Case Study: Question 1 & 2

1. Has new and digital media had an impact upon ownership and control of the media institution(s) involved in your case study area?  Explain in detail any impact and what exactly has changed.

It can be argued that the development of new media has had a impact upon ownership and control, as through social media people have the freedom to express their views instead of being restricted. As there has been a rapid changes in technology Facebook now offers news feed for users, and therefore most people receive information through social media instead of watching terrestrial channels. Significantly, citizen journalism has contributed to a decrease in ownership and control as people have the freedom of choice by publically posting their messages. It could be suggested that the development of technology means that traditional media institutions have to adopt to the changes in order to maintain their control. However, Facebook control throughout new media has caused concerns among the public.

Article:
Is nothing private? Facebook tracks which sites 800m users visit... even AFTER they sign off
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2063709/Facebook-watches-800million-users-AFTER-sign-off.html

This article focuses on the issue of Facebook tracking the sites which their users visit after they sign off. According to Ed Markey, "Facebook could be tracking users without their knowledge or permission, which could be an unfair or deceptive business practise". Significantly, the company explained that they use two types of cookies to receive data. The tracking means that "every time an internet user clicks on to a third-party page which has a Facebook plug-in attached", a record is sent back the company. This establishes that new/digital media has had a impact upon ownership and control, as Facebook can track the sites their users are visiting. However, Facebook claimed that the data is use only for security purposes and to improve the quality of the plug-ins, not to gather personal information about the user. To add, Artuo Bejar (engineering director) states that Facebook could learn where specific users go after they have signed off, denies the claim that the company records personal information.

• Facebook is a media institution which was originally created by Mark Zuckbergh who is now a billionaire because of this social networking site.
• The development of new and digital media has give the audience the opportunity to interact with the website which has made Facebook extremely successful. As a result, Facebook has become a powerful company and is one of the top media institution in the social network monopoly. 
• Facebook can be perceived as a global village as the social networking site units people across the world to share information with each other. 

2. 2. What impact has there been on the way in which the audience now consume the media products/ texts involved in your case study?  How does it differ from what went before?  Consider (SHEP)

Social networking sites (Facebook) & Democracy.
- consumed (take in)

Facebook & Democracy

• Social/Historical Factors: The emergence of social networking sites has empowered the audiences as they can interact with a large mass, which differs from traditional forms of media. Historically, individuals would use traditional media such as telephones to communicate with others. However, the development of new/digital media has changed the way in which audiences now consume media products, as through Facebook they are actively generating the content. This highlights a social factor as Facebook has positively changed individuals lifestyle, as they have the freedom to voice their opinions and sharing them globally. Undoubtedly, this contrast the past as without the development of new technology audiences would not of had a great amount of freedom, in terms of generating their own content. In relation to Facebook and the issue of democracy, it is clear that some countries have become democratic because of the help of social sites. The fact that through Facebook people can communicate with others across the world, helped some citizens to create activist groups to fight against the corruption occurring in their society. 

• Economic Factors: As millions of people access Facebook daily, companies see this as a great opportunity. Thus Facebook revenue comes from  advertising which is clearly shown on users homepage, with new adverts appearing on the side of the bar. Facebook is perceived as the 5th most successful company and by January 2014 the company was valued over $134 billion. Significantly, on December 2013, Facebook had a total of 945 million users which accessed the site through their mobile. Whereas, on January 2014 they had 1.24 million users which were active on the website every money. It could be suggested that the development of smartphones has made the audiences consume the media products differently, as some are accessing Facebook through their phones rather than visiting the website. In relation to the Arab Spring, Facebook did help  countries associated with the conflict to fulfil their goal of having  a equal society. However, some citizens did use their smartphones to pass on messages about the conflict occurring to others, which establishes that the impact of new media has made it easier for audiences to access Facebook.

• Political Facebook: Facebook could be perceived as a catalyst because it has triggered some citizens to actively make a change in society. An example of this would the Arab Spring which caused a revolution in different countries such as, Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, to overthrow the government in order for a democratic society. In Egypt, a video was posted on Facebook of a Khaled Said who was dragged from a internet cafe by the police and beaten to death on the streets. This devastating video became viral on Facebook which caused many activists to create online campaigns against police torture, and to influenced them to begin a protest against the president Hosni Mubarack. As a result, this ultimately led to the downfall of president which made Egypt become a democratic country. However, some argue that Facebook did not entirely cause the revolution in Egypt but it still helped to bring about democracy. Significantly, according to 'How has Facebook changed the world' documentary Facebook has 5 million users. It can be argued that the development of new/digital media has had a impact on the ways individuals use the media products now, as they have more freedom to generate content and to express their views globally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook#User_profile.2Fpersonal_timeline

Articles:

Egyptian government fears a Facebook revolution

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/oct/21/egypt-facebook-revolution

This article focuses on the issue of Egypt considering to ban Facebook. According to the article, Egyptian TV talk show, Masra ElNahrda suggests to ban Facebook or to have a law to regulate the website's activities in Egypt. Significantly, the show's host (Mona ElSharkawy) and her two guests strongly criticised Facebook and warned viewers against using the site as it is evil. They also state that it can used by "intelligence apparatuses all over the world to gather secret information about target countries". This shows that Facebook is considered as a "political apparatus" which is used by foreign powers to obtain secrets about certain countries. Moreover, ElSharkaway states that "Facebook can be used destructively" as it destroyed Tahrir Square in Cairo during one of their protests. There have been other pre-election measures of media- crackdown such as, stopping the broadcasting of four independent satellite channels and limiting the amount of texts citizens can send. The recent media-crackdown is regulating Facebook which is caused by the regime worry of losing the public. However, citizens are against this idea and therefore they started a Facebook group called 'together to stop the ban of Facebook in Egypt', which has attracted more than 100,000 members in a few days.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/01/22/we-are-all-khaled-said-will-the-revolution-come-to-egypt.html

Important quotes:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/feb/06/monday-note-facebook-nerds?INTCMP=SRCH

• Mark Zuckerberg: "Facebook was not originally created to be a company. It was built to accomplish a social mission – to make the world more open and connected". 
• Mark Zuckerberg: "There is a huge need and a huge opportunity to get everyone in the world connected, to give everyone a voice and to help transform society for the future".

Virtual Revolution documentary:

• Al Gore: " A empowering tool".
• John Perry Barlow: "The internet was the challenge to traditional authority".
• Aleks Kroteski: "The web is more than a reflection of society; it is inventing society".
• Aleks Kroteski: "The web mirrors the hierarchy of the real world".
• Aleks Kroteski: "The web is like a tool box or protest".
• David Runciman: "The web is a fantastic resource for transmitting information and gathering people together around the issue".

How has Facebook changed the world? (Documentary)

• "The internet revolution has tipped the balance of power".
• A "omnipotent source was growing".