Digital devices and Relationships

Respondent Demographic Analysis

 There are in total 69 respondents collected. Out of them, 48(69.6%) of them are females while 21(30.4%) males. Our respondents are dominated by youngsters aging from 20-25 which comprises of 16 males and 36 females. The minority group are the youngster aging 10-20 with only 4(5.8%) respondents.

There are in total 50 respondents who met their friends both online and face to face socializing who are 33 females and 17 males. Respondents who socialize in both ways are the majority comprising 72.5% from the total. From our data obtained, only 2 females met their friends online. The respondents met their friends socializing outside with 13 females and 4 males which makes up 24.6% in total. 

Apparently social networks bring people closer where 76.8% agreed to it and only 23.2% denied. Out of the 48 females, 36 females answered yes that social network is able to bring people closer while only 12 females responded no. 17 males agreed that social network can make people closer while only 4 males responded no. 

According to our data, digital devices slightly affects personal relationships by 4.4%. There are 36(52.25) respondents in total who agreed while 33(47.8%) respondents answered that digital devices do not affect personal relationships. 

When further asked how personal relationships has affected the respondents, it has both positively and negatively affected them which comprises of 61.4%. 27.3% perceive that digital devices have positively affected them while only 11.4% of the respondents are negatively affected. 

Whether digital devices has affected our lifestyles, 17.4% of respondents replied that they are not affected with digital devices. 23.2% of our respondents answered that digital devices might have affected our lifestyle whereas majority with 59.4% of our respondents agreed to the fact that digital devices has affected our lifestyles.

There were several opinions on the justification on respondents' answers. Digital devices affected many people various ways. Some were affected negatively where they were unable to focus on their tasks whether doing assignments or having meals. They will tend to multitask, having less focus on their work. Some became so dependent on their smart phones they became less sensitive towards their environments. It makes them lazy to meet people in reality. It can also lead to many social issues.

However, despite the negative reviews, there were also positive how digital devices eased their lives by cutting short their time consumption and make it easy to completes tasks. Digital devices keeps us updated to the latest news and activities of their relationships, makes their lifestyle more stylish.

There were respondents who said they get to balance and control their digital activities and other activities because it is up to them to decide whether they want to use the devices or use the traditional way and are not affected where they still live the same lifestyle. 

So, looking that there are dual perspectives regarding how digital devices has affected our respondents, how about you? 

Internet and smartphone usage

How many hours do you spend online surfing in a day?

1-3 hours = 21 people

More than 9 hours = 12 people

6 – 9 hours = 18 people

4 - 6 hours = 17 people

Less than 1 hour = 1

What do you usually do with your smartphones?

IM = 64

Games = 18

Surfing the internet/Search location/ = 4

Music = 37

News , education = 4

Online shopping = 7

Social Media = 4

Where the internet is being used

Mobile phone = 53

Home = 49

Library = 29

Café = 27

Class = 29

Office =  18

Statistics shows that, most youth around the age of 20-25 would spend around 1-3 hours online. Second is from 6-9 hours, 17 people said they go online for 4-6 hours and only 1 person said they go online for less than 1 hour.  where 12 respondents spend most of their hours in the internet, which is more than 9 hours.

Only 4 respondents said they look for news and education while using the internet, 7 use the net for online shopping while only 4 people said they use it to go into social media.  Most of the times they use IM and listening to music when they are on their smartphones.

Although internet started off with computers and laptop, according to survey, with the emergence of smartphones, most respondents would prefer to use the internet by using their smartphones. Assume that the home usage, the users are using their desktop or laptop to surf the internet; only 49 respondents said they use their internet at home. 27 respondents said that they are using the café internet line and 29 students said they go online while they were in class. 18 respondents said they go online while they are in office.

