YouTube for kids

YouTube for kids edges closer as Google buys apps firm launch pad toys

This article is about how youtube is expanding and is now aiming to show videos for kids and kids only. The allows parents the oppurtunity to keep their children safe.

Google has bought children’s apps developer Launchpad Toys for an undisclosed amount, in a deal that may well be related to its plans to launch a new version of YouTube aimed at kids.

ToonTube was essentially a mini-YouTube where all the videos were created by children, with Launchpad Toys also providing the tool – TeleStory – used to make those videos. Google buying the company is a big hint at its ambitions to do more with children’s videos on YouTube.

Some of the most popular channels on YouTube are already aimed at children. Toy-unboxing channel DC Toys Collector and Minecraft gamer Stampy were its second and fourth most popular channels in 2014 with 3.3bn and 2.2bn views respectively.

Amazon to buy hundreds of US retail stores

Amazon reportedly looking to buy hundreds of US retail stores

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/03/amazon-reportedly-talks-buy-hundreds-high-street-stores-us-radioshack

Amazon is reportedly in discussions to buy hundreds of retail stores across the US to showcase its products, such as the Kindle tablet and Fire smartphone, and act as delivery points for online orders.

The Seattle-based company, which last week reported annual sales of $89bn (£59bn), is in talks about acquiring some of collapsed electronics chain RadioShack’s 4,000 stores, Bloomberg reported. Amazon did not respond to requests for comment. RadioShack declined to comment.

The proposed deal would be Amazon’s biggest push into traditional retailing and present a challenge to Apple, which has stores in cities across America and the rest of the world.

While the Kindle has been a sales success, the Fire – which was billed as a rival to the iPhone – has flopped. Third-party sales figures published in 2014 suggested that Amazon had only sold 35,000 Fire phones. Amazon has repeatedly dropped the price of the phone, eventually bringing it to just 99 cents (on a two-year contract) down from $199. The failure to shift enough Fire smartphones contributed to a $170m write down in the third quarter of last year.

Twitter: financial results

Twitter: what we learned from the social network's latest financial results 
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/06/twitter-social-network-financial-results

This article is about Twitter almost being able to reach 300 million users by March. Twitter had an average of 288 million monthly active users (MAUs) in the final quarter of 2014. That’s up 20% year-on-year, but was only four million more MAUs than it averaged in the third quarter of 2014.

The main reason investors were so chuffed with Twitter’s financials was its growth in revenues – up 97% year-on-year to $479m in the fourth quarter

Twitter now makes $2.37 in ad revenues for every 1,000 timeline views on its service, and mobile is the key. 80% of its active users access Twitter from a mobile device at least some of the time last quarter, and mobile ads accounted for 88% of Twiter’s $432m of advertising revenues.

Michael Fertik

Michael Fertik: Online reputation or money or power

This article is about how online reputation is more powerful than money and power.Michael Fertik, an entrepreneur had started his business solely based on reputation.

Online reputation of 1.6 million customers who pay upwards of £700 a year to have their most flattering activities showcased to the world via search engines

He has a staff of 240 in California and in 2013 he acquired the British company Reputation 24/7 and launched uk.reputation.com.

He writes, “Reputation is becoming more valuable than money or power.”

The amount of information you give away about yourself – your “digital footprint” – increases exponentially every time you go online.  

This is interesting as this rise shows that it is becoming so much more relevant and important in today's society that people are willing to pay to have their reputation showcased.

Viber Banned

Viber Banned In Bangladesh

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jan/19/viber-banned-bangladesh-smartphone-messaging-service

This article discusses how the voice/video calling app called Viber has been banned in Bangladesh. It discusses the reasons as to why it had been banned. Bangladeshi telecoms authorities have shut down smartphone messaging service Viber, which had become a popular communication medium for anti-government protesters. He did not give reasons for the decision, but local television station Channel 24 said Viber was shut down to prevent protesters from “exchanging information” across the country.

At least 25 people have died in the latest violence including about a dozen burned to death after protesters firebombed buses.

