scholarly journals Platforms and Potency: Democracy and Collective Agency in the Age of Social Media

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 154-168
Author(s):  
Jeremy Gilbert
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Political Activism ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Left Wing ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Media Technologies ◽  
Digital Capitalism ◽  
Affective Quality ◽  
The Uk

AbstractAttitudes to digital communication technologies since the 1990s have been characterized by waves of optimism and pessimism, as enthusiasts have highlighted their democratic and liberating potentials, while critics have pointed to the socially, politically and psychologically deleterious consequences of unchecked digital capitalism. This paper seeks to develop an analytical framework capable of appreciating and assessing the capacities of such technologies both to genuinely enhance democratic agency, and to become tools through which capitalist power is enhanced with widespread negative consequences. The paper in particular deploys my concept of ‘potent collectivity’ in order to name the type of democratic agency that such media technologies can be seen both to enable and enhance under certain circumstances, and to inhibit under others. It also considers the affective qualities of ‘potent collectivity’, and in particular the utility of a Deleuzo-Spinozan concept of ‘collective joy’ as designating the affective quality typical of ‘potent collectivity’. The paper uses the specific example of left-wing political activism in the UK during the period 2015-17 to illustrate the potential for platform technologies to enable new forms of democratic mobilization, while arguing for an analytical position that eschews any simple celebration of the liberating potential of new technologies; remaining sensitive to the negative features of ‘platform capitalism’.

E-Engaging India

2012 ◽  
pp. 875-899
Author(s):  
Kavita Karan
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Information Communication Technologies ◽  
Electronic Interaction ◽  
Information Communication ◽  
Media Technologies

E-Governance, inclusive of e-democracy, e-government, and e-business, has the power to improve processes, connect citizens, and build interactions with civil societies. The infusion of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) by the governments, civil society organizations, and political institutions to engage citizens, have promoted greater participation in the process of governance. E-Democracy encompasses all forms of electronic interaction between the elected government and the electorate. Examples include e-voting, e-consultation, e-representatives, e-campaigning, online deliberative polling, e-petitions, and e-referendums. India is the largest democracy in the world and a frontrunner in the use of ICTs for e-governance and e-democracy. The last few elections witnessed a surge in the use of new technologies inclusive of Internet, social networking, and mobile technologies, alongside the traditional forms of electioneering. This chapter examines the e-governance and e-democracy strategies, and the innovative new media technologies used by political parties, industrial corporations, and other organizations that have e-engaged the citizens.

Arts, Media, Cultures: Histories of Hybridisation

2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 124-132
Author(s):  
Ryszard W. Kluszczynski
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Digital Information ◽  
Media Art ◽  
Avant Garde ◽  
Media Technologies ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Multi Media

Nowadays we are faced with an enormous development of digital, information and communication technologies. Together with numerous phenomena, which are the products of activities that belong to the biotechnosphere, these technologies build a complex corpus called cyberculture. In this context art has an important, critical role to play. In particular (multi)media art can serve as an experimental laboratory, not only for new technologies but, especially, for studies of the new social relation(ship)s created or fuelled by those technologies. Media and multimedia information and communication technologies generate new promises, problems, and threats; and artists undertake efforts to examine this emerging area that has been repeatedly considered as a ‘post-biological syndrome’. In other words, artists do not only use media technologies, but also scrutinise and challenge them. In this sense the new (multi)media art could be deemed a successor of the avant-garde movement.

scholarly journals Cross media technologies and local lore bibliography

2017 ◽  
pp. 34-42
Author(s):  
Elena Protopopova
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Cloud Services ◽  
Media Technologies ◽  
Cross Media ◽  
Multimedia Cloud ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
New Type ◽  
The Subject

Application of cross media technologies in library local lore is discussed with the example of the subject www-site «400 Outstanding Novokuznetsk Residents». Indicated how new technologies (multimedia, cloud services, cross media) drastically change the formats of local lore information presentation, promotion and use. The skills and tools modern bibliographer needs to obtain to design interactive materials are listed. Cross media local lore is defined as the process of integrating information and communication technologies into the single information resource. Functional options of the www-site «400 Outstanding Novokuznetsk Residents» as a library local lore media product of a new type are demonstrated.

