On The Media - The Internet

Search and Destroy (On The Media)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:58 GMT

In China, it's hard to be anonymous online in part due to a phenomenon known as the human-flesh search engine. It's not really a search engine at all. Rather, it's a community of message board users that seek out and punish in the real world people they find committing offensive acts online. Tom Downey explains in this weekend's New York Times Magazine that the human flesh search engine offers a disturbing mix of justice and revenge.

Different Strokes (On The Media)

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:01 GMT

Companies are using software that analyzes our typing patterns and helps them figure out if we are who we say we are online. But is it a privacy violation? Should we be very afraid? Scout Analytics' Matt Shanahan discusses the uses and potential abuses of the technology, while Citizen Media Law Project blogger Andrew Moshirnia says it’s an ominous new twist on handwriting analysis.

The Watchers (On The Media)

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:12 GMT

Do we want our government to have access to the many electronic records and footprints we leave scattered across computer systems every day? Reporter Shane Harris argues in his new book, The Watchers, that a battle over this question has been going on since long before 9/11 and he puts one man at the center of the quest for more access to our personal data: John Poindexter.

The Italian Job (On The Media)

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:22 GMT

This week, an Italian court handed out half-year prison sentences to three Google executives. Their crime? Violating privacy law by hosting a video. UV Media Studies and Law professor Siva Vaidhyanathan says it’s a decision that challenges basic assumptions about whether internet companies can be liable for their content.

Sex.com (On The Media)

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:29 GMT

On March 18th, a public auction will be held in Midtown Manhattan. On the block? Sex.com, one of the most coveted pieces of internet real estate, ever. But be warned. Sex dot com comes with a long and troubled past. It’s all chronicled by Kieren McCarthy in SEX.COM: One Domain, Two Men, Twelve Years and the Brutal Battle for the Jewel in the Internet’s Crown.

Forever For Sale (On The Media)

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:36 GMT

It's called "A Tool to Deceive and Slaughter." It is a black eight-inch cube, made from acrylic, with a computer inside. You can buy it at auction on eBay, though doing so comes with a catch. Artist Caleb Larsen explains.

Secret Agent (On The Media)

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:17 GMT

Who controls the internet? Well, at the moment a trade agreement known as ACTA is being negotiated by the U.S., Japan, the European Union, Canada and more than a dozen other countries, and, if ratified, would significantly regulate what you can and can’t do online. ACTA’s rules will supersede each country’s local laws. Oh, and the whole affair is secret. Danny O'Brien of the Electronic Frontier Foundation explains the possible impact on net users worldwide.

Tear Down that Firewall (On The Media)

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:53 GMT

Suddenly it seems, after years of teeth-clenched tolerance, corporate and political entities here in the U.S. – including Google and the State Department – are intent on confronting China over suppression of speech on the Internet. Chinese media analyst Jeremy Goldkorn says that the Chinese government has waged an all-fronts propaganda battle in response.

The Internet (Addiction) Age (On The Media)

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:16 GMT

South Koreans were among the first to truly embrace the internet. Perhaps that’s why the country has also become one of the first to treat internet addiction as a psychiatric disorder. Author Douglas Rushkoff traveled to South Korea for an upcoming series that will air on PBS' "Frontline" next week. Rushkoff gives us a glimpse into South Korea's battle against digital obsession.

Wall Space (On The Media)

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:29 GMT

For a few hours on Monday the strict controls that China exerts over domestic access to the internet – known as ‘the great firewall’- disappeared. Chinese internet users could twitter, Facebook, read about Tibet - you name it. But was it a harbinger or a glitch? Chinese media expert Rebecca Mackinnon explains the rules and misconceptions that surround China’s internet.

A Fine Balance (On The Media)

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:30 GMT

With 1.2 billion people, India is the world’s largest democracy and a potentially vast population of internet users. But for Google, with its hugely popular Orkut social networking site, it’s become a minefield of subtle censorship issues. The Wall Street Journal’s Jessica Vascellaro explains how in India, Google is attempting to strike a free-speech balance.

Life Archive (On The Media)

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:13 GMT

Newspaper archives used to live in dusty stacks in libraries. Today, they're a five second Google search away, leaving news organizations grappling with the question of what to do when an article haunts a source, or even a journalist, online for...essentially...ever. OTM producer Nazanin Rafsanjani reports.

