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Study Guide: Chapter 15- Digital Media and the Online World

Key Focus Questions:

  1. What are digital media?
  2. In what ways do digital media change how we think?
  3. How can you be a critical, reflective user of digital media?
  4. What are the democratic and nondemocratic potentials of digital media?

Overview of Chapter:

  • Definition and characteristics of digital media.
  • How digital media impacts our thinking and behavior.
  • Controversies surrounding digital media.
  • Guidelines for using digital media responsibly.

Ex. The gap between people and communities that do and do not have access to digital technologies is called the Digital Divide

Definition of Digital Media:

  • Digital media includes technologies that store and manage digital data.
  • This can include social media, websites, email, digital news, and online platforms.

Characteristics of Digital Media:

  1. Ease of Manipulation: Digital content can be edited, changed, and shared rapidly. Ex. Retouching a photo with a computer or editing a film or video is known as manipulation.
  2. Convergence: Different types of media (audio, text, video) are combined into one digital platform.
  3. Nearly Instant Speed: Digital communication happens quickly, often in real-time.

Benefits and Detriments of Digital Media:

  1. Benefits:

    • Access to vast amounts of information and opinions.
    • The ability to complement human intelligence with fast information retrieval.

  2. Detriments:

    • Conditions us to respond to dazzling stimuli rather than more subtle content.
    • Encourages multitasking, which can reduce focus and productivity. Ex. A primary way that computers affect thinking is by encouraging multitasking.

Uses and Abuses of Digital Media:

  • Creating Identity: Digital media allows people to shape and control how they present themselves. Ex. Choosing screen names, posting profiles, and adopting avatars are all forms of Online Identity Work.
  • Connecting with Others: Raises the question of how "real" digital connections are.
  • Learning: Provides opportunities for online learning, but also presents risks for misinformation.
  • Professional Communication: Digital platforms are essential for professional collaboration.
  • Social and Political Organization: Social media has been used to organize political movements, but also to spread disinformation. Ex. When protesters in Saudi Arabia tweeted over 30,000 times in defense of a woman who had been arrested for driving a motor vehicle, they were using digital media to organize for social change.

Guidelines for Interacting with Digital Media:

  1. Consciously Manage Information Flow: Be selective about the information you consume to avoid overwhelm.
  2. Participate in Deciding How to Regulate Digital Media: Engage in conversations about privacy, data use, and online ethics.
  3. Manage Trolls and Cyberbullying: Develop strategies for dealing with negative online behavior, such as blocking or reporting users.

Summary of Key Points:

  • Digital media is constantly evolving and intertwined with our daily lives.
  • The uses and abuses of digital media impact both individuals and society, from shaping identities to affecting learning and professional interactions.
  • Responsible interaction with digital media includes critical thinking, managing information, and engaging in discussions about regulation.