Searching for "media literacy"
Martens, H., & Hobbs, R. (2015). How Media Literacy Supports Civic Engagement in a Digital Age.
Atlantic Journal of Communication,
23(2), 120–137.
http://doi.org/10.1080/15456870.2014.961636
https://www.academia.edu/12170937/Martens_H._and_Hobbs_R._2015_._How_Media_Literacy_Supports_Civic_Engagement_in_A_Digital_Age._Atlantic_Journal_of_Communication_23_2_120_-137
p. 134 How the different forms of literacy interact and support each other is a key question for future research, giventoday’s complex and convergent media and information environment
p. 135 Our findings support the growing demand for policymakers, educators, and community advocates to embrace media literacy as an important resource to fulfill the promise of digital citizenship.
The librarian 2.0: Identifying a typology of librarians’ social media literacy
http://lis.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/01/28/0961000613520027.full.pdf
Social media is the unifying term for these ‘new digital media phenomena […] in which ordinary users (i.e. not only media professionals) can com- municate with each other and create and share content with others online through their personal networked computers and digital mobile devices’ (Bechmann and Lomborg, 2013: 767).
First, social media communication is de-institutionalized, which means that media companies alone do not control the flow and distribution of information. Second, social media users are also information and content producers. We refer here to the collapse of production and consump- tion roles, labelled ‘prosumer’ (Jenkins, 2006) or ‘produs- age’ (Bruns, 2008). Third, social media communication is interactive and networked in nature.
public libraries must reconsider their positions as public knowledge providers (Anttiroiko and Savolainen, 2007). As a modern librarian’s task is to be able to use and distribute information in many formats other than print, he or she must be able to use all media, including digital media and social media.
social media literacy’ (SML), which is understood as ‘not only the practical and cognitive competencies pos- sessed by users of social media but also the motivation to employ these media effectively and appropriately for social interaction and communication on the web’ (Vanwynsberghe and Verdegem, 2013).
Zurkowski (1974: 6) defines ‘information literacy’ as the ability to utilize ‘the wide range of information tools as well as primary sources in modelling information solutions to their prob- lems’. With the rise of the Internet as a seemingly infinite source of information, the concept of information literacy gains more urgency (Sharpio and Hughes, 1996). In this respect, information literacy now includes having skills to identify an information problem (e.g. an unanswered ques- tion), accessing the location where information can be found, evaluating the information and using this informa- tion in problem-solving activities (Livingstone et al., 2005
The concept of information literacy was developed in the context of print media, while the concept of media literacy originated in the context of audio-visual media. media literacy was framed as the ability to critically under- stand media messages. Information literacy instead focuses on the basic competence of locating information since infor- mation is often difficult to find or use.
In con- trast to information literacy research, media literacy research has also paid attention to questions related to the creation of content (Livingstone et al., 2008).
The second cluster consists of respondents who have the lowest score for SML factors and consequently are labelled social media laggards. corresponds to people who have a rather negative attitude towards social media and do not (often) use social media at work or at home. Furthermore, social media laggards also have a very low level of social media knowledge and com- petencies. Of the respondents, 23.91% belong to this clus- ter; they have a high probability of being female and predominantly belong to older age groups.
The third cluster is the most social media literate group; therefore, we label respondents who fit within this cluster, social media literate users. Though its members are usually female, this social media literate cluster contains the most men in comparison to the other clusters. The members of this cluster are situated in the younger age groups. Hence, social media literates and social media workers include librarians who can serve as facili- tators or agents to guide and support other librarians dur- ing social media implementation.
four SML profiles: social media workers, social media laggards, social media literates and social media spare-time users. Social media workers are librarians who use social media mostly in the library and have a relatively high level of SML. Social media laggards do not use social media frequently either at home or at work and have a low level of SML. The social media literates are librarians who frequently use social media at home and at work and have a high level of SML. Finally, social media spare-time users are librarians who frequently use social media at home but not in the library and have an average level of SML.
http://www.middleweb.com/18374/campaign-ads-politicians-permission-lie/
Media Literacy Clearinghouse: http://www.frankwbaker.com/mlc/
Core Principles of MLE
http://namle.net/publications/core-principles/
The purpose of media literacy education is to help individuals of all ages develop the habits of inquiry and skills of expression that they need to be critical thinkers, effective communicators and active citizens in today’s world.
