Blog 12 : Final Presentation

        My relationship with technology first started when I was in the fifth grade. My parents surprised my sister and I on Christmas and gifted us with our first iPhone 4’s. My parents were reluctant to give my sister and I phones at such an early age. However, with the transition to middle school, they thought it would be important to communicate with them about our whereabouts. Today, I use technology almost every day. When online  I enjoy using social media, communicating with friends and family members' lives, gathering information, entertainment purposes, and much more. For the most part, I believe my relationship with the media is somewhat healthy. 

        The main social media apps I use are Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook.While using these apps I make sure I am always very mindful about what I am posting. You never know when a post will come around again and whose hands it could get into. This is because every time you post you are leaving behind digital footprints about who you are! When I was younger I felt as though I was more carefree about what I was posting. Now, as I am getting older and soon applying for jobs, I want to look as professional as possible online. Companies today may look at your social media accounts and I see no problem with that. Companies want to make sure they are hiring good people outside of the workplaces and will represent their brand well. 

        Watching the short videos in class about technology was very eye opening. I am torn because I do feel like technology has made such great strides in history. Technology is constantly changing and new devices are being invented each day. I feel that it’s our choice as society members to make the decision on how we are going to deal with it. I try my best to monitor this and not be as attached to my phone. Being too attached to your phone you miss out on quality time and you are not as socially aware of what’s happening in our outside world. We saw this in the “Tears of Fears” video where everyone was too invested in their phones to look up and help with what's happening around them.

        After learning about AI and online privacy this year in class, it has opened my eyes to how much technology truly monitors our lives. Not to mention, making good decisions on what I post and what I should not. Companies are using their technology efforts to gather information about us without us even knowing, which I find very troubling. Sadly, I am confident these issues will continue to play out in the future. Even though laws have been put in place to protect us from this, I feel corporations will not stop. I feel as though this is a sad truth we are going to have to live with for the rest of our lives.

Blog 11 Final : My Relationship with Technology

         My relationship with technology started in the fifth grade when my parents surprised my sister and I with our first iPhones for Christmas. My parents were reluctant to give my sister and I phones at an early age. However, with the transition to middle school, they thought it would be important to communicate with them about our whereabouts. My parents decided quickly with the phone that there were going to be some rules put in place. I think with my parents monitoring my phone use, it allowed me to not be as attached to social media and the internet as I am today. This let me still be a kid and enjoy other activities. It was comforting to know that I could contact parents at any time, and they could see my location. As I became older these restrictions subsided. At the time, I probably gave my parents a hard time about these limitations, but today I am thankful.  When I was younger, I enjoyed being outside, playing with friends, and participating in sports. 

        As I entered my teen years, I heavily relied on my phone. I feel my relationship with technology was healthier when I was younger since I had limitations put in place by my parents. Today I am constantly using technology for school, work, and keeping in contact with friends. I feel as though some younger people have too much free access to their phones. I’m not sure if it’s the world we live in, but it’s concerning. I have learned that having a phone, the media can be a creative place, but it can also be very dark. I feel its important users stay informed of the positive and negative sides to technology, in hopes to ensure their online safety. 

        Today, I am an avid social media user. For the most part, I believe my relationship with the media is healthy. I enjoy being myself online, keeping up to date on other family members' lives, and for entertainment purposes. Sometimes, my parents may say I’m on my phone too much scrolling through TikTok, but I disagree. However, technology has become a major distraction and addiction for some. I feel users today are sometimes too invested in their phones and don’t know how to communicate properly. Being too invested on your phone you lose out on quality time with your loved ones, and you are not as socially aware of what’s happening in our outside world. This lack of quality time disrupts relationships with ones you care about the most. I try my best to monitor this and make sure I am only using my social media accounts during my free time. 

        I investigated my screen time and was shocked to find I recorded almost 4 hours a day on my phone. I expected the number to be slightly lower due to my busy school schedule and I thought I mostly used my phone in the evenings, but apparently, I was wrong. I did some further research to compare my findings and discovered that in the US, teens average screen time can be up to 9 hours! This number is very troubling. I feel as if we have allowed cellphones to control our daily lives. Being too invested we are missing out on what’s truly important in life. According to a Science Daily article called, “We’re not addicted to our smartphones, we’re addicted to social interaction” helped explain this addiction.  In The article it states, “while smartphones harness a normal and healthy need for sociality, Professor Veissiere agrees that the pace and scale of hyper- connectivity pushes the brain’s system to run on overdrive, which can lead to unhealthy addictions” (Science Daily). I think we as society need to do a better job holding ourselves accountable and monitoring our technology use. Technology can be very beneficial when it comes to work aspects, but how much is too much?

