The Real Facebook Controversy
Logging into Facebook and checking the newsfeed is something that most people do everyday without really considering its implications. According to recent statistics, people of all ages are doing this more often and for more reasons than ever before. Facebook is now the world’s largest and most powerful media organization. People are using it to find out about more […]
UBC Streeters: Mindfulness and Social Media
In this edition of UBC Streeters, we interview students on UBC’s Vancouver campus about social media. They talk about what kinds of networks they’re connecting with and why, how much thought they’re giving their communications, and if they’ve got any regrets. How much time do you spend thinking before pressing send? You can assess your own social media use in […]
Using Mindfulness to Improve Online Communication
Have you ever noticed a disconnect between interactions of people online and in person? Maybe you have a friend who is normally shy but becomes outspoken when they get behind a keyboard. Or perhaps you’ve noticed how people who otherwise behave considerately can abruptly become insensitive when communicating online. It turns out that mindfulness may […]
DT Exclusive: Social Media in the Classroom with Steve Woodward
Social media in the classroom has been a subject of some tension in the academic world, as many are concerned that the mandatory use of social media platforms might put student’s data at risk. However, as the new technology becomings increasingly intertwined with our day-to-day lives, some professors have started to integrate the new media into […]
Round 3: Privacy concerns emerge after FBI breaks into iPhone
It looks like the FBI didn’t need Apple’s help after all. The United States government has asked a federal judge to remove the dispute order over Apple after the FBI successfully bypassed the security encryption on an iPhone recovered from a domestic terrorist attack last winter. The order has ended what was being anticipated as a long […]
Apple pleads their case at latest launch; the FBI remains crafty
The latest renditions of the iPhone and iPad weren’t the only things on display at Apple’s latest product launch in Cupertino, California. CEO Tim Cook used the stage to acknowledge the company’s proactive stand against the FBI, ensuring his customers that Apple will do whatever it can to protect the privacy and data of its users. The comments […]
UBC’s Engaging Students in Open Education: a social media snapshot
Open education continues to be a hot topic across the province, most notably when the Province allocated over $500,000 to the development of free and affordable textbooks. This past week at UBC carried on the momentum for the open learning movement, marking the campus’ inaugural Open Education series, highlighted by a panel of provincial leaders […]
Why all the kids are flocking to the ephemeral web
It seems like just yesterday Generation Y’ers like myself would hide from our parents on the private recluse that is the world-wide-web. Our obnoxious dial-up modems opened new channels of communication that extended far beyond the household landline. Suddenly I could hold private conversations with my friends while building a solid network of contacts on old-school […]
Tale of the Tape: Apple vs. the FBI
What happens when one of the largest technology companies on the planet goes toe-to-toe with the most iconic domestic police agency in history? Hint: it’s going to be nothing short of a fifteen-round slugfest. Apple made waves earlier this month when it refused to alter it’s iPhone technology for an FBI investigation. The tech giant’s refusal goes directly against […]
Oh, snap! Here’s six sneaky Snapchat secrets you might not have heard
One of the most interesting narratives that has emerged in the relatively short lifespan of social media has been the rise of Snapchat. The ephemeral social network has come to threaten the stocks of Facebook and Twitter after narrowly escaping the great Zuckerberg’s grasp (okay, maybe ‘narrowly’ is a bit of an exaggeration, but I’d […]
