Computer-Mediated Anthropology

An Online Resource Center

CMA-Related Films

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registering more than a million hits per month. But for Drudge, the price for posting insider gossip so quickly includes a $30-million libel suit, initiated by White House aide Sidney Blumenthal. In this program, ABC News anchor Ted Koppel and Howard Kurtz, of The Washington Post, assess the implications of Internet publishing for both journalism professionals and cyberspace netizens."

Digital Divide: Teachers, Technology, and the Classroom - (2 hours in two parts, 2000) "As the digital revolution sweeps across America, many young people are experiencing what has come to be known as the digital divide. The first hour of this program examines the push to wire America’s schools, addressing crucial issues such as integration of technology into curriculums, budget trade-offs that leave low-tech subjects starving for scarce funds, and the need for ongoing hardware and software support. In the second hour, more experts, innovators, and students look into the question of community and home access to computers and the Internet. In addition, they explore the fundamental alienation felt by many girls and students of color in the computer arena, and stress the importance of fostering a climate of inclusion."

Digital Magic: The Revolution in Film and TV- (23 minutes, 2000) "In section one of this program, NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels reports on the budding digital film industry. Inexpensive and easy to use, digital video cameras and editing software enable independent filmmakers and students alike to create features and documentaries—and they use the Internet as a ready distribution channel. In section two, correspondent Terence Smith examines the successor to the VCR: the Personal Video Recorder, which feeds broadcasts through a hard drive, allowing viewers to pause a program, do an instant replay, or record programs for later viewing. WebTV, which allows viewer interaction with the Internet and live broadcasts, is also presented."

Dirty Business: Who’s Profiting from Pornography? - (23 minutes, 2002) "Pornography, a multibillion-dollar industry that fueled the VCR revolution, remains a driving force behind the success of the Internet and has become big money for companies that many might find surprising. In this program, ABC News anchor Ted Koppel provides a timely assessment of the ever-increasing growth of the porn industry, the proliferation of access via cable and Web sites, and its move out of theaters and into private homes. Koppel interviews entrepreneurs and CEOs who are some of the biggest players in the market and tracks the profits to a number of the most firmly established companies in America."

Disconnected: Politics, the Press, and the Public - (57 minutes. 2000) "Has America’s electoral process been hijacked by today’s overheated media marketplace? This Fred Friendly Seminar, introduced by ABC News’ Peter Jennings and moderated by Harvard Law School’s Arthur Miller, grapples with questions including: Are unsubstantiated Internet sources, tight deadlines, and a drive to boost profitability distorting journalism? Are candidates’ personal lives fair game? And will the media’s preoccupation with scandals and "horse race" coverage alienate an already disconnected public? Panelists include CBS News’ Dan Rather, CNN’s Jeff Greenfield, Gwen Ifill of Washington Week in Review, Congressman Barney Frank, political analyst Ed Rollins, activist and rapper Chuck D, and others. A Discussion Guide and other resources are located online at www.fredfriendlyseminars.org/disconnected."

Disinformation - (12 minutes, 1999) "Josh Becker hangs with the members of the Cult of the Dead Cow in various spots around San Francisco, including New Hack City, to hear their opinions on the meaning of Hacking, the lack of security on the Internet and on Windows Machines, and which historical figure had the most pornography of his time. "

Distance learning services : more than remote possibilities - (90 minutes, 2000) "Librarians and a faculty member discuss three issues: statewide distance learning reference services and the participating providers; the changing role of faculty in cooperation with libraries in the internet age; and the developments occuring in public libraries in response to the changes. "

Distance Learning: The Great Controversy - (57 minutes, 1998) "In this program, a literature teacher argues the benefits of on-line learning, while her department chairperson presents arguments against it. Methods used to conduct an effective on-line "class" are demonstrated using state-of-the-art software. Criticism of distance learning includes its tendency to deny student/teacher connections and to inhibit student interaction. Students currently participating in on-line learning programs discuss how it has helped them achieve their educational goals. An Iowa farmer uses distance learning to get his college degree. Students at Cal State protest the cost of contracts with four computer firms hired to wire the school for the Internet."

DonorsChoose: An Internet Model for Direct Educational Funding - (21 minutes, 2002) "Charles Best is a Bronx high school teacher with a big idea: DonorsChoose. In this ABC News program, Best talks with correspondent Michel Martin about his Web site where carefully reviewed curricular activities proposed by New York City public school teachers are posted for civic-minded citizens to fund. The beauty of this nonprofit business model is its low overhead: the teachers handle assessing the needs and designing the activities, while the donors play the role of treasurer, deciding for themselves which activities to fund."

