Week 4 - task 1 - study guide tasks

User-generated content is refering to various kinds of media that are publicly available. The term reflects the expansion of media production through the use of new media technologies that are affordable and easy to access by the general public. In simplier terms I believe it means content from websites that you can get for free and it is not illegal because the content is not copy-righted..as said in the lecture..it is instead copyleft where the creator leaves the material open to people.

Social networking sites are a good example of user-generated content. MySpace (www.myspace.com) is a very good example of this. MySpace is free to sign up to and it is a good way to communicate free of charge. Another reason why it is a good example of user-generated content is in the example of music. There is a whole section on MySpace that is dedicated to music and bands. In this section you can view bands profiles and listen to their material. If you like a particular song of theirs you can add that song to your profile and it will be played whenever somebody views your profile. This is a good example of user-generated content because, although the song isn't created by you or isn't officially yours, the creators and producers of the material are allowing you to use their material for free.

I know MySpace isn't as popular with us lot anymore because we are all obsessed with Facebook lol, but did anybody or does anybody often change their profile song and use this free material? I know I did. I used to love changing my profile song..sad I know..but you had to keep it updated with which songs/bands you loved at that time. lol.

Also.. does anybody use MySpace now purely as a way to listen to material from bands and artists to hear new stuff by them? I sometimes do because facebook doesn't have a music material like myspace and when Im bored I like to go and listen to some new bands.

Emily xx