Globalisation: taking it further

Media Magazine: Globalisation case study

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 is controversial because the fact that this glass could record anything and everything that it wanted, made a lot of people intimated and felt frightened - this was something that not many users wanted to be a part of. It also bought up a lot of discussion about whether or not this should be aloud due to a lot of users then becoming disconnected with the 'real world', this could be through the engagement between conversations that they have with each other, because of the uncertainty that the person you're talking to is actually paying attention to you and isn't preoccupied with surfing the net. Some of the dialogue regarding Glass and its release could be viewed as both moral and techno-panics.

2) What are the positive elements to Globalisation that the article highlights?

The positives that come along to globalisation, is that the world becomes more accessible, and people are enriched by getting to know and understand the development of technology much better. In addition, the access to information can enhance not only for people to make informed decision but even the democratic process. This also increases choice and opportunities empower people. 

3) What are potential negatives to Globalisation?

One of the negatives that comes along to Globalisation through the Google Glass is the concentration of ownership, and the possibility that smaller companies have little or no hope if staking a claim on the global markets as they wont be able to compete. This then also contradicts the point of having choice, because there are only a limited number of companies that dominate the global market, and in the main, only distribute the majority of the worlds wealth amongst themselves.

4) What is a techno-panic? How does it link to moral panics?

Techno-panic is a moral panic that centres around the fears regarding a specific contemporary technology. It is linked to moral panic because instead of putting fear on the people about issues, this is the fear of technologies. 

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

In my opinion, I don't think it is right for companies/major corporations to be able to access large quantities of personal data, this is because it supports the theory of the status quo, it reinforces that the media is in control all of the time, nationally and globally. The point of privacy means that nobody can look at it, not even the major corporations despite the fact that they have the power to do so. If corporations and the media did want to access large quantities of personal data then they shouldn't make the users feel like they are part of them. 

However, I do understand that there could be situations were major corporations would need to intrude/invade into our privacy when there is a serious situation going on and if someone is at risk/harm then I would understand - but other than that, I really don't think that major corporation should be able to access large quantities of our personal data. 

Media Factsheet: Globalisation and capitalism

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet 92: Globalisation. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets

Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks:

1) Who coined the phrase 'a global village' and what multinational companies illustrate this?

McLuhan coined the phrase 'a global village' where it allows us to understand an connect with other culture of the world which is a positive. A negative of 'global village' is that it can help lose your own identity/culture if we are too engrossed. Coca-Cola are one of the multinational corporations. 

2) What role does Slavoj Zizek suggest the media plays in global capitalism? How can you link this to our previous work on Marxism and Hegemony? 

He argues that the media reinforces and naturalises the ideology that making money is the right way of conducting businesses, but at the same time allows people to feel less guilty about how these goods are produced. This can be linked to hegemony because it encourages the differences between the social classes, although Zikek looks at recent changes in the methods of marketing used by multinational corporations and business who are intent upon developing , while exploiting, the increased desire among the liberal classes in the West to ‘do something’ about saving the endangered planet and helping the world’s poor. This can be also linked to Marxism because the example of the campaign for Starbucks reinforces the view of Marxism, as audiences are active and they play a role in the worlds capitalism. 

3) What does 'capitalism with a conscience' mean? 

Slavoj Zizek says that global media has raised awareness about social issues but agrees that in order to sustain Western capitalist dominance, the marketing campaigns have constructed capitalism with a conscience. 

4) What is the (PRODUCT) RED campaign? 

This campaign was founded in 2006 by frontman and activist Bono to engage the private sector to rase awareness and funds to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. The global fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is recipient of product red money but product red not a product in itself, rather than it is a brand licensed to partner companies such as Nike, American Express (UK) Apple Inc, Starbucks, Converse, Penguin Classics (UK & international, Emporio Armani etc. 

5) Based on what you've read in the Factsheet, what is YOUR opinion of the (PRODUCT) RED brand? Is it a positive force helping to fight AIDS in Africa or a cynical attempt to make multinational companies look more ethical than they actually are? 

In my opinion, Product red is definity a good campaign to get involved with and help raise awareness about to those in needs. Although in my opinion, I think it is a way for multinational companies to look more ethical than they actually are, in a way for me, it shows that they are trying to prove to everyone what good things they are doing but it is just for show to show their customers and to the rest of the world.