10-13: Smart Mobs Dropping Text Bombs
Howard Rheingold presents new (or new when this article was written) ways technology influences the way individuals act in a collective group. In particular, he discusses the use of mobile text messanging as one of the "Smart Mobs" prime tools for communication. In the Philippines, a crowd, protesting against a the current leader, assembled in nonviolent protest through the use of texting. This was the cheapest means of communication along with many people having cell phones as their only communication toll.
In 2005, one can download pictures from a friend through texts as well as videos. Imagine this technology (which I'm sure it has been used) in the hands of "Smart Mobs" for use organizing many people. But, at what point will the Government start to monitor these various forms of technology?
This is an interesting question. During the WTO convention in Seattle, there was "a more deliberate and tactically focused use of wireless communications." While many convened in a peaceful manor, there were those who acted in violent fashion. Could any violence have been stopped if these communications were monitored? As we discussed in class, the US controls the essential servers linked to the internet. It was a matter of minutes before the Iraq website disappeared right after the invasion of Iraq. With such control over the internet, could cell phones be prone to censorship or monitoring?
In 2005, one can download pictures from a friend through texts as well as videos. Imagine this technology (which I'm sure it has been used) in the hands of "Smart Mobs" for use organizing many people. But, at what point will the Government start to monitor these various forms of technology?
This is an interesting question. During the WTO convention in Seattle, there was "a more deliberate and tactically focused use of wireless communications." While many convened in a peaceful manor, there were those who acted in violent fashion. Could any violence have been stopped if these communications were monitored? As we discussed in class, the US controls the essential servers linked to the internet. It was a matter of minutes before the Iraq website disappeared right after the invasion of Iraq. With such control over the internet, could cell phones be prone to censorship or monitoring?
posted by Red Head Matt at 1:34 PM
1 Comments:
So how would you monitor cell phone use? I guess tracking numbers dialed shouldn't be too hard, and tapping certain phones or connections -- but I guess I don't really understand cell phone technology well enough to understand how to create centralized monitoring. But I am sure someone is working on it.
But think about the whole idea of the "crowd" as media => how can you "control" a crowd? Something that is mobile & ephemeral -- something with "swarm" intelligence which responds to local conditions, sometimes in global ways?
It seems that each time we invent more powerful technology to make our environment safer, more predictable we discover *yet again* that our lives are grounded in conditions inherently beyond our control. The age old struggle for security seems like it is an unending quest. Is this a surprise?
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