This document summarizes a method for discovering censored websites in Iran using hyperlink analysis and dynamic URL sampling. Researchers used a list of sensitive Iranian sites and crawled URLs to find a network of linked sites. Each site was checked through an Iranian proxy for blocked status. 30 previously undiscovered blocked sites were found, revealing the potential of this digital methods approach for circumventing censorship. The study demonstrates how online data and tools can provide new insights into societal conditions.
2. WHERE ARE WE NOW?
FROM VIRTUAL TO DIGITAL METHODS
3 VIRTUALS, OR 3 WAYS OF SEEING THE WEB
1. Web as Cyberspace (1994-2000) Virtual as distinct from the real. Virtual studies
2. Web as Virtual Society? (2000-2007) Virtual is part of the real. Offline as baseline
3. Web as Virtual? Society (2007- ) 'Virtual' as indication of the real. Online as baseline
Now: Use online data about society & culture, and make 'online grounded' claims
3.
4.
5. CLAIMS GROUNDED ONLINE
UNDERSTANDING SOCIETAL CONDITIONS WITH THE WEB AS THE BASELINE
quot;This newspaper made an inventory of right-wing and extreme
right-wing sites.... The newspaper found 150 of such sites that
came and went over the past 10 years. The internet archive's
wayback machine was used. We found that the number of
right-wing and extreme right-wing sites grew after 11 September
2001, the rise of Pim Fortuyn...The growth was explosive... The
difference in language use became smaller.... The internet is
revealing a hardening of the Netherlands.quot;
- NRC Handelsblad, 25 August 2007
On 20 September 2007, it fell out of the top 1,000 results.
6. CLAIMS GROUNDED ONLINE
UNDERSTANDING SOCIETAL CONDITIONS WITH THE WEB AS THE BASELINE
quot;Deze krant inventariseerde en vergeleek rechtse en in taalgebruik
radicalere extreemrechtse sites... De krant spoorde 150 sites op
die de afgelopen tien jaar kwamen en gingen. Daarvoor werd het
internetarchief gebruikt... De inventarisatie laat zien dat zowel het
aantal rechtse als extreemrechtse sites groeide na de aanslagen
van 11 september 2001, de opkomst van Pim Fortuyn...
Het maakt ook duidelijk dat de verschillen tussen rechtse en
extreemrechtse sites kleiner zijn geworden... Internet lijkt daarmee
de weerslag van de maatschappelijke verharding in Nederland.quot;
- NRC Handelsblad, 25 August 2007
7.
8. DIGITIZED VS. DIGITAL
METHODS
Digitized methods
Online surveys - Finding the list to mail them to.
Online interviews - Become written exchanges by email.
(Online) observation - Watching users over the shoulder.
Online samples - Become difficult. Also issue of exhaustiveness.
Online investigative reporting - Fact-checking by phoning/surfing?
9.
10. DIGITIZED VS. DIGITAL
METHODS
Distinction between methods that migrate to the medium and those ‘native’ to it
General Digital Methods Protocol - Follow the Medium
Which objects are available? (Links, tags, threads, timestamp...)
How do dominant devices and platforms handle them?
How to learn from and repurpose medium methods? (Mash-up...)
Are findings grounded in the online? Is the online the baseline?
11. DIGITAL METHODS
OBJECTS &
APPROACHES
1. The Link - As reputation marker and indicator of a politics of association
2. The Website - As an archived object, awaiting use
3. The Engines - As ordering devices, providing hierarchies of credibility
4. The Spheres - As bounded, engine-demarcations, with distinctive qualities
5. The Webs - As national Webs, with characteristics that may used for diagnoses
12. DIGITAL METHODS
OBJECTS &
APPROACHES
6. Social Networking Sites - As friends' tastes for 'post-demographic' profiling
7. Wikipedia - As networked content, held together and 'co-authored' by bots
13. 1. THE LINK
How is it often studied? Hypertext, small worlds, paths and social networks
Hypertext Theory - from reading texts to authoring stories by
clicking links.
Small Worlds and Path Theory - concerned with distance
between people, and the route to take to reach someone.
Social Network Analysis - people's positioning in a network, e.g.,
centrality and betweenness.
14. 1. THE LINK
How else to study the link? Follow and repurpose medium methods
Follow Google, which grants sites status from their links.
Capture inlinks and outlinks from sites, using link ripper, Yahoo
inlink ripper, or Issue Crawler and actor profiler.
Profile actors. Show politics of association, and reputation.
15. LINKING AS POLITICS OF
ASSOCIATION
.
GM Food Network - Highlighted Actor Inter-linkings,
Govcom.org, 1999.