Online and Isolated? (On The Media)

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:31 GMT

Social scientists have long suspected that the internet contributes to our growing isolation. But Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project, set out to test that assumption. He says they found that Americans aren't as isolated as we thought and that being active on the internet might actually help prevent social isolation.

Off Target (On The Media)

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:20 GMT

Ever feel like online advertisers know you a little too well? If so, you're not alone. UPenn Professor Joseph Turow, lead author of a new study on behavioral advertising, says that two-thirds of people object to targeted ads and the online tracking that marketers do to produce them.

You Decide, We Report (On The Media)

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:55 GMT

Google recently released a video explaining how it ranks news stories. Brent Payne, director of search engine optimization for Tribune Interactive, was paying attention. His job is to ensure that a Tribune article lands on the front page of Google’s search results. Will Google lead newspapers to cover stories they wouldn’t have in the past? Payne says yes, but he insists that the Search Engine Optimizer hasn't affected the company's journalistic integrity.

Star Search (On The Media)

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:56 GMT

When it comes to rating products online, it turns out we're way too nice. The average out of 5 stars for things like dog food, printer paper or boots is 4.3 and as The Wall Street Journal's Geoffrey Fowler explains, all that kindness is actually kind of a problem.

The Seeds of a Story (On The Media)

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:31 GMT

In the last two weeks, conservative blogs helped drive real world change. First, Van Jones, a presidential adviser, resigned. Then, non-profit ACORN lost funding amid embarrassing revelations. In both cases, most traditional media outlets lagged in telling the story. The Atlantic's Mark Bowden says partisan sources are increasingly setting the news agenda. He talks about what that means for the news consumer.

Without a Net (On The Media)

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:33 GMT

Addicted to the web, texting or video games? Now there’s help. reSTART, the first internet addiction treatment center in the U.S., opened its doors this summer. We speak to executive director Hilarie Cash and recent patient Ben Alexander, whose drug of choice was World of Warcraft.

He Lived in Public (On The Media)

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:34 GMT

The new film We Live in Public focuses on Josh Harris, whom the film calls “the greatest internet pioneer you’ve never heard of.” The film offers a window into Harris’s psyche, and the impacts of living in a digital, recorded age. Director Ondi Timoner talks about this web entrepreneur’s fascination with privacy, and with recording life’s every moment -- including the most intimate -- 24/7.

Captured: Evan Ratliff (On The Media)

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:43 GMT

Evan Ratliff was captured this week. He's the Wired Magazine contributor who decided to see for himself whether it's possible to disappear and reemerge with a brand new identity in the digital age. Wired Magazine launched a contest. Whoever located him within one month would get $5,000 ($3,000 paid by Ratliff himself). A little lighter in the wallet, Ratliff talks about his brief life on the run.

Sue You (On The Media)

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:08 GMT

The very public court case between Liskula Cohen and Rosemary Port seemed absurd at first, in part because it rested on the definition of the word "skank." But along the way, it set a legal precedent in New York about what constitutes defamation online. The Electronic Frontier Foundation's Matt Zimmerman explains.

Word (On The Media)

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:10 GMT

The Urban Dictionary, where anyone can look up some of the most clever and most vulgar words and phrases in the English language, turns 10 this year. Its founder Aaron Peckham talks about a few of his all time favorite entries.

Click here for a long version of Bob's interview with Aaron Peckham. A warning: some edgy language is used.

Brooke, Clive and Ethan at Aspen (On The Media)

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:12 GMT

Over the summer Brooke hosted a conversation with Ethan Zuckerman, founder of Global Voices, and Clive Thompson, technology writer for the New York Times Magazine and Wired. The topic was homophily: the tendency for individuals to seek out others who share their preferences and ideas. While some would argue this phenomenon has existed forever, Brooke, Clive and Ethan discuss whether the internet exacerbates it or, instead, exposes people to new ideas.

Find Evan Ratliff, Win $5000 (On The Media)

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:51 GMT

While working on a piece about what it takes to disappear from your life in a digital age, Wired Magazine reporter Evan Ratliff and senior editor Nick Thompson decided to try it themselves. Ratliff has vanished. Thompson is looking for him. You can too. Who ever finds him wins $5000. Thompson lays out the rules.

