Events
CAFe Speaker Series: The Uniqueness of Un-Original Objects: Forensic Analysis of Digital Copies
Event Start Date: Wednesday, April 5, 2023 - 12:00 pm
Event End Date: Wednesday, April 5, 2023 - 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual EST
In a digital sea of apparent sameness, distinction may appear hard to come by. Yet even the most exact digital copies often carry subtle traces of their unique paths through time and space. In this talk, James Hodges explores the materiality of digital duplication with a series of case studies drawn from recent work. From recovering traces of uncredited labor to exposing coordinated misinformation campaigns, Hodges shows the value in preserving and comparing numerous copies of the same digital object.
The talk begins by introducing a mixed-method interpretive/computational framework that Hodges applies in the case studies that follow. Initially designed for analyzing software from the 1980s, the methodology gradually builds in complexity and scope to address newer and more complicated digital objects. Case studies include unreleased video games, pirate software, medical devices, and online hoaxes.
Taken together, the findings from these case studies build towards a taxonomy of forensic features, with potential application as a heuristic for future analysis. As such, the talk concludes with discussion of two forthcoming articles in which Hodges proposes a new multifaceted model for understanding the varied manifestations of uniqueness in unoriginal objects.
Speaker:
James A. Hodges, Assistant Professor, San Jose State University School of Information
Dr. Hodges studies the evidentiary value of digital objects, using methods from digital forensics and an approach informed by media archaeology. By reverse-engineering digital objects, James reveals the contours of uncredited labor and secretive collaborations behind their production and circulation. He is currently Assistant Professor at San José State University School of Information, Senior Book Reviews Editor at Information & Culture, and Junior Fellow in the Mellon Society of Fellows in Critical Bibliography.
Virtual ESTIn a digital sea of apparent sameness, distinction may appear hard to come by. Yet even the most exact digital copies often carry subtle traces of their unique paths through time and space. In this talk, James Hodges explores the materiality of digital duplication with a series of case studies drawn from recent work. From recovering traces of uncredited labor to exposing coordinated misinformation campaigns, Hodges shows the value in preserving and comparing numerous copies of the same digital object.
The talk begins by introducing a mixed-method interpretive/computational framework that Hodges applies in the case studies that follow. Initially designed for analyzing software from the 1980s, the methodology gradually builds in complexity and scope to address newer and more complicated digital objects. Case studies include unreleased video games, pirate software, medical devices, and online hoaxes.
Taken together, the findings from these case studies build towards a taxonomy of forensic features, with potential application as a heuristic for future analysis. As such, the talk concludes with discussion of two forthcoming articles in which Hodges proposes a new multifaceted model for understanding the varied manifestations of uniqueness in unoriginal objects.
Speaker:
James A. Hodges, Assistant Professor, San Jose State University School of Information
Dr. Hodges studies the evidentiary value of digital objects, using methods from digital forensics and an approach informed by media archaeology. By reverse-engineering digital objects, James reveals the contours of uncredited labor and secretive collaborations behind their production and circulation. He is currently Assistant Professor at San José State University School of Information, Senior Book Reviews Editor at Information & Culture, and Junior Fellow in the Mellon Society of Fellows in Critical Bibliography.