16. LINKS AS STATUS MARKERS
GM Food Network, Actor Link Profiles, Govcom.org, 1999.
18. DYNAMIC URL SAMPLING
A METHOD FOR THE DISCOVERY OF CENSORED WEBSITES
Using lists of sensitive sites for Iran, researchers, using the
Issue Crawler, perform hyperlink analysis, discovering further
URLs, and run them through a proxy in Iran for code 403’s
(forbidden).
On 20 September 2007, it fell out of the top 1,000 results.
20. A Censor’s Network - Iranian Political, Social and
Religious sites
A method for censored Website discovery
Using lists of sensitive sites for Iran, researchers, using the
Issue Crawler, perform hyperlink analysis, discovering further URLs,
and run them through a proxy in Iran for code 403’s (forbidden).
21. 2. THE WEBSITE
How is it often studied? User and Eyeball Studies
Usability - quot;Don't make me think.quot; Also: The Web is blue.
Eye-tracking - Heat maps tell stories, and help redesign sites.
Site optimization - quot;Grabbing more eyeballsquot;
Site features - types of interactivity ergo participation
22.
23.
24. 2. THE WEBSITE
How else to study it? As an archived object, awaiting use.
Internet Archive literature review - articles about it, but
not how it's used. (Exception: Wayback machine articles.)
Follow Wayback Machine's interface. It privileges single-site
histories.
Capture a site's history. What does it tell?
25.
26. A METHOD FOR DEMARCATING AND DIAGNOSING NATIONAL WEBS
1. Demarcate National Web
Domain name, language, IP range, Whois
2. Diagnose Condition of National Web
a. 'Youthfulness' (freshness through datestamps)
b. 'Brokenness' (link validators)
c. 'Cohesiveness' (linking to other national sites - example)
d. 'Datedness' (software versions running)
e. 'Dated users' (browser versions of users)
On 20 September 2007, it fell out of the top 1,000 results.
27.
28. 3. THE ENGINE
How is it often studied? As a dark web-maker, as attention deficit, as 'googlization'
Engines include and exclude by not indexing orphans; by burying
sites.
Engines encourage attention deficits. Users rarely look past
result 10. 'Contemplative man' replaced by 'flickering man.'
Googlization turns the engine into an object of mass media
critique. Google as monolith.
Surveillance studies. One’s search history becomes new databody.
29. 3. THE ENGINE
How else to study it? As a (temporal) ordering device and epistemological machine
Capture and reinterpret the engine's results.
Inquire into the new orders of things, and hierarchies of credibility.
Inquire into stability / volatility of site rankings with the
Issue Dramaturg.
Query individual sites for partisanship and commitments with the
Lippmannian Device.
30.
31. ON TOP OF THE ENGINE:
THE LIPPMANNIAN DEVICE
How else to study it? As a data source to be built upon to study source partisanship
Capture engine's results.
Query each of the first hundred result for terms.
How far are terms from the 'top of the Web'? (Source distance.)
Inquire also into sources' partisanship and commitments.
32. Climate Change Sceptics on the Web (Sallie Baliunas)
Research Question_To what extent are climate change 'skeptics' present
in the climate change spaces on the Web?
Findings_There is distance between the skeptics and the top of the
search engine returns.
epa.gov (0) bbc.co.uk (0) defra.gov.uk (0) unep.org (0) bom.gov.au (0) ipcc.ch (0) pewclimate.org (0)
davidsuzuki.org (0) panda.org (0) mfe.govt.nz (0) ec.gc.ca (0) exploratorium.edu (0) climatechange.com.au (0)
greenpeace.org (0) climatechallenge.gov.uk (0) guardian.co.uk (0) iisd.org (0) g8.gov.uk (0) campaigncc.org (0)
foe.co.uk (0) state.gov (0) scidev.net (0) eea.europa.eu (0) whoi.edu (0) cbc.ca (0) energy.gov (0)
marshall.org (6) climateark.org (2) un.org (0) dar.csiro.au (0) theglobeandmail.com (0)
acfonline.org.au (0) gcrio.org (0) nature.com (0) grida.no (0) nature.org (0) ecokids.ca (0) royalsoc.ac.uk (0)
climatechangecentral.com (0) iea.org (0) ecn.ac.uk (0) ecy.wa.gov (0) worldwildlife.org (0)
realclimate.org (55)
faqs.org (0) metoffice.gov.uk (0) open2.net (0) scienceagogo.com (0) eldis.org (0) ft.com (0) who.int (0)
climatecrisis.net (0) ltscotland.org.uk (0) abc.net.au (0) climatechange.ca.gov (0) envirolink.org (0) mofa.go.jp (0)
sourcewatch.org (0) iucn.org (0) dfat.gov.au (0) ncdc.noaa.gov (0) climatescience.gov (0)
climatechangecollege.org (0) ciel.org (0) ucar.edu (0)
Source_google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“Sallie Baliunas” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Bram
Method_Search for query “Sallie Baliunas” in top 100. Organized in order. Nijhof, Richard Rogers and Laura van der
Tools_Google Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Vlies. Design_Anne Helmond.