1. Media Literacy Education requires active inquiry and critical thinking about the messages
we receive and create.
2. Media Literacy Education expands the concept of literacy (i.e., reading and writing) to
include all forms of media.
3. Media Literacy Education builds and reinforces skills for learners of all ages. Like print
literacy, those skills necessitate integrated, interactive, and repeated practice.
4. Media Literacy Education develops informed, reflective and engaged participants essential
for a democratic society.
5. Media Literacy Education recognizes that media are a part of culture and function as
agents of socialization.
6. Media Literacy Education affirms that people use their individual skills,
http://namle.net/publications/media-literacy-definitions/:
The Basic Definition
Within North America, media literacy is seen to consist of a series of communication competencies, including the ability to ACCESS, ANALYZE,EVALUATE, and COMMUNICATE information in a variety of forms, including print and non-print messages.
Media literacy empowers people to be both critical thinkers and creative producers of an increasingly wide range of messages using image, language, and sound. It is the skillful application of literacy skills to media and technology messages.
An interactive discussion on media, digital literacy and fake news
Bryan Alexander’s Future Trends Forum w/ Special Guest Jennifer Sparrow
https://shindig.com/login/event/ftf-sparrow
On this week’s Future Trends Forum, Bryan Alexander and Jennifer Sparrow, the Senior Director of Teaching and Learning with Technology at Penn State University, will explore the significance of media and digital literacy, especially in the era of fake news.
Jennifer and Bryan will further dissect how digital literacy and fluency differ, and why this difference is important.
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more on digital literacy in this IMS blog
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=digital+literacy+education
library approach to information literacy. or WHAT IS information literacy?
is it the 90-ish notion of standing up in front of bored class and lecturing them how important is to use the online databases, which the university subscribe for
52% of teens use YouTube or other Social Media sites for a typical research assignment in school:
slide 29 out of 56:
http://image.slidesharecdn.com/generationzfinaljune17-140617085136-phpapp01/95/meet-generation-z-forget-everything-you-learned-about-millennials-29-638.jpg
Infographic from:
http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/gen-z-infographic-can-help-marketers-get-wise-future-159642
Should information literacy be about digital literacy? Geo-spatial knowledge?
Should information literacy include videos? Games?
Should information literacy be multiliteracy? Transliteracy?
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2014/11/27/scholarly-communication-and-information-literacy/
This is what Gen Z will expect from information literacy in particular, from library and education in general:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=h11u3vtcpaY#t=314
A a workshop for COLL 150 and HONS 100 instructors on May 10.
Here is the outline and resources.
Media Literacy and Skills
Media Literacy (according to Wikipedia — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_literacy)
The term has been conceived in many different ways and across all academic departments (Mihalidis, 2008).
Media literacy is central in a broader concept of access (Sourbati, 2009).
The relationship between visual competencies and the notion of media literacy have not been fully explored or adequately specified (Griffin, 2008).
Media literacy interventions refer to education programs designed to reduce harmful effects of the media by informing the audience about one or more aspects of the media, thereby influencing media-related beliefs and attitudes, and ultimately preventing risky behaviors. Positive effects of media literacy interventions were observed across diverse agents, target age groups, settings, topics, and countries (Jeong et al, 2012).
Media literacy, information literacy and digital literacy are the three most prevailing concepts that focus on a critical approach towards media messages
The 21st century has marked an unprecedented advancement of new media. New media has become so pervasive that it has penetrated into every aspect of our society. New media literacy plays an essential role for any citizen to participate fully in the 21st century society. Researchers have documented that literacy has evolved historically from classic literacy (reading-writing-understanding) to audiovisual literacy to digital literacy or information literacy and recently to new media literacy. A review of literature on media literacy reveals that there is a lack of thorough analysis of unique characteristics of newmedia and its impacts upon the notion of new media literacy. The purpose of the study is to unpack new media literacyand propose a framework for a systematic investigation of new media literacy
Hobbs versus Potter
Media Skills
Ten basic new media skills that today’s journalist should know: http://www.siliconvalleywatcher.com/mt/archives/2008/03/ten_basic_new_m.php
- HTML is not dead. QR codes are only one new technology, which can revive it. But:
- WordPress might be preferable to Adobe Dreamweaver.
