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Posts tagged 'internet'
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Posted on April 8, 2008
Internet As Crime Solving Tool?
BY JENNIFER EUBANKS
I have come across a few articles online recently that detail ways in which the Internet has been used to catch criminals. The first story I came across, on TechCrunch, was that of the phony Craigslist ad and the two perpetrators who posted the ad in order to cover up their theft of pricey horse saddles. They would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for those darn kids the fact that police were able to track the IP address used to post the ad. Unfortunately, it seems the victim is still out hundreds of thousands of dollars from all of the people who came to take advantage of obtaining lots of "free" stuff.
My favorite recent story that I came across was on Wired.com. There I found an article about "Canada's dumbest car thief." This individual took a tricked-out car for a test drive, only to never return. The owner of the dealership, an internet-savvy 20-something, went straight to the automotive discussion forum Beyond.ca and posted a description of the vehicle and the suspect.
What started as a mere post on a forum branched out and used many other online tools such as Facebook and Google Maps to discover the suspect's name, address, and other personally identifying information. Since the thief kept the car parked in front of his own house, the dealership owner knew exactly where to send police, and made sure to be there to tape the arrest and post it on YouTube--a fitting online ending to a crime solved thanks to the Internet.
While the Internet is a tool often used for entertainment or research, it also offers means to track down criminals for crimes that occurred offline. The resolution of these two different cases is just so cool that it shows how much the Internet has to offer when its powers are used for good!
Posted on February 22, 2008
Internet Wins Media Popularity Contest
BY JENNIFER EUBANKS
Jordan McCollum over at Marketing Pilgrim blogged today about a study that indicates that people spend more time online than watching television or reading newspaper and magazines. This study surveyed Americans 15 years of age and older and indicated that people averaged 32.7 hours a week online and only 16.4 hours watching TV.
As someone who loves the internet and spends her entire workday attached to it, the fact that internet is twice as popular as television is no surprise to me--especially considering that the age of people survey went down as low as 15. Younger people tend to be more tech savvy in general and therefore more likely to use internet and other new media as opposed to, say, reading a print newspaper.
Posted on February 13, 2008
How Quickly Times Changes – A Look Back Before the Internet
BY JENNIFER EUBANKS
Recently Rand over at SEOmoz wrote an amusing post about things that have changed since the rise of the internet. He also mused how "the current 25-30 year old age group is essentially the last generation to experience a pre-Internet childhood." If you stop to think about it, this is entirely true, and it's still a bit too soon to tell how it will influence the way the next generations view their technology-filled youth and what lays in store for the children of our children.
Posted on January 4, 2008
Public Libraries Still Relevant in the Digital Age
BY JENNIFER EUBANKS
I just came across an article that revealed the surprising fact that "young adults are the heaviest users of public libraries despite the ease with which they can access a wealth of information over the Internet from the comforts of their homes".
As someone who spent summers as a young teen volunteering at the local library for the kids summer reading program, as well as worked at the University library both as a student and as a post-college full-time employee, I obviously have a bit of an affinity for libraries. In fact, I think they are a wonderful institution, and take advantage of their services at least once a month.
I love that I can get a book from dozens of different locations, delivered right to my local branch, for a nominal fee. As a member of a monthly book club, I am able to borrow many of the books, instead of having to rack up costs (and taking up valuable bookshelf space) buying books that I might not enjoy. I also love that many libraries have set up ways to check out digital audio books online. Libraries have come along way from being merely book repositories, to really embracing the digital age. Any librarian in charge of digital services will probably excitedly tell you all about the new ways in which the library is taking advantage of the Internet and other digital formats.
Speaking of Internet, does anyone else love that libraries offer free internet? I can't tell you the number of times I've had issues with my internet or had work done to my apartment and have had to seek out a new source of internet and electrical power in order to continue with my work day. The library provides a wonderful haven for exploring, researching, or working on your laptop.
While it surprises me that the current 18-30 set reported library usage at 62 percent, it also makes me glad. It proves that there is hope for the future of public libraries--that even though those users closer to the 18 year old mark probably can't remember a time without internet, they still understand the value of tangible reference books, newspapers, and magazines. Sure you can read a lot of that stuff online these days, but there is definitely something to getting your information by sifting through those books. I find reading reference materials or magazines to be a much more pleasurable experience when I can actually turn the pages. Libraries are a great example of how you can mix the paper world with the digital, and it seems that, at least for now, the younger generation recognizes this and is appreciative.
Posted on November 29, 2007
The Societal Impact of the Internet and Social Media
BY JENNIFER EUBANKS
It's time once again for a look at one of my favorite topics, one practically guaranteed to bring me out of the deepest hole of blogging hiatus--social networking. It seems that American University is showcasing the relevance of the internet and social media by offering a course that "examin[es] the many ways that individuals and groups are using the internet to alter the nature of community, civic engagement, and social relationships."
As the author of the blog post, as well as the course instructor, Professor Matthew Nisbet lays out the subjects up for debate in his class. Besides posting about his course on internet social interactions, things get more interesting when he states that students will engage in classroom debate via blog comments. Using blogs as a way to debate online social media is a great way to really capture those conversations. Points that may eventually get lost in an oral debate are retained for posterity and immediately available for all to see in the online realm. Debating in this written manner also allows one to reflect upon his/her statements and make sure to provide compelling evidence to backup the claims.
It also allows those of us no longer in college to see the kinds of views that are held by those in their late teens and early 20's--views that, because they come from a vantage point that may not remember a time without Instant Messaging, Match.com, Myspace, Facebook, blogs, etc. may not realize what an impact they have made on traditional methods of interaction.
Even among those of us who remember the "olden days", we may also be too accustomed to the ease of keeping in touch that technology provides to note the impact it has on face-to-face communication. Does online social interaction detract or enhance traditional interpersonal communications? Only time will tell, and I suspect the debate will still rage on long after the semester ends.