Date_30 July 2007 CLIMATE CHANGE
SCEPTICS
CC_BY:NC:SA
33. Climate Change Sceptics on the Web (Timothy Ball)
Research Question_To what extent are climate change 'skeptics' present
in the climate change spaces on the Web?
Findings_There is distance between the skeptics and the top of the
search engine returns.
epa.gov (0) bbc.co.uk (0) defra.gov.uk (0) unep.org (0) bom.gov.au (0) ipcc.ch (0) pewclimate.org (0)
davidsuzuki.org (0) panda.org (0) mfe.govt.nz (0) ec.gc.ca (0) exploratorium.edu (0) climatechange.com.au (0)
greenpeace.org (0) climatechallenge.gov.uk (0) guardian.co.uk (0) iisd.org (0) g8.gov.uk (0)
campaigncc.org (6) foe.co.uk (0) state.gov (0) scidev.net (0) eea.europa.eu (0) whoi.edu (0) cbc.ca (0)
energy.gov (0) marshall.org (2) climateark.org (0) un.org (0) dar.csiro.au (0) theglobeandmail.com (0)
acfonline.org.au (0) gcrio.org (0) nature.com (0) grida.no (0) nature.org (0) ecokids.ca (0) royalsoc.ac.uk (0)
climatechangecentral.com (0) iea.org (0) ecn.ac.uk (0) ecy.wa.gov (0) worldwildlife.org (0) realclimate.org (0)
faqs.org (0) metoffice.gov.uk (0) open2.net (0) scienceagogo.com (0) eldis.org (0) ft.com (0) who.int (0)
climatecrisis.net (0) ltscotland.org.uk (0) abc.net.au (0) climatechange.ca.gov (0) envirolink.org (0) mofa.go.jp (0)
sourcewatch.org (0) iucn.org (0) dfat.gov.au (0) ncdc.noaa.gov (0) climatescience.gov (0)
climatechangecollege.org (0) ciel.org (0) ucar.edu (0)
Source_google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“Timothy Ball” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Bram
Method_Search for query “Timothy Ball” in top 100. Organized in order. Nijhof, Richard Rogers and Laura van der
Tools_Google Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Vlies. Design_Anne Helmond.
Date_30 July 2007 CLIMATE CHANGE
SCEPTICS
CC_BY:NC:SA
34. Climate Change Sceptics on the Web (Robert Balling)
Research Question_To what extent are climate change 'skeptics' present
in the climate change spaces on the Web?
Findings_There is distance between the skeptics and the top of the
search engine returns.
epa.gov (0) bbc.co.uk (0) defra.gov.uk (0) unep.org (0) bom.gov.au (0) ipcc.ch (0) pewclimate.org (0)
davidsuzuki.org (0) panda.org (0) mfe.govt.nz (0) ec.gc.ca (0) exploratorium.edu (0) climatechange.com.au (0)
greenpeace.org (0) climatechallenge.gov.uk (0) guardian.co.uk (0) iisd.org (0) g8.gov.uk (0) campaigncc.org (2)
foe.co.uk (0) state.gov (0) scidev.net (0) eea.europa.eu (0) whoi.edu (0) cbc.ca (0) energy.gov (0)
marshall.org (2) climateark.org (2) un.org (0) dar.csiro.au (0) theglobeandmail.com (0) acfonline.org.au (0)
gcrio.org (0) nature.com (0) grida.no (0) nature.org (0) ecokids.ca (0) royalsoc.ac.uk (0)
climatechangecentral.com (0) iea.org (0) ecn.ac.uk (0) ecy.wa.gov (0) worldwildlife.org (0)
realclimate.org (11) faqs.org (0) metoffice.gov.uk (0) open2.net (0) scienceagogo.com (0)
eldis.org (0) ft.com (0) who.int (0) climatecrisis.net (0) ltscotland.org.uk (0) abc.net.au (0) climatechange.ca.gov (0)
envirolink.org (0) mofa.go.jp (0) sourcewatch.org (4) iucn.org (0) dfat.gov.au (0) ncdc.noaa.gov (0)
climatescience.gov (11) climatechangecollege.org (0) ciel.org (0) ucar.edu (0)
Source_google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“Robert Balling” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Bram
Method_Search for query “Robert Balling” in top 100. Organized in order. Nijhof, Richard Rogers and Laura van der
Tools_Google Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Vlies. Design_Anne Helmond.
