NewsTrust - Internet - Top Stories

Tolerance and the Internet

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

ICT4Peace - By Sanjana Hattotuwa - Dec. 29 (Opinion) - That the evolution of social networking, mobiles and the web in general leads to more self-referential, insular and viciously exclusive virtual communities is not an assertion that can be dismissed easily. Based on it, Fabrice and Howard are correct in eshewing the notion that the ubiquity of the Internet / web by 2020 will in and of itself lead to stronger social and political cohesion, reconciliation and democracy especially in deeply divided and / or repressive regions such as Sri Lanka. I’ve covered this in a helluva lot of posts on this blog, such as the growth of hate speech and the decline of civility on blogs, the Burmese junta’s censorship in the wake of a large humanitarian tragedy, China’s great firewall and the growing threats to independent online media in Sri Lanka. That said, to use an example from American politics, who would have thought even as recently as two years ago that Barack Obama would become the President of the United States? In the early 90’s, would the end of apartheid by the turn of the centure have been imagined? Around the world, there are hundreds of thousands of on-going processes and initiatives to use ICTs to support and strengthen peace, even within cycles of violence. Mainstream / traditional media is forever changed with the advent of mobile phones.

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Politics Is No Longer Local. It’s Viral.

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Washington Post - By Jose Antonio Vargas - Dec. 28 (Opinion) - The Internet has put the ’you’ back in the political process.

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Top Trends Shaping Social Entrepreneurship: Mobile Technology

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Change.org - By Nathaniel Whittemore - Dec. 28 (News Analysis) - One need look no further than the incredible discussion around the recent post "The Cellphone that Could Change the World," to understand how seriously people are taking the idea that mobile technology can, should, and well, will change the world. 2008 has seen an explosion of creativity around how mobiles can be used to increase wealth, fight hunger, and mitigate conflict. There are a number of forces that I see propelling the conversation in 2009

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The Benefits of a Network

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

New York Times - By Gina Bianchini - Dec. 26 (Comment) - Before Ning started, Marc and I decided that we would judge our success by the diversity of networks on the platform. Today we have more than 600,000 and counting. It seems as if there is one for every hobby, school, language or interest you can think of. I’ve seen networks for everything from raw-food enthusiasts to fans of Britney Spears. I set aside time each day to look at new social networks on Ning, and I’m constantly inspired. Recently at a conference, one of the participants told me that he and his wife were starting a site for parents of terminally ill children. Enabling those types of connections reminds me why we do what we do.

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Newspaper Websites Are Still Figuring Out This Whole Conversation Thing

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

TechCrunch - By Erick Schonfeld - Dec. 26 (News Analysis) - In terms of reader-submitted material, newspapers are more comfortable accepting images than words. More newspaper sites accept photos from readers (58 percent) than videos (18 percent) or articles (15 percent). Comments are less controversial, with 75 percent allowing reader comments on articles. One thing I found curious is that 57 percent of newspaper sites offer their editions in PDF form. Why? A PDF of a page, maybe, but nobody prints out the whole edition.

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It's Time to Demolish the FCC

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Newsweek - By Lawrence Lessig - Dec. 25 (Opinion) - The FCC is a perfect example. Born in the 1930s, at a time when the utmost importance was put on stability, the agency has become the focal point for almost every important innovation in technology. It is the presumptive protector of the Internet, and the continued regulator of radio, TV and satellite communications. In the next decades, it could well become the default regulator for every new communications technology, including, and especially, fantastic new ways to use wireless technologies, which today carry television, radio, internet, and cellular phone signals through the air, and which may soon provide high-speed internet access on-the-go, something that Google cofounder Larry Page calls "wifi on steroids."

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Tina Brown and Four Others Changing the Web

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Newsweek - By Barrett Sheridan, Kurt Soller - Dec. 22 (News Analysis) - Think of 2008 as the year the Internet got greedy. As the recession goes digital, it's no longer enough to have an easy-to-use social-networking site, or blog software that corners the market on 13-year-olds.

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Letter From Athens: Greek Tragedies and the News Media in the Age of Twitter - NAM

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

New America Media - By Andrew Lam - Dec. 16 (News Analysis) - From Greek to Shakespeare to modern tragedies, the plot often pivots on misinformation and rumor: think Iago lying to the Moor or the whispers of witchcraft in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. In an age when serious journalism is on the retreat – holed up, literally, in a five-star hotel in my case – and the world is awash with rumors and misinformation, one cannot help but think that the much touted “Information Age” is not what it’s cracked up to be.

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Google accused of turning its back on Net neutrality | Politics and Law

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

CNET News - By Declan McCullagh - Dec. 15 (Opinion) - The problem with defining Net neutrality so the government can regulate it is a little like the problem of defining obscenity so the government can ban it: You know it when you see it.

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How Companies Analyze Competition Online

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

margotbworldnews.com - By Margot B - Dec. 15 (Editorial) - How to Analyze Your Web Site Competition - Analyze your Competitors’ Web Sites: Accurate and timely information is essential for any business to remain competitive. Read their financial information, compare companies on several different types of investment data. It's much easier to obtain information on companies that are publicly held because they must report financial information to the Securities & Exchange Commission. Therefore, the first step in researching a company is determining whether it is traded on the stock exchange.

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Startup banks on making money from free broadband

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Washington Post - By Joelle Tessler - Dec. 14 (News Report) - WASHINGTON -- For the past three years, a startup called M2Z Networks has been figuring out a way to blanket the nation with a free wireless broadband network to ensure all Americans have access to basic high-speed Internet connections.

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Is Barack Obama's idea-gathering website just for show?

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0800

McClatchy - By Frank Greve - Dec. 11 (News Report) - Want to join a policy debate? Your e-mail will appear on change.gov. Readers then rate your submission using icons whose thumbs are up or down. Submissions that are deemed the best rise to the top of the screen. To proponents, these efforts by Obama's team to build a Web-based network of support can democratize the government anew. To skeptics, however, change.gov is little more than a clever public-relations device, a way to keep Obama's fans revved up about him and give them the illusion of influence. ''Change.gov is obviously fantastic,'' said tech-prognosticator Clay Shirky, the author of the book Here Comes Everybody, an upbeat prediction of what networked people can accomplish.

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