- PPT is not enough. Prezi does not replace it. Then what? Desktop/lpatop versus tablet (Stampsy). Or the Cloud m(VoiceThread)? Does Media skills = presentation skills?
- iMovie | Movie Maker (local) versus YouTube (Cloud)
- Flickr (Cloud) versus Photoshop (local).
Sources:
Mihailidis, P. (2008). Are We Speaking the Same Language? Assessing the State of Media Literacy in U.S. Higher Education. Simile, 8(4), 1-14. doi:10.3138/sim.8.4.001 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=40303609
Hobbs, R. (2011). EMPOWERING LEARNERS WITH DIGITAL AND MEDIA LITERACY. Knowledge Quest, 39(5), 12-17. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=61819923
http://www.knightcomm.org/digital-and-media-literacy-a-plan-of-action/
Koltay, T. (2011). The media and the literacies: media literacy, information literacy, digital literacy. Media, Culture & Society, 33(2), 211-221. doi:10.1177/0163443710393382 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=59569702
“Victor” CHEN, D., WU, J., & WANG, Y. (2011). Unpacking New Media Literacy. Journal Of Systemics, Cybernetics & Informatics, 9(2), 84-88. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=83259046
Sourbati, M. (2009). Media Literacy and Universal Access in Europe. Information Society, 25(4), 248-254. doi:10.1080/01972240903028680 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=43050924
GRIFFIN, M. (2008). Visual competence and media literacy: can one exist without the other?. Visual Studies,23(2), 113-129. doi:10.1080/14725860802276255 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=33944793
Jeong, S., Cho, H., & Hwang, Y. (2012). Media Literacy Interventions: A Meta-Analytic Review. Journal Of Communication, 62(3), 454-472. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2012.01643.x http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=76349359
Yates, B. L. (2002). Media education’s present and future: A survey of teachers. Simile, 2(3), N.PAG. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=10537377
Technology Literacy and Skills
Technology Literacy
definition:
consider this: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/chri1010/TLI/023958.html
Technology Literacy is the ability to responsibly use appropriate technology to communicate, solve problems, and access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information to improve learning in all subject areas and to acquire lifelong knowledge and skills in the 21st century.
Technology literacy is the ability of an individual, working independently and with others, to responsibly, appropriately and effectively use technology tools to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create and communicate information.
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/techlit/docs/Definition%20of%20Technology%20Literacy.pdf
“Technological Literacy is the ability to use, manage, assess, and understand technology” (Gallop Poll, 2004, p. 1). “Technological literacy encompasses three interdependent dimensions: (1) knowledge, (2) ways of thinking and acting; and (3) capabilities” (Technically Speaking, 2006, p.1).
http://cms.bsu.edu/-/media/WWW/DepartmentalContent/Senate/AgendasMinutes/200708/techlit2.pdf
Comprehension of technological innovation and the impact of technology on society — may include the ability to select and use specific innovations appropriate to one’s interests and needs.
http://www.education.com/definition/technological-literacy/
Technological Literacy Reconsidered: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/v4n2/waetjen.jte-v4n2.html
ICT literacy, which is increasingly referred to as the fourth literacy, is neither as well defined nor as readily assessed as reading, writing, and arithmetic (Mirray and Perez, 2010).
The importance for the public and educators to be proficienttechnology users since technology literacy is one of the important skills in the 21st century (Eisenberg et al, 2010).
Technology literacy is hampered by well-intentioned educators who are trying to develop checklists and tests (Miners, 2007).