Date_30 July 2007 CLIMATE CHANGE
SCEPTICS
CC_BY:NC:SA
35. Climate Change Sceptics on the Web (Paul Driessen)
Research Question_To what extent are climate change 'skeptics' present
in the climate change spaces on the Web?
Findings_There is distance between the skeptics and the top of the
search engine returns.
epa.gov (0) bbc.co.uk (0) defra.gov.uk (0) unep.org (0) bom.gov.au (0) ipcc.ch (0) pewclimate.org (0)
davidsuzuki.org (0) panda.org (0) mfe.govt.nz (0) ec.gc.ca (0) exploratorium.edu (0) climatechange.com.au (0)
greenpeace.org (0) climatechallenge.gov.uk (0) guardian.co.uk (0) iisd.org (0) g8.gov.uk (0) campaigncc.org (1)
foe.co.uk (0) state.gov (0) scidev.net (0) eea.europa.eu (0) whoi.edu (0) cbc.ca (0) energy.gov (0)
marshall.org (0) climateark.org (0) un.org (0) dar.csiro.au (0) theglobeandmail.com (0) acfonline.org.au (0)
gcrio.org (0) nature.com (0) grida.no (0) nature.org (0) ecokids.ca (0) royalsoc.ac.uk (0) climatechangecentral.com (0)
iea.org (0) ecn.ac.uk (0) ecy.wa.gov (0) worldwildlife.org (0) realclimate.org (0) faqs.org (0) metoffice.gov.uk (0)
open2.net (0) scienceagogo.com (0) eldis.org (0) ft.com (0) who.int (0) climatecrisis.net (0) ltscotland.org.uk (0)
abc.net.au (0) climatechange.ca.gov (0) envirolink.org (0) mofa.go.jp (0)
sourcewatch.org (28) iucn.org (0) dfat.gov.au (0)
ncdc.noaa.gov (0) climatescience.gov (0) climatechangecollege.org (0) ciel.org (0) ucar.edu (0)
Source_google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“Paul Driessen” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Bram
Method_Search for query “Paul Driessen” in top 100. Organized in order. Nijhof, Richard Rogers and Laura van der
Tools_Google Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Vlies. Design_Anne Helmond.
Date_30 July 2007 CLIMATE CHANGE
SCEPTICS
CC_BY:NC:SA
36. Climate Change Sceptics on the Web (Sherwood Idso)
Research Question_To what extent are climate change 'skeptics' present
in the climate change spaces on the Web?
Findings_There is distance between the skeptics and the top of the
search engine returns.
epa.gov (0) bbc.co.uk (0) defra.gov.uk (0) unep.org (0) bom.gov.au (0) ipcc.ch (0) pewclimate.org (0)
davidsuzuki.org (0) panda.org (0) mfe.govt.nz (0) ec.gc.ca (0) exploratorium.edu (0) climatechange.com.au (0)
greenpeace.org (0) climatechallenge.gov.uk (0) guardian.co.uk (0) iisd.org (0) g8.gov.uk (0) campaigncc.org (1)
foe.co.uk (0) state.gov (0) scidev.net (0) eea.europa.eu (0) whoi.edu (0) cbc.ca (0) energy.gov (0)
marshall.org (0) climateark.org (1) un.org (0) dar.csiro.au (0) theglobeandmail.com (0) acfonline.org.au (0)
gcrio.org (0) nature.com (0) grida.no (0) nature.org (0) ecokids.ca (0) royalsoc.ac.uk (0)
climatechangecentral.com (0) iea.org (0) ecn.ac.uk (0) ecy.wa.gov (0) worldwildlife.org (0)
realclimate.org (42) faqs.org (0)
metoffice.gov.uk (0) open2.net (0) scienceagogo.com (0) eldis.org (0) ft.com (0) who.int (0) climatecrisis.net (0)
ltscotland.org.uk (0) abc.net.au (0) climatechange.ca.gov (0) envirolink.org (0) mofa.go.jp (0)
sourcewatch.org (14) iucn.org (0) dfat.gov.au (0) ncdc.noaa.gov (0) climatescience.gov (0)
climatechangecollege.org (0) ciel.org (0) ucar.edu (0)
Source_google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“Sherwood Idso” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Bram
Method_Search for query “Sherwood Idso” in top 100. Organized in order. Nijhof, Richard Rogers and Laura van der
Tools_Google Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Vlies. Design_Anne Helmond.
Date_30 July 2007 CLIMATE CHANGE
SCEPTICS
CC_BY:NC:SA
37. Climate Change Sceptics on the Web (Richard Linzen)
Research Question_To what extent are climate change 'skeptics' present
in the climate change spaces on the Web?