1. .As you can see, looking at the numbers of hours people spend on the internet, most of the respondents said that they go online for less than 3 hours. Is it true or is it possible that when they go online, they actually have lost track of time, and it feels like as if they only go online for few hours while actually they are using the internet for a longer time?
2.   Looking at the statistics also, most of the respondents use their mobile phones to go online and most of the users use Instant Messaging apps (IM, such as whatsapp, imessage, telegaram and wechat). As compared to the old times, communication have been made faster and convenient now. What do you think?

Internet Safety Analysis

Hi friends.

Here is the analysis on the internet safety from the survey we have distributed.

From our survey, majority did not have prior education on how to use the internet and how to stay safe on the internet, receiving feedback at 72.5% and 56.5% respectively. However, concerning those who took lessons, the lesson on how to stay safe on the internet is more popular among the users as 43.5% of the respondent took lesson on it compared to lesson on how to use the internet whereby only 27.55% of the respondent took it.

                            

In regards of entertaining or accepting friend request from stranger online, majority (52.2%) are unwilling to do so. The most common justification for their unwillingness is to not risk their privacy and safety. Only 8.7% of the respondent is willing to entertain and accept because they are keen on finding new friends. The rest of the respondent responded maybe, depending on the mutual friends they share with the stranger or by doing a background check first.

On whether they would meet any online acquaintances in real world, the result follow the same pattern as on entertaining or accepting request from stranger online. Majority (42%) would not want to meet online acquaintances in the real world. Another common justification, apart from privacy and safety, some of the respondent says that they are not interested in meeting their online acquaintances. Only 27.5% of the respondent said yes because of curiosity, wanting to know them better or for business purposes. The rest said maybe depending on the necessity of the meeting or after establishing trust and good relationship.

         

The survey also shows that majority of the respondents have online contacts that they have not met in the real world (55.1%). The same goes for having met people whom they initially met online initially (56.5%).

As we can see, although many did not have any lesson or education on how to use the internet and how to stay safe on the internet, most of the respondents are very concerned on their privacy and safety. Therefore they take the necessary precautions to protect themselves online especially from strangers. Yet many of them have online contacts which they have not met in the real world. Moreover, they also met with people whom they befriended online.

 Share your thoughts on these findings as well as on the staying safe on the internet.

Elfin Aizuma Hikari : Your Hologram Favourite Character

Hi everyone.

 Elfin Aizuma Hikari (Hologram Wife)

Currently in Japan, Elfin Aizuma Hikari's hologram is  invented by Vinclu Inc company  in order to replace the role of real wife. In this context, Aizuma Hikari will wake up her "master" every  morning as well as reminds him to bring his umbrella, texting him when she feels lonely at home and will light up his master's apartment  before he will arrive at home. In this scenario, it indirectly will replace the role of real wife. In fact, this perfect and prototypes  virtual "wife" mostly bought by the men in Japan. In the long run, what do you think will happen if people really replace their wives with this hologram wife? Apart from that, do you think that it will lead to bizarre marriage which is  the marriage between humans and hologram wife (robots)?                

Feel free to drop your own opinion.
Thank you.

You may read the full articles through these links :

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/inside-japan-a-hologram-wife-for-japans-legion-of-lonely-hearts
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/16/holographic-wife-ministers-japans-single-men/
http://europe.newsweek.com/holographic-wife-japans-answer-amazon-echo-532641?rm=eu
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2450657/japanese-men-are-so-scared-of-sex-that-theyre-marrying-hologram-wives-that-want-them-to-be-their-master/
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YgCC454lsI

2ND Life

Hello everyone, since we have watched the virtual life documentary I want to ask what do you think about second life and why some people really addicted with their identities in this virtual means? Apart from that, you may share your own opinion or experience in regard online virtual world?

Thank you
Farid

New Media and Journalism 2

Hi friends to make our discussion broader as a refreshment activity for us please do visit three different online news sites and follow the instructions below:

1) News blog

2) An online-only news site

3) Online counterpart of a print newspaper

Instruction: Explore each of these sites and reflect on the following questions

1) What constitutes good and bad practice in online news?

2) To what extent are online news readers allowed to comment on the news?

