Global Media News

Law Enforcement Use Social Media as a Tool to Catch Criminals

     The laws of criminology have changed. Law enforcement can now access social media as a tool to help apprehend criminals. Criminals use social media as a new method in performing criminal acts. What better way to access personal information on your victim? Police officers use social media as a guide, especially in open cases that are difficult to crack. Criminals make it easy as pie for detectives to probe through social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

  Why do Police use social media as a tool to catch criminals? The BBC tells us why, and states "the interconnectivity of social media means it is a perfect hunting ground for illegal activity, and increasingly people are realising that their 'friend' many not actually be their friend."

   Due to the nature of social media, it's easy to collaborate with other criminals to plot dastardly deeds. Anyone can connect with a fellow criminal, or better yet discuss criminal acts that happened in the past. Ironically speaking, if you ask me, social media has become a platform (meeting ground) where criminals can meet.  

 

   How do police investigate criminals on social media? CNN tells the reader how. CNN states "police look at what information is public and sometimes create fake online identities to befriend suspects and view their private information. Authorities also can request private data directly from social networks with subpoenas or warrants, or make an emergency request for user information if they think there's an imminent threat of danger."

    Below is a youtube video that tells us how social media can help solve complicated crimes that detectives have a hard time solving. This is why detectives use social media as a new tactic in getting arrests.  Here's the clip:

 

 

 

   Society has shown that we as a people are willing to help fight crime. Police ask for help in solving these criminal acts, as shown in this youtube clip.

Facebook; Friend or Foe to Journalism?

Facebook has revolutionized the nature in which its users consume news; so much so that many news outlets depend on the social media platform to spread their articles but is such a relationship beneficial for both or is it rather hurting journalism in the long run? In 2015, Facebook introduced Instant Articles providing quick loading stories (according to the social media platform  10 times faster than before) from publishers hosted on their server and reducing the need for its users to log on directly to news websites 

A study by the Pew Research Center found that out the 64% of U.S adults use Facebook and that 30% of said adults get their news on the site. In an article written by the New York Times by Ravi Somaiya entitled "How Facebook Is Changing the Way Its Users Consume Journalism" the following was stated by Greg Marra, Facebook's engineer  concerning the manner in which news are selected for the platform's users: 

“We try to explicitly view ourselves as not editors.We don’t want to have editorial judgment over the content that’s in your feed. You’ve made your friends, you’ve connected to the pages that you want to connect to and you’re the best decider for the things that you care about. We’re saying, ‘We think that of all the stuff you’ve connected yourself to, this is the stuff you’d be most interested in reading.' ”

Such consumption of news stories may sound appealing and appeasing to some but there are downsides to this; in a post written in the Columbia Journalism Review by Emily Bell points out the downsides of this new relationship between Facebook and news organizations;

"Two significant things have already happened that we have not paid enough attention to:  First, news publishers have lost control over distribution. Social media and platform companies took over what publishers couldn’t have built even if they wanted to. Now the news is filtered through algorithms and platforms which are opaque and unpredictable.The largest of the platform and social media companies, Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and even second order companies such as Twitter, Snapchat and emerging messaging app companies, have become extremely powerful in terms of controlling who publishes what to whom, and how that publication is monetized."

Source: Quartz Media, Photo by Jeff Chiu. A picture of Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

To retaliate and in the hopes of creating a better relationship with news organizations, Facebook introduced recently "The Facebook Journalism Project". The project has three main aims;

1)  The collaborative development of news products whose objective is to please both its users and its partners. . In Facebook's own words the project will create "an even deeper collaboration with news organizations across the spectrum, connecting our product and engineering teams so that we can build together from the early stages of the product development process"

2) Training and tools for journalists, Facebook will now offer e-leaning courses on their products, tools and services that will be beneficial to journalists. 

3)  Training and tools for everyone, in the hopes to promote news literacy and offering enough information to the public to aid them in making better choices about the news they choose to consume.   

Whether Facebook is a friend or foe to journalism is still under question. The answer lays on which side of the argument one might find themselves in and the beliefs that one supports. It is without doubt that Facebook has indeed changed the consumption of online news, its future relationships with news outlets is to be observed. 

Did New Media end Print Media?

People are abandoning their paper pages and opting for a more digital way to view their news. More and more print media outlets are abandoning the 'norm' and transitioning over to the digital world.

For years, lovers of journalism got their news from the newspaper. It came out daily and was a way to learn what was going on around them. However since 2009, the decline in Newspaper production in the US has gone down 39%. People have been reading the news on their tablets and cellphones. The convienency of having a paper in the palm of their hands makes print seem like a thing in the past.

