Globalisation and the media: wider issues

We have already explored globalisation with relation to news, cultural imperialism and the impact on audiences and institutions.

Now we need to explore some of the wider issues linked to globalisation and media - including privacy, 'big data', and techno-panics. These are crucial issues that are likely to come up in Section A of your MEST3 exam - as well as being relevant to your case studies for Section B.

Go to our Media Magazine archive and click on MM47 - the case study issue. You need to find page 31 and the Google Glass feature: a case study in Globalisation.

Read the article and answer the following questions:

1) Why was Google Glass controversial?- Google glass was controversial because it created a moral and techno panic which could start creating a sense of alienation in society due to the fact that people would start become less engaged in conversations as they would be too heavily focused on surfing the net.

2) What are the positive elements to Globalisation that the article highlights?- Project Loon – large balloons fitted with radio antenna devices which were  released into the air to float above rural areas of New Zealand without access to the internet, thus offering the people living there the ability to do this for the first time. 
- The world becomes more accessible, and people are enriched by getting to know and understand it better.

- Increased choice and opportunities empower people, while access to information can enhance not only the ability to make informed decisions but even the democratic process.

3) What are potential negatives to Globalisation?- Due to the concentration of ownership, there is a possibility that smaller companies would have little or no hope of staking a claim on the global market as they won’t be able to compete. 


4) What is a techno-panic? How does it link to moral panics?
techno panics relate to the technology and causes people to be alienated because people would be less engaged in real life conversations as they would be too focused on their smartphone.

5) What is your opinion on the privacy debate and major corporations being able to access large quantities of personal data?

I believe that major corporations should not be able to access our personal details as it is invading our privacy, the only time it may be acceptable is if they have the permission of the individual otherwise they should not be allowed to do so.