Author Archives: Dan Burns

About Dan Burns

Studying teaching, media studies, and literary studies at Deakin University. Working in events and AOD harm reduction. Passionate about music and snowboarding. Special interests include environmentalism, ending inequity, and animal rights. My words reflect my own opinions.

When a Stranger Video Calls

Posted on September 28, 2017 by Dan Burns

Video & blog post by Antuua, Angela Ferdinands, Dan Burns & Gibran Mohammad Raihan

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“Hacking is our weapon”: digital surveillance implications in Watch Dogs (2014)

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Dan Burns

I wrote this in 2014, but it seems rather relevant even today. I hope you enjoy it.

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I’m (digital) Batman!

Posted on September 9, 2017 by Dan Burns

Doxing (or doxxing) is the act of publicly sharing identifying information of a person or persons online, without consent (Mcmahon, Bressler & Bressler 2016, p.29). The doxers obtain personal information from a variety of sources, including public records, personal accounts, … Continue reading →

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Who watches the watchmen?

Posted on August 9, 2017 by Dan Burns

***Content warning: As this piece is dealing with issues of police misconduct, some of the content embedded or hyperlinked will be distressing to some viewers.*** The increased availability of video recording devices, including the rise of smart phones, has given … Continue reading →

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A response to ‘Snowden’ (2016)

Posted on August 6, 2017 by Dan Burns

Tonight I watched the 2016 biopic Snowden on Netflix. If you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend it (and check out the documentary Citizenfour [2014] while you’re at it) While enjoying Oliver Stone’s creative film making, it was hard to suspend reality … Continue reading →

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Smart phones: Convenience vs privacy

Posted on August 4, 2017 by Dan Burns

  Where is the line to be drawn between convenience, and the potential breach of human privacy? It’s a fine line we tread as we use unlock our phones with fingerprints, or wake up Siri with a voice command. And … Continue reading →

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What is the impact of social media as a tool for revolution?

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Dan Burns

Well, I just had checked in on my WordPress blog and found that it was exactly one year today since my last post. Sorry for neglecting you, WordPress! I’ve been blogging a little on Medium for my Globalisation and the … Continue reading →

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Online dating hook-up culture

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Dan Burns

I approached this video with a wide variety of ideas for what I might create, from an instructional video for online dating, to filming practical exercise in hooking up with someone through OKCupid. With time, technology, and lighting constraints I … Continue reading →

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How do prophecies of the past inform the present in The Waste Land?

Posted on September 15, 2014 by Dan Burns

I recently completed the most challenging analysis of a text that I have ever had to complete. It took me at least a week to research and plan, followed by approximately four days of intermittent writing. I started from a … Continue reading →

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My digital selves: who am I online?

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Dan Burns

In 2013 I attended an information session prior to completing my first placement as part of my teaching degree. The part of that session that stuck in my mind was the two or three minutes spent discussing our online presence … Continue reading →

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