During the 1990's a huge movement in Feminism and love for Grunge music exploded. Those that were apart of this movement would produce their own form of news by the way of Zines. Zines were self produced and self published Magazines made for those that wanted to curate their work in print. Often done with Xerox machines and cut & paste images. This

A lot of the producers of Zines have decided to stay away from the digital world. Although we live in a world in which almost anyone can publish their work online, many are saying that print isn't dead. The amount of Zines that continue circulate has only increased. Zines give alternative voices a chance to express them self. Simone Fujita, a librarian at the University of Southern California loves the idea behind Zines because of the freedom it gives its creators .  Taylor Yates, founder of "Selfish", a zine based in California, says  "I just love the tangibility of print... there's just something that I just romanticize a lot. I think it will always be irreplaceable to me." 

With New media constantly improving and advancing, its not a shocker that even large Magzines are falling into the digital trap. Condé Nast, the publisher behind The New Yorker, Vogue and Vanity Fair magazines, has decided to take their very popular magazine Self and cut it from being printed. As of February, the magazine has transitioned into being a completely online publication. Artistic Editor Anna Wintour

Can ASL Be Taught Through GIFS?

 Giphy released a new set of GIFS that brings pride to the deaf community, American Sign Language (ASL) GIFS. 

   

via GIPHY

Robert DeMayo signing the word "Wait" in the app designed to educate people on ASL

These GIFS are of Robert DeMayo from the education program, "Sign With Robert". They demonstrate DeMayo signing words and phrases along with English subtitles, making this the perfect method of learning this language. "To help people learn basic ASL, Giphy cut up small clips from "Sign With Robert", a 30-episode educational series. The result is looping video of Robert DeMayo performing a sign alongside the word of phrase". Said Hilari Scarl, director and producer at "Sign With Robert" 

Over 2,000 GIFS of words and phrases in ASL have been released to the public. And the  30 million Deaf and hard-of-hearing people must be ecstatic. These GIFS include "wait", "aquarium", "birthday" and many more. The GIFS are organized by categories including but not limited to, expressions, emotions, sports, holiday, and family.

via GIPHY

Robert DeMayo signing "Aquarium", one of the 2,000 ASL words featured on the app 

Along with teaching the fourth most popular language used in America, this technological advancement also illustrates the importance of nonverbal facial expressions in the ASL community. "Many people misunderstand the facial expressions of Sign Language users and think of them as being 'animated' or 'emoting', facial expressions are an important part of grammatical formation and the linguistic stricter of ASL," said Scarl. These expressions can distinguish the mood of the user, from angry to sad, happy to confused, etc.

"This not only benefits millions of deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans who utilize sign language, but also doctors, nurses, police and emergency workers who could save someone's life by knowing a few signs," said Scarl. And this is so true, what would/could happen if a deaf individual ended up in a hospital? What if they are allergic to certain medicines like I seen happen on a show before? If doctors and nurses could learn even the bare minimum of ASL it truly could save a patient's life. 

via GIPHY

 Robert DeMayo signing "Birthday" on the Giphy app

Switched at Birth, a show on FreeForm, is about these two girls who were switched at birth, one of the girls being deaf. The girl attended a school for deaf children where she met her friend who later on ended up in the hospital. The girl, who is also deaf, only communicates in ASL, and it's because of this that the nurse almost gave her a lethal dose of a medicine she is allergic too. Furthermore showing the lack of knowledge of this language in the medical field.

Although I do not speak ASL the language itself has always intrigued me. The way we can communicate solely though hand gestures and facial expressions, is truly mind-boggling to me. And I would love to learn this beautiful language, maybe this app will help me do so since according to Hilari Scarl, "GIFS as a visual format untethered from audio, makes them a perfect medium for sign language". 

 

via GIPHY

Actress Vanessa Marano signing out the name of her TV Show, Switched at Birth

Vocativ uploaded a video to their YouTube channel giving viewers a sneak peak at what the Giphy app

has. 

Vocativ posted a YouTube video explaining what Giphy hopes their new GIFS will do. This video included Robert DeMayo, from "Sign With Robert", as he goes through different signs, giving his viewers the chance to see the type of GIFS they can send to their family and friends if they download the Giphy app. And as Vocativ so accurately said "Now you can teach yourself a new word every time you send a 🔥 GIF". 

 

 

 

Global Media News Webcast #4: Tuesday, February 23, 2017

Listen to Global Media News!