        When I’m on the phone, I am usually communicating with friends or on social media. I use social media to stay connected with my friends and family, find information, express my creativity, and much more. The main social media platforms I use are Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. Instagram especially is my favorite app. I enjoy all the excitement and creativity that goes into taking photos for Instagram. However, social media can be an extremely negative outlet for users. A lot of false images are shared amongst the media, which can be damaging to one's mental health. Especially, when it comes to body shaming. Social media has made up this “ideal figure” of what our bodies should look like. I found a Healthline article “body shaming in an age of social media” discussing body shaming in the media. In the article it stated, “Today a teenage girl is inundated with a tsunami of “perfect” body images through their social media feeds.  In addition, people comment on these images, sometimes in disparaging and dismissive tones” (Healthline). I have struggled in the past with social media and wishing I could look like the other social media influencers, but I try to like myself for who I am!  

        Most of the time, users don’t understand that these images are highly photoshopped. Sadly, online influencers sometimes will promote these images or scams. This can make social media such a bad place because these creators are using large platforms and aren’t always promoting good. It could be argued that these influencers are contributing to these dark aspects of the media. Not to mention, how mean people can be online. Sadly, there are people in this world who find pride in bringing others down. Unfortunately, the media has allowed users to do this due to lack of laws and security. One way I try to avoid this is only allowing people and I know follow me. 

        Overall, I am grateful for my access to technology. It has made my life a lot easier in some aspects. But it has also shown me what to avoid. I feel it's important for users to be informed about these issues because once you post something on social media it's out there for good and anyone can use it! Someday I hope to have children of my own, and I know I am going to implement rules as well, just like my parents did. I also try to think about how a picture or post will be interpreted before posting it online. Therefore, I always make sure I am posting appropriate content online because you never know when it will come around and whose hands it can get into. Especially when applying for jobs! Today a lot of companies may ask you for your social media accounts. I don't believe that is asking too much of you. Companies want to make sure you are a good person outside of the work environment and will represent their brand well. Therefore, as I prepare to enter the workforce, I will be mindful that my digital footprint will encourage and promote health and positivity.

 

 

Sources:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180307141337.htm

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/body-shaming-in-social-media#A-difficult-challenge

Blog 10 : EOTO Presentations What I learned

         Today in class we listened to our second round of EOTO presentations. I thought all of the presentations were well prepared and interesting to listen to. I especially liked how one group's topic was the idea of “whistle-blowing”. I learned whistle blowing is when someone “blows the whistle” about a person or group about corrupt activity. I did some further research and according to the National Whistleblower Center, a whistleblower is “someone who reports waste, fraud, abuse, corruption, or danger to public health and safety to someone who is in the position to rectify the wrongdoing” (National Whistleblower Center). I learned that the whistleblower actually works within the organization or firm where these problems are taking place. Therefore, these problems or concerns cause them later to spill. While listening, I learned whistle blowing can be both positive and negative for the whistleblower.  Whistle blowing can help give people more power over the government and it also keeps our country safe and informed. However, blowing the whistle involves dangerous information which could get you in trouble or be targeted by the government. I decided to research famous whistleblowing cases and found a case about a former employee for Facebook.

        Frances Haugen worked for Facebook for several years and knew the research they were conducting was wrong. According to an NPR article “Here are 4 Key Points from the Facebook whistleblower’s testimony on Capitol Hill” Haugen stated, “During my time at Facebook, I came to realize a devastating truth: Almost no one outside kows what happens innside Facebook… The company intentionally hides vital information from the public, from the U.S. government and from governments around the world” (Allyn). Haugen felt Facebook was abusing their power and breaking the law. She felt they needed to be stopped before more damage was done to their users. As a result, Haugen copied pages of confidential documents from Facebook and brought them to court to support her case. Facebook sadly didn’t see an issue with their research and the potential harmful effects it could have on individuals.