Technology Skills:
Sources:
http://www.p21.org/overview/skills-framework/350
Pérez, J., & Murray, M. (2010). Generativity: The New Frontier for Information and Communication Technology Literacy. Interdisciplinary Journal Of Information, Knowledge & Management, 5127-137. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=58079824
Eisenberg, M., Johnson, D., & Berkowitz, B. (2010). Information, Communications, and Technology (ICT) Skills Curriculum Based on the Big6 Skills Approach to Information Problem-Solving. Library Media Connection, 28(6), 24-27. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=50728714
Miners, Z., & Pascopella, A. (2007). The NEW Literacies. District Administration, 43(10), 26-34. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=27024204
NAEP Will Include Technology Literacy in 2012. (Cover story). (2008). Electronic Education Report, 15(20), 1-7. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=62828392
Heller-Ross, H. (2004). Reinforcing information and technology literacy. College & Research Libraries News, 65(6), 321-325. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=13541089
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Do you have ideas and materials regarding Media and Technology Literacy and Skills? Pls contribute…
Critical news literacy session for social policy analysis course
Katie Querna, Thursday, 11AM, Stewart Hall
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/21/dumb-and-lazy-the-flawed-films-of-ukrainian-attacks-made-by-russias-fake-factory
https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2022-02-24/the-war-in-ukraine-via-tiktok-how-ordinary-citizens-are-recording-russian-troops.html
+++ please cover this information at home and bring your ideas and questions to class +++++
Most students can’t tell fake news from real news, study shows
Read more: https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2017/03/28/fake-news-3/
Module 1 (video to introduce students to the readings and expected tasks)
- Fake News / Misinformation / Disinformation
- Definitions
- Fake news, alternative facts
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=fake+news
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims?s=alternative+facts
- Misinformation vs disinformation
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2018/02/18/fake-news-disinformation-propaganda/
- Propaganda
- Conspiracy theories
- Bots, trolls
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2017/11/22/bots-trolls-and-fake-news/
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2020/04/30/fake-social-media-accounts-and-politicians/
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2020/01/20/bots-and-disinformation/
- Clickbait
Filter bubbles, echo chambers
(8 min) video explains filter bubbles
https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter
+++++ thank you for covering this information at home. Pls don’t forget to bring your q/s and ideas to class +++++
Why we are here today?
We need to look deeper in the current 21stcentury state of information and disinformation and determine how such awareness can help policy analysis.
How do we make up our mind about news and information; where from we get our info; who do we believe, who do we mistrust.
What do you understand under the following three items and their place in our efforts to analyze policies?
“critical thinking,” https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2014/05/11/the-5-step-model-to-teach-students-critical-thinking-skills/
“media literacy,” “Media Literacy now considers digital citizenship as part of media literacy — not the other way around”
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2020/01/07/k12-media-literacy/
“critical [news] literacy”
https://youtu.be/i2WyIkK9IOg
how do these three items assist a better analysis of policies?
Class assignment:
Share a topic which is very much to your heart.
Please feel welcome to use the following resources and/or contribute with your own resources to determine the sources and potential bias
library spot fake news
fake news resources
fake news and video
Feel free also to use the following guidelines when establishing the veracity of information:
Here is a short (4 min) video introducing you to the well-known basics for evaluation of academic literature:
https://youtu.be/qUd_gf2ypk4
- ACCURACY
- Does the author cite reliable sources?
- How does the information compare with that in other works on the topic?
- Can you determine if the information has gone through peer-review?
- Are there factual, spelling, typographical, or grammatical errors?
- AUDIENCE
- Who do you think the authors are trying to reach?
- Is the language, vocabulary, style and tone appropriate for intended audience?
- What are the audience demographics? (age, educational level, etc.)
- Are the authors targeting a particular group or segment of society?
- AUTHORITY
- Who wrote the information found in the article or on the site?
- What are the author’s credentials/qualifications for this particular topic?
- Is the author affiliated with a particular organization or institution?
- What does that affiliation suggest about the author?
- CURRENCY
- Is the content current?
- Does the date of the information directly affect the accuracy or usefulness of the information?
- OBJECTIVITY/BIAS
- What is the author’s or website’s point of view?
- Is the point of view subtle or explicit?
- Is the information presented as fact or opinion?
- If opinion, is the opinion supported by credible data or informed argument?
- Is the information one-sided?
- Are alternate views represented?
- Does the point of view affect how you view the information?
- PURPOSE
- What is the author’s purpose or objective, to explain, provide new information or news, entertain, persuade or sell?
- Does the purpose affect how you view the information presented?
In 2021, however, all suggestions above may not be sufficient to distinguish a reliable source of information, even if the article made it through the peer-reviewed process. In time, you should learn to evaluate the research methods of the authors and decide if they are reliable. Same applies for the research findings and conclusions.
