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Internet of Things

The development of the internet has come with innovations which have altered the way we learn and search. The use of QR codes has heightened the everyday human’s ability to search and learn within a matter of seconds.

Originally the QR code was invented to enable the tracking of car parts in a factory where cars are assembled. The QR code all started with a Japanese car manufacturing company, Denso Wave, which now in present day has become a “necessary ingredient in the future of augmented reality and pandemic control.”

The innovation of the QR code is just one of the inventions which has stemmed from an evolving ‘internet of things’. This is where certain ‘thing’ are attached with a code or data which makes the ‘thing’ unique and only traceable through the specific attachment.

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Dark Fiber: Botnets

This week in our lecture we looked at a series of events that have taken place over the past 20-30 years regarding the internet, in particular, the use of Botnets and the idea of a sock puppet army.

A botnet is simply a number of internet-connected devices. Botnets are more often used for non-illegal activities and are often referred to as ‘the workhorses of the internet’.

Botnets become a problem when looking at their illegal purposes, as they can be used for malicious attacks including credentials leaks, data theft and DDoS attacks to name a few.

This then moves into the idea of a sock puppet army. This term was first coined when documents were released stating that the US government had thousands/tens of thousands of fake accounts on social media that looked realistic. This got people talking about how this has the potential to sway public opinions or draw focus from important topics.

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Anonymous

Anonymous: The Resistance…

They are anyone and everywhere. Hiding in the shadow and on the internet.

If you are unfamiliar with Anonymous well then! You are in for a treat!

Anonymous to summarise is as the name suggests an anonymous decentralised movement. They are hackers known for their various cyber attacks mostly against several governments, oh and of course Scientology…

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Network Insurgencies

Social media has made an imprint in today’s society. Allowing for the ease of communication and simplifying the ability to learn and promote. However, with positives comes the negatives as a society which aims to be connected often becomes disconnected.

A negative which has been imprinted within our brains is Social Media’s ease to promote “black magic”. A sort of black magic which leads us as humans to make bad choices.

Personally, I can relate as when assignments and everyday tasks pile up one-by-one, I find some of those tasks can be done to the bare minimal effort and not to a satisfactory effort.

However I also find social media as extremely influential and positive as it can allow for motivation and to spark a drive to do more.

So the question is whether the negatives outweigh the positives?

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Feudalism and Walled Gardens

Feudalism takes the aged idea of a ‘walled garden’ and modernises it to display what the internet is like today. Feudalism 2.0 is the idea that certain companies create ‘walled gardens’ surrounding their products to prevent the external use of such aspects, therefore patenting their work.

Nowadays, Apple maintains full control over their IOS and macOS operating systems and selective process for all their applications that their systems can run, thus once a person is bought into their metaphorical ecosystem. Consumers may customise, personalise and design to their own pleasure, using IOS and macOS applications only.

Putting up a walled garden pulls and entices users to buy more Apple products and thus benefiting profits across the board. A smart idea which companies are beginning to use, benefiting their operations and marketing.

Are you in the Apple ecosystem?

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Attention Economy

This lecture was really interesting because attention economy is what I call a destructive weapon because as much as it is “beneficial”…its definitely not. It a social media’s way of keeping you on their platform because of their “amazing personalised feed.”

In relating this concept and idea from the lecture to my personal experiences with social media and running my Digital Artefact, Aquilah Productions through platforms like Instagram, Facebook and YouTube  I can confidently say I am a victim to falling into the attention economy.

For you to understand, this isn’t a good thing either. It can cost you a lot of harm on your mental & physical well-being. It not only is a distraction but it an article I read explained it discussed “that it takes more than 20 minutes to get back into the flow once you’ve been interrupted, so even just “one little look” can have a huge consequences for our focus.”

I would love to be able to sit here typing to you and say that attention economy is a great thing and we should all participate in it…however it isn’t and if you stay away from it you might save yourself. Especially going on Instagram as much as it is great, it’s also disruptive to our everyday life and it’s time, our precious time that we are paying / feeding to technology and social media.

Remediation