DOCSLIB.ORG

The Archival Trustworthiness of Digital Photographs

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Archival Trustworthiness of Digital Photographs THE ARCHIVAL TRUSTWORTHINESS OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS IN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS by JESSICA BUSHEY MAS, The University of British Columbia, 2005 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Library, Archival and Information Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) April 2016 © Jessica Bushey, 2016 Abstract No longer objects held in the hand, photographs are streams of bits, shared instantaneously across screens. From selfies to war reportage, the widespread use of smartphones for taking digital photographs and transmitting them to social media platforms is introducing new social practices, technological processes and legal contexts for record-making and recordkeeping, which impact the trustworthiness of digital photographs. This dissertation investigates current information practices by individuals for creating, managing, sharing and storing digital photographs. The research focuses on the factors that support or hinder the reliability, accuracy and authenticity of digital photographs. Using a qualitative research design, it explores how individuals’ activities and perceptions impact the value of digital photographs held in social media platforms as potential records to be acquired and preserved by archival institutions. A web-based survey reached social media members worldwide, and semi-structured interviews gathered in-depth data from a sample of survey participants. The research found that individuals are members of multiple social media platforms and are actively sharing large quantities of personal digital photographs with friends, social media communities and the open Web. It also revealed that individuals are adding contextual information to their digital photographs, before and after upload to social media platforms, for the purposes of communicating the intent of the photographer and the meaning of the photograph, and of participating in storytelling; however, the procedures for managing and storing user-generated content performed by social media services place the digital photographs ii and their associated metadata at significant risk of alteration and loss. The research found that the policies of social media services are buried within complex Terms of Use that few members read, introducing the potential for individuals to accumulate personal digital collections or archives online without understanding the extent of ownership, privacy, reuse, and future access. The research found that individuals’ attribute long-term value to the copies of digital photographs held on their personal devices prior to sharing online; whereas, the copies circulated in social media platforms are ephemeral, quickly consumed and then forgotten. Individuals have not made plans to delete, transfer or preserve collections of photographs held within social media services. iii Preface This dissertation is original, independent work by the author, Jessica Bushey. A version of Chapter 2, Section 2.3.2.1 has been published. Bushey, Jessica. (2014) “Convergence, Connectivity, Performance and the Ephemeral: New Characteristics of Digital Photographs.” Archives & Manuscripts 42 (1): 33-47. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, http://www.tandfonline.com. A version of Chapter 2, Sections 2.3.2.2 and 2.4 has been published. Bushey, Jessica. (2015) “Trustworthy Citizen-generated Images and Video on Social Media Platforms.” In Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS) Proceedings, 5-8 January, 1553-1564. Kauai, Hawaii, IEEE Computer Society. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. ©IEEE Computer Society. Data collection reported in Chapters 4 and 5 is covered by UBC Ethics Certificate H14-00546. iv Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... ii Preface ........................................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ...........................................................................................................................v List of Tables ..................................................................................................................................x List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... xi List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................................. xiii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... xiv Dedication .....................................................................................................................................xv Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................1 1.1 Overview ........................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Identification of the Research Problem ......................................................................... 5 1.3 Research Questions ........................................................................................................ 14 1.4 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................. 16 1.5 Dissertation Structure ................................................................................................... 19 Chapter 2: Literature Review .....................................................................................................21 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 21 2.2 Archival Diplomatics ..................................................................................................... 22 2.2.1 Theoretical Foundations............................................................................................ 23 2.2.2 Previous Research ..................................................................................................... 29 2.2.2.1 Archival Diplomatic Analysis of Photographs .................................................. 29 2.2.2.2 Visual Literacy and Archival Photographs ........................................................ 38 2.2.2.3 Curation of Online Photographs Collections ..................................................... 43 v 2.3 Photography ................................................................................................................... 