Vint Cerf speaking for the Quello Center at MSU in Communication Arts & Sciences Rm 147, 3:30PM Vint Cerf is internationally recognized as “an Internet pioneer” – one of the “fathers of the Internet” – in light of his work with Bob Kahn in co-inventing Internet protocol (TCP/IP). He will be in East Lansing, Michigan, … Continue reading Vint Cerf at MSU on 10 May at 3:30PM: Join Us!
Information Communication and the Social Sciences
What Happened to our Academic Culture?
Universities – along with their centers, departments, and colleges – vary greatly in the vibrancy of their respective academic culture (intellectual climate). Nevertheless, no university can be complacent about the vitality of their culture for academic excellence – least they lose it. Of course, there is no single academic culture. There are differences in the … Continue reading What Happened to our Academic Culture?
Pack Journalism – Digitally Networked
Digitally Networked Pack Journalism Pack journalism is not only alive and well in the digital age, it is arguably more prominent than it could ever be in the analogue era of print journalism. There is clearly a need for multi-disciplinary research on the sociology and politics of digitally enabled pack journalism. The concept of pack … Continue reading Pack Journalism – Digitally Networked
Talks in Europe on Quello Center’s Search and Politics Project
I had a fascinating and challenging week in Europe speaking about the Quello Center’s work on search and politics. The findings of our project, called ‘The Part Played by Search in Shaping Public Opinion’, suggested that concerns over fake news, echo chambers, and filter bubbles is ‘overhyped and underresearched’. The project was supported by Google, … Continue reading Talks in Europe on Quello Center’s Search and Politics Project
Simplify and Then Exaggerate, Big League
I was taken back years ago when the editor of a major news magazine told me that she told her editors to 'simplify and then exaggerate'. That was the secret formula for writing a good news story. To me it is increasingly clear that all the news media have moved in this direction, and to … Continue reading Simplify and Then Exaggerate, Big League
Surrogate News: The End of Journalism?
Surrogate News: The End of Journalism? News coverage of the 2016 US presidential election vividly illustrated a worrying trend. It goes well beyond the decline of the newspaper to the decline of quality journalistic reporting in favor of entertaining news commentary. Perhaps I have a romantic view of the past. Perhaps journalism may be better … Continue reading Surrogate News: The End of Journalism?
10th Anniversary of OII’s DPhil in Information, Communication & the Social Sciences
It was a real honour today to speak with some of the alumni (a new word for Oxford) of the Oxford Internet Institute’s DPhil programme. A number came together to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the DPhil. It began four seemingly long years after I became the OII’s founding director in 2002. So while I … Continue reading 10th Anniversary of OII’s DPhil in Information, Communication & the Social Sciences
Where Am I?
At a Workshop in a Field: What is the Name of that Field? Here are the terms on the workshop whiteboard: Urban Informatics Smart Cities Civic Technology Civic Media Community Informatics Internet Studies Citizen Interaction Design Civic Engagement Urban Planning Meaningful Inefficiencies?
Just Pick Up the Phone
Can You Pick Up the Phone? I’ve written about the lost art of writing with a pen. Now I feel like there is a need to explain in plain English that when you are having difficulties communicating via email or other electronic messaging systems that you can use the telephone, what you may know as … Continue reading Just Pick Up the Phone
Ways of Being in the Digital Age: A New ESRC Project
Delighted to be on the Advisory Board of a new ESRC Project, entitled 'Ways of Being in a Digital Age: A Systematic Review'. The project is led by the Institute of Cultural Capital at the University of Liverpool in collaboration with 17 other partner Universities and organizations. It is a scoping review designed to inform … Continue reading Ways of Being in the Digital Age: A New ESRC Project