Digitalization of a Company. Implementation Premise

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-74
Author(s):  
N. F. Altukhova
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Technological Changes ◽  
Current State ◽  
It Managers ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
The Subject ◽  
A Company

The subject of the research is the digital transformations implemented in the process of introducing information and communication technologies into business activities. The purpose of the research was to analyze the current state of digital transformation projects of a company and reveal possible internal problems to be faced by the latter in the process of its digitalization along with factors that impede the implementation of digital transformations. The paper describes the company digitalization processes and shows that the technological approach to the implementation of such projects can lead to a loss of understanding by the employees of business effects resulting from digital transformations. The paper presents the key areas of the digitalization as an integrated organizational project and formulates the principles of digital transformations. Particular attention is paid to the role and place of the IT Director as the main carrier of possible technological changes the competent introduction of which should lead to high-quality positive changes in the company. The negative consequences of the artificial race for new technologies are identified. It is concluded that the digitalization of companies is becoming a reality and its management requires new skills from business and IT managers. 

A Media Interpretation of the Negative Impact of Cloud Technologies

2016 ◽  
pp. 403-420
Author(s):  
Michael S. Tang ◽  
Arunprakash T. Karunanithi
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
New Media ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Marshall Mcluhan ◽  
Media Communication ◽  
Media Technologies ◽  
History Of ◽  
Cloud Technologies

This chapter presents a media studies interpretation of the impact of Cloud communication technologies on traditional academic achievement. According to social media critics following the “medium is the message” theory of Marshall McLuhan, the hidden “message” in the new Cloud communication education technologies conflicts with the old message of the printed textbook, the traditional medium of communication in education since the printing press in the 16th and 17th centuries. The chapter begins with a brief history of media technologies in education to gain understanding into the nature of this conflict and follows with a review of research and studies that document the conflict's cause and consequences with the conclusion that a major factor in the proliferation of any new media communication technology is its commercial value. Moreover, because new technologies in education are driven by commercial interests, its pedagogical value becomes secondary resulting in what social media and other critics view as the dumbing down of the American student. These social media critics contend that not only have American students been declining intellectually, computer technologies, including the Cloud Internet communication technologies are the direct cause of this decline, raising the question, “is education technology an oxymoron?” Given this analysis of media communication technologies' impact on education, the authors then offer a possible way out of the current situation by proposing a more human factors approach towards Cloud technologies based on constructivist educational and cognitive styles theory.

E-Engaging India

2012 ◽  
pp. 334-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kavita Karan
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Information Communication Technologies ◽  
Electronic Interaction ◽  
Information Communication ◽  
Media Technologies

E-Governance, inclusive of e-democracy, e-government, and e-business, has the power to improve processes, connect citizens, and build interactions with civil societies. The infusion of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) by the governments, civil society organizations, and political institutions to engage citizens, have promoted greater participation in the process of governance. E-Democracy encompasses all forms of electronic interaction between the elected government and the electorate. Examples include e-voting, e-consultation, e-representatives, e-campaigning, online deliberative polling, e-petitions, and e-referendums. India is the largest democracy in the world and a frontrunner in the use of ICTs for e-governance and e-democracy. The last few elections witnessed a surge in the use of new technologies inclusive of Internet, social networking, and mobile technologies, alongside the traditional forms of electioneering. This chapter examines the e-governance and e-democracy strategies, and the innovative new media technologies used by political parties, industrial corporations, and other organizations that have e-engaged the citizens.

scholarly journals Smart Things of the Century: New Technologies in Children-Parent Relations

2020 ◽  
pp. 59-64
Author(s):  
Elena Laktyukhina
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Physiological Indicators ◽  
Media Technologies ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Smart Things ◽  
Parent Child Relationships

