Digital Communication, Media Theory, and Online Environments

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering digital communication milestones, web evolution, media theory, platform mechanics, and documentary findings.

ARPANET (1969)

A computer network created in 1969 by ARPA researchers from the U.S. Department of Defense that linked university computers via telephone lines, establishing the cornerstone of the Internet's infrastructure.

Microprocessor

Miniature circuits introduced in the 1970s that process and store digital electronic signals, making computers smaller and fueling home computer ownership in the 1980s.

Distributed Network

A network topology developed in early 1960s communication models where stations are interconnected without a single central hub, preventing system-wide failure if one node is disabled.

Transistor (1947)

A foundational electronic component invented in 1947 that amplified and switched electrical signals, serving as a key early milestone on the road to the digital era.

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)

A digital coding language developed in 1990 by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN that allowed files on the Internet to link to one another, creating the World Wide Web.

World Wide Web

A data-linking system developed to organize and standardize information on the Internet, allowing computer-accessed files to associate with or link to other information across the global network.

Broadband

Data transmission conducted over fiber-optic cable using signaling methods that handle a wide range of frequencies, enabling fast download and upload speeds.

Web 2.0

An interactive, read-write phase of the Internet that enables users to read information, contribute original digital content, and directly engage with others on social networks.

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (1996)

A federal law passed in 1996 protecting companies operating interactive computer services from legal liability for third-party content published on their platforms.

Semantic Web

An organized web structure where pages and databases allow automated algorithms to examine data and generate tailored solutions, such as movie recommendations on Netflix.

Filter Bubbles

Enclosed digital spaces created by online platforms where users are exposed primarily to ideas, news, and opinions that align with their existing personal beliefs.

Confirmation Bias

The psychological tendency to favor and retain information that conforms to preexisting beliefs while ignoring or discounting challenging evidence.

Remix Culture

A society in which individuals express themselves and communicate by mixing, editing, combining, or repurposing pre-existing media content and texts.

Right of Fair Use

A legal doctrine permitting the limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the rights holder, provided the usage does not diminish its market value.

Deepfakes

Manipulated digital videos or images created using advanced software to produce fraudulent, highly convincing portrayals of events or individuals.

Surveillance Capitalism

A digital business model profit-driven by collecting, controlling, and mining the personal data and online habits of millions of users.

Cookies

Small computer files stored on a user's browser that automatically transmit personal data to websites to personalize sessions and track web browsing history.

IP (Internet Protocol) Address

A unique numeric identifier assigned to every device on the Internet, used by data miners to estimate geographic location and identify connected users.

Addictive Design Principles

Software interface features—such as infinite scroll, push notifications, and like buttons—engineered using human behavioral modification research to increase screen time.

Walled Gardens

Closed, curated app ecosystems—such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok—designed to keep users engaged within continuous streams of platform content rather than browsing the open web.

Net Neutrality

The principle asserting that internet service providers must treat all network data equally, offering identical travel speeds and access regardless of content or origin.

Open-Source Software

Noncommercial software whose source code is made freely available for collective modification and enhancement by programmer communities.

Universal Access

The democratic media policy ideal stating that every citizen, regardless of geographic location or income level, should have equal opportunity to utilize communications technology.

Grey Digital Divide

The demographic gap highlighting the difficulties faced by older adults who, despite having physical access to the Internet, feel less comfortable using digital tools than younger age groups.

Gatekeepers

Traditional media decision-makers, including newspaper editors and television executives, who control which messages, news, and cultural products reach the public.

Technological Determinism

The theoretical perspective asserting that media technology autonomously drives cultural change and shapes human social structure.

Cognitive Impact of Multitasking

Empirical research evidence demonstrating that heavy multitaskers are significantly slower and exhibit weaker analytical reasoning due to persistent mental distraction.

Douglas Rushkoff's Distraction Perspective

The theory that digital distraction stems from human emotional expectations rather than code, stating that combatting distraction involves managing the people demanding attention on the other end.

Prof. Mark Bauerlein's Thesis

The assertion that rapid technological advancement outdistances academic research, causing new media habits to spread long before scientists can measure their neurological impacts.

South Korean Internet Rescue Schools

Free two-week government treatment centers established in South Korea to treat internet and video game addiction after classifying it as a psychiatric disorder.

Stanford Virtual Reality Study

A study on human immersion showing that realistic VR convinces the brain of reality, demonstrated when 50% of child participants believed a virtual black and white whale encounter actually happened in real life.