Thursday - Jan 26, 2012
Back in March 2010, Learn the Net posted an article about internet activism, stating that despite criticism, e-activism “isn’t going to disappear.” The closing line of that article was: “Often it takes more than a few words on a blog or an e-mail to make a difference, but it’s a positive start.”
Fast forward a bit to December 2011, which saw a bitter debate erupt around the world over concerns that proposed U.S. legislation would potentially put too much power into the hands of the U.S. government to censor the Internet and bring many information sharing sites to a swift end. That legislation was introduced as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House of Representatives and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate.
The ruckus culminated in a massive Internet-based “blackout” on January 18, one that saw thousands of websites go dark in protest of the legislation. In fact, over 75,000 websites participated in a blackout through SOPA Strike, one of many online activists groups that tried to rally people to protest.
Many people were surprised to see the likes of Wikipedia, Google, and Craigslist either go dark or include website content that made users keenly aware something was not right. Many even stated they didn’t know what SOPA and PIPA were until they visited websites participating in the online protest, if nothing else proving that awareness was raised by the event. And Internet users shouldn’t be surprised to see similar actions (though perhaps on a lesser scale) in the future.
“Technology has grown as a part of our lives, and the companies now have something of value that they can withhold in terms of services, which is a shift in the overall political landscape,” Colin Gillis, a technology analyst at BGC Financial, told the L.A. Times. “Is this spawning a new level of activism? I’d say absolutely yes.”
While citizens continue to find new and interesting ways to better protest using the Internet and technology, it’s worth noting this “new level of activism” seen last week didn’t exclusively take place on the Internet. Protesters wrote letters to, called to, and even visited the offices of their representatives, frequently doing so on multiple occasions over a prolonged period of time dating back to 2011. Activists even pulled together to participate in rallies in San Francisco, New York, and other major U.S. cities, adding an additional discontented presence to the masses. Two days later, voting actions on the SOPA and PIPA bills were postponed indefinitely by House and Senate leaders for further discussion.
While it’s easy to argue whether or not this is truly an end to the legislation, what’s difficult to argue about is the role the Internet itself played in bringing the votes to a halt. Not only did activists use the Internet as a tool, but they also were essentially fighting for their right to continue to protest online without fear of having their voices censored. And while last week’s blackout wasn’t the first time hundreds of thousands of people have took to the Web during times of dissent, the blackout stands out as a sort of “high water mark” for what can be accomplished using the Internet.
It may be a while before we see online activism in such capacity again, but be certain that it will happen. As the concept of social networking continues to change and draw in new Internet users, new methods of bringing information to people from all walks of life will certainly appear. Additionally, as an increasing amount of business is performed and information is exchanged over the Web, look for online businesses and other entities to become more vocal, using their clout to help shift political and social thought. With them will come a continuing evolution in how people communicate, learn, and protest.
Photo via mangtronix, Flickr Creative Commons
Thursday - Dec 22, 2011
With Yuletide songs, Christmas cheer,
and Auld Lang Syne whispering at our ear,
traditional holidays wave goodbye,
as the Internet becomes their new ally.
But how has the Internet
changed all that we know?
Does holiday celebration
now have a new beau?
Sit right back
and read what I say,
as for better or for worse
things are different today!
1. Organize holiday events using self-organization and social media tools found online.
Online social tools like Meetup.com and Facebook.com have made it easier than ever to make plans for holiday celebrations like Southeast Asia’s Water Festival or New Zealand’s Waitangi Day. Letters and phone calls may have once been the norm’, but now Internet-connected people can schedule events and invite people with only a few clicks of the mouse. St. Patrick’s Day party? Labor Day camping? Send off a digital invite in advance and get a better idea of who’s attending.
Truth be told, a phone call to family to organize a holiday event will always be in style. Just don’t be surprised if that phone call takes place over the Internet.
2. Feel a little closer to loved ones far away by streaming video from your web camera or placing Internet-streamed video calls.
It happens all the time: a life experience takes a loved one far away from friends and family. For those used to spending time with loved ones on holidays, the distance can be difficult to deal with. A phone call was as close as one could get. But with advances in how bandwidth-hogging media is transported over the Internet, making a video call or streaming live webcam footage online is now all the rage. Making video calls is easier than ever these days, making long-distance communication more intimate and engaging, and holidays a little bit brighter for many.
3. Book travel and accommodations to see family and friends during holiday celebrations from an Internet-connected device.
Say you want to fly from Paris to Baltimore to see your family for Christmas, but you also want the comfort of a dockside hotel. It used to mean talking to a travel agent or placing phone calls to make bookings. Today things are quite different. Whether you’re at a café or at home, as long as there’s an Internet connection you can go online to compare hotel rates, book plane tickets, and — for those who want to skip out on dirtying the kitchen — reserve a table at a restaurant. With this new technology has come fierce competition in the travel industry, in many cases driving down prices for travelers going home for the holidays.