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Aditional topics and ideas for exploring at home:
civil disobedience
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2014/09/30/disruptive-technologies-from-swarming-to-mesh-networking/
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2019/08/30/tik-tok-students-and-teachers/
https://news.softpedia.com/news/Venezuela-Blocks-Walkie-Talkie-App-Zello-Amid-Protests-428583.shtml
http://www.businessinsider.com/yo-updates-on-israel-missile-attacks-2014-7
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2016/11/14/internet-freedom/
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2016/08/31/police-to-block-social-media/
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2016/04/04/technology-and-activism/
Laubersheimer, J., Ryan, D., & Champaign, J. (2016). InfoSkills2Go: Using Badges and Gamification to Teach Information Literacy Skills and Concepts to College-Bound High School Students. Journal of Library Administration, 56(8), 924.
https://www.academia.edu/21782837/InfoSkills2Go_Using_Badges_and_Gamification_to_Teach_Information_Literacy_Skills_and_Concepts_to_College_Bound_High_School_Students?email_work_card=title
From online trivia and virtual board games to complex first-person perspective video games and in-person scavenger hunts, libraries are creating games for a variety of purposes, including orientations and instruction (Broussard,2012; Mallon, 2013; Smith & Baker, 2011).
Although the line between gaming and gamification can be blurry, most scholars recognize differences. Games are interactive, involvechallenge, risk, and reward, and have rules and a goal (Pivec, Dziabenko, &Schinnerl, 2003; Becker, 2013). Gamification, on the other hand, utilizes spe-cific gaming elements, often interactivity and rewards, to make an ordinary task more engaging (Prince, 2013). The gamification layer is not the focus of an endeavor, but rather can add enjoyment and a sense of competition toa task.
Battista (2014) argues that well-executed badges could represent an authentic assessment tool, because they often require the student to tangibly demonstrate a skill, competency, or learning outcome.
Use of the badges helped the team organize the Web site and provided a hierarchy to follow once the steps for earning each badge were created.Each badge consists of three to six tasks. A task can be a tutorial, a video, a game, or a short reading assignment on a given topic. An assessment is given for each task
The fourth and final platform the group considered was BadgeOS fromLearningTimes. BadgeOS requires a WordPress installation BadgeOS was designed to work with Credly (https://credly.com/) and Mozilla Open Badges (http://openbadges.org/) as standard features.
LearnDash was the most useful plugin for the project beyond BadgeOS. Available for a reasonable fee, LearnDash adds tools and features that give WordPress the ability to be used as a complete learning management system(LMS).
Available for free under the GNU Public License, BuddyPress(https://buddypress.org/) is another plugin that was capable of integrating with BadgeOS as an extension. The advantage of BuddyPress for the project group was the addition of social media components and functionality to the project Web site.
Go-daddy.com offered comprehensive technical support, easy application instal-lation, and competitively priced hosting packages. A 3-year hosting agree-ment was purchased that included domain registration, unlimited storageand unlimited bandwidth.
