iReport Critique

Like about the site: I like how the site allows for users to record their own footage of breaking news stories on the site and send it to CNN for the chance to have it put onto the website for public viewing. It gives regular internet users the ability to become widely known throughout the community of people who view CNN on a regular bases. I also feel that the ability to connect with social media (no matter how much I hate social media), is a good thing as to allow for those who don't necessarily view CNN on a regular bases to see the video's that you make and get onto the site.

While I didn't at all expect it to be, the process in which one must take to upload their story is very easy. It takes the inclusion of a chosen headline to the video or images, a description of the story itself, the actual file that holds the media, and the option to include a location of where the information was retrieved. The option to make the story labeled as "Discretion advised" is also available.

Dislike about the site: I don't like the location services of the site. I don't like the information that any given website is able to retrieve from a person or their computer just by being connected to the internet and being on the web page. To me, it seems like a breach of privacy to the internet user. I feel that the location service should be initiated if a user actually submits a video to the site. I also feel that while the assignments are a good idea, they could be a more easily worded as to what the person should be specifically looking to record or capture images of.

In one assignment I looked at, it was stated, "Share your photos and video of what is happening, if you are able to do so from a safe location." This assignment was titled, "Protesters occupy Taiwan Legislature" and instructed people to possibly put themselves into danger in order to retrieve their recordings for the assignment. I think that assignments that could potentially cause people harm should not be assignments that require people to go into the action itself, but more of an assignment that allows for people to submit their opinions of the story and get the chance to be put onto the site that way.

Is it a good idea?: I think the purpose of the site is a great idea. It's gives what people who are identified by the public as a normal citizen the opportunity to become known with just the use of the internet and a video recording device. It gives a chance to those who wouldn't normally get a chance. It just needs to be modified to allow for those who aren't very internet savvy to be able to more easily find the assignments and post their "stories".