Media Law and Literacy

Recently, it was announced by 48 Attorney General's and a bi-partisan coalition that a massive investigation was to be Launched into Google. Many entities are concerned that Google is in violation of anti-trust laws and has created a monopoly in their advertising space. Smaller advertising companies are reporting essentially being forced to go through Google and whatever practices they decide to implement, due to their almost 31% market share on online advertising. Their biggest revenue comes from paid search advertisements which heavily influence both initial search results and eventual price-points for consumers. Google is without a doubt the number one player in this industry, but many question whether their scope has reached too far. A recent investigation in Europe lead to a 5 billion dollar fine due to their illegal exclusion clauses included in many of their contracts and their forcing Google products onto second-party devices to increase their range. One possible solution...

Overall, I think the history and purpose of the Supreme Court is one that is very complex. At it's core, it's an entity that serves to provide real-time interpretations of the constitution that founded our country. However, the elements of choice regarding which cases are taken as well as which judges are appointed in the first place naturally causes a lot of room for differences throughout it's many duties. The idea that the Supreme Court gets its power from the people's trust is fundamental to it's proceedings and the nature of their judgements. I think that from this perspective, there are elements that both uphold and challenge that idea. The Supreme Court does act as one of the largest government entities that average citizens can contact and expect to be heard, in at least some regard. This is powerful piece of our democracy that should not be taken for granted, and should probably be utilized even more than it already is. It's incredibly empowering for ...

Without a doubt, Youtube has an incredible monopoly over the industry of videos existing online. Created in 2006, the company is an online video sharing platform which is owned by Google. Currently there are billions of hours of content available to watch on Youtube, all for free. Youtube has launched a variety of paid extra services in the last few years, but the main functions of the website remain free to access. While their company has only existed for 15 years, they effectively created and set the precedent for the location and nature of the online video industry. As more and more people everyday use Youtube as an essential source of entertainment or aspect to their business, the need for consistency and ethical standard guidelines becomes imperative. Many people use Youtube as a form of income or artistic expression, and each of these purposes has thriving communities surrounding them resulting from the shared-experience of using the platform. Personally, I have been a user o...

When reminiscing the classic elements of 1980s culture, the cassette tape is usually one of the first symbols that comes to mind as particularly special. While their use has certainly phased out a long time ago, there is no denying the impact that the cassette had on the worlds of communication and music. The cassette tape is a device that's history should be revered as we continue to develop more and more technology, as many realities of music, journalism, and information accessibility were made possible by this invention. The Cassette tape was invented in 1963 and was first introduced to the public at the Berlin Radio Show in Europe by the company Philips. It consisted of a plastic case which held two reels of tape that fed from one side to the other as it played or recorded the sound. The invention was originally intended to be used by journalists and secretaries for their work, and wasn't used for music necessarily when the product first came out. The technology was inc...

When one logs onto Facebook, or really any Social Media or internet site, it is not uncommon these days to come across a video of some type of citizen/police encounter being filmed. These types of videos have gained a lot of popularity, so much so that there are now entire accounts with thousands of followers devoted to creating this type of content. Many simply find videos to repost; but recently there has been a rise in individuals completing what is known as a "First Amendment Audit". During a FAA,  an individual goes to a public space such as a government building, post office, police station, etc... and simply films what might be happening that day from the public property. These individuals consider themselves activists, and are USUALLY well-versed in the particular laws that grant them the right to film in these areas.  FirstAmendmentWatch.org states in an article on their website that "   An uneventful audit is akin to “passing a test,” while a confrontat...

Hi there! My name is Lynn Cole, and this is my Media Law and Literacy blog. I'm a senior in college from Flagstaff, Arizona majoring in Strategic Communication and minoring in Dance. I'm extremely excited for graduation in the spring, after which I hope to work in Dallas in advertising and marketing for a cosmetic company/ad firm. I like to say that my skills are writing, design, dance, and organizing. One of my favorite things to do is make coffee:) Usually I can be found with my friends, writing in my journal, or hunting through thrift stores for comfy sweatshirts. I hope to use this blog for class, but also to learn more about what's going on in the world surrounding media and the field of communication so I can be as prepared as possible as a new communication-professional. I have been waiting for a LONG time to graduate and get a job, and I hope that I can learn even more about what that is going to involve through making this blog. I am passionate about a lot of issue...