48 2.3.1 Theoretical Foundations............................................................................................ 48 2.3.1.1 Chemical Photography ....................................................................................... 49 2.3.1.2 Digital Photography ........................................................................................... 57 2.3.2 Previous Research ..................................................................................................... 59 2.3.2.1 Personal Digital Photography ............................................................................ 60 2.3.2.1.1 Media Convergence .................................................................................... 63 2.3.2.1.2 Connectivity ................................................................................................ 64 2.3.2.1.3 Ephemerality ............................................................................................... 66 2.3.2.1.4 Performance ................................................................................................ 68 2.3.2.2 Professional Digital Photography and Evidencing Practices ............................. 70 2.4 Photography and the Law ............................................................................................. 77 2.4.1 The Law of Evidence and Photography .................................................................... 77 2.4.2 Literature and Case Law on Digital Evidence and Social Media Photographs ........ 87 2.4.3 Social Media Services Contracts – Terms of Use ..................................................... 92 2.5 Summary ......................................................................................................................... 98 Chapter 3: Research Design ......................................................................................................100 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 100 3.2 Archival Science ........................................................................................................... 100 3.3 Postmodernist Critique of the Positivist Archival Paradigm .................................. 103 3.4 Interpretivism and Archival Science .......................................................................... 106 3.5 Research Plan ............................................................................................................... 110 3.5.1 Worldview – Interpretivism .................................................................................... 111 vi 3.5.2 Strategy ..................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Sample Manuscript Showing Specifications and Style
    Information capacity: a measure of potential image quality of a digital camera Frédéric Cao 1, Frédéric Guichard, Hervé Hornung DxO Labs, 3 rue Nationale, 92100 Boulogne Billancourt, FRANCE ABSTRACT The aim of the paper is to define an objective measurement for evaluating the performance of a digital camera. The challenge is to mix different flaws involving geometry (as distortion or lateral chromatic aberrations), light (as luminance and color shading), or statistical phenomena (as noise). We introduce the concept of information capacity that accounts for all the main defects than can be observed in digital images, and that can be due either to the optics or to the sensor. The information capacity describes the potential of the camera to produce good images. In particular, digital processing can correct some flaws (like distortion). Our definition of information takes possible correction into account and the fact that processing can neither retrieve lost information nor create some. This paper extends some of our previous work where the information capacity was only defined for RAW sensors. The concept is extended for cameras with optical defects as distortion, lateral and longitudinal chromatic aberration or lens shading. Keywords: digital photography, image quality evaluation, optical aberration, information capacity, camera performance database 1. INTRODUCTION The evaluation of a digital camera is a key factor for customers, whether they are vendors or final customers. It relies on many different factors as the presence or not of some functionalities, ergonomic, price, or image quality. Each separate criterion is itself quite complex to evaluate, and depends on many different factors. The case of image quality is a good illustration of this topic.
    [Show full text]
  • Street Photography: Capturing Fleeting Moments in Everyday Life Instructor: Neal Menschel, Photojournalist/Photographer
    Street Photography: Capturing Fleeting Moments in Everyday Life Instructor: Neal Menschel, Photojournalist/Photographer This is a six-week course meeting every Monday from 7 PM to 9:30 PM beginning on March 30th through May 4th. I will be available after each class for questions, and in between sessions via email. There will be two field trips for this class, both on Saturdays one in Palo Alto on April 11th and the second one in San Francisco on April 25th. There are no required texts for this course, however the instructor requests that students take some time to specifically look for examples of street photography. A list of four street photographers with internet links will be emailed shortly after registration. This will be considered your first assignment. Materials Requirements: • A digital camera, preferably a DSLR. • Either a wide angle to telephoto zoom or at least two lenses, a wide angle and a short telephoto. Ideally you should have the capacity of a wide angle going from at least 28mm, to a short telephoto of somewhere around 80 to 135mm. These are 35 mm film equivalents. • Camera flash cards with at least 8 gigs of memory. • Lap top, or access to a computer with simple photo editing capabilities. Examples might be Apple Aperture or iPhoto, Adobe Light Room, and there are many others. • 4 to 8 gig portable thumb drive. • A shoe mount flash is handy but not necessary. If there are any questions or need for clarification you can email the instructor. Requirements for a Letter Grade and/or Credit: • No Grade Requested (NGR): This is the default option.