• Hip Hop Stars & Social Media: How Do They Engage the Fans?
• Do Your Emoji Represent? The Story of the Emoji with a Hijab.
• Can Facebook Stop Fake News?  How?
• Data Audit: What Facebook Is Telling Advertisers . . . 
• Is VR the Future of Facebook?  What Does Zuck Think?
• VR on the Runway: Digital Media Innovation at New York Fashion Week.
• Was Instagram the Platform for Influencers at Fashion Week?
• Netflix: What Is the Streaming Giant up to Now?
• SNAP! Will the IPO Be a Boom or a Bust for Snapchat?

Global Media News is a weekly webcast covering new media news from around the world.  GMN is a production of  Media Studies students from the SUNY College @ Old Westbury.   We scour the web for news about media, journalism and technology.   

Listen to our next webcast streaming live on Thursday March 2, 2017 @ 10am EST.

Can't listen live? Our next webcast  will be posted by 2:00pm, Thursday March 2, 2017.

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Netflix Originals: One of a Kind Streaming Experience

What exactly is a Netflix Original?

Netflix, founded in 1997, didn't introduce Original Series until 2011. Now we've all been there, scrolling aimlessly through the same movies, helplessly searching for something good to watch. Then comes the thought: Should I cancel my subscription? Heck lets be honest, some of us are on makeup-breakup terms with Netflix. Originals may be just what we've been missing all this time. 

To put it simply, if a show is branded "original," Netflix paid an awful lot of money to ensure that you can't watch it anywhere else. They modeled their strategy after HBO, aiming to create exclusive content. This is what makes them invaluable. Some original titles include, Orange is The New Black, Narcos and Grace and Frankie. 

 

What makes Originals so great?

Netflix Original, Stranger Things, has gained a lot of attention in recent months. The show reached 14.07 million viewers within the first 35 days.

The show is certainly unique, and geared towards all ages. Oddly enough, Stranger Things had a hard time getting picked up. The creators of the show, the "Duffer Brothers," are twin brothers who never lost faith in their work. According to the Rolling Stone, the brothers were rejected by at least 15 different networks before Netflix signed them. FIFTEEN!

If you ever doubted your love for Netflix rest assured. This is why we need them.

Netflix is taking risks. Netflix believes in the little guys, the upcoming screenwriters, actors and actresses. They're changing the television experience and bringing us one-of-a-kind content. Unless you're okay with mindless reality t.v. and recycled sitcoms, keep paying that monthly subscription so that Netflix can give us more binge worthy entertainment.  

NBA Teams Representing Software Companies ?!

Seven o'clock on a Sunday night and you just got off work. It's been a long shift and now it's time to get home to catch the 8 o'clock game of the Cavaliers vs the Knicks.

Your home just in time! You quickly make yourself a sandwich and grab the chips from the snack cabinet. *CLICK!* 

TV's on and the game has started and... something's a bit off. "So many colors, so many logos."

 

(Image provided by reddit.com)

So what exactly is going on? Well, let me explain. Back in April of 2016, it was first announced that there will eventually be ads on the jerseys of NBA players. Now in terms of ads, it's not gonna be as obnoxious as the photo posted above (or at least we hope not).  I would like to believe that it would be more simplistic, like a small to medium size logo. According to Money.CNN.com, the jersey ads "could bring in $100 million, to split between the teams and players."

'NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver,  has been preparing hoops fans for the reality of advertisements on jerseys for some time now' stated Highsnobiety.com. The online trends and news site also stated that even though Silver has been vocal on the matter, only a few teams have their partnerships set. Such as the Philadelphia 76ers with StubHub, Boston Celtics with GE and the Sacremento Kings with Blue Diamond Almonds. Software companies Qualtrics and Infor are also looking to land their logos on a jersey. 

Though set to be in full swing for the 2017-2018 Basketball season, most teams aren't jumping for this opportunity. If companies want to advertise their brand on these teams, they are going to have to pay big bucks. ESPN wrote about it, naming some popular teams and naming their prices. The Brooklyn Nets are looking for $25 million and the Cleveland Cavaliers want double that, asking for $50 million. And as of right now the Golden State Warriors are topping it off with an asking price of $65 million. 

Seems like advertisements are everywhere nowadays and money can be made out of anything. Guess we're just going to have to sit back and enjoy the 'walking promotions' playing ball.

Will Facebook Improve Advertising Data After Criticism?

On Friday, Facebook announced they would allow an audit of information presented to marketers that provides them with new, more particular measurement data, following the criticism from America’s biggest advertiser, Procter & Gamble.  They believe there is a lack of transparency demonstrated in the digital ad platforms.

