Cultural Economy of the Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Cultural Economy of the Media - Essay Example A study of 540 students at the Carnegie Mellon University reveals that 89% of students at this institution gave their real names, and 61% of students managed to upload their real photos in the social networking site of Facebook (May, 2013). These users did not alter their privacy settings, and therefore it was possible to access their information publicly. On this note, therefore, Facebook has come under criticisms for failure of providing adequate privacy options for its various users. These criticisms arise on the background that the information that users provide can cause serious security problems to the individual concerned and to the country as a whole. The social network sites also process enormous information on a daily basis. Features in these social network sites, such as open platform applications, invitations, messages, and photos are avenues in which the private information of a user is made public. To protect users from inappropriate use of their information/data, it is important to enact measures that will regulate the nature of information that the public can view (Austin, 2003). The criterion of choosing this kind of information should be on the background of the effect the data can cause to the individual if it is exposed to the public. This paper analyzes the roles of privacy in the social networking sites. In analyzing these roles, this paper uses Helen Nissenbaum’s theory of privacy, known as the contextual integrity theory. It also identifies the specific European Union and UK privacy laws that seek to regulate the privacy of an individual, and it demonstrates the business interests of these social networks in relation to the information they control. This paper has a conclusion, which is a summary of the main points addressed in it. Privacy in a social networking site protects the information of an individual from being used by people who are not authorised to use the information (Ritzer and Jurgenson, 2010). The current trends in regard to gathering data and disseminating the same by data collecting companies involve the perusals of information from social networking sites. The intention of these companies is to sell the information to marketing companies. On most occasions, they collect and use this information without the knowledge of its owners. According to the contextual integrity theory, this amounts to a breach of an individual’s privacy. According to this theory, it is impossible for an individual to have complete privacy. On this basis, therefore, people will share their personal information, as long as there are certain principles that govern the nature in which they share their personal information (Pollach, 2005). However, if these principles are contravened, without the permission of the parties involved, then a breach of privacy has occurred. Take, for example, these data collecting companies, accessing the information of an individual through their social networking account, and using t he information they gain to produce a marketing campaign without their knowledge. According to the contextual integrity theory, this is a breach of an individual’s privacy. This theory further goes on to identify two types of behaviors that determine whether there is a breach of an individual’s privacy or not (Mowlabocus, 2004). These norms are the norms of distribution and that of appropriateness.

Two Cultural Practices Among The Yanomamo Essay

Two Cultural Practices Among The Yanomamo - Essay Example He describes them as a society constantly â€Å"living in a state of chronic warfare† (p. 22). The purpose of this paper is therefore to show that contrary to popular portrayal of the Yanomamo as a community dominated by senseless violence, instances of warfare are only sporadic and waged for specific purposes (Harris, 1979). In expounding on this view, the paper will look at two main cultural practices among the Yanomamo society that shapes their beliefs and practices as a people. Festivals as a cultural practice Festivals play an important role among the Yanomamo people, and are part and parcel of their culture. They are important to the Yanomamo people because they serve both social and political functions. They are held to cultivate and reaffirm friendships among the villages. Feasting among the Yanomamo involves the sharing of meals, which in a larger extent, symbolizes the sharing of goods through trade and other economic practices that are prevalent among the Yanomamo. These festivities are therefore used to form a social bond among the tribes, despite their warring nature, and to honor and appease the spirits of their ancestors. The Yanomamo people practice a lot of festivities and rituals which include hunting rituals, marriage festivals, songs and dance festivals, and the hugely shocking endocannibalist ritual, which involves the consumption of a deceased’s ashes. ... The hunting festival plays an important role among the Yanomamo culture. They practice two main hunting festivals, the â€Å"rami† which provides them with meat, and the â€Å"heniyomou† which is practiced by the whole community collectively for special guests (Micheli, 2011). The festival is carried out in the evenings and is characterized by songs and dances. Here the young men are required to compose songs amidst laughter from the older members of the society. Whereas the Yanomamo consider marriage to be an important event in their culture, they have no actual marriage ceremonies. The Yanomamo marriage is basically a handing over affair as the suitors were already predetermined by the parents of the girl when she was at a tender age (Micheli, 2011). Such marriages are usually organized as a means of creating alliances with the men and other tribes. Perhaps the most elaborate and well organized festivity/ritual among the Yanomamo is their funeral ceremonies. To the Ya nomamo, death is a great source of grief and anger, no matter the age, gender or position of the deceased, to the whole society. This is because they believe the cause of such death results from sorcery or witchcraft from the rival tribes (Fergusson, 2001). They thus mourn their dead with passion, and mark a ritual where they cremate their dead and ingest the remains of the deceased. This form of endocannibalism is a unique feature among the Yanomamo, who believe by ingesting the remains of the dead member of the society they are preserving his spirit within the society. The major significance of these festivities among the Yanomamo was that they acted as social activities where the community