    [Show full text]
  • Law and the Emerging Profession of Photography in the Nineteenth-Century United States
    Photography Distinguishes Itself: Law and the Emerging Profession of Photography in the Nineteenth-Century United States Lynn Berger Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy under the Executive Committee of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2016 © 2016 Lynn Berger All rights reserved ABSTRACT Photography Distinguishes Itself: Law and the Emerging Profession of Photography in the 19th Century United States Lynn Berger This dissertation examines the role of the law in the development of photography in nineteenth century America, both as a technology and as a profession. My central thesis is that the social construction of technology and the definition of the photographic profession were interrelated processes, in which legislation and litigation were key factors: I investigate this thesis through three case studies that each deal with a (legal) controversy surrounding the new medium of photography in the second half of the nineteenth century. Section 1, “Peer Production” at Mid-Century, examines the role of another relatively new medium in the nineteenth century – the periodical press – in forming, defining, and sustaining a nation-wide community of photographers, a community of practice. It argues that photography was in some ways similar to what we would today recognize as a “peer produced” technology, and that the photographic trade press, which first emerged in the early 1850s, was instrumental in fostering knowledge sharing and open innovation among photographers. It also, from time to time, served as a site for activism, as I show in a case study of the organized resistance against James A.
    [Show full text]
  • Street Photography and the Law
    Street photography and the law When you're out on the street it's important to know your rights, says Tracy Calder. Follow our tips, and you'll be well on your way to staying safe and streetwise The laws regarding street photography can sometimes seem nonsensical, but if you follow our basic guidelines you stand a much better chance of staying on the straight and narrow – and taking some great pictures too. The tips that follow are intended for shooting on UK streets, but much of the advice is also relevant to non- UK cities and towns – just check the local laws before you head off. Be prepared to explain yourself If you are questioned by a member of the public, try to remain respectful and be prepared to explain yourself. Most people will question your motives out of sheer curiosity or fear, so don’t be too quick to judge. If someone suggests that you are breaking the law (and you know otherwise), ask for clarification and calmly, but firmly, state your case. Don’t become confrontational. Know your rights Police officers have the right to stop and search you if they believe you are in possession of items that might be used to commit a crime (in particular, an act of terrorism). Security guards, on the other hand, do not have the same rights, and neither party can seize your equipment or demand that you delete your images, unless you are under arrest. What’s more, security guards cannot legally stop you from taking pictures on public property, and if they try to remove you or your equipment they are committing an offence.
    [Show full text]
  • Research Repository
    RESEARCH REPOSITORY This is the author’s final version of the work, as accepted for publication following peer review but without the publisher’s layout or pagination. The definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/466624 Miller, T. (1995) A short history of the penis. Social Text (43). pp. 1-26. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/39914/ Copyright: © 1995 Duke University Press It is posted here for your personal use. No further distribution is permitted. 1995 “A Short History of the Penis.” Social Text 43: 1-26. cism, the encouragement of violence through the fear of castration, and the development and sustenance of nationalistic chauvinism, men's sport is now something significantly more, a useful place to do cultural analysis. Sport has been isolated as a site of the "expression of sexuality in men" (Reekie 33). As Alice Jardine notes, the last twenty years of gender criti- cism directs men to address a number of issues. In calling on them to be "talking your body, not talking about it," she presents a research program that looks at men and war, men and textual representation, and men and sport as its axes of concern (Jardine 61). This does not have to be a self- lacerating experience for men. It might, in fact, even leaven such processes. For while pain is a crucial component of most sports, sporting pain that is produced directly from contact with other bodies remains as gendered (male) as it is violent (Synnott 166). Despite its fashionability within left, feminist, and postcolonial literary theory, "the body" is of minimal interest to theorists when it plays sport.
    [Show full text]
  • Photographer's Right 2
    WORLDWIDE PHOTOGRAPHER’S RIGHTS Photo © Doug Edition 2 - September 2012 This is a free resource on privacy laws in relation to street photography. This is not intended as a replacement for legal advice , but as a general overview and relevant links to websites. Laws do change though, so make your own enquiries before taking photos. Errors and omissions may exist in this information. Artwork © Jonathan Warren http://photographernotaterrorist.org/ Notes: Compiled by Doug (www.dougnz.deviantart.com) with the assistance of my friends from the photography community at www.deviantart.com Thanks to Khuram, Mary, Ola, Alphan, Will, Anja, Nuno, Annieta, George, Jo, Grant, Katarzyna, Aaron, Alessandra, Itsiko, Navid, Damien, LiveMynd, George and Efrat If you have relevant info on countries not listed or have noticed errors, then please send a short and concise note to [email protected] with a link to a reputable webpage for confirmation. This may be added to the booklet in a future edition. Check http://dougnz.deviantart.com/gallery/38878298 for the latest edition of this booklet. For some of the best street photography, photojournalism, world and people photography visit these sites: http://thecorrespondent.deviantart.com/ http://thestreetfactor.deviantart.com/ http://the-yard-collective.deviantart.com/ http://earth-scriptures.deviantart.com/ http://streetsnapshots.deviantart.com/ http://thestreetjournal.deviantart.com/ http://portrait-parables.deviantart.com/ http://progressive-street.deviantart.com/ General: Free ‘Photographer’s Rights’ app for iPhones and iPads by Pietro Zuco http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/photographers-rights/id458324345?ls=1&mt=8 Foreign & Commonwealth Office (UK) advice by country http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/ Select the country then ‘Local Laws and Customs’.
