.media.mit.edu/people/Judith/Identity/IdentityDeception.html

Suler, J. (2002). Identity Management in Cyberspace. Retrieved February 20, 2007, from http://www.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/identitymanage.html

TWL Forums. (2004). TWL community based gaming. Retrieved February 20, 2007, from http://www.teamwarfare.com/forums/showthread.asp?forumid=25&threadid=189387

"Don't come in! I'm shopping online!"

“Get the hell out of my room!” This is something I often hear from my brother when I venture into his room. This statement implies that he does not want to be bothered and he most likely wants something that everyone else in the world wants…privacy. However, in this day and age privacy is something that is dwindling right in front of our very eyes. According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, privacy is “the quality or state of being apart from company or observation.” This is definitely a plausible explanation but I feel privacy is something more. People want privacy because it is a natural function of being a human. It’s hard to describe, but it is a certain feeling we want when we begin to feel uncomfortable. It can be considered a desire to achieve a preferred state of balance. But what is a person to do when the issue of privacy is moved from the real world to the digital world?

The internet plays host to a number of devices that can record your every move. Internet privacy can be compromised through cookies, browsing profiles, IP addresses, ISP’s, and data logging (Wikipedia 2007). Rather than discuss each one of these, it is important to understand that these internet related entities can severely (or even totally eliminate) your privacy online. When I say online privacy, I mean online shopping, website history, e-mail, and overall online habits. Computer hackers and many major corporations can obtain your valuable information and use it to their advantage. It is sad and frustrating, but it is a reality. Unfortunately people do not do much to prevent such occurrences from happening. MSNBC.com states, “Only a tiny fraction of Americans – 7 percent, according to a recent survey by The Ponemon Institute – change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy.” (Sullivan, 2006). It’s scary to know that so many Americans neglect to protect their personal privacy.

I, on the other hand am not among the remaining 93 percent. I know I cannot fully protect myself on the internet if I want to fully use it to its potential, but I do take certain measures in order to protect my personal information. I never shop online (I much prefer to buy things in person where I can physically see the product), I always do work on secure connections, I use safer web browsers such as Firefox to help protect against malicious spyware, and I refrain from giving out personal information wherever I can. It’s not much, but it is something that the everyday person doesn’t do. However I am not some paranoid person who always suspects that someone is out to get me. Like everyone else, I still use the internet as though it were a natural part of my life. Fortunately, with my safe internet habits always in mid, I have never been in a scenario where my internet privacy has been treaded on. People say the best offense is a good defense. I happen to agree with this and avoiding disastrous situations has thus far been a success. Many of my friends and family have a similar state of mind so I do not know how they would react if they had an invasion on their privacy. I would imagine they would fight against the actions though, as I know I would. The best thing a person can do regarding anything in life is to educate themselves. Knowledge gives people the power to do anything. MSNBC.com adds that, “People can't make intelligent (privacy) choices” (Acquisti, 2006). People would be able to make intelligent (privacy) choices easily, if only they knew more about how the internet works.

References

Internet privacy. (2007, February 14). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:26, February 14, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Internet_privacy&oldid=108031912

Sullivan, B. (2006, October 17). MSNBC. Retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15221095/print/1/displaymode/1098/

Merriam-Webster Online. (2007, February 14). Retrieved February 14, 2007, from http://www.m-w.com/

A little blood can go a long way

Blood! Some people hate it, some people love it, every body needs it. I’m sure you have all seen those blood donation signs throughout campus, but do you really give it a second thought? If so do you actually donate blood? If you answered yes to both of those questions, congratulations…you are officially a member of a gift economy. A gift economy is an economic system in which the prevalent mode of exchange is for goods and services to be given without explicit agreement upon a quid pro quo (Wikipedia, 2007). In other words, a person gives someone else a gift without the expectation of receiving one in return. However it is important to note that a possible motivation behind participating in this economy is “the expectation that one will receive useful help and information in return; that is, the motivation is an anticipated reciprocity” (Kollack 1999). I think everyone can agree with this statement because even a simple, heart-felt “thank you” will make you feel good inside, and consequently make your day better.

