Media Law and Literacy Blog

As previously stated in the last two blog posts about YouTube, the site has shown to be a video sharing powerhouse, generating so much content so quickly it is almost impossible to keep up with everything all at once. Furthermore, YouTube’s own name and branding make it known it is a site for anyone to upload anything. There, numerous creators have been able to locate an impassioned goal for themselves on the platform with video filming, editing, and producing. As such, given the 8 values of Free Expression, I would wager that YouTube highlights the benefits of individual self-fulfillment and advancement.   With YouTube, anyone can produce any type of content they so desire and gain a following. Through this, we find skilled editors and voice actors re-dub movies and TV shows to make them more comedic, others can make historical dramas and documentaries, upcoming musicians can make their own music and release it without consequence.   By doing so, we can easily see people comi...

Throughout most of the 21st Century, statues within the United States have been defaced, torn down and destroyed as more social unrest continues to plague the nation. While some of these statues have been relocated, I see no reason for the destruction of history. Yes, we have statues of Confederate leaders who morally were never the best of people, but that will never deny the fact that racism was a lot more prevalent back in the early creation of the county.   Furthermore, it seems now any statue is a target. The Lincoln Memorial has now been defaced, along with statues of abolishists, both figures were completely for the removal of slavery and for equal rights of African Americans. I fail to see how destroying those momentums help convey the message that racism is evil. To me, it eliminates any chance one has when it comes to learning from your history.   While many can claim that history is a boring subject and has little relevance to us in the modern-day, as time goes on, ...

Looking back on my EOTO technology of YouTube, it can be pretty easy to see how the video-sharing platform took off like it did. It was a free video-sharing website that converted uploaded videos into flash videos which allowed anyone and everyone to view the video no matter the device or media player they were using. This in turn allows more people to create videos and share it around and allow others to look upon the craft as well.   Youtube's Main Logo as of 2017 In doing so, we can see how people latched on rather quickly. Being able to produce content that you made with little to no intervention and restriction is an absolute game-changer. So, the more people began to upload videos, the more others wanted to jump in and join the fun.   As for the late adaptors, I see many of them being corporations \, even YouTube’s own team. The reason for this is a major reason we see studios not take streaming sites seriously either.   Many in the corporate world never saw YouTube...

YouTube's Logo YouTube was founded in 2005 by former PayPal employees Chad Hurly, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. Since launching, the website has become the largest video sharing website on the planet with more than 400 hours of content upload every second. In doing so, the site has made it a path for creative minds to share thoughts, daily lives, critiques and so much more to a wide variety of consumers that otherwise would have never reached such highs. But how did this exactly happen? According to many different stories from the creators, YouTube was inspired off of either dating sites, such as Hot or Not or the Janet Jackson 2004 Super Bowl show where her accidental exposure spread like wildfire across the internet.   Chad Hurly, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim: YouTube's founders.  Due to the coding of YouTube, anyone with any type of video player could watch content from the site. Thus, the website shot up in popularity, gaining 14 million uploaded videos in less than a year. B...

As the Twenty-First century moves forward, advances in technology, most notable communication, have seemed to incentivize violence. An unfortunate bleak point in an otherwise really noble and sound concept of social media. But why is this? Anti-War sentiment in the US has been a thing ever since Vietnam in the 1960s and 70s, yet in order to find it in today’s media-frenzied world, you need to dig deep. Why? It is my interoperation that with the surges of conspiracy theories, anger over systems in place around the US, and the influx of violence and incitement from both civilians who are against these systems and local leaders who support these systems. As a result, I believe the masses are subject to persuasion and therefore, with mob mentality, it could perhaps lead to more violence. As propaganda pieces come out against Muslims due to the September 11 attacks, the movement to ease most history from the Civil War, strife within and against political parties and members, it appears as t...

As written in the First Amendment Encyclopedia, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Movement has pushed into a violent territory for years, mostly since the death of Michael Brown, or earlier, Trayvon Martin in the hands of law enforcement. These riots have sparked counter-protests, battles in the streets, and other tragic events that have now exploded into the 2020s. While looking the article over, and looking into other instances of the BLM movement throughout the country, it is clear that there have been violations of the First Amendment by both violent protestors and the police force of America.   Police supporting the protests Protestors continue to use the right to assembly and speech to transmit their message to the masses of the government. Same with the police force respecting these groups by staying far away from them. Some officers even kneeling down in a sign of support. However, as protests move on, many begin to get rowdy and unfortunately, violence starts as barricades are ...

Given recent protests and rioting against police brutality, many news outlets are quick to cover the story. However, as tensions rise, some of these newscasters are being silenced live. Take, for example, Omar Jimenez, a CNN journalist who was arrested on live TV for apparently no exact reason.   Omar Jimenez being arrested on Camera. Mr. Jimenez was reporting with his crew in Minneapolis as Police in riot gear pushed back rioters and began to make a couple of arrests. Jimenez only stood by and reported on what he was observing as the police line continued to push up. Once the line caught up to him, Jimenez and his team alerted the police they were press and asked officers where they should be moved. However, officers arrested Jimenez, his cameraman, and his producer and forced them out to the side and into police custody.   Courtesy of Committee to Protect Journalist Since that day, many press personnel has had their freedom of the press violated such as being arrested for re...

The Supreme Court is the most powerful judicial body of all time. Its nine justice’s duty is meant to interpret the Constitution and draw the lines within the power. However, it has also meant that the court is also drawn in controversy and scrutiny no matter what decision has been made.   Current members of the Supreme Court The Justices have opinions on how well they are viewed in both the eyes of the public or the eyes of the government. Some justices enjoy their works, being able to see so much of the advantages to the fact that they had 200 years of history to guide them into decision-making processes and judgment of cases that exist today. Others view it as a curse, that they have so much power based on themselves, that if they make the wrong decision then it all falls apart.   The Justices are usually respectful towards one another, shaking hands and listening to one another’s opinions on matters the court will judge. While many justices have opinions already set before...

    On June 1st, 2020, the President of the United States did something most of the population found unprecedented, unacceptable, and disgusting. A peaceful protest was held within Lafayette Square, as it is typically every day. This protest was meant to honor the life of George Floyd.  However, rather than letting the protestors have their voices heard, their cries met with conversation, Attorney General William Barr, on orders from President Trump, demanded that the crowds be cleared in what was known as a tactical command push. Donald Trump's police escort on June 1st After Lafayette Square was cleared.      While a curfew was in effect for the nation’s capital, it did not go into effect until 7PM. The protest was broken up violently at 6:35 PM for the sole reason that Donald Trump wanted a photo-op with a Bible. In the events of a clearing, one journalist from Australia covering the event was attacked by police, her cameraman beaten and herse...

Hello. My name is Ben Frondorf. I am a Media Production and Popular Culture Major at High Point University. My dream is to open a production house after graduation and start making movies as soon as I can. I am also a Creative Writing minor. I love to write fiction but I have tried to push into non-fiction as well. I do hope this class can help me with that as well.  I enjoy video editing and posting those videos down on my YouTube Channel as well as streaming over on Twitch. My community is a little small, but it is nice to know people enjoy what I do.