    [Show full text]
  • The Art Photographer's Latent Struggle with Obscenity Standards
    Elaine Wang Law and the Visual Arts Fall 2005 EQUAL PROTECTION IN THE WORLD OF ART AND OBSCENITY : THE ART PHOTOGRAPHER ’S LATENT STRUGGLE WITH OBSCENITY STANDARDS IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICA Abstract In the realm of obscenity law in the United States, photography as an art form is not on equal footi ng with more traditional art forms such as painting, drawing, and sculpture. This is a latent dilemma for artistic photographers because the law itself – in the form of state obscenity laws and the Supreme Court’s three -pronged test in Miller v. California – does not explicitly set forth varied standards of obscenity based on artistic medium. However, given the marginalization of photography in art history, there exists a bias against photography as “serious art.” Furthermore, evidence of the differentia l treatment of photography in areas of the law outside of obscenity affect the law’s approach to photography within the realm of obscenity. Finally, the nature of photography as a multi -functional medium that is perceived as capturing objective truth is more readily offensive to the viewer because sexually explicit images seem inherently more “real.” As a result, the photographer as artist seems to be more restricted than the painter or sculptor when it comes to creating sexually explicit artwork. Yet if photography is indeed a valid art form, the photographer, simply because he or she photographs rather than paints or sculpts, should not be subjected to a higher tendency of courts and audiences to deem a sexually explicit photograph more readily obscene than a sexually explicit painting, drawing, or sculpture.
    [Show full text]
  • DXOMARK Objective Video Quality Measurements
    https://doi.org/10.2352/ISSN.2470-1173.2020.9.IQSP-166 © 2020, Society for Imaging Science and Technology DXOMARK Objective Video Quality Measurements Emilie Baudin1, Franc¸ois-Xavier Bucher2, Laurent Chanas1 and Fred´ eric´ Guichard1 1: DXOMARK, Boulogne-Billancourt, France 2: Apple, Cupertino, CA, USA Abstract thus they cannot be considered comprehensive video quality mea- Video capture is becoming more and more widespread. The surement protocols. Temporal aspects of video quality begin to be technical advances of consumer devices have led to improved studied; for instance, a perceptual study of auto-exposure adapta- video quality and to a variety of new use cases presented by so- tion has been presented by Oh et al. [8]. To the best of our knowl- cial media and artificial intelligence applications. Device man- edge, there is not as yet a measurement protocol with correlation ufacturers and users alike need to be able to compare different to subjective perception for video image quality. cameras. These devices may be smartphones, automotive com- The goal of this work is to provide a measurement protocol ponents, surveillance equipment, DSLRs, drones, action cameras, for the objective evaluation of video quality that reliably allows to etc. While quality standards and measurement protocols exist for compare different cameras. It should allow to automatically rank still images, there is still a need of measurement protocols for cameras in the same order a final user would do it. In this article, video quality. These need to include parts that are non-trivially we focus on three temporal metrics: exposure convergence, color adapted from photo protocols, particularly concerning the tem- convergence, and temporal visual noise.
    [Show full text]
  • Lectures, Writings, Manuscripts Ag
    FINDING AID FOR LECTURES, WRITINGS, MANUSCRIPTS AG 101 Center for Creative Photography University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721-0103 For further information about the archives at the Center for Creative Photography, please contact the Archivist: phone 520-621-6273; fax 520-621-9444 DESCRIPTION This collection contains written materials in various formats documenting the lives and careers of photographers as well as subjects relating to the field of photography. Each group of materials is described separately. The collection is active. 1 linear foot PROVENANCE Materials acquired from miscellaneous sources. RESTRICTIONS Photocopying unpublished material is not allowed without the permission of the author. Other restrictions may apply. See the Archivist for information. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission from the copyright owner (which could be the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates or literary executors) prior to any copyright-protected uses of the collection. The user agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents, the University of Arizona, Center of Creative Photography, including its officers, employees, and agents, from and against all claims made relating to copyright or other intellectual property infringement. Subgroup 1 Photocopy of Ph.D. dissertation by Joel Stewart Zuker titled Ralph Steiner: Filmmaker and Still Photographer, June, 1976. A study of the career and photographic achievements of Ralph Steiner (1899-1986), photographer and filmmaker. 453 pages, with illustrations and appendices. Gift of Joel Stewart Zuker, 1984. 5 folders. Lectures, Writings, Manuscripts; Center for Creative Photography; The University of Arizona 1 Subgroup 2 Original handwritten poem, "Blue Gentians," by F.H.K., Cambridge, Massachusetts, 6 December 1908, dedicated to Laura S.
