Remembering Rob Remembering Rob KlingKling

AOiR Toronto, October 2003AOiR Toronto, October 2003

Communication Communication Regimes and Digital Regimes and Digital ImagesImages

Understanding Understanding communication regimes, communication regimes, digital photography and the digital photography and the internetinternet

Eric T. Meyer & Rob KlingEric T. Meyer & Rob Kling

School of Library and Information ScienceSchool of Library and Information Science

Indiana UniversityIndiana University

Overview of projectOverview of project

Broadly: IT and Social ChangeBroadly: IT and Social Change Specifically: Changes in Specifically: Changes in

communication regimes with the communication regimes with the introduction and adoption of digital introduction and adoption of digital photography and internet photography and internet transmission of images into transmission of images into communication regimes with existing communication regimes with existing systems based on “wet” systems based on “wet” photographic technologiesphotographic technologies

Social InformaticsSocial Informatics

Social informatics (SI) is the systematic, Social informatics (SI) is the systematic, interdisciplinary study of the design, uses and interdisciplinary study of the design, uses and consequences of information technologies (IT) consequences of information technologies (IT) that takes into account their interaction with that takes into account their interaction with institutional and cultural contexts.  Thus, it is the institutional and cultural contexts.  Thus, it is the study of the social aspects of computers, study of the social aspects of computers, telecommunications, and related technologies, telecommunications, and related technologies, and examines issues such as the ways that IT and examines issues such as the ways that IT shape organizational and social relations, or the shape organizational and social relations, or the ways in which social forces influence the use and ways in which social forces influence the use and design of  IT.design of  IT.

- Kling 2001, Encyclopedia of - Kling 2001, Encyclopedia of LISLIS

Manipulation of Manipulation of PhotographsPhotographs

The Case of the Cottingly The Case of the Cottingly FairiesFairies

PhotojournalismPhotojournalism

Manipulation of Manipulation of PhotographsPhotographs

LA Times photographer Brian Walski was fired for this manipulated image in April 2003. The soldier and the group of people were taken in different shots.

San Diego’s North County Times issued an apology for removing the name of their competing newspaper from this image in July 2003.

PhotojournalismPhotojournalism Investigators / Police Forensic Investigators / Police Forensic

PhotographyPhotography

Manipulation of Manipulation of PhotographsPhotographs

Fair and reasonably Fair and reasonably accurate accurate representationrepresentation

Source: Parke, R.L., 2003. “Basic Evidence Photography.”

Socio-Technical Socio-Technical Interaction Network Interaction Network (STIN) Framework(STIN) Framework The social and the technical are not The social and the technical are not

meaningfully separablemeaningfully separable Theories of social behavior can and should Theories of social behavior can and should

influence technical design choicesinfluence technical design choices System participants are embedded in multiple, System participants are embedded in multiple,

overlapping, and non-technologically mediated overlapping, and non-technologically mediated social relationships, and therefore may have social relationships, and therefore may have multiple, often conflicting, commitments.multiple, often conflicting, commitments.

Sustainability and routine operations are critical, Sustainability and routine operations are critical, and must play a key role in determining design.and must play a key role in determining design.

- Kling et. al., 2003- Kling et. al., 2003

Tension Tension (either to (either to manipulate [manipulate [++] or not to ] or not to manipulate [manipulate [--])])

Photo-Photo-journalismjournalism

Evidence Evidence PhotographyPhotography

+ Desire for ‘fame’ or + Desire for ‘fame’ or widespread publication of widespread publication of image image

Yes Yes Unlikely Unlikely

+ Technical manipulations to + Technical manipulations to better convey what better convey what photographer saw photographer saw

Yes Yes Yes Yes

+ Deadline pressures to get + Deadline pressures to get the right image quickly the right image quickly

Yes Yes Possibly, but not Possibly, but not in most casesin most cases

- Strong regime pressure not - Strong regime pressure not to manipulate to manipulate

Yes Yes Yes Yes

- Fear of loss of job / career - Fear of loss of job / career Yes Yes Yes Yes

- Stigma within profession if - Stigma within profession if uncovereduncovered

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Tensions in Digital Image Manipulation

Tension Tension (either to (either to manipulate [manipulate [++] or not to ] or not to manipulate [manipulate [--])])

ArtistsArtists Family / Family / HobbyistsHobbyists

+ Desire for ‘fame’ or + Desire for ‘fame’ or widespread publication of widespread publication of image image

Yes Yes NoNo

+ Technical manipulations to + Technical manipulations to better convey what better convey what photographer saw photographer saw

Yes Yes PossiblyPossibly

+ Deadline pressures to get + Deadline pressures to get the right image quickly the right image quickly

Not usuallyNot usually Not usuallyNot usually

- Strong regime pressure not - Strong regime pressure not to manipulate to manipulate

NoNo NoNo

- Fear of loss of job / career - Fear of loss of job / career NoNo NoNo

- Stigma within profession if - Stigma within profession if uncovereduncovered

NoNo NoNo

Tensions in Digital Image Manipulation

Socio-Technical Socio-Technical Interaction Network Interaction Network (STIN) Framework(STIN) Framework What are the pressures and What are the pressures and

impediments to adopting digital impediments to adopting digital techniques?techniques?

Who is newly involved when Who is newly involved when communication regimes become communication regimes become digital?digital?

Which formerly involved actors Which formerly involved actors become excluded?become excluded?

What conflicts arise?What conflicts arise?

STIN FrameworkSTIN Framework (cont.) (cont.)

How do changes in involved actors How do changes in involved actors change:change:– The process?The process?– The types of communications?The types of communications?

How are outside actors affected?How are outside actors affected? Regarding alteration of photographs:Regarding alteration of photographs:

– What are the pressures to manipulate?What are the pressures to manipulate?– What are the impediments?What are the impediments?

STIN FrameworkSTIN Framework (cont.) (cont.)

Elements of STIN AnalysisElements of STIN Analysis– Social construction of technology Social construction of technology

(SCOT)(SCOT)– Actor-network theory (ANT)Actor-network theory (ANT)– Deeply embedded social Deeply embedded social

relationshipsrelationships– Actors embedded within disciplinary Actors embedded within disciplinary

matricesmatrices

ReferencesReferences

Kling, R., McKim, G., & King, A. (2003). A Bit More to IT: Kling, R., McKim, G., & King, A. (2003). A Bit More to IT: Scholarly Communication Forums as Socio-Technical Scholarly Communication Forums as Socio-Technical Interaction Networks. Journal of the American Society Interaction Networks. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 54(1), 46-67.for Information Science and Technology, 54(1), 46-67.

Kling, R. (1999). What is Social Informatics and Why Does Kling, R. (1999). What is Social Informatics and Why Does it Matter? D-Lib Magazine, 5(1).it Matter? D-Lib Magazine, 5(1).

Eric T. MeyerEric T. Meyer

etmeyer@indiana.eduetmeyer@indiana.edu

http://mypage.iu.edu/~etmeyerhttp://mypage.iu.edu/~etmeyer

Rob Kling, 1944-2003