The government has deployed thousands of police, paramilitaries and an elite anti-militant force to crack down on the protesters. But the violence has continued unabated, disrupting transport services and shipments of garments, the country’s biggest export.

Snapchat helps Daily Mail and Vice Media

Snapchat helps Daily Mail and Vice Media get on message with youngsters

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/feb/08/snapchat-discover-daily-mail-vice-media-facebook


This article is about how other media organisations have linked up with snapchat and created a new discover page. Daily Mail, Vice Media and Snapchat, the messaging app once mainly known for sexting, might seem unlikely allies in shaping the future of media distribution.

Media partners create what Snapchat calls “editions” – bundles of stories that disappear after 24 hours – for the new platform, with Snapchat’s fledgling editorial team also providing content.This is a good idea for companies to interact, this increases their users.

mobile phone emoticons

The mobile phone emoticons that could wipe the smile off your face :-(

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/feb/06/mobile-phone-emoticons-could-wipe-smile-off-face

This article is about how Users of some older smartphones including those from Samsung and reportedly Apple and HTC are finding that when they send a text message that includes a smiley face or other emoticon, the handset converts the SMS to a picture message and charges them.

·         The case of a woman who racked up a £1,200 bill over four months through the use of emoticons in texts.

·         In a recent survey into unexpectedly high bills the watchdog found that 4% of the 5,700 people surveyed said they had received a high bill caused by unexpected charges for emoticons.

That fact that phones can rack up $1,200 bill just by doing something simple shows how even new and digital media can backfire, and fall flat

WhatsApp moves to the web

WhatsApp messenger makes move to the web

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jan/22/whatsapp-messenger-makes-move-to-the-web

This article is about the how whatsapp messenger, which is a major communication application that is now entering the web-iverse, as they have a new web-based app that finally, allows users to send messages from a computer to contacts using smartphones. It also allows them to reply  to all chats.

key points:

Ø  The new platform allows WhatsApp’s 700m users to send and receive free text, picture and voice messages through Google Chrome on a computer, but only if they use WhatsApp on an Android, Windows Phone or BlackBerry

Ø  The Facebook-owned service recently announced that it had 700m monthly active users who send more than 30bn WhatsApp messages a day. It has added about 25m users a month since August 2014.

Opinion:

In my opinion, this is a prime example of the rapid growth of New and digital media has revolutionised communication, as messaging has grown from phone to phone to phone to computer. The fact that whatsapp has entered websites platform presents how there is no major competition as they were bought by the competitor who is more powerful. This helps them to stay on top.   

YouTube too swamped to filter terror-related content

YouTube staff too swamped to filter out all terror-related content

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jan/28/youtube-too-swamped-to-filter-terror-content

Summary:

This article is about how the volume of content regularly uploaded to YouTube makes it tough for the video-sharing website to catch all terror-related content, and how it is different for nudity for certain videos depending on its content.

Key point:

·         About 300 hours of video material is being uploaded to YouTube every minute, said Google policy manager Verity Harding, who stated: “To pre-screen those videos before they are uploaded would be like screening a phone call before it’s made.”

·         “YouTube has clear policies that prohibit content like gratuitous violence, hate speech and incitement to commit violent acts, and we remove videos violating these policies when flagged by our users.”

In my opinion, this article highlights censorship and how important it is in terms of protecting sensitive audiences from harmful content, like porn and the beheadings.  

Hacker fakes German minister's fingerprints

Hacker fakes German minister's fingerprints using photos of her hands

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/30/hacker-fakes-german-ministers-fingerprints-using-photos-of-her-hands

Summary:

Jan Krissler, a hacker, also know as Starbug in the hackers circle has managed to use a high resolution photo, including one from a government press office, to successfully recreate the fingerprints of Germany’s defence minister Ursula von der Leyen. In a high profile stunt in 2013, he spoofed Apple’s Touched sensors within 24 hours of the release of the iPhone 5S. Using a smudge on the screen of an iPhone, he printed a dummy finger using wood glue and sprayable graphene, which successfully unlocked a phone registered to someone else’s thumb.