    [Show full text]
  • Westminsterresearch Fiction and The
    WestminsterResearch http://www.westminster.ac.uk/westminsterresearch Fiction and the Reaction to Photography: Literalism, the Law and the Conditions and the Control of Reading from the Invention of Photography to the 1920s Mehmi, S. This is an electronic version of a PhD thesis awarded by the University of Westminster. © Mr Suneel Mehmi, 2019. The WestminsterResearch online digital archive at the University of Westminster aims to make the research output of the University available to a wider audience. Copyright and Moral Rights remain with the authors and/or copyright owners. Whilst further distribution of specific materials from within this archive is forbidden, you may freely distribute the URL of WestminsterResearch: ((http://westminsterresearch.wmin.ac.uk/). In case of abuse or copyright appearing without permission e-mail [email protected] FICTION AND THE REACTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY: LITERALISM, THE LAW AND THE CONDITIONS AND THE CONTROL OF READING FROM THE INVENTION OF PHOTOGRAPHY TO THE 1920S SUNEEL MEHMI A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Westminster for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy January 2019 ABSTRACT This thesis aims to investigate how reading is related to photography and the law in mainly English but also some American fiction from the mid-nineteenth century to the end of the 1920s. I contend that late nineteenth- to early twentieth-century fiction creates an opposition between photography and the law in order to discipline its readers in certain kinds of reading practice. I see photography used in the fiction as a subversive, contrary form of seeing and reading associated with perceived outsiders and literalism and as a foil used to delineate ideas of legitimacy and authorised and acceptable reading practices.
    [Show full text]
  • Ebook-1K-Stock-Photography.Pdf
    TABLE OF CONTENTS Stock photography explained & HOW TO MAKE YOUR FIRST $1,000 .......................................................7 Stock Photography and the Dynamics of the Industry ..............................................................................7 Advantages and Disadvantages of Stock Photography ..............................................................................7 Types of Stock Photography .................................................................................................................................8 Royalty-Free..........................................................................................................................................................8 Royalty-Managed ................................................................................................................................................8 Exclusive .................................................................................................................................................................9 Non-Exclusive .....................................................................................................................................................9 Making Up Your Mind ..............................................................................................................................................9 Dealing with Rejections .......................................................................................................................................10 So How Long
    [Show full text]
  • MAC 323 PHOTOJOURNALISM COURSE WRITER Mrs Ademuyiwa Simbiat School of Arts and Social Sciences National Open University of Nigeria, Victoria Island, Lagos
    COURSE GUIDE MAC 323 PHOTOJOURNALISM COURSE WRITER Mrs Ademuyiwa Simbiat School of Arts and Social Sciences National Open University of Nigeria, Victoria Island, Lagos EDITOR HEAD OF UNIT Jonathan E. Aliede, Ph.D. School of Arts and Social Sciences National Open University of Nigeria, Victoria Island, Lagos NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA National Open University of Nigeria Headquarters 14/16 Ahmadu Bello Way Victoria Island Lagos Abuja Office National Open University of Nigeria 5, Dar Es Salaam Street, Off Aminu Kano Crescent Wuse II, Abuja Nigeria e-mail: [email protected] URL: www.nou.edu.ng Published by National Open University of Nigeria Printed ISBN: All Rights Reserved MAC323 Course Guide Introduction....................................................................................................... 1 Course Aims...................................................................................................... 1 Course Objectives.............................................................................................. 1 Working through this Course............................................................................ 2 Course Materials................................................................................................ 2 Study Units.......................................................................... ..............................2 Textbooks and References................................................................................. 3 Assessment.......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]