4. Buy holiday gifts online, saving time and hassles in the process.
Searching for the perfect Boxing Day gift? Sending flowers to your beau on Valentine’s Day? People are increasingly turning to the Internet to accomplish these tasks and more. Earlier this month I mentioned that online holiday spending is seeing big gains this year. It won’t be surprising to see that trend continue, even beyond the hectic end-of-year holidays that so heavily involve buying gifts for loved ones. With a wealth of low-cost shipping options and online price comparison tools like Google Shopping, it’s little surprise to see the process of gift shopping go online. Even something as traditional as a Parents’ Day card is occasionally being replaced by an online interactive greeting card. One has to wonder, though, if such a digitalization threatens to remove the intimacy of the act.
5. Notice how the holidays seem more commercialized than ever with the advent of the Internet age.
While I’m not offering any hard facts to back up this assertion, it sure seems like the Internet is just another extension of an already increasingly commercialized take on official holidays. With the Internet, a plethora of advertisements and purchasable products is at our fingertips. Sadly, now we can’t even escape our own homes without being assaulted by online ads that beckon us to buy flowers for our Valentine or order that hip Charlie Sheen Halloween mask. Now we even have online shopping days like Cyber Monday set aside for us with the intent to get us to buy more gifts (and personal items) before Christmas. Next I’m sure we’ll be seeing “official” corporate sponsors for holidays worldwide. Joy to the world.
Photo via The Sean & Lauren Spectacular, Flickr Creative Commons
Thursday - Dec 8, 2011
In the mid- to late-nineties, online shopping was typically viewed as an intriguing concept but one fraught with unknowns. Today, searching for deals and shopping for clothes, toys, and even food on the Internet is becoming more commonplace. Consider the following statistics:
• 58 percent of Americans turn to the Internet to research products and services they are considering purchasing, up from 49 percent in 2004.
• 46 percent of Americans have downloaded a shopping-related mobile application.
• 79 percent of European Internet-connected consumers planned to purchase products or services via the Internet (PDF) in 2010.
• One-third of global online consumers say they do the majority of their Internet shopping with online-only retailers (PDF) like Amazon.com.
While these statistics don’t necessarily mean that everyone should turn to the Internet to do more of their shopping, they do point out the continuing trend of consumers increasingly shopping online. Even U.S. online holiday shopping is seeing a boost in numbers this year. And with holiday shopping in full swing for many people around the world, now’s a great time to share a few online shopping tips, especially for those new to the endeavor.
1. Ensure that the online business you’re considering is reputable. Here are a few things you should look for according to Learn the Net:
• Does the vendor have an established history?
• Does the vendor have thorough contact information which includes a phone number, e-mail address, and a street address, not just a post office box?
• Does the vendor have a clear return and refund policy posted?
• Does the vendor belong to organizations such as the Better Business Bureau Online or TRUSTe?
2. As an extension of number two, consider looking for online reviews of vendors, especially if they’re not well known to you. There are several tools online to view vendor ratings, including Google Shopping’s vendor ratings. However, Google doesn’t make it very straightforward to search for a particular seller. One potential tool in your online shopping arsenal is a new site Consumerazzi.net, which has a handy search tool to help you find online store ratings from three ratings sites, with more apparently on the way.
3. Consider using a credit card for online purchases in lieu of a debit card or online money transfer business like PayPal. You have more considerable protection using a credit card online versus a debit card. And while PayPal certainly touts some protections, it has a contentious history filled with consumer complaints.
4. If you plan on making a one-time purchase with an online vendor, you may be able to avoid creating a full account and/or saving your credit card information with the vendor. For example, I recently found a great Black Friday deal on a camera at Crutchfield.com. I was pleased that I wasn’t forced to create an account on their website to make the purchase; I most likely won’t be a regular shopper there. Some online vendors do force you to create an account, however. Even then you may still have the option to not save your credit card information. Look for a check box or something indicating such an option.
5. Get familiar with useful online shopping tools to help you find the best deals. And wow, there sure are a lot of them. Here are a few that stand out:
• Slickdeals: a social, user-driven website where users “share information in order to make the best shopping decisions.” Typically includes discounts and sales found by other users on retailer websites.
• Bizrate: one of the most popular comparison shopping sites. Compare prices and leave feedback for sellers. Finding store ratings for a particular vendor can be a bit of a chore, however.
• Woot: similarly social like Slickdeals, Woot takes a unique stance on presenting deals, namely by spotlighting and selling only one item per day. It’s definitely not a practical tool for power shoppers looking for good deals on many different items, but Woot does frequently offer good value on what it spotlights.
• RetailMeNot: both a deal-hunting and coupon-providing site for the savvy shopper. Many online retailers offer a place to insert a coupon code for additional savings on an order. This is a good place to potentially find some.
Photo via Gareth Saunders, Flickr Creative Commons