The article is devoted to the problem of interaction between parents and children in the conditions of using digital gadgets. The topic is updated by the fact that in the past few years, new media technologies have been profiled for a specific user, gadgets and devices for user groups of parents are widely introduced. These devices monitor the child's physiological indicators, his movements and inform the parents about them. Using the language of research in science and technology, we can say that these devices are "embodied ideology," that is, technologies allow the development of the interests of users, their attitudes, motives, and practices along one channel, guide and prescribe actions to their users. The article presents the results of the analysis of press releases of these gadgets that represent the ethics of parent-child relationships and the practice of caring for a child in the new digital everyday life. In addition, expert reports and feedback from parents-users were analyzed. One of the main results of the work is the conclusion that children's gadgets reinforce the idea of the need for a special relationship to all children, primarily through constant monitoring of them. In addition, the spread of digital infrastructure in the field of childcare occurred in the context of the medicalization of the discourse about childhood. It has shaped modern children's monitors functionally similar to medical devices. This situation contributes to the formation of a medically vigilant parent, his new competence is a deep knowledge of the child's physiology. Negative consequences for children of this form of control can be the formation of the habit of being under observation, difficulties in the development of urban space, lack of independence in actions and decision-making.

Online Patient Consultation

2020 ◽  
Vol 158 (04) ◽  
pp. 345-350
Author(s):  
Christian Juhra ◽  
Jörg Ansorg ◽  
David Alexander Back ◽  
Dominik John ◽  
Andrea Kuckuck-Winkelmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Phone Call ◽  
Insurance Companies ◽  
Personal Contact ◽  
Software Products ◽  
Patient Consent ◽  
Health Insurance Companies ◽  
Patient Consultation ◽  
Certified Software

AbstractNew communication technologies allow patients to communicate with their physicians from anywhere using computer or smartphone. Adding video to the mere phone call optimizes the personal contact between patient and physicians regardless of distance. Legal and reimbursements requirements must be taken into account, especially only certified software products must be used. In addition, patient consent is needed and confidentiality must be assured. The video patient consultation can be reimbursed by the health insurance companies. As with all new technologies, the introduction of these video consultations faced some challenges. Although patients and physicians have expressed great interest in this technology, it has been rarely used so far. The current COVID crisis increased the need for video consultations resulting in an increasing use of video patient consultation. It can be expected that this demand will still exists after the COVID crisis.

New Technologies to Combat Herbicide Resistance

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-92
Author(s):  
Rob Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Herbicide Resistance ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Green Revolution ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Limited Range ◽  
Cultural Control ◽  
Arable Farming ◽  
The Uk

Herbicide resistance in problem weeds is now a major threat to global food production, being particularly widespread in wild grasses affecting cereal crops. In the UK, black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides) holds the title of number one agronomic problem in winter wheat, with the loss of production associated with herbicide resistance now estimated to cost the farming sector at least £0.5 billion p.a. Black-grass presents us with many of the characteristic traits of a problem weed; being highly competitive, genetically diverse and obligately out-crossing, with a growth habit that matches winter wheat. With the UK’s limited arable crop rotations and the reliance on the repeated use of a very limited range of selective herbicides we have been continuously performing a classic Darwinian selection for resistance traits in weeds that possess great genetic diversity and plasticity in their growth habits. The result has been inevitable; the steady rise of herbicide resistance across the UK, which now affects over 2.1 million hectares of some of our best arable land. Once the resistance genie is out of the bottle, it has proven difficult to prevent its establishment and spread. With the selective herbicide option being no longer effective, the options are to revert to cultural control; changing rotations and cover crops, manual rogueing of weeds, deep ploughing and chemical mulching with total herbicides such as glyphosate. While new precision weeding technologies are being developed, their cost and scalability in arable farming remains unproven. As an agricultural scientist who has spent a working lifetime researching selective weed control, we seem to be giving up on a technology that has been a foundation stone of the green revolution. For me it begs the question, are we really unable to use modern chemical and biological technology to counter resistance? I would argue the answer to that question is most patently no; solutions are around the corner if we choose to develop them.

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