Networked governance and the regulation of expression on the Internet:the blurring of the role of public and private actors as content regulators

This editorial provides an overview of the themes of network governance and content regulation that are expanded upon in the subsequent articles, identifying key issues and concerns that are prevalent in the literature in this field. In particular, this text considers governance not as an Internet-specific phenomenon, but as a global phenomenon, identifying and discussing literature pertaining to governance both online and offline, and providing examples of theories that seek to explain these forms of governance. Focusing on the interaction between public and private actors in content regulation, this editorial highlights that content regulation is a complex and contested issue that cannot be separated from its social and cultural contexts, and provides an overview of the articles contained.

Milk for a girl and bananas for a boy:recipes and reasons for sex-preference practices in a British Internet forum

Using postings from an internet forum, this paper explores the ways in which some women try to influence the sex of a future child. The extensive reproductive work involved give an indication of the women’s commitment to being able to choose a particular sex; in this case a preference for girls rather than boys. The findings revealed stereotypical views of masculinity and femininity at the heart of the preference. The presumption of fixed gendered identities helped to frame this desire as ‘natural,’ lessen the threat to maternal identities, and reinforce the logic of ‘choice,’ and support their reproductive work practices.

Re-written by machine and new technology: Did the Internet kill the Video Star

The traditional way of understanding television content consumption and viewer reactions may be simply summarised: information about the program, viewing at airing time, and interpersonal discussion after the program. In our digital media environment due to crossmedia consumption and platform shifts, the actual trend in audiovisual, and traditionally television content consumption is changing, the viewer’s journey is different across contents and platforms. Content is becoming independent from the platform and the medium is increasingly in the hands of technologically empowered viewers. Our objective is to uncover how traditional content expressly manufactured for television (series, reality shows, sports) can now be consumed via other platforms, and how and to what extent audiovisual content consumption is complemented or replaced by other forms (text, audio). In our exploratory research we identify the typical patterns of interaction and synergies of consumption across classical media content. In this study we used a multimethodology qualitative research design with three research phases including focus groups, online content analysis, and viewers’ narratives. Overall, the Video Star stays alive, but has to deal with immediate reactions and has to change according to his or her audiences’ wishes

The applied computer science of economic analyses: Internet prioritization and Internet pricing, and software engineering and software pricing for the mass market

This research examines evolving issues in applied computer science and applies economic and business analyses as well. There are two main areas. The first is internetwork communications as embodied by the Internet. The goal of the research is to devise an efficient pricing, prioritization, and incentivization plan that could be realistically implemented on the existing infrastructure. Criteria include practical and economic efficiency, and proper incentives for both users and providers. Background information on the evolution and functional operation of the Internet is given, and relevant literature is surveyed and analyzed. Economic analysis is performed on the incentive implications of the current pricing structure and organization. The problems are identified, and minimally disruptive solutions are proposed for all levels of implementation to the lowest level protocol. Practical issues are considered and performance analyses are done. The second area of research is mass market software engineering, and how this differs from classical software engineering. Software life-cycle revenues are analyzed and software pricing and timing implications are derived. A profit maximizing methodology is developed to select or defer the development of software features for inclusion in a given release. An iterative model of the stages of the software development process is developed, taking into account new communications capabilities as well as profitability. ^

Navigating health sources on the Internet: A mixed-methods examination of online consumer reviews and expert text on psychotropic drugs