3) Which sites would you recommend to other people and why?

Share your opinions friends

Thank you.

New Media and Journalism

Hello everyone,

As the technologies emerged we have encountered many drastic changes in our daily life. We can see that traditional systems have been over taken by new media in many sectors. Newspaper is a traditional material which has existed since many decades ago and  has gone through some transitions created by new media. Currently the digitalized news portals threatening the traditional newspapers whereby many news readers has lost interest in buying hard copies and preferring digital newspaper. This situation has reduced the circulation of newspapers and pushed many newspapers to close down. It is undeniable fact that currently many news presses sustaining through switching to digitalized news rather than producing more newspapers. The convenience of digitalized news for readers is also an undeniable fact. However, this transition not only has reduced newspaper circulation but also creating unemployment amongst journalism field graduates and employees.

1. As a future Communication majored graduates are you interested to work as journalist? Why?

2. Do you think this digitalized era will further raise unemployment rate among graduates and employees in this field?

You can read the article below for more information:
http://www.aim.org/don-irvine-blog/unemployment-rate-for-journalism-grads-continues-to-climb/

Feel free to give your comments.
Thank you.

Race/Ethnicity and new media usage

Hello everyone.
Media is part of technology which then leads to the variety in consumption and digital divides. Therefore do you agree if I say that media especially the new media is the one that creates meanings towards race and ethnicity? Or are you believe that it may be the other way around? What about the differences in usage among different races and ethnicity? And what are the effects of this new media on society?
You are welcome to answer these.
Thank you and have a nice day :)

From Digital Divides to Digital Inequality

Hello everyone.
Due to the need, modern technology like smartphones and laptops is somehow has no use without the presence of Internet. Internet is like the source of information, you get whatever you want from it – recipes, online shopping or may be even your life partner. This however leads to the phenomenon of ‘From Digital Divides to Digital Inequality’. Therefore, I would like to ask you these questions:

1.      Does Internet really apply inequality among people and why?

2.      As we have learned, can you discuss more about the five components (technical means, autonomy of use, social support networks, pattern of use and skills)?

Thank you and have a nice day :)

Computer Mediated Communication

Hello everyone.

Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) has believed to bring huge impact in our daily life. According to Simon (2017), smartphones are everywhere now and we bring smartphones together wherever we go. Smartphones can keep us continually connected. They can offer an alternative face-to-face conversations, especially with those that are far apart from us. However, smartphones do have its negative side. They avoid people to have direct conversations. From what we can see nowadays, CMC has definitely make people who are closer, apart while those who are apart, closer. It is a very normal phenomena where people sitting together but they rather choose to focus on their gadget. Or there are times where we can’t really get into the conversation and we just want to immerse ourselves into the technology.

This situation not just applied among the youngsters, but even the older generations. Sometimes, we can see that, the parents are holding and pay much attention on the phones rather than the children. As for me, my parents don’t allow us to play phone when we have our dinner together. This is because, she appreciates a lot on the time where we can spend with each other. 

It would be great if you guys would share your opinions here. Thank you and have a good day :)

Computer Mediated Communication

Hello everyone.

I believe that everyone of us engage in Computer Mediated Communication (CMC). CMC has definitely bring those physically further from us, closer, but what about those who are physically close to us? Are we drifting apart because of CMC? It is such a common sight nowadays that people are so engrossed in their gadget. We may sit at a round table for dinner, but no one is talking to one another as they are "talking" to those in their phone. What do you think this would lead to in the long-run? At times, I think that because of CMC, it is so hard for us to have a decent F2F conversation. We stutter on our words and really lack of confidence as we are speaking.
As for me, I once met a friend through Facebook and it was awkward when we first met. It was hard to initiate a conversation as we can now observe each others expression. I was shocked by how boring that person was as he was not the same person I knew online.
I am sure that many of you would have encounter a similar experience to this. It would be great if you would share it here.

Thanks and have a great day. (till fingers meet keyboard again) 😎