Looking for a Fight (On The Media)

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:03 GMT

Computer scientists at Intel have developed Dispute Finder, a program they say can keep you from believing everything you see online. It scans what you’re reading and shows you an article or blog that presents the opposing point of view. Research scientist Rob Ennals explains how it works.

Getting to Know You (On The Media)

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:14 GMT

Two years ago, Netflix offered a $1 million prize to whomever could improve their movie recommendation software by 10%. Now a team has won (though the winning team has yet to be announced.) Writer Clive Thompson tells us why the competition is important and Bob Bell, a team member on the potential winning team, tells us how he crossed the 10% threshold.

Moving On Up? (On The Media)

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:25 GMT

Ross Douthat and Ezra Klein are two new opinion writers at the New York Times and the Washington Post. Both started out in the blogosphere, and both are young - Klein 25, Douthat 29. The two discuss whether they may have actually lost a measure of influence by moving from the net to traditional media.

Missed Connections (On The Media)

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:53 GMT

The Obama Administration has allocated billions to expand broadband service to underserved areas, but the first step is spending millions of dollars to find those areas. And how that mapping is done will greatly affect whether the digital divide will be bridged. Mark McElroy is the Senior Vice President of Communications for Connected Nation, the nation’s largest broadband service mapping company. Art Brodsky is the communications director for Public Knowledge, a leading critic of Connected Nation’s mapping methodology.

Eagle Eye (On The Media)

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:08 GMT

Perhaps the most complete picture we have of the insular, erratic dictatorship of North Korea comes not from the U.S. military but from one obsessed Google Earth-watching civilian named Curtis Melvin. Melvin explains how he pieces together his aerial intelligence and the story it tells.

Holy Grail 2.0 (On The Media)

Mon, 18 May 2009 19:58 GMT

Wolfram Alpha debuts this week. Its creator insists that it's not trying to take on Google and that it's not even a search engine, it's more of an answer machine. But the tech world is still abuzz about whether Wolfram Alpha is the next Google. All the hype made us wonder about the web's holy grail: the search for the next big thing in search. Brooke investigates.

Click here for the extended interview with Danny Sullivan, editor of searchengineland.com

All in a Name? (On The Media)

Mon, 18 May 2009 19:06 GMT

Under mounting pressure from state attorneys general to curb illegal activities facilitated on their site, Craigslist announced this week that it would take down its “erotic services” section. It will be replaced by “adult services” where each ad will be reviewed by a Craigslist employee. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster both say the change is more than just a marketing ploy.

Merry Young Trolls (On The Media)

Mon, 11 May 2009 20:34 GMT

On Wednesday, Time Magazine threw a party for the world’s most influential people. One attendee was Christopher Poole, founder of the website 4chan. What set Poole apart from the guests was his mode of entry: he hacked his way in. Mattathias Schwartz has written about Poole and 4chan's dark culture.

The Other Pirates (On The Media)

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:34 GMT

On Friday, a Swedish court ruled against the founders of the popular file-sharing website The Pirate Bay and found them guilty of assisting in the distribution of illegal content online. Mats Lewan, an editor at Ny Teknik, explains what the verdict means for file-sharing, for Sweden, and the world.

The Twitter Revolution (On The Media)

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:43 GMT

When 10,000 Moldovans filled the streets in protest last week, it was characterized as the ‘Twitter revolution.’ But now that the dust has cleared, what role did Twitter really play? And was it a revolution? Ethan Zuckerman, a fellow at Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society, tells the tale of the tweets.

Define Ad (On The Media)

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:52 GMT

Increasingly, companies are paying users of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to hype their brands online. The Federal Trade Commission has responded by updating its rules to make sure ads are identified as such. But author and blogger Andy Sernovitz says regulating the ads will be difficult.

Google Me Once (On The Media)

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:42 GMT

This week, the Associated Press fired a shot across the bow of news aggregation sites like Google and the Huffington Post. Without calling any site out by name, the AP said they would take legal action against websites that use their content without paying. Business Week's media columnist Jon Fine says news companies seem ready to ask consumers to pay for content again.

Free Is Just Another Word For Nothing Left To Lose (On The Media)

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:52 GMT

By some estimates for every 1 legally downloaded song in the U.S. another 40 are pirated. But in China some 99 percent of digital music is stolen. So last week Google announced a collaboration with the music industry to give the Chinese people what has long been anathema - more then a million songs for free. Music journalist Greg Kot explains the business sense in giving away the store.

The Net Effect (On The Media)

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:33 GMT

Is Google making us stupid? Is it making us smarter? Have we lost our ability to concentrate? Are we more social or more isolated as a result of our constantly interconnected lives? Brooke takes a look at some of the research that attempts to answer the question: how is the internet affecting our brains?

Click here for the uncut interview with Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

The Future Brain (On The Media)

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:37 GMT

Technology is such an integral part of our lives but will it soon be part of our bodies as well? Computer scientist and inventor Ray Kurzweil thinks so. He predicts that by 2045 we will have merged with our technology and that we'll be smarter, healthier and... well...immortal. Sounds implausible? Kurzweil explains that that's what people often say about his predictions until they come true.

The Infinite Shelf (On The Media)

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:25 GMT

With Google having settled its copyright suit with authors and publishers, the company is now poised to be a modern Library of Alexandria with full texts of millions of titles online. Robert Darnton, director of the Harvard University Library, loves the access but wonders at what cost.

Gimme that Online Religion (On The Media)

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:47 GMT

For booksellers, hotel guests, and the faithful, one book remains a mainstay – The Bible. But despite the book’s unending popularity, for many it remains a daunting read. Enter Slate columnist David Plotz, who decided to scour the Good Book cover-to-cover, and blog about it for the unschooled among us. Plotz explained to us a few years back why he put his analysis online.

Papers, Guns and Databases (On The Media)

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:55 GMT

Should gun ownership be a private matter? After a Memphis newspaper put a searchable database on its website of all people licensed to carry a hand gun in Tennessee, the NRA went ballistic. The paper’s editor Chris Peck says the database is a legal, not to mention profitable, part of its online operation.

Star Search (On The Media)

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:05 GMT

Online reviews are nothing new but few sites are as popular or powerful as Yelp, which launched in 2004. Now used by millions of people, Yelp's five star system can make or break a business. Co-founder Jeremy Stoppleman talks about the site's evolution.

Cry for Yelp (On The Media)

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:16 GMT

Given Yelp's immense popularity, a particularly harsh review can leave business owners feeling stunned and powerless. So one San Francisco restaurant decided to confront its worst reviews by emblazoning them on T-shirts. Delfina Restaurant owner Craig Stoll talks about running a restaurant in the age of Yelp.

First, Do No Harm (On The Media)

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:24 GMT

If you think your doctor has cold hands or worse, has made a mistake in your medical care, what better place to sound off then an online review site. There are dozens of such sites, but now doctors are fighting back. Dr. Jeffrey Segal, founder of Medical Justice, provides releases to physicians that when signed, prohibit patients from inveighing online.

Smirch Engine (On The Media)

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:51 GMT

There’s a name for how cruel people can get given a little anonymity on the internet. It’s called “online disinhibition effect” and the resulting venom can ruin your day or worse, destroy your good name. Bob looks at the fraught relationship on the web between reputation, privacy and the law.

Leak Proof (On The Media)

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:59 GMT

The site Wikileaks posts leaked documents from anonymous whistleblowers worldwide, even if those documents pose a danger or could potentially lead to loss of life. Julian Assange, the site's investigations editor, explains why Wikileaks publishes almost anything it receives.

Richard Clarke (On The Media)

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:48 GMT

Richard Clarke served as special advisory to President Bush on cyber-security and is now a security consultant and author. His novel Breakpoint describes a frightening cyber-attack scenario and in this extended interview he argues it's not so far-fetched.

John Markoff (On The Media)

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:00 GMT

John Markoff has been covering computer technology for the New York Times since 1988. In this interview he explains how he discovered the identity of the author of the Internet's first worm. He also did in-depth coverage of one of the most infamous hackers of the 90's and in this extended interview explains his position on the future of Internet security threats.

Jonathan Zittrain (On The Media)

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:36 GMT

Jonathan Zittrain is co-founder of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society and author of The Future of the Internet - And How to Stop It. In this extended interview he explains various problems threatening today's Internet and which solutions might not rob the net of its generative qualities.