Findings_There is distance between the skeptics and the top of the
search engine returns.
epa.gov (0) bbc.co.uk (0) defra.gov.uk (0) unep.org (0) bom.gov.au (0) ipcc.ch (0) pewclimate.org (0)
davidsuzuki.org (0) panda.org (0) mfe.govt.nz (0) ec.gc.ca (0) exploratorium.edu (0) climatechange.com.au (0)
greenpeace.org (0) climatechallenge.gov.uk (0) guardian.co.uk (0) iisd.org (0) g8.gov.uk (0) campaigncc.org (0)
foe.co.uk (0) state.gov (0) scidev.net (0) eea.europa.eu (0) whoi.edu (0) cbc.ca (0) energy.gov (0)
marshall.org (0) climateark.org (0) un.org (0) dar.csiro.au (0) theglobeandmail.com (0) acfonline.org.au (0)
gcrio.org (0) nature.com (0) grida.no (0) nature.org (0) ecokids.ca (0) royalsoc.ac.uk (0) climatechangecentral.com (0)
iea.org (0) ecn.ac.uk (0) ecy.wa.gov (0) worldwildlife.org (0) realclimate.org (13)
faqs.org (0) metoffice.gov.uk (0) open2.net (0) scienceagogo.com (0) eldis.org (0) ft.com (0) who.int (0)
climatecrisis.net (0) ltscotland.org.uk (0) abc.net.au (0) climatechange.ca.gov (0) envirolink.org (0)
mofa.go.jp (0) sourcewatch.org (0) iucn.org (0) dfat.gov.au (0) ncdc.noaa.gov (0) climatescience.gov (0)
climatechangecollege.org (0) ciel.org (0) ucar.edu (0)
Source_google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“Richard Linzen” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Bram
Method_Search for query “Richard Linzen” in top 100. Organized in order. Nijhof, Richard Rogers and Laura van der
Tools_Google Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Vlies. Design_Anne Helmond.
Date_30 July 2007 CLIMATE CHANGE
SCEPTICS
CC_BY:NC:SA
38. Climate Change Sceptics on the Web (Patrick Michaels)
Research Question_To what extent are climate change 'skeptics' present
in the climate change spaces on the Web?
Findings_There is distance between the skeptics and the top of the
search engine returns.
epa.gov (0) bbc.co.uk (0) defra.gov.uk (0) bom.gov.au (0) ipcc.ch (4) pewclimate.org (2)
davidsuzuki.org (0) panda.org (0) mfe.govt.nz (0) ec.gc.ca (0) exploratorium.edu (0) climatechange.com.au (0)
greenpeace.org (0) climatechallenge.gov.uk (0) guardian.co.uk (0) iisd.org (0) g8.gov.uk (0)
campaigncc.org (3) foe.co.uk (0) eea.europa.eu (0) cbc.ca (0)
energy.gov (0) marshall.org (2) climateark.org (1) dar.csiro.au (0)
acfonline.org.au (0) gcrio.org (0) nature.com (0) grida.no (0) nature.org (0) ecokids.ca (0)
climatechangecentral.com (0) iea.org (0) ecn.ac.uk (0) ecy.wa.gov (0)
realclimate.org (45)
metoffice.gov.uk (0) open2.net (0) eldis.org (0) ft.com (0)
faqs.org (0)
climatecrisis.net (1) ltscotland.org.uk (0) abc.net.au (0) climatechange.ca.gov (0) envirolink.org (0)
mofa.go.jp (0) iucn.org (0) dfat.gov.au (0) ncdc.noaa.gov (0)
climatescience.gov (7) climatechangecollege.org (0) ciel.org (0)
Source_google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“Patrick Michaels” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Bram
Method_Search for query “Patrick Michaels” in top 100. Organized in order. Nijhof, Richard Rogers and Laura van der
Tools_Google Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Vlies. Design_Anne Helmond.
Date_30 July 2007 CLIMATE CHANGE
SCEPTICS
CC_BY:NC:SA
39. Climate Change Sceptics on the Web (Steven Milloy)
Research Question_To what extent are climate change 'skeptics' present
in the climate change spaces on the Web?