Key points:

Starbug agrees, telling Zeit in 2013 that “I consider my password safer than my fingerprint… My password is in my head, and if I’m careful when typing, I remain the only one who knows it.”

In my opinion, this highlights how new and digital media has become so advanced and shows how vunerable these systems are for example the biometric systems. This is evidence of how new and digital media can affect the audiences and the news.

Identities and the Media: Reading the Riots

Identities and the Media: Reading the Riots

How did the language and selection of images in the coverage create a particular representation of young people? 

The language and selection of images created a negative representation of the youth and teenagers as one specific image was used on 3 different newspapers.

Why does David Buckingham mention Owen Jones and his work Chavs: the demonization of the working class?

David Buckingham mentions Owen Jones due to the fact Owen Jones states that there is a new modernised Britain and that the working class are slowly becoming people to fear within the media.

What is the typical representation of young people – and teenage boys in particular? What did the 2005 IPSOS/MORI survey find?

40% of any articles related with youths was to do with violence, crime or any anti-social behaviour. Also, 71% of these articles are in a negative tone. In addition, only 1% of the interviews were from those who are being spoken about i.e. the youth. Other than this, only 3.4% of the stories published in the news about the youth are positive

How can Stanley Cohen’s work on Moral Panic be linked to the coverage of the riots?

The theory of moral panic can be applied as the coverage of the riots constructed an overall consensus of fear and panic for young people whist it was occurring which undoubtedly has stayed with many individuals. 

What elements of the media and popular culture were blamed for the riots?

Elements such as rap culture, as it glorifies violence and hate of authority, as well as violent computer games and also reality TV

How was social media blamed for the riots? What was interesting about the discussion of social media when compared to the Arab Spring in 2011?

Social media was used as it helped organise, advertise and spread the riots as its primary users are to a similar demographic of the ones involved in the riots. This is in contrast to the Arab springs in which social media was championed as being a new democratic format for oppressed individuals to voice their opinions on.

The riots generated a huge amount of comment and opinion - both in mainstream and social media. How can the two-step flow theory be linked to the coverage of the riots? 

The Two step flow model is a theory on the messages in media, and how opinions are constructed by a minority, or opinion leaders. The news is something that is published to the mass media in a variety of methods such as the traditional newspaper, as well as news apps - that publish the most recent newstory's, reaching a large audience. this audience can be easily influenced into what is right and what is wrong and ''anti social'' - this is the hegemonic control.

Alternatively, how might media scholars like Henry Jenkins view the 'tsunami' of blogs, forums and social media comments? Do you agree that this shows the democratisation of the media?

individuals can express their opinions and have freedom of speech without fear of backlash due to new and digital media being anonymous. They'll believe it's good that the media now gives an opportunity for everyone to participate, as well as challenge the typical and tradition hierarchy and hegemonic control.

What were the right-wing responses to the causes of the riots?

The right wing responses were negative as the youth were compared to beasts and dogs that could not be controlled and needed to be put on 'leashes'.

What were the left-wing responses to the causes of the riots?

The left wing blamed society and the inequality present in it and the continuous negative reprobation that has existed for a number of years and also cuts youth centres etc.

What are your OWN views on the main causes of the riots?

I think the riots happened due to two things. First of all, the shooting of the young male by police officers. Secondly, the materialistic society we live in today, meaning everyone saw  an opportunity to get “free” things and so they took it.  

How can capitalism be blamed for the riots? What media theory (from our new/digital media unit) can this be linked to?

Capitalism can be blamed as we now live in a materialistic society and many individuals believe their worth is characterised by their belongings.

Were people involved in the riots given a voice in the media to explain their participation?

People involved in the riots were not provided an chance to voice their opinion as it may have gone against the representation many media outlets provided its audience.

What is your own opinion on the riots? Do you have sympathy with those involved or do you believe strong prison sentences are the right approach to prevent such events happening in future?

I don’t have sympathy for the rioters but also don’t believe a strong sentence should be given as the youth are reacting to the several factors which are in society, and have effected them.