Dotcom: A Case Study - (37 minutes, 2001) "In this program composed of two segments, ABC News anchor Ted Koppel goes behind the scenes to track seven months in the life of San Francisco dotcom startup Bizmetric—a story of angel investors and angst as the Internet economy tanked and the next big thing for most online entrepreneurs was the unemployment line. Interviews with the company’s young CEO and his three coworkers underscore the stresses common to all fledgling companies while capturing a string of personal crises that could easily derail even the best-laid business plan."

Dotcoms Gone Bust - (23 minutes, 2001) "At the height of the dotcom mania, Silicon Alley ran with gold, the "new economy" ruled Wall Street, and business as usual was declared dead. A sequel to The Internet Money Machine, this cautionary program tracks the fortunes of TheGlobe.com and Pseudo.com after the bubble burst; bottom-feeder Overstock.com, which is profiting from the tech wreck; and DigitalCity.com, which sold out to AOL before the dotcom bomb. What prompted otherwise responsible investors and stock analysts to buy into the visions of the Internet dream merchants? "I think it was a mass delusion," says Deutschebank’s Ed Yardeni. "It’s the madness of crowds.""

Dronningens nytårstale - (1996) "In her annual speech for the New Year, Queen Margrethe II discusses the concept of the information society with its TV zapping and internet surfing, comparing the choices of the information highway with the life choices that every person must make. She stresses the importance of limits and mutual trust. Finally, she sends her traditional greetings to all parts of the kingdom."

Drugs: deadly highs - (26 minutes, 2001 "A new generation is experiencing addiction to drugs and alcohol that the modern world has made alarmingly accessible. Internet sales have become a popular way for underage teens to purchase alcohol. Acid is now available in clever strips that fit neatly inside a school notebook, and a large number of teens are becoing addicted to drugs available in their parents' medicine cabinets."

eBay and Napster: Change Agents - (26 minutes, 2000) "Internet auction house eBay and virtual music community Napster are redefining established paradigms of online interactivity. In segment one of this program, NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels explores eBay’s phenomenal success with President and CEO Margaret Whitman and others, while addressing concerns related to fraudulent merchandise and shill bidding. In segment two, Mr. Michels examines the roots of the landmark Napster case through interviews with partisans on both sides of the dispute, including the Recording Industry Association of America’s Hillary Rosen."

E-Dreams - (90 minutes, 2004) "E-DREAMS traces the rise and fall of the online grocery and delivery service, Kozmo.com--which was a $300 million company before it crashed in the big dot com bust of 2000. This documentary follows the lives of the two founders and the three thousand employees who rode the extreme ups and downs of the internet boom."

Educator's guide to using the internet in the classroom: how to keep kids safe on the internet : a guide for teachers - (2000, 30 minutes) "Examines several websites that offer guidelines for parents and teachers on the safe and productive use of the internet by children. "

Effectiveness Measurement Tools and Techniques - (13 minutes, 2000) "Dispelling the belief that click-through rate is the ultimate online benchmark, this program identifies which cyber-factors e-tailers need to measure, how they should go about quantifying them, and how they should interpret and apply the resulting data. The interrelationship between impressions, click-through, and conversions is clearly explained by e-commerce experts, along with the use of Internet research analyst services, ad servers, and path-tracking software to assist in gauging the success of an online ad campaign or to optimize a Web site."

The Electronic Frontier - (Horizon)

E-mail Alert: How E-mail Becomes E-evidence - (10 minutes, 2002) "Every day, hundreds of millions of e-mails are sent, answered, and forwarded. This immense volume, combined with the candor that so pervades the medium, has stirred up trouble for computer-users at every level—even Bill Gates himself. In this program, Internet legal expert Dr. Michael Geist, computer forensics specialists, and others explain how deleted e-mails are retrieved and how those indiscreet bits of e-evidence are influencing litigation and causing consternation for companies throughout North America. The bottom line? Think before you hit "send"—or, failing that, hire the best lawyer you can afford."

Everyday Addictions - (50 minutes, 2000) "Nicotine, alcohol, and gambling—three very common addictions—are among the most preventable causes of premature death through illness or suicide in the U.S. In this program, doctors from Brown University’s School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School talk with host Kat Carney about the psychological, physiological, and genetic components of addiction while considering treatments such as hypnotherapy, Naltrexone therapy, and experimental vaccines. Some of the medical outcomes of addiction, including lung cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, and clinical depression, are also discussed, as well as a new form of dependency: addiction to the Internet. A Discovery Channel Production."