Purpose. The Internet has provided an unprecedented opportunity for psychotropic medication consumers, a traditionally silenced group in clinical trial research, to have voice by contributing to the construction of drug knowledge in an immediate, direct manner. Currently, there are no systematic appraisals of the potential of online consumer drug reviews to contribute to drug knowledge. The purpose of this research was to explore the content of drug information on various websites representing themselves as consumer- and expert-constructed, and as a practical consideration, to examine how each source may help and hinder treatment decision-making.^ Methodology. A mixed-methods research strategy utilizing a grounded theory approach was used to analyze drug information on 5 exemplar websites (3 consumer- and 2 expertconstructed) for 2 popularly prescribed psychotropic drugs (escitalopram and quetiapine). A stratified simple random sample was used to select 1,080 consumer reviews from the websites (N=7,114) through February 2009. Text was coded using QDA Miner 3.2 software by Provalis Research. A combination of frequency tables, descriptive excerpts from text, and chi-square tests for association were used throughout analyses.^ Findings. The most frequently mentioned effects by consumers taking either drug were related to psychological/behavioral symptoms and sleep. Consumers reported many of the same effects as found on expert health sites, but provided more descriptive language and situational examples. Expert labels of less serious on certain effects were not congruent with the sometimes tremendous burden described by consumers. Consumers mentioned more than double the themes mentioned in expert text, and demonstrated a diversity and range of discourses around those themes.^ Conclusions. Drug effects from each source were complete relative to the information provided in the other, but each also offered distinct advantages. Expert health sites provided concise summaries of medications’ effects, while consumer reviews had the added advantage of concrete descriptions and greater context. In short, consumer reviews better prepared potential consumers for what it’s like to take psychotropic drugs. Both sources of information benefit clinicians and consumers in making informed treatment-related decisions. Social work practitioners are encouraged to thoughtfully utilize online consumer drug reviews as a legitimate additional source for assisting clients in learning about treatment options.^

Internet Protocol (IP) design and implementation for efficient mobility to devices in wireless networks

The purpose of this thesis was to develop an efficient routing protocol which would provide mobility support to the mobile devices roaming within a network. The routing protocol need to be compatible with the existing internet architecture. The routing protocol proposed here is based on the Mobile IP routing protocol and could solve some of the problems existing in current Mobile IP implementation e.g. ingress filtering problem. By implementing an efficient timeout mechanism and introducing Paging mechanism to the wireless network, the protocol minimizes the number of control messages sent over the network. The implementation of the system is primarily done on three components: 1) Mobile devices that need to gain access to the network, 2) Router which would be providing roaming support to the mobile devices and 3) Database server providing basic authentication services on the system. As a result, an efficient IP routing protocol is developed which would provide seamless mobility to the mobile devices on the network.

Reducing Internet Latency: A Survey of Techniques and their Merit

Bob Briscoe, Anna Brunstrom, Andreas Petlund, David Hayes, David Ros, Ing-Jyh Tsang, Stein Gjessing, Gorry Fairhurst, Carsten Griwodz, Michael Welzl

Reducing Internet Latency: A Survey of Techniques and their Merit

Bob Briscoe, Anna Brunstrom, Andreas Petlund, David Hayes, David Ros, Ing-Jyh Tsang, Stein Gjessing, Gorry Fairhurst, Carsten Griwodz, Michael Welzl

Young students' use of the internet for mental health information and support

It is recognized that young people experience difficulties in accessing mainstream mental health services particularly because of the stigma that remains associated with mental health problems. One potential solution is to use the many websites available offering information and support for mental health problems, such support and information could be offered by Psychiatric Nurses. However, young peoples' usage and views on using the Internet for this purpose has yet to be examined. This quantitative descriptive study aimed to elicit the views of 922 University students, aged between 18 and 24 years, on using the Internet for mental health information and support. Data were collected using a 30-item self-designed questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings indicated that 72.4% of participants used the Internet several times a day. In addition, 30.8% had previously searched for mental health information online, predominantly on depression. While it was found that 68% of participants indicated that they would use the Internet for mental health support if they needed to, 79.4% would still prefer face to face support. It is concluded that young people are willing to use the Internet for mental health information and that it represents a viable source of support for this age group.