Findings_There is distance between the skeptics and the top of the
search engine returns.
epa.gov (1) bbc.co.uk (0) defra.gov.uk (1) unep.org (1) bom.gov.au (0) ipcc.ch (1) pewclimate.org (1)
davidsuzuki.org (0) panda.org (0) mfe.govt.nz (0) ec.gc.ca (0) exploratorium.edu (0) climatechange.com.au (0)
greenpeace.org (1) climatechallenge.gov.uk (1) guardian.co.uk (0) iisd.org (0) g8.gov.uk (0)
campaigncc.org (0) foe.co.uk (0) state.gov (1) eea.europa.eu (1) whoi.edu (1) cbc.ca (0) energy.gov (1)
marshall.org (0) climateark.org (2) un.org (0) dar.csiro.au (1) theglobeandmail.com (0) acfonline.org.au (0)
gcrio.org (0) nature.com (0) grida.no (0) nature.org (1) ecokids.ca (0) climatechangecentral.com (0)
iea.org (0) ecn.ac.uk (1) ecy.wa.gov (1) worldwildlife.org (0)
realclimate.org (33)
open2.net (0) eldis.org (0) ft.com (0) who.int (1) climatecrisis.net (1)
faqs.org (0) metoffice.gov.uk (1)
ltscotland.org.uk (1) abc.net.au (0)
climatechange.ca.gov (1) envirolink.org (1) mofa.go.jp (1)
sourcewatch.org (27) iucn.org (0) dfat.gov.au (0)
ncdc.noaa.gov (1) climatescience.gov (0) climatechangecollege.org (1) ciel.org (0) ucar.edu (0)
Source_google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“Stephen Milloy” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Bram
Method_Search for query “Stephen Milloy” in top 100. Organized in order. Nijhof, Richard Rogers and Laura van der
Tools_Google Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Vlies. Design_Anne Helmond.
Date_30 July 2007 CLIMATE CHANGE
SCEPTICS
CC_BY:NC:SA
40. Climate Change Sceptics on the Web (Frederick Seitz)
Research Question_To what extent are climate change 'skeptics' present
in the climate change spaces on the Web?
Findings_There is distance between the skeptics and the top of the
search engine returns.
epa.gov (0) bbc.co.uk (0) defra.gov.uk (0) unep.org (0) bom.gov.au (0) ipcc.ch (0) pewclimate.org (0)
davidsuzuki.org (0) panda.org (0) mfe.govt.nz (0) ec.gc.ca (0) exploratorium.edu (0) climatechange.com.au (0)
greenpeace.org (0) climatechallenge.gov.uk (0) guardian.co.uk (0) iisd.org (0) g8.gov.uk (0) campaigncc.org (1)
foe.co.uk (0) state.gov (0) scidev.net (0) eea.europa.eu (0) whoi.edu (0) cbc.ca (0) energy.gov (0)
marshall.org (8) climateark.org (4) un.org (0) dar.csiro.au (0) theglobeandmail.com (0)
acfonline.org.au (0) gcrio.org (0) nature.com (0) grida.no (0) nature.org (0) ecokids.ca (0) royalsoc.ac.uk (0)
climatechangecentral.com (0) iea.org (0) ecn.ac.uk (0) ecy.wa.gov (0) worldwildlife.org (0)
realclimate.org (35)
metoffice.gov.uk (0) open2.net (0) scienceagogo.com (0) eldis.org (0) ft.com (0) who.int (0) climatecrisis.net (0)
faqs.org (0)
ltscotland.org.uk (0) abc.net.au (0) climatechange.ca.gov (0) envirolink.org (0) mofa.go.jp (0)
sourcewatch.org (21) iucn.org (0) dfat.gov.au (0) ncdc.noaa.gov (0)
climatescience.gov (0) climatechangecollege.org (0) ciel.org (0) ucar.edu (0)
Source_google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“Frederick Seitz” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Bram
Method_Search for query “Frederick Seitz” in top 100. Organized in order. Nijhof, Richard Rogers and Laura van der
Tools_Google Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Vlies. Design_Anne Helmond.
Date_30 July 2007 CLIMATE CHANGE
SCEPTICS
CC_BY:NC:SA
41. Climate Change Sceptics on the Web (S. Fred Singer)
Research Question_To what extent are climate change 'skeptics' present
in the climate change spaces on the Web?
Findings_There is distance between the skeptics and the top of the
search engine returns.
