Print Media Doomed?

Ch. 9 Ethics & Issues 9-1 p. 465

Will widespread wireless broadband connections kill print media? I believe that technology, not necessariliy wireless broadband connections, will ultimately kill print media in its current form. Like Jason Price said in his article ( http://thethirstydogblog.com/2013/12/print-media-doom/ ) , younger people prefer using their technological gadgets to read so do not subscribe to the typical print media like newspapers and magazines.

Will widespread wireless broadband connections, such as Wi-Fi, put an end to printed newspapers and magazines? Why or why not? Yes, because it is so easy to get audio, video, and written content that meets or exceeds what a newspaper or magazine would provide. Websites like twitter give you world wide information before CNN or your local paper knows about the next “big event”. Real time information is made possible by wireless connections and cellular data. Why wait for a newspaper to tell you what all your friends are talking about in real time right now?

Would you prefer to read newspapers and magazines in print or on a  mobile device that provides similar or better readability as compared to print media? Why or why not? I like my newspapers and magazines on my mobile device to help me not have so much clutter. With tools like Pinterest and Evernote, I can curate the online content I read so I can find and later use things from the online content to do things later - cook, sew, study for a test, teach a class, build something, etc. Much better than a bunch of ideas pinned to a bulletin board or stacked in a file cabinet.

How can the media industry take advantage of the wireless internet trend? I think they have by connecting to ways that today’s reader can curate content they read - the media industry “listens” to people on Twitter to find out where “the news is happening”, they follow blog writers on Pinterest to see what diy project people are working on, they share content on Facebook to draw people to their brand. Social media has provided many great ways to connect with users of media content. The more ways an industry can share, the more money they can stand to make.

Cloud Based Data Storage

Ch. 7 Ethics & Issues 7-3 p. 369

Is data stored in the cloud free from prying eyes? No, data in the cloud is too easily intercepted or shared because there is no absolute way to prove that another individual or company would not be able to access the information. This article by TechRadar http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/data-privacy-how-safe-is-your-data-in-the-cloud--1170332#null , asked some excellent questions that each individual should ask himself before storing data in the cloud. First, how important is privacy with the data? Does it matter if a company uses your data to market things to you? Second, how reliable do you believe the service to be that has your data? It is important to remember that business do fail or stop providing services. Third, what about data encryption? If your data was hacked into by an unknown party, would that cause you distress? Fourth, how continuous is the service? What would happen if the company didn’t allow you access to your data? Fifth, how well does your internet connection perform? Will you able to access your data when you need to if for some reason your internet connection failed? Sixth, how important is copyright? If you upload a photo, video, or written document and these are shared without your permission, how would these resources be protected from dissemination to others without your consent? If these questions do not give you pause, then using cloud storage is a good choice.

Should data kept in the cloud be treated the same way legally as items that are kept in one’s home? Why? Yes, the items in the cloud are still data that you have created and should not be accessed by others without your permission or a warrant from a government official that makes you aware of their access of your data.

Should the government be able to access your data in the cloud without your knowledge or permission? Why or why not? The government shouldn’t have access to your data without your knowledge, however even using social media and having “private” settings, someone should screen shot something you said and share it without your consent with anyone they wanted to. If the content is digital someone somewhere could access it. This Computer World article ( http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9241553/No_your_data_isn_t_secure_in_the_cloud ) said it well “if you're a consumer and you're storing photos, videos, digital music or innocuous documents on a cloud storage service, you may not mind that a hacker or the government gets access to your files.”

What types and amount of personal data are you comfortable storing in the cloud? Why? I am only willing to store digitally - on the cloud or on a computer - those innocuous things that if the government, a family member, friend, or boss saw them it would not have a negative effect. I am even more picky with cloud based data because I know how easy it is to share digital data and once it is shared, it can never be taken back.

Website accessibility

Ch. 6 Ethics & Issues 6-4 p. 328

Should Web Sites be held accountable for accessibility levels for physically challenged people? Yes, I believe that websites should be held accountable for accessibility levels for physically challenged people because the accessibility features help others even if they are not challenged in some way. Within the education community, there is a push to give multi-tier systems of supports in order to help all people, not just those with challenges be successful. Using ideas based on the Response to Intervention website (http://www.rtinetwork.org/essential/tieredinstruction), making websites accessible to all people through video or audio or translation services would be a part of core instruction for all people.

Should the government require that all Web Sites meet the W3C accessibility guidelines? Why or why not? I believe that unless there is a government mandate, many websites will put accessibility on the back burner because it takes extra resources to convert existing web content into accessible content for all people.

Do Web sites hosted by disability organizations have a moral obligation to meet the guidelines? Why? Absolutely, an organization meant to assist those with a disability have a moral obligation to make their content accessible by the individuals who would need to access their resources. I think of my grandfather who became blind as a young adult due to a familial disease. He needed resources in braille or on tape so he could continue to study in college. Thanks to organizations in his day, he was able to get what he needed to be successful. Today’s students need web resources but more must be done to make them accessible.

What can be done to encourage people and organizations to make their Web sites more accessible? The National Federation for the Blind is even having a conference on Web Accessibility Day ( https://nfb.org/web-accessibility-day ) to help businesses and educational entities implement accessibility of web content and to promote government policy changes.