New Tech

Technology evolved enormously in the last decades, and those technical developments changed completely the way we produce, distribute and consume digital media products.

• New media are digital: according to Miller, new media are made out of algorithms, numerical codes made by 0-1, and they can be easily alternated or distributed.
• New media are networked; Today, we can consume media contents through a series of numerous medium. By having more way of consuming a product, people have more choice on what they use and on the way,  they use them.
• New media are databased. They are made on collection of data that can be storage, retrieved or filtered, and used to create meaningful information
• New media are automated. Something is automated when it can create content with previous templates without using humans. With automatization, the personalization of media became drastic. With the use of cookies for example, we agree that the system analyzes our attitude on the internet (e.g. how and what do we search, what do we write, what do we cancel, on what our sight stops the more, etc.). Automatization can occur also when we program media to do something. For example, when I open my Instagram to put some funny filters, I’m just telling a program to automatically turn the acquisition of my face into something pre-programmed that create a filter. According to Manovich, Automation is one of the principles of New Media. He says that, after repeating what Miller said, by creating automation, we can simulate reality. For example, by playing at a videogame, we play with characters that are part of the program. Those characters mimic human attitude and behavior and try to simulate what a human would do, while they are just a well programmed set of numbers. In videogames we have the illusion of being free in our choice, while, in reality, every possible choice has been calculated and programmed.

When I read about this part, I automatically thought about Bandersnatch, the interactive movie from the Netflix series “Black Mirror.” During the film, indeed, the viewer can make some choices that would influence enormously the story. The fact is that every possible choice was previously programmed and calculated. While we are watching the movie, however, we have the sensation of having personally influenced the story, even though we did nothing outside the program.

With the New Media everything is unique and personalized, but it’s not original.