epa.gov (0) bbc.co.uk (0) defra.gov.uk (0) unep.org (0) bom.gov.au (0) ipcc.ch (0) pewclimate.org (0)
davidsuzuki.org (0) panda.org (0) mfe.govt.nz (0) ec.gc.ca (0) exploratorium.edu (0) climatechange.com.au (0)
greenpeace.org (1) climatechallenge.gov.uk (0) guardian.co.uk (0) iisd.org (0) g8.gov.uk (0) campaigncc.org (1)
foe.co.uk (0) state.gov (0) scidev.net (0) eea.europa.eu (0) whoi.edu (0) cbc.ca (0) energy.gov (0)
marshall.org (0) climateark.org (1) un.org (0) dar.csiro.au (0) theglobeandmail.com (0) acfonline.org.au (0)
gcrio.org (0) nature.com (0) grida.no (0) nature.org (0) ecokids.ca (0) royalsoc.ac.uk (0)
climatechangecentral.com (0) iea.org (0) ecn.ac.uk (0) ecy.wa.gov (0) worldwildlife.org (0)
realclimate.org (14) faqs.org (0) metoffice.gov.uk (0) open2.net (0) scienceagogo.com (0)
eldis.org (0) ft.com (0) who.int (0) climatecrisis.net (0) ltscotland.org.uk (0) abc.net.au (0) climatechange.ca.gov (0)
sourcewatch.org (64)
envirolink.org (0) mofa.go.jp (0)
iucn.org (0) dfat.gov.au (0) ncdc.noaa.gov (0) climatescience.gov (11)
climatechangecollege.org (0) ciel.org (0) ucar.edu (0)
Source_google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“Fred Singer” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Bram
Method_Search for query “Fred Singer” in top 100. Organized in order. Nijhof, Richard Rogers and Laura van der
Tools_Google Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Vlies. Design_Anne Helmond.
Date_30 July 2007 CLIMATE CHANGE
SCEPTICS
CC_BY:NC:SA
42. Climate Change Sceptics on the Web (Willie Soon)
Research Question_To what extent are climate change 'skeptics' present
in the climate change spaces on the Web?
Findings_There is distance between the skeptics and the top of the
search engine returns.
epa.gov (0) bbc.co.uk (0) defra.gov.uk (0) unep.org (0) bom.gov.au (0) ipcc.ch (0) pewclimate.org (0)
davidsuzuki.org (0) panda.org (0) mfe.govt.nz (0) ec.gc.ca (0) exploratorium.edu (0) climatechange.com.au (0)
greenpeace.org (0) climatechallenge.gov.uk (0) guardian.co.uk (0) iisd.org (0) g8.gov.uk (0) campaigncc.org (2)
foe.co.uk (0) state.gov (0) scidev.net (0) eea.europa.eu (0) whoi.edu (0) cbc.ca (0) energy.gov (0)
marshall.org (4) climateark.org (1) un.org (0) dar.csiro.au (0) theglobeandmail.com (0) acfonline.org.au (0)
gcrio.org (0) nature.com (0) grida.no (0) nature.org (0) ecokids.ca (0) royalsoc.ac.uk (0)
climatechangecentral.com (0) iea.org (0) ecn.ac.uk (0) ecy.wa.gov (0) worldwildlife.org (0)
realclimate.org (27) faqs.org (0) metoffice.gov.uk (0)
open2.net (0) scienceagogo.com (0) eldis.org (0) ft.com (0) who.int (0) climatecrisis.net (0) ltscotland.org.uk (0)
abc.net.au (0) climatechange.ca.gov (0) envirolink.org (0) mofa.go.jp (0) sourcewatch.org (0) iucn.org (0)
dfat.gov.au (0) ncdc.noaa.gov (0) climatescience.gov (0) climatechangecollege.org (0) ciel.org (0) ucar.edu (0)
Source_google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“Willie Soon” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Bram
Method_Search for query “Willie Soon” in top 100. Organized in order. Nijhof, Richard Rogers and Laura van der
Tools_Google Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Vlies. Design_Anne Helmond.
Date_30 July 2007 CLIMATE CHANGE
SCEPTICS
CC_BY:NC:SA
43. 4. THE SPHERES
How are they often studied? Blogs as new genre, as news and as empowering voice.
Blogs as 'genre' (recognizable with reverse chronology), and
constructed / reified as genre by software.
Blogosphere as parasitic on news, and obsessed with MSM.
Blogs and blogosphere as organizers of voice (Sony DRM) and
authenticator of voice (Iraqi bloggers).
'Web sphere' as a 'special collection' of archived sites made by
editors around events, e.g. 9/11 collection, Tsunami collection.
44. 4. THE SPHERES
How else to study them? As engine-demarcated spaces with qualities.
Capture engine results.
Approached in terms of comparative media studies, or
cross-spherical analysis. Compare engine results across spheres.
Inquire into qualities of the results per sphere: blogosphere,
Websphere, newssphere, tagosphere, etc.
45. Issue Animals Hierarchy in the News (Google News)
Research Question_For the issue of climate change, how prominent is
each animal (in text and image)? Are there significant differences per
'sphere' (web, news, blogosphere) in the frequency with which each
animal is referenced?