compare to
practical application of D2L Brightspace badges for a chemistry course at SCSU
https://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/2019/11/06/mastery-of-library-instruction-badge/
Library Instruction Chem 151
Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society
https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/doi/10.1108/9781800439061
Alexander, B. (2021), “Macroauthorities and Microliteracies: The New Terrain of Information Politics”, Grech, A. (Ed.) Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society (Digital Activism and Society: Politics, Economy And Culture In Network Communication), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 29-37. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-906-120211003
Portelli, J.P. and Oladi, S. (2021), “Post-truth Society: Toward a Dialogical Understanding of Truth”, Grech, A. (Ed.) Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society (Digital Activism and Society: Politics, Economy And Culture In Network Communication), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 11-28. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-906-120211002
Patrinos, H.A. (2021), “The Learning Challenge in the Twenty-first Century * “, Grech, A. (Ed.) Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society (Digital Activism and Society: Politics, Economy And Culture In Network Communication), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 39-53. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-906-120211004
Pauncefort, E. (2021), “Critical Literacy Is at the Heart of the Answer”, Grech, A. (Ed.) Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society (Digital Activism and Society: Politics, Economy And Culture In Network Communication), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 73-94. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-906-120211006
Balser, W.F., Diasio, S. and Kendal, T. (2021), “Societal Reorientation via Programmable Trust: A Case for Piloting New Models of Open Governance in Education”, Grech, A. (Ed.) Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society (Digital Activism and Society: Politics, Economy And Culture In Network Communication), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 95-110. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-906-120211007
This essay proposes the need to infuse open innovation (OI) and open source (OS) principles and technologies into schools as a means of tackling many of the most pervasive challenges in education, and by extension, society at large. It is argued that the principles of OI and OS, which are rooted in innovation management and software development, respectively, may be applied to the way we conceive of and approach organizational governance structures related to schooling, particularly in regard to harnessing innovation, updating management processes, and codifying new systems of trust. Whereas OI offers a novel approach to knowledge flow and the open exchange of ideas, communities rooted in OS principles breed tangible and generative effects through peer network democratization. These emergent, digitally defined networks have been proven to maximize innovation potential, expand collaboration, and enable the propagation of highly durable systems of trust and transparency, all catalytic and essential if we are to realize a future learning economy which favors equity, distributed systems, and common goods over profit, centralized decision-making, and proprietorship. It is within this framing that we articulate the core tenets of both OI and OS translationally as a means of stimulating thinking about how core principles of “openness” and the distributed technologies they enable may help to build common ground in an ever-evolving education and information ecosystem.
Sant, T. (2021), “How Can Wikipedia Save Us all?: Assuming Good Faith from all Points of View in the Age of Fake News and Post-truth”, Grech, A. (Ed.) Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society (Digital Activism and Society: Politics, Economy And Culture In Network Communication), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 133-143. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-906-120211010
Fusari, M. (2021), “The Kony 2012 Campaign: A Milestone of Visual Storytelling for Social Engagement”, Grech, A. (Ed.) Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society (Digital Activism and Society: Politics, Economy And Culture In Network Communication), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 155-173. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-906-120211012
Mallia, Ġorġ. (2021), “Post-truth Visuals, Untruth Visuals”, Grech, A. (Ed.) Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society (Digital Activism and Society: Politics, Economy And Culture In Network Communication), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 175-187. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-906-120211013
Basu, D. and Gabbay, M. (2021), “Karl Marx and the Blockchain”, Grech, A. (Ed.) Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society (Digital Activism and Society: Politics, Economy And Culture In Network Communication), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 225-241. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-906-120211016
Blockchain is often presented as a technological development; however, clearly it is not only that: the ‘Blockchain buzz’ exists in the context of current social and political developments. In this essay, we analyse blockchain technology and its social and political context from a perspective of Marxist economic theory. Since arguably the last great inflection point in society and technology was analysed by Marx in terms of labour and capital and since we seem to be experiencing a shift in the balance between these forces today, it makes sense to revisit the Marxist ideas and apply them to the current situation, to see how well they still apply and if necessary to update them for current events.
Ellul, J., Grech, A. and Pace, G.J. (2021), “Two Sides to Every Story. The Truth, Post-truth, and the Blockchain Truth”, Grech, A. (Ed.) Media, Technology and Education in a Post-Truth Society (Digital Activism and Society: Politics, Economy And Culture In Network Communication), Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 243-253. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-906-120211017
One of the rallying cries of the blockchain community is that of immutability: the irreversibility of the past, the absolute truth which, once stored, remains there forever. The technology was designed with this foundational pillar in mind to ensure that changes to history are inordinately expensive and practically impossible to execute – and increasingly so, the further in the past the event which one intends to manipulate lies. This platonic view of absolute truth is in stark contrast with a world of manipulated truth, and it is not surprising that it is being revisited as a means of combating fake news. We argue that claims to the absolute nature of the blockchain are at best exaggerated, at worst misrepresented or even ‘fake news’. We discuss implicit centralised points of trust in blockchains, whether at a technological, social or governance level, and identify how these can be a threat to the ‘immutable truth’ stored within the blockchain itself. A global pandemic has unleashed an unprecedented wave of contradictory positions on anything from vaccines and face masks to ‘the new normal’. It is only natural that the pursuit of blockchain as a placebo for society’s ‘truth’ problems continues.