The Evolution of Revolution: Facing the New Millennium - (14 minutes, 1999) with Peter Jennings ; ABC News. "What can the costly yet valuable lessons of the past century suggest about the future of the United States, its partners in the Global Village, and planet Earth itself? What will be the long-term impact of the Internet and the Human Genome Project? Who will be the world's new movers and shakers? In this program, eminent visionaries share their observations on the last hundred years and offer their predictions regarding events and innovations yet to come. Commentary: Yo-Yo Ma, Stewart Brand, Stephen L. Carter, James Q. Wilson, Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Isabel Allende, Salman Rushdie, Jane Goodall, Edward O. Wilson, Madeleine L'Engle, Brian Greene. " --lib.usf.edu

Frag: The Movie - (in production) "The story of the 3D gaming culture starting with the introduction of Doom in 1993. Appears to be focusing on ID Software specifically, with a strong lean towards the events of "frag parties", where people haul their computers to a central place to play high-speed games."

Freedom Downtime - (140mins, 2000) "The Editor-in-Chief of 2600 Magazine spent years producing this documentary about several of the heavy-handed ways hackers have been treated across the last decade. The focus is on Kevin Mitnick, but other causes of 2600 magazine over the years, including Bernie S. and Phiber Optik, make an appearance. The film is told in a narrative style, with Goldstein explaining the joy of hacking and the way that the hackers he has known have come under the crushing blows of the government (and the inaccurate portayals by the media). Well done. " --BBSdocumentary.com

Free Speech, Politics, and the Web - (30 minutes, 1998) "Internet chat rooms, e-mail, and Web sites are all conduits for free speech. Anybody and everybody can have their say in the "anything goes" environment of cyberspace. This program discusses the technologies that cyberworld pioneers developed and examines why, for better or for worse, the Information Superhighway and uncensored discourse are here to stay."

Gambling on the Future: Internet Gaming - (50 minutes, 2000) "Gambling is the world’s third-largest industry, and the Web has made it more global than ever. One in twenty Americans gamble online, an illegal activity under the Wire Act which forbids interstate bookmaking over phone lines. This program looks at the explosive proliferation of Internet gaming and how America—its people and its government—are reacting to it. To present an overview of gambling in the electronic era, the video canvasses many perspectives, from Web bookmaker Victor Chandler to casino owner and publisher Larry Flynt; from Congressional opponents of Internet gambling, such as John Goodlatte, John Wolf, and Senator Jon Kyle, to Congressman Ron Paul, who opposes regulation of the Web."

Gamers - (In Production) "Large (6 episodes) series of documentaries about the computer gaming culture. Looks like it tells the story from the point of view of developers, producers, and the gamers themselves. Looks quite professional" --BBSdocumentary.com

Global Media - (28 minutes, 1997) "Sixties’ media philosopher Marshall McLuhan predicted the coming of a Global Village in which telecommunications technology would figuratively shrink the world. Satellites, the Internet, multinational communications giants, and the ubiquity of televisions and computers have more than helped realize his prophecy. Who are the big players and what kind of village have they wrought? As American music, TV, film, sports, fashion, and food spread worldwide and push aside the local fare, are we guilty of cultural imperialism? This insightful program looks at a variety of issues surrounding the growth of media in the era of the international audience."

The Global Tongue: English - (25 minutes, 1999) "English is now the dominant language spoken by over a billion people. There are nearly as many people who speak English as a second language as there are native speakers. All of this is having a profound effect on the language and how it is perceived around the world. This program looks at the different contexts and countries in which the language dominates education, pop music, advertising, and the Internet. It explores the pros and cons of this dominance and the ways in which it is actually changing the language."

Globalization and the Media - (22 minutes, 2001) "As globalization of trade rapidly expands, the mainstream media is being accused of inadequately reporting the issues. This program canvasses some of the dissent by exploring conflicts of interest within the media and showing how technology, such as the camcorder and the Internet, is challenging the monopoly of big news broadcasters. Differences between mainstream and "indie" media are highlighted in coverage of the economic summits and related protests in Genoa and Seattle. Among those interviewed are Danny Schechter, director of Mediachannel.org; Katharine Ainger, editor of New Internationalist magazine; and Chris Cramer, president of CNN International News."