A gift economy that I participate in is donating blood. I do it because I truly want to help those who are sick and need it. The feeling I get when I know I’ve directly helped someone is all it takes for me to continue forth. Even though I may never see the person that receives my gift, the satisfaction I get is perhaps just as strong if I had seen them face to face. The same can be said for people who give advice over the internet. Rheingold (1993) has described interaction in one online community (the WELL) as consisting of a gift economy, in which help and information is offered without the expectation of any direct, immediate quid-pro-quo. A logical conclusion would be that those people, even though it’s simply sharing their knowledge with others, get that same sense of accomplishment as I do when I donate blood. It really is amazing when you step back and think about it. No one is getting paid for giving out advice and yet they still do it. I do not get paid to give blood but I still do it. I believe this is a force that helps connect everyone on the internet. Maybe helping others anonymously is the way that people who never see each other, and are far away come close on this world wide community. There is nothing to lose, so why not help others? Helping others can only make the world a better place…and what better place to start than the internet?

The person who receives my blood may think to themselves how nice it was for some random person to go out of their way and help them. After thinking about this, it motivates the recipient to donate (when they are better of course) or encourage others to do the same. If this does indeed occur I have received yet another passive gift because my gift encouraged others to give. Just like the saying “every penny counts”, every donation of blood counts and can lead to better things. The same goes for donating to AIDS research and what have you. I know this all may sound very philosophical but participating in a gift economy like donating blood, can truly lead to a better society.

Gift economy. (2007, February 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:02, February 8, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gift_economy&oldid=105681971

Kollock, P., (1999). The Economies of Online Cooperation: Gifts and Public Goods in Cyberspace. University of California, Los Angeles. Retrieved February 7, 2007, from http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/soc/faculty/kollock/papers/economies.htm

Rheingold, Howard. (1993). The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier. Retrieved February 7, 2007, from http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/soc/faculty/kollock/papers/economies.htm

I can COPY this RIGHT? No!

In today’s world, technology is growing so rapidly that people often find themselves overwhelmed with what is right and wrong in the digital realm. Everyday, people are violating copyright laws and they do not even know it. For example, recording music on a CD for a friend without the bands permission is a violation, especially if you sell it. It may seem like an innocent, everyday act but it can reap serious repercussions. Copyright infringement is perhaps more pressing today than it has ever been before. This is largely in part to the internet. The internet allows for very fast and easy sharing of information. It is important to know the definition of copyright so we can better understand the penalties involved. According to the University of Texas at Austin’s i312 page, copyright “gives creators some exclusive rights” that protect their works. The following is a list of these particular rights as shown here.

• reproduction. Only the creator can authorize that copies of his/her work be made and authorize the distribution and publication of copies.

• derivative works. A derivative work is a work that is based on the initial work, and uses copyrighted material in its creation.

• public performance. Only the creator can authorize that a works can be performed, like in music and theater.

• public display. Only the creator can authorize the public display of their work, such as graphic or sculptural works.

If a person violates one of those creators’ rights, they will be punished if caught. Punishments range from confiscation of infringed work to a devastating $150,000 fine - if the act was done willingly (Ovalle 2005). However, in today’s society, catching people in the act can be a very difficult thing to do. One could argue that copyrights encourage people to develop new and interesting works because they need not worry about their work being copied or stolen. Therefore, it is very important to protect their rights.

Companies can hurt themselves by simply not knowing they need a license to play music. For instance, it is copyright infringement when telephone intercom systems play music while callers are on hold, unless they have a license (Lindsey 2005). Who would have known that was a violation? The National Law Journal states, “In the last two years, the RIAA has filed 14,800 lawsuits against individuals for illegally downloading and distributing copyrighted music on the Internet” (Baldas 2005). One would ascertain that those people never expected to be in court for simply downloading music. No one ever hears about music copyright infringement issues unless they are on a much larger scale. The site goes on about specific family cases where parents’ children are brought to court for downloading music. These cases continue to grow because of a lack of legal education. Computer programs like iTunes and programs in school teaching kids about copyright laws can be a step in the right direction to solving the current problem. iTunes is easy to use and it is relatively cheap (certainly cheaper than cd's, and dvd's). This can save people major problems that they would find in court.
Copyright is a complex subject because there are limits and exceptions in certain areas, but the point is people need to educate themselves better so they can protect themselves and others.

References

Ovalle, C., (2005). An Introduction to Copyright. i312 Information In Cyberspace. Retrieved January 31, 2007, from http://sentra.ischool.utexas.edu/%Ei312co/1.php

Lindsey, M., (2005). Music and Copyright. Retrieved January 31, 2007, from http://publishing.wsu.edu/copyright/music_copyright/

Baldas, T., (2005). The National Law Journal. Music Piracy Defendants Fighting Back. Retrieved January 31, 2007, from http://www.law.com/jsp/nlj/PubArticleNLJ.jsp?id=1128675912177