Adult orthodontics: internet information and a national survey

Aims: 1. To investigate the reliability and readability of information on the Internet on adult orthodontics. 2. To evaluate the profile and treatment of adults by specialist orthodontists in the Republic of Ireland (ROI). Materials and methods: 1. An Internet search was conducted in May 2015 using three search engines (Google, Yahoo and Bing), with two search terms (“adult orthodontics” and “adult braces”). The first 50 websites from each engine were screened and exclusion criteria applied. Included websites were then assessed for reliability using the JAMA benchmarks, the DISCERN and LIDA tools and the presence of the HON seal. Readability was assessed using the FRES. 2. A pilot-tested questionnaire about adult orthodontics was distributed to 122 eligible specialist orthodontists in the ROI. Questions addressed general and treatment information about adult orthodontic patients, methods of information provision and respondent demographics. Results: 1. Thirteen websites met the inclusion criteria. Three websites contained all JAMA benchmarks and one displayed the HON Seal. The mean overall score for DISCERN was 3.9/5 and the mean total LIDA score was 115/120. The average FRES score was 63.1. 2. The questionnaire yielded a response rate of 83%. The typical demographic profile of adult orthodontic patients was professional females between 25-35 years. The most common incisor relationship and skeletal base was Class II, division 1 (51%) and Class II (61%) respectively. Aesthetic upper brackets and metal lower brackets were the most frequently used appliances. Only 30% of orthodontists advise their adult patients to find extra information on the Internet. Conclusions: 1. The reliability and readability of information on the Internet on adult orthodontics is of moderate quality. 2. The provision of adult orthodontic treatment is common among specialist orthodontists in the Republic of Ireland.

Massive inclusion of digital technologies in schools : Argentinian young adolescents? appropriation of computers and the Internet in popular and middle classes

Since the implementation of the Programa Conectar Igualdad (PCI) (Connecting Equality Program) in 2010 in Argentina, numerous Social Science specialists started to research how massive ICT introduction in schools would radically affect teaching and learning processes, knowledge building and youth behaviour. Nevertheless, there is still not much empirical evidence showing the ways in which these technologies are appropriated. This situation discloses the need of placing research questions locally situated with regard to those potential changes. What existing access methods does PCI encounter? And how does its implementation participate in the design of personal and family heterogeneous trajectories of ICTs appropriation? How do the students themselves perceive the infl uence of PCI on their own technologic abilities and competence? How do knowledge and aptitudes associated to new digital media articulate with the knowledge manners promoted by the school format and institutionalism? How does the massive introduction of netbooks affect the interaction among different school actors (students-teachers)? What happens in other sociability and socialization spaces, such as the house and cybercafé?

The Internet as opportunity and challenge in contemporary social movements

This paper explores the relationship between the rise of “new” social movements (15-M and Occupy) and the Internet. The new social media gives rise to new kinds of social movements  which embed this technology from the moment of conception. The future of social movements will be characterised by movinets, which will have the effect of developing new efficient ways of activism. The movinets, with their embedded technology and capacity to circulate ideas among different spheres of reality, have a potential to alter the dynamics of social mobilisation.

Under One Umbrella: Problems of Internet Retransmissions of Broadcasts and Implications for New Audiovisual Content Services

The development of broadband Internet connections has fostered new audiovisual media services and opened new possibilities for accessing broadcasts. The Internet retransmission case of TVCatchup before the CJEU was the first case concerning new technologies in the light of Art. 3.1. of the Information Society Directive. On the other side of the Atlantic the Aereo case reached the U.S. Supreme Court and challenged the interpretation of public performance rights. In both cases the recipients of the services could receive broadcast programs in a way alternative to traditional broadcasting channels including terrestrial broadcasting or cable transmission. The Aereo case raised the debate on the possible impact of the interpretation of copyright law in the context of the development of new technologies, particularly cloud based services. It is interesting to see whether any similar problems occur in the EU. The „umbrella” in the title refers to Art. 8 WCT, which covers digital and Internet transmission and constitutes the backrgound for the EU and the U.S. legal solutions. The article argues that no international standard for qualification of the discussed services exists.

Power control in cognitive radios, Internet-of Things (IoT) for factories and industrial automation

Cognitive radio (CR) is fast emerging as a promising technology that can meet the machine-to machine (M2M) communication requirements for spectrum utilization and power control for large number of machines/devices expected to be connected to the Internet-of Things (IoT). Power control in CR as a secondary user can been modelled as a non-cooperative game cost function to quantify and reduce its effects of interference while occupying the same spectrum as primary user without adversely affecting the required quality of service (QoS) in the network. In this paper a power loss exponent that factors in diverse operating environments for IoT is employed in the non-cooperative game cost function to quantify the required power of transmission in the network. The approach would enable various CRs to transmit with lesser power thereby saving battery consumption or increasing the number of secondary users thereby optimizing the network resources efficiently.