Going Online in Your Classroom - (58 minutes, 1999) "The Internet is bringing new possibilities to education. This program introduces the terms and techniques needed by students and teachers alike to use Internet technology with confidence. In addition, instructors share some of their creative lesson plans that incorporate the Internet as a means of collaborative communication through videoconferences, chat rooms, and e-mail; as a gateway to cyber-libraries; as a platform for virtual field trips; and as an instant online publishing tool for Web sites and intranets. Administrative issues such as Acceptable Use Policies, Netiquette, and content filtering are also addressed."

Going Public: A Cautionary Case Study - (4-part series, 28 minutes each, 2001) "Just when the tide of Internet-driven stock market activity had begun to turn, the owners of seven computer dealerships decided to merge, putting aside egos and mistrust to go public and make a killing before the market’s momentum reversed. Combining fly-on-the-wall footage and hindsight interviews with the principals, this four-part series—an in-depth case study as gripping as it is informative—tracks the efforts of the short-lived Apple reseller network Buzzle to catch a ride on the receding wave of high-tech IPOs." .

Hackers (2) - (55 minutes, 2001) "Are computer hackers the watchdogs of the Internet, uncovering security problems that threaten companies and individuals? Are they dangerous criminals that should face the full force of the law? Or are they merely thrill-seekers that really don't do much harm? This documentary looks at computer hackers and their subculture--who they are, why (and how) they do what they do, and the danger they pose to businesses, private citizens, and even governments." --Summary written by yortsnave, IMDB.com

Hackers and Cyberterrorists - (48 minutes, 2000) "In this timely program, hackers Reid and Count Zero, who helped create the notorious freeware program Back Orifice, and hacker Curador, arrested for credit card fraud, are joined by Martha Stansell-Gamm, of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section; Microsoft security analyst Steven Lipner; Richard Power, author of Tangled Web; computer security experts and investigators; information warfare specialists; and victims of identity theft, cyberstalking, and embezzlement to analyze the extreme vulnerability of the Internet—and its users—to mischief, felonies, and out-and-out terrorism."

Hackers: Outlaws and Angels - (51 minutes, 2002) "This alarming program reveals the daily battle between the Internet’s outlaws and the hackers who oppose them by warding off system attacks, training IT professionals and police officers, and watching cyberspace for signs of imminent infowar. Through interviews with frontline personnel from the Department of Defense, NYPD’s computer crime squad, private detective firm Kroll Associates, X-Force Threat Analysis Service, and several notorious crackers, the program provides penetrating insights into the millions of hack attacks that occur annually in the U.S.—including one that affected the phone bills of millions and another that left confidential details of the B-1 stealth bomber in the hands of teenagers. The liabilities of wireless networks, the Code Red worm, and online movie piracy are also discussed. A Discovery Channel Production."

Hard Drive A Film by David Fox and Christopher Walker - "In 1962, the RAND Corporation devised technology to protect the military might of the United States - technology which became the Internet. Now the Corporation is worried; counter-cultural forces are prepared to use the technology to destroy what they believe to be encroachment of personal freedom. With paranoia spreading like a virus on both sides, the United States prepares to dominate the international brave new digital age. For many it is a step too far, and the threat is that businesses will use their power and influence to suppress dissenting voices under the guise of protecting national interests. The question is who will win the cyber war? "

Hate and the Internet: web sites and the issue of free speech - (22 minutes, 1999) "What is the price of free speech? Protected by their first Amendment rights and the Internet's cultural philosophy of 'post it all and let the readers decide', American hate groups are having a field day on the World Wide Web, creating virtual communities of intolerance. In this program, ABC News anchor Ted Koppel investigates the proliferation of hate online with Don Black, founder of the white nationalist Web site Storm Front, and Floyd Abrams, a First Amendment attorney who has represented the New York times and ABC News."-- Container

Hate.com: Extremists on the Internet - (42 minutes, 2000) "Addresses the use of the Internet to spread messages of hate and violence. Don Black, founder of Stormfront; Matt Hale, founder of the World Church of the Creator; Richard Butler, founder of Aryan Nations and Christian Identity; and Dr. William Pierce, founder of the National Alliance and author of The Turner diaries, expound their doctrines, tactics, and goals. Profiles of 'lone wolves'--individuals incited to commit violence and bias crimes--include Timothy McVeigh, Benjamin Smith, the lynchers of James Byrd, and others."-- www.films.com.

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