OUGD504: Rotational task based on new media

'This is a rotation task to be undertaken when your group is not either in a web workshop or in a group crit.

The emphasis of level 5 and level 6 is building your critical abilities and using theoretical research to inform your graphic design practice.

Therefore you are being asked to find and research one piece of theoretical knowledge relating to New Media (including web design, app design, social media, etc.) which will inform a blog entry on your design practice blog.

You must reflect on how this piece of knowledge may inform graphic design practice within new media and digital design.'

Bell, D., Loader, B.D., Pleace, N., and Schuler, D, 2004: Cyberculture The Key Concepts. 1st edition. London: Routledge.

'Cyberspace is a term used to describe the space created through the confluence of electronic communications networks such as the internet which enables computer mediated communication (CMC) between any number of people who may be geographically dispersed around the globe.'


'The term cyberspace was first coined by the writer william gibson in his novel Neauromancer, where he described its as a consensual hallucination… a graphic representation of data abstracted from the bank of every computer in the human system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the non-space of the mind. Clusters and constellations of data. Like city lights receding' (1984:51)


His theory suggests that the Internet is a representation of the real world and isn't necessarily a true reflected it is in fact distorted by those who post the content. Much like graphic design the individual or company who post content carefully construct representations of themselves through ideas such as branding but also through other visual or written content. It is not a true representation of the real world and is in fact a world we chose to be part of and passively accept.


John Perry Barlow suggests that the internet and cyber space provides 'the promise of a new social space, global and antisoverign, within which anybody, anywhere can express to the rest of humanity whatever he or she believes without fear. There is in these new media a foreshadowing of the intellectual and economic liberty that might undo all the authoritian powers on earth' (Barlow 1996a)


This means that Barlow's theory suggests that the Internet is completely separate from the real world, which I would argue to be untrue as the whole world does not have access to the internet it is simply only for those who can afford to do so. However the internet does provide a democratisation of information as anyone who owns a computer can access information they need which ensures it isn't for those who are the most wealthy, simply anyone who owns a computer may search or write for themselves online. However with this power of the individual and the democratisation of thought and expression of opinions there is fault as in some cases it can encourage a negative environment of bullying individuals online.


As Graphic Designer's it is important to understand that these issues are present and there are large amounts of negative content online as well as positive, we should strive to be ethical with our choices and use the internet for good and to create change. The idea that people from all over can access the Internet the world enhances the idea of globalisation, which means that different cultures have had the opportunity to merge with others, which include products and companies. This means that with the use of the Internet in particular linking to graphic design projects and briefs can be created collaboratively through using the Internet as a form of communication even though the individuals are geographically apart.