Findings_In the news, for a text query, the polar bear is the animal most
associated with climate change, followed by the cow.
puffin pika sea turtle
eagle cow whale crane
dolphin polar bear frog
walrus tiger elephant panda
penguin orangutan
marmot red fox
Source_news.google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“climate change” + “animal x” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Esther
Tools_Google News Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Weltevrede and Sabine Niederer. Design_by
Date_15 July 2007 Esther Weltevrede, Sabine Niederer and Anne
Helmond.
ISSUE ANIMALS
CC_BY:NC:SA
46. Issue Animals Hierarchy in the Blogosphere
Research Question_For the issue of climate change, how prominent is
each animal (in text and image)? Are there significant differences per
'sphere' (web, news, blogosphere) in the frequency with which each
animal is referenced?
Findings_In the blogosphere, for a text query, the polar bear is the animal
most associated with climate change, followed by the cow.
cow
puffin pika sea turtle
eagle whale crane
dolphin polar bear walrus tiger elephant panda
frog
penguin orangutan
marmot red fox
Source_search.technorati.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“climate change” + “animal x” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Esther
Authority_a little Weltevrede and Sabine Niederer. Design_by
Tools_Technorati Scraper and Tag Cloud Generator Esther Weltevrede, Sabine Niederer and Anne
Date_17 July 2007 Helmond.
ISSUE ANIMALS
CC_BY:NC:SA
47. Issue Animals Hierarchy on the Web (Google)
Research Question_For the issue of climate change, how prominent is
each animal (in text and image)? Are there significant differences per
'sphere' (web, news, blogosphere) in the frequency with which each
animal is referenced?
Findings_On the web, for a text query, results are distributed across all
the animals not particularly favoring one issue animal.
puffin pika sea turtle
eagle cow whale crane
dolphin polar bear frog
walrus tiger elephant panda
penguin orangutan
marmot red fox
Source_www.google.com Product_of the Digital Methods Initiative,
Query_“climate change” + scrape top 100 results for “animal x” dmi.mediastudies.nl. Analysis_by Esther
Tools_Google Scraper, Compare Lists and Tag Cloud Generator Weltevrede and Sabine Niederer. Design_by
Date_15 July 2007 Esther Weltevrede, Sabine Niederer and Anne
Helmond.
ISSUE ANIMALS
CC_BY:NC:SA
48. 5. THE WEBS
How is the Web often studied? Without the plural.
In the singular.
As cyberspace, as a technical infrastructure which gives rise
to place-less-ness.
As a separate space.
49. 5. THE WEBS
How else may they be studied? As national Webs that are telling
Through a recognition of IP address location technology.
The emergence of national Webs, also being archived as such.
Diagnose the condition of a country through its Web.
50. THE WEB IS GROUNDED
Content is served according to one's IP address
51. DIAGNOSING THE CONDITION
OF A NATIONAL WEB
METHODS FOR DEMARCATING NATIONAL WEBS
1. Demarcate national Web
By domain name, language, IP range, Whois
For domain-level demarcation of a national web,
see http://generatenational.net
52.
53. DIAGNOSING THE CONDITION
OF A NATIONAL WEB
METHODS FOR DIAGNOSING NATIONAL WEBS
2. Diagnose condition of a national Web
a. 'Youthfulness' (freshness through datestamps)
b. 'Brokenness' (link validators)
c. 'Cohesiveness' (linking to other national sites)
d. 'Datedness' (software versions running)
e. 'Dated users' (browser versions of users)
54. Query: Number of results available per TLD served by Google Region Search
Method: Query all quot;site:ccTLDquot; and all quot;site:gTLDquot; in United States Google
The World according to Google III Region search with GoogleScraper
United States Domain Topology Digital Methods Initiative
09 August
08
Map generated by tools.digitalmethods.net
.COM (6730000000) .ORG (1630000000) .NET (1330000000)
.EDU (270000000) .GOV (171000000) .US (166000000) .INFO (93500000) .BIZ (37700000) .TV (36100000) .WS (20300000) .CC (19400000) .NU (7310000) .MIL (4530000)
.EU (3010000) .FM (2800000) .INT (2760000) .TRAVEL (1750000) .MOBI (1750000) .LA (1730000) .TK (1390000) .NAME (1310000) .CAT (1030000) .BZ (804000) .SU (528000) .MS (425000)
.CD (415000) .COOP (334000) .AD (284000) .PRO (261000) .ASIA (214000) .SC (214000) .AS (188000) .IM (167000) .AERO (129000) .AC (114000) .JE (59600) .DJ (48400)
.MUSEUM (47300) .GG (42900) .SR (42600) .JOBS (20800) .TP (7180) .AX (4950) .TEL (5) .CA (3) .HU (2) .UK (2) .ID (1) .NL (1) .IN (1) .BR (1) .DE (1) .TO (1)