The Machine is Us(ing) Us

1. Explain what Wesch means by the separation between ‘form and content’?
   Wesch means that what a text says, which is the content, can be separated from how it says is
   arranged, which he calls form. He gives examples of <LI>, which is a structural element
   referring to “List Item” (Wesch, 2007). Here, form and content could not be separated. However,
   ith digital text, form, and content can be separated. An example is the hyperlinks embedded in
   digital content.
2. What are mash-ups?
   a. Provide and explain an example of a mash-up.
   Mash-up is a web application that combines content from various different sources. For example,
   Google maps. Google maps use a combination of data from historical traffic patterns, location
   data, as well as real-time feedback received from users to provide real-time data on traffic as
   well as predict traffic.
   b. What might be the equivalent of a mash-up in
   i. Food?
   A food example is a bugger. It consists of ground meat, mostly beef, cheese, a sliced bun,
   tomatoes, and onions.
   ii. Music?
   An example is ‘Despacito’ by Justin Beiber, Luis Fonsi, and Daddy Yanke, which combines
   Reggaeton, Latin pop, and pop.
3. Does Wesch think we should be mindful of what “we are teaching the machine”?
   Explain your answer.

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Yes, Wesch thinks that we should be mindful of what we teach the machine. This is the
case because we shape the machines, and then they eventually shape us. They are our tools, and
we should teach them to help us achieve progress in a way that we will not end up hurting
ourselves. According to John Culkin, “we shape our tools, and then our tools shape us”
(Sundaramurthy et al., 2017). Machines are our tools, and Wesch agrees that the interaction
between humans and tools is so powerful as to reshape DNA. Thus, Wesch calls for increased
precision even as humans continue teaching machines.

4. This video was made over a decade ago but still remains relevant today. Near the end of
   the video, Wesch posits the following concepts: copyright, authorship, identity, ethics,
   governance, privacy, commerce, love, family, and ourselves. In your opinion, why might we
   reevaluate these concepts (you need only focus on two) when we think about media? Is it
   necessary? Why or why not?
   Ethics is necessary for the media today as it enhances responsibility and mindfulness.
   Ethics ensures that those using the media in whichever form, whether social media or traditional
   media, do so responsibly. The media is a powerful tool for disseminating information. Some
   forms, such as social media, allow for the real-time sharing of information. As such, ethical
   usage is important to protect everyone from being harassed (Agustin, 2018). It also ensures that
   people do not share false or slanderous information about others.
   Further, copyright in the media today ensures that a person’s or organization’s intellectual
   property is protected. A person or organization who uses a work that is protected by copyright
   without the owner’s permission may be sued. A copyright holder is granted exclusive rights to
   their work, and this ensures that with the widespread usage of the media, people do not steal and

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share other people’s content without first seeking approval (Agustin, 2018). Ethics and copyright
are necessary for protecting people’s rights to their work in the new media.

5. With reference to content from Week 6, what are the similarities between electronic
   communication and
   a. oral communication?
   Electronic and oral communication both allow for immediate feedback. Both forms of
   communication can be very personal. For example, a video call and a chat over coffee. In both
   instances, there is eye contact and a personal touch.
   b. written communication?
   Electronic and written communication both rely on a medium for information to flow. For
   instance, a message may be sent through an email, or someone may leave a written note on the
   table. In each of these instances, there is a medium used to send the information.

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References

Agustin, F. (2018). Ethics And Law In The Use Of Copyrights In Social Media. Jurnal Ilmiah
Niagara, 10(1), 134-148.
Sundaramurthy, S. C., Wesch, M., Ou, X., McHugh, J., Rajagopalan, S. R., & Bardas, A. G.
(2017). Humans are dynamic-our tools should be too. IEEE Internet Computing, 21(3),
40-46.
Wesch, M. (2007). The Machine is Us/ing Us (Final Version). Youtube.com. Retrieved 15
March 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g.