                                        

(Frances Haugen who blew the whistle on Facebook)

        Another topic I found interesting that a group presented was the idea of  influencers. Influencing has become a new and popular way of marketing in today’s generation. I am a fan of many influencers, however I didn’t realize the underlying works that happen behind the scenes. Today, there are thousands of young influencers with major followings, but you may ask why and what exactly is their job? Online influencing is actually a form of social media marketing involving endorsements or product placements. I never knew online influencing could help offer more jobs for users, I thought it was primarily selective. However, anyone can be an influencer! Not to mention, influencing can improve our marketing and advertising aspects.  I did some further research about influencing and found an article posted on Manobyte called “The Role of Social Media Influencers. In the article it stated that influencers “are passionate individuals who develop and share their experiences and opinions on the social web for all to see. In their categories of influence, they hold considerably more sway than traditional celebrities” (Dean). In addition, online influencing has become a huge marketing aspect and viewers are starting to follow their ways more than high paid celebrities!

         I learned Online influencers actually have a lot of positives. Such as bringing awareness to important causes, exposing us to diversity in all aspects, and niche marketing. My favorite online influencer is Gretchen Geraghty. Geraghty is a popular YouTube star and is known for her tips in beauty and fashion, fitness, college, etc. I strictly follow her ways and keep up to date on her life. However, in reality this activity can strike some major concerns for users like myself.  Sometimes, I find myself being too wrapped up in these influencers' lives and constantly wishing I could be like them. This is because online influencers can actually damage users' mental health, promote scams, and create obsessions. I feel users today are too fixated on becoming influencers, rather than focusing on themselves and who they truly are. Overall, I enjoyed all the groups' topics but these are the two I related to and interested me the most!

                    

Sources:

https://www.whistleblowers.org/what-is-a-whistleblower/

https://www.npr.org/2021/10/05/1043377310/facebook-whistleblower-frances-haugen-congress

https://www.manobyte.com/growth-strategy/the-role-of-social-media-influencers

Blog 9 : EOTO Illusory Truth Effect

         For our group EOTO project we were given the topic, theories. I chose to do my research on the illusory truth effect. The illusory truth effect is also known as the illusion of truth. This theory is when false information is repeatedly heard, which causes us to believe that the false information is actually in fact true. Deep down, we probably know the false information is incorrect and not realistic, but due to high exposure and repetition, it persuades us to reconsider our beliefs. According to an FS blog called “The Illusory Truth Effect : Why We Believe Fake News, Conspiracy Theories and Propaganda” discussed how this theory was first introduced in 1977 by Temple University psychologist, Dr.Lynn Hasher and her team. As a result, they conducted a study where they presented 60 statements and asked students to rate how certain they felt if it was true or false. However, their findings were not as accurate as they would have liked, they felt “subsequent research has confirmed its findings” (FS Blog). I also read an article on Psychology Today, which covered the illusory truth effect and stated, “the illusory truth effect tends to be the strongest when statements are related to subject about which we believe ourselves to be knowledgeable, and when statements are ambiguous such that they aren’t true or false at first glance” (Psychology Today). Therefore, what makes this theory so unique is how it causes us to reconsider our beliefs even though we may have prior knowledge with the topic being covered.

        This theory affects society as a whole because information is constantly being exchanged, especially fake news. Fake news quickly spreads which creates tension and or controversies amongst parties. These fake news can be damaging to people's views and seen as “ different”. This can be frustrating to read or understand why people may follow these fake articles. For example, this is heavily prevalent in social media use today. I know we are probably guilty of seeing something online which is completely untrue but continue to read it and somewhat believe it. I know I have seen articles or ads for products which I know is probably a hoax. According to an ADock Solutions article called “The Illusory Truth Effect” affects customers' minds. The article stated that “shoppers frequently encounter ‘false claims’ in the form of consumer advertisements and brand attributes and subsequently fall victim to the illusory truth effect” (ADock Solutions).

        Due to this constant sharing, I am guilty of buying into these products. I once believed since everyone was raving about the products they would benefit me too, but in reality they weren't . Often it can also be a scam. However, the illusory truth effect does benefit the advertising aspect. Customