Reflection of COMM 1043 Journey:

Finally, it’s near the end of the course journey. It’s the time to conclude. At the start, I thought that this course is just about the design, nothing is difficult. However, this is not the case. From the course, I learnt a lot of theories and principles that never touch on before. Now, coming to the end of the course, I would like to say, I have gathered a lot of knowledge from COMM 1043 and this have increase my understanding in the field of publication and design.

I have learnt before designing any document, audience, purpose and context are need to clarify to have effective communication. Besides, I learnt the composition of salience, framing and layout that can enhance the readability of audience. (Kress& van Leeuwen, 2006)Furthermore, from Schriver (1997), I learnt image and text are equally important in convey message to audience and Diana Reep(2006) teach me design features, principles and format elements that need to take into the account when designing.

In conclusion, this course has enriched my knowledge and brought an unforgettable memory to my life.

Reference List:

1. Kress, G. & van Leeuwen, T. 2006, “The semiotic landscape: language and visual communication in reading images, Routledge, London.

2. Reep, Diana C. 2006, ‘Chp 4: Principles of Document Design,’ in Technical Writing, 6th ed., Pearson Edu, Inc., New York, p.173-190.

3. Schriver, K. A. 1997, Dynamics in document design: creating texts for readers, Wiley Computer Publication. New York.

The emerging of Twitter in political discourse

Twitter

Twitter which serves as a popular micro-blogging tools with high speed and mobility, designed to deliver short messages with a personal tone is becoming popular in the political field. The politicians use Twitter to send short instant updates, ideas and thoughts on current affairs instead of long personal journals. Twitter followers are constantly fed with “live” updates of the trial, which are the element absent with blogging.

According to a study by Tumasjan A.and peers (2009), Twitter is indeed used extensively for political deliberation. Moreover, through an analysis of the Tweet’s political sentiment demonstrates close correspondence to the parties and politicians’ political positions indicating that the content of Twitter messages plausibly reflects the offline political landscape. Twitter has become a legitimate communication channel in the political arena as a result of the 2008 US election campaign. The current US president Barak Obama has establish Twitter and other social media as integral parts of his political campaign toolbox and this tools has greatly contribute to his victory in 2008 President election in United States. Shortly after his victory, Obama used Twitter to let the web community know how he felt: “This is history”.

U.S. President:Barack Obama thanks to his supporters via Twitter

Twitter is used in the governmental context not only for engaging stakeholders in conversation, but for building relationships by creating a social presence with these constituents ( F.Dianne Lux Wigand,2010). For instance, politicians communicating with the electorate and use it to mobilize their supporters. In Malaysia context, Twitter is use by political leaders like Anwar, DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang and others politicians to send instant updates, ideas and thought on current affairs instead of long personal journal, in fact, Twitter attracting more hits than blogs, politicians even use Twitter to promote their blog. Technorati(2009) states that blog with greater than 100 view a day, 83% of the hits are referral from Twitter. In addition, blogs content in-depth information, takes time to reach audience whereas Twitter can let followers get the first hand information instantly. Diana Eastment(2010) opined that blogs have had their day but they are too ponderous and lack of spontaneity of the microblogs, especially Twitter, they lack the social interactivity of networking sites such as Facebook.

In conclusion, since Twitter is easily accessed by wireless devices, it has become new phenomenon in political world as well as the public.

Reference List:

1. Diana Eastment (2010), “Blogging”, Oxford ELT Journal 2010, Vol. 64, no.1 pp119-122

http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org.ezlibproxy.unisa.edu.au/cgi/content/full/64/1/119

2.

F. Dianne Lux Wigand (2010), "Twitter in Government: Building Relationships One Tweet at a Time," itng, pp.563-567, 2010 Seventh International Conference on Information Technology, 2010

http://www.computer.org/portal/web/csdl/proceedings/i#5

3.

Technorati Report 2009, viewed June 12 2010,

http://technorati.com/blogging/article/day-5-twitter-global-impact-and/

4.

Tumasjan A., Sprenger T., Philipp G. Sandner, Isabell M. Welpe(2009), “Predicting elections with Twitter: What 140 Characters reveal about political sentiment”, Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence

Facebook & Illusion of privacy

Facebook

In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook from his dorm room at Harvard University. Today, Facebook growth as one of the popular social networking sites in the world. Up to February 2010, Facebook reaches over 400 million of active users (Facebook.com 2010).The number tells the story, people want to be heard and seen. Gradually, it has led to the issue of delicate balance of publicity and privacy in the social networking age?

In Facebook's early days, user data was only visible to other users that you approved friend requests from. As of mid-December, Facebook informed its users that data including name, profile picture, gender, current city, networks, friend lists and pages of which they are a fan, would be made public on an opt-out basis (Meyer D.2010)

According to Wortham J. (2009), 45 percent of employers are using social networks to check out applicants. The study found that 35 percent of employers decided not to offer a job to a candidate based on the content uncovered on a social networking site. The net is also making it much harder for companies to keep secrets. If one of your products has flaws, then the chances are that the news will spread quickly in the web (Naughton J. 2006)

Does user care about privacy online?

Pew center found that most people said they cared greatly about online privacy but they didn’t do much about it. Pew's study also found that young adults aged 18 to 29 are more likely to monitor their online reputations by changing settings and deleting items on social networks (Cameron C., 2010). Furthermore, 95 percent of users said they were opposed to Facebook's recent privacy changes that would provide third-party sites access to user data without prior permission (Victoria Ho, 2010). Facebook’s mini-feed made users feel vulnerable as social networking sites foster discussion of social activities, the sites create real dangers that the details of an individual’s private life will reach an unintended audience (Benjamin R. Sachs ,2009)

Personal experience and Law of Privacy

Currently, I also owned a Facebook account. Facebook disclose my personal profile information to other users able to know my current activity online such as status update, post photo or Web link. , which is generally viewable to “friends” on Facebook as I didn’t opt out the mini-feed feature, it could be danger for me. According to David Meyer(2010), European data protection advisers have said it was 'unacceptable' for Facebook to make some of its users' data public without their permission at the end of last year. It would be a breach of data protection law if they use personal data of other individuals contained in a user profile for commercial purposes.

The Facebook should aware of the Privacy law which is the area of law concerning the protecting and preserving of privacy rights of individuals (Suppiah Rachel, 2010). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 12, states:

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Facebook and other social networking sites should obey to Human Rights declaration and subject to the law of privacy and should diminish user’s privacy and keep it in balance between publicity and privacy.

Reference List:

1. Benjamin R. Sachs (2009), “ Consumerism and information privacy: How upton Sinclair can again save us from ourselves”, 18 February 2009, viewed 9 June 2010

http://www.virginialawreview.org/content/pdfs/95/205.pdf

2. Cameron C. (2010), “Pew: 71% of young adults change online privacy settings”, 26 May 2010, viewed 9 June 2010 http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/pew_71_of_young_adults_change_online_privacy_settings.php

3. Facebook.com (2010), viewed 9 June 2010, http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics

4. Kirkpatrick M.(2010), “ Why Facebook is wrong: Privacy is still important”, 11 January 2010, viewed 9 June 2010 http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/why_facebook_is_wrong_about_privacy.php

5. Meyer D. (2010), “Facebook privacy tweaks are unacceptable, says EU”, 13 May 2010, viewed 9 June 2010

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security-management/2010/05/13/facebook-privacy-tweaks-are-unacceptable-says-eu-40088929/?s_cid=938

6. Suppiah Rachel (2010), “ Awakening to a new dawn- the Personal Data Protection Act 2009”, 19 April 2010, viewed 9 June 2010

http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/publications/awakening_to_a_new_dawn_the_personal_data_protection_act_2009_by_rachel_suppiah.html?%20date=2010-05-01

7. Victoria Ho (2010), “ Most users unhappy with Facebook privacy”, 8 April 2010, viewed 9 June 2010 http://www.zdnetasia.com/most-users-unhappy-with-facebook-privacy-62062515.htm

8. Wortham J. (2009), “More Employers use social networks to check out applicants”, viewed 9 June 2010 http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/20/more-employers-use-social-networks-to-check-out-applicants/?em

Blogging: Freedom of Speech or Ethical publishing?

More and more of countries are now accessible to internet and blogging area. As the internet grows become a powerful and influential media, people use the internet devices to blogging, publish and rise out their opinion against the country issue, political comment, and spread information. Countless numbers of bloggers writing and dissenting views and even use to challenge the ruling party of the country. The government claims that the freedom of speech is the basis right of people in the country.

However, Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, while guaranteeing every citizen the right to freedom of speech and expression, but also allows the government to impose restrictions as it deems necessary to protect national security which has led to a litany of laws that severely curb freedom of expression (guardian.co.uk, 2001).The laws which invented use to protect the people unfortunately use as a tools by the government to silence critics and harass bloggers and threaten the bloggers working in the government’s favor so called “ethical publishing” that benefit to community.

To comply with ethical norms, bloggers are supposed to responsible in disseminating information that is honest and fair in publishing. However when law and regulations are step in, it will prevent the truth from being reveal as stated by Singer (2006). Government claims that there are no censorship of the internet and any form of control or filtering which violation of freedom of speech as enshrined in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution (Chandranayagam D. ,2009) but according to the Reuters(2008) , the authorities are looking for ways to rein in the commentary on the net.

Malaysia Today: Blog owned by Raja Petra Kamarudin

According to Ida Madieha Azmi (2010), Raja Petra was charged on 6 May 2008 with sedition for allegedly implying that the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Sri Najib was involved in the murder case of a Mongolian woman.It was said to have affect public order and prejudice national security (M. Mageswari 2008). Tan Sri Dato Vincent Tan Chee Yioun said: “Freedom of speech is not a licence to defame people and it is subject to legal restrictions. Every person has a right to reputation and that right ought to be protected by law’’(Ida Madieha Azmi, 2010). Dato’ Seri Utama has many times reminded bloggers to be sensitive when commenting on issues to preserve the country’s peace and stability (MalaysiaAktif.com, 2010)

Therefore, even though Blogger have freedom in expression under Federal Constitution of Malaysia, they are subject to certain regulations. They should sensitive to what they are blogging; however, there is nothing unethical to express their opinions wihich are opposed to ruling party.

Reference List:

1. Chandranayagam D., 2009, “ Malaysia: A step closer to censorship”, August 6 2009, viewed June 11 2010. http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/06/malaysia-a-step-closer-to-internet-censorship/

2. Guardian.co.uk, 2010, “Ending the government’s monopoly on the truth”, viewed June 11 2010http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2001/apr/29/freespeech.observercampaignpressfreedom

3. Ida Madieha Azmi (2010), “Legal and ethical issues in knowledge management in Malaysia”, Computer Law & Security review

4. MalaysiaAktif.com(2010), “With Freedom Comes Responsibility” viewed June 11 2010,

http://malaysiaaktif.com/article.php?aid=4619

5. M.Mageswari (2008), “Court frees Raja petra (update 5)” 7 November 2008, viewed June 11 2010 http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/11/7/nation/20081107094618&sec=nation

6. Reuters (2008), “ Malaysia blogger in jail over sedition charges”, 6 May 2008, viewed June 11 2010,

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKLR29580020080506

7. Singer, J. (2006), "'Truth and Transparency: Bloggers' Challenge to Professional Autonomy in Defining and Enacting Two Journalistic Norms", Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Comm convention, presented to Media Ethics Division, London.

Aware of cultural differences and clarify of visual meaning: Cartoon that shook the world

The cartoon of Jyllands-Posten newspaper -12 Prophet Muhammad cartoons

Cartoons provide visual communication that allows interesting combination of entertainment while raising awareness of social, cultural or political concern (Patricia B. & Mora N., 2009). However, conflicts can arise when misconception of visual meaning made by difference cultural social group.

In about four year ago, Denmark’s embassy in Damascus had been torched, Danish consulate in Beirut was being set fire and effigies of the Danish Prime Minister were burnt in Turkey. Protest has turned into riots from Middle East to other countries, caused 450 people killed, and 800 people injured. This is all because of the decision made by Danish newspaper editors to publish the 12 caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad which consider against sacred iconography by Muslims and led to the enragement. Jyttee Klausen, the professor of comparative politics at Brandeis University in Massachusetts and also the authors of Cartoons that Shook the World further detailed the published of 12 caricatures of Prophet Muhammad is started by the editors of the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten decided to conducted an experiment to find out whether the cartoonist will afraid of what the Muslims would do if the Danish artist continued their business insulting religion like they used to embrace such as differences between religious Muslims and the lifestyle issues (The Cartoons that shook the world 2010). The headed in favor of freedom of speech and freedom of press be erroneously perceived as battle against Islamic culture.

The media should be responsible for the securing of coherence and inclusion of all groups in society and aware of exercise of the freedom does not take place in a space without societal context (Bonde N., 2005). Before publishing the 12 caricatures of Prophet Muhammad, the media should consider the sensitive issue that will rise up the conflict between the group with different cultural background and different religion belief. The international authorities have been extremely cautious to avoid biased reporting against any population group as this might cause renewed hate and violence in certain countries (Bonde N., 2005). According to Hans Rask Jensen(2008), one of the drawings which depict the Prophet Mohammed with a bomb in his turban, does not make clear what figure and background are caused some observers perceived it as an insult to the religious sensibilities and an expression of the West's contempt for Muslims. In fact the artist himself says that the image in no way refers to Islam as a whole, but only to a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam. Kress & van Leeuwen(2006) states that visual meanings are too indefinite, people can make radically different meaning from an image due to respective cultural background, past experience and level of knowledge, text must come together to arrive definite meaning.

Overall, publishers must keep in mind it is their responsible to comply with ethical norms, make clear of the meaning wish to express and try to avoid the offensive publication which can lift up the conflict among the difference social group with difference culture and religion in society.

Reference List:

1. Bonde N.(2005), “Media and Communication in Conflict Prevention and Peace-Building –Exploring Strategies for International and UN-led Conflict Transformation”, Roskilde: Roskilde University.

2. The Cartoons that Shook the World 2010, podcast, 5 February 2010, ABC The Book Show, http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bookshow/stories/2010/2804643.htm

3. Hans Rask Jensen(2008) “the Mohammed cartoons controversy and the boycott of Danish products in the Middle East” , European Business Review, vol. 20,pp275-289, http://assets.leeds2.emeraldinsight.com.ezlibproxy.unisa.edu.au/Insight/ViewContentServlet;jsessionid=0C1AE88E91E65B9E3E67AD976E131F7B?contentType=Article&Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0540200306.html

4. Kress,G.& van Leeuwen, T.(2006), “ The semiotic landscape: language and visual communication in reading images”, Routledge, London.

A good design for screen genre

The principles of design are important to any visual presentation. A good design for screen genre will increase the viewer interest to the topic, guide them through the text and increasing the ability to remember important sections (Diana R. 2008). Based on our very first group presentation, “the meaning of composition”, there are some lack of applying the theories for the screen design and it could be refined to the desired of issue on design principles.

Critique on my group three screen shots of presentation slides

In my group presentation, the slide 7 has more than one information we wish to present, which will cover the topic “Top and Bottom”, “Real and Ideal”, therefore we should divide the heading into two or more headings or subheading to alert readers to the sequence of information in the slide. This is supported by Diana R. (2008) at the written cues in document design. Furthermore, slide 8 is a picture example use to explain the slide 7. The presenter should place the heading at the top-left corner of the slide to guide readers that there is a link with the previous slide.


Based on slide 11, the presenter can highlight specific details by using typographic devices such as boldface type to add emphasis on the specific words; this is stated by Diana R. (2008) under format element in document design. Moreover, for the screen genre design, the color choosing can reinforce our message and appeal specifically to intended audience. According to Nielson.J (1997), to present a good page, author has to employed combined of concise, scannable, objective written text.


Screen Shots:


Slide 7



Slide 8



Slide 11





Reference List:

1. Reep, Diana C. 2006, ‘Chp 4: Principles of Document Design,’ in Technical Writing, 6th ed., Pearson Edu, Inc., New York, p.173-190.

2. Nielson, J. (1997), “Consice,Scannable and Objective: How to write for the web”, viewed April 18 2010, http://www.useit.com/papers/webwriting/writing.html

The new forms of media publishing

The encroaching of internet in our society, create an alternate way for audience to in-depth exploration and freedom of speech instead of just passive recipients. It makes growth of online news as print-based culture takes longer to attained kind of communicative competence needed (Naughton J, 2006). This forced the conventional newspaper to adapt and move to different place in ecosystem. The internet provides people with formidable resources which to become more knowledgeable. The net is also making it much harder for companies to keep secrets. Flaws of product or sub-standard services will spread quickly around the net (Naughton J, 2006).


Issue concerning the new trend and how it alternated the roles of journalism?




Content communities for instance, Youtube and Facebook are the broad online platforms sharing of media content between users in the forms of text, photos videos. (Kaplan M., Haenlein M., 2009).Emerging of new media enable people to have freedom of speech, the phenomenon success of Malaysiakini.com, an independent online news in Malaysia, registering an average of 150,000 unique visitors a day, indicates that the self-censored mainstream media have lost much credibility that a growing number of Malaysian are seeking alternatives news on the net. With the advent of the internet, the government can no longer have complete monopoly on the truth ( Guardian.co.uk, 2001). This have altered the roles of traditional journalism which act as source of media (Kaplan M., Haenlein M., 2009). However, the new forms of publishing have carried the risk of being used as platforms for the sharing of copyright-protected materials and conduct unethical behaviors.



Reference List:

1. Guardian.co.uk, 2010, “Ending the government’s monopoly on the truth”, viewed April 18 2010 http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2001/apr/29/freespeech.observercampaignpressfreedom

2. Kaplan M., Haenlein M., 2009, “Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media”, Business Horizons, Vol. 53, Issue 1, January-February 2010, Pages 59-68, viewed April 18 2010

3. Naughton, J. 2006, ‘Blogging and the emerging media ecosystem’, viewed April 18 2010 http://reuteursinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/about/discussion/blogging.html