Facebook, which came under review last year for repeated inaccuracies in the ways they measure ads, also announced that they would present marketers with alternative options for purchasing video ads this year.

                                             

A group of people who attended the Lisbon Web Summit in November.  Facebook was under lots of examination last year for several repetitive inaccuracies in the ways they measure ads.  (Paulo Duarte/Bloomberg)

Marketers may only pay if their ad was fully viewed or if the sound was on.  Also, the milliseconds that an ad is shown will be presented to the marketers. The Media Rating Council, a nonprofit will conduct an audit to “verify the accuracy of the information” Facebook presents marketers. The company also stated in a blog post, that they would additionally be working with 24 third-party measurement companies.

Mark S. Pritchard, the chief brand officer at Procter & Gamble believes that the digital ad industry must “grow up,” while he criticized the ways that Facebook, state whether an ad has been viewed and the few amount of accredited outside sources to conduct digital ad performance. 

Pritchard said in an effort to rectify the situation, Procter & Gamble would allow the Media Rating Council standard on ad views and work with third-party measurement companies that are recognized by the council. He said that if companies don’t work with this standard, that they will lose its business.  With Procter & Gamble being the highest advertiser in the United States, they spent $2.4 million in marketing in 2016.

Pritchard said that “We spend enormous amounts of time trying to understand, analyze and explain the differences between Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest, Pandora, YouTube and the dozens of different viewability standards claimed to be right metric for each platform.”  He added that “Think about that for a moment. It would be like each N.F.L. football team having a different standard of yards needed for a first down.”

In 2016, Facebook made close to all of its $27.6 billion in revenue from advertising.  Now their trying to gain their marketers’ support fully back since September, when they apologized for not fully disclosing its’ video viewership.

The advertising revenue for Facebook went up 53 percent last quarter from the previous year as they continues to make more money from many of its users.  There are 4 million advertisers that work with the company.

Facebook also said that they would present marketers with new data on display ads, showing the milliseconds they are shown on a screen.       

Pritchard believes that “Facebook’s actions on media transparency are a positive step forward, particularly coming from one of the largest media players in the industry.”  He also added that Procter & Gamble was “encouraged by the responsiveness and leadership Facebook is demonstrating, and we hope it builds more momentum to create a clean and productive digital media supply chain.”

Global Media News Webcast #3: Thursday February 16, 2017

Listen to Global Media News!

• Is FaceBook the Fastest Way to Get Breaking News?
• Why is T-Mobile Giving Away Free Stuff on Tuesdays?
• Is YouTuber a Career Path for Millennials?
• Can Crowdfire Help You Find Your Fans?
• Would Your Selfie Look Better in Anime?  Millions of Meitu Users Think So . . .
• Just How Big is Live Streaming Video in China?
• Update: Did Fake News Help Elect the President?
• Backlash: Should Business Risk a Boycott by Supporting the President?

Global Media News is a weekly webcast covering new media news from around the world.  GMN is a production of  Media Studies students from the SUNY College @ Old Westbury.   We scour the web for news about media, journalism and technology.   

Listen to our next webcast streaming live on Thursday February 23, 2017 @ 10am EST.

Can't listen live? Our next webcast  will be posted by 2:00pm, Thursday February 23, 2017.

Subscribe Now!

Virtual Reality Takes on Fashion Week

 This past week was NYC Fashion week showcasing looks for the Fall/Winter season. Samsung partnered up with FTL Moda, a huge producer behind many of the shows that occur during fashion week. This year, instead of sponsoring the usual behind the scenes areas such as the green rooms, Samsung was hands on in how guest experienced the shows. For the first time ever, virtual reality runways shows were a big hit in New York. This isn't the first time VR has been used in fashion, however it is the first time its being showcased in New York. It was previously used in Russia, during Russian Fashion week.  Instead of guests and fashionistas sitting next to each other in small cramped venues, viewers were given Samsung Gear VR Headsets and got a chance to indulge in the new fashions for the upcoming season. Prerecorded runway shows are displayed on the headset and viewed by those that are a staple to the fashion world such as magazine editors and celebrities. 

 Designers such as LaQuan Smith, Invicta, Limor Ben Yosef and Sonja Tafelmeier, utilized Samsung's Meat Packing District storefront for Fashion Week. This collaboration also gave users a chance to experience the other amenities Samsung has to offer such as their newest wireless headphones and updated Gear headsets.

Technology goes hand in hand with Fashion. This isn't the first time its been a major part of a show. Back in 2014, Ralph Lauren displayed one of the first 4D holographic presentations. 

With Fashion Week occurring twice a year, who knows what technological advances will go into next seasons shows.