.wk8. Geert.Lovink. on Web2.0

1) In his introduction, Lovink quotes G.H. Mead who describes "Sociality" as what?

      a) Sociality is the capacity of being several things at once.

2) Where did Silicon Valley find inspiration in the post 9/11 reconstruction period?

      a) Search start-ups like Google.

      b) Blog sites like blogger, blogspot, and livejournal, which allowed for self-publishing by consumers.

3) With tools to oversee national IP range, it is possible for countries to do two things with these technologies. What are they?

      a) To block users outside a country from viewing content from within the country

      b) To prevent citizens of a country from visiting foreign websites.

4) Lovink argues top-down considerations with Web 2.0 are less interesting than 'bottom-up' ones. What does he mean by this?

      a) Bottom-up refers to the use and creation of tools and information by the user or “activist” as he puts it. The content would be more pure which would then translate into more interesting content. The Top-down model for social media sites, blogs, and search engines depends upon the information that is sold as marketing data. Their function is to generate content for advertisers, which somewhat limits the content. User generated “bottom-up” considerations would be more broad in nature.

5) What is the function of profiles abstracted from 'user generated content' - how is it then used?

      a) Profiles for “user generated content” are created solely for marketing. They collect data that is sold to advertisers for marketing purposes.

6) What is 'massification'?

      a) Massification refers to the incredible number of users and the intensity in which those users use the internet.

7) Geert Lovink describes the Internet as an 'indifferent bystander' as a revolutionary tool in the global recession. What does he mean by this?

      a) The internet allows for mass marketing of ideas and control. It can be used in a variety of ways for an number of regimes that understand how to use it for power. Whether it’s used to block content, spy on citizens, or even incite revolution as seen recently in Egypt, the uses and events it allows are purely up to who controls it’s distribution.

8) Lovink says that power these days is not absolute but DYNAMIC?

9) "Managing complexity" is the aim of authoritarian uses of the internet such as the Great Chinese FIREWALL.

10) What are "organized networks"?

      a) Networks of individuals and user content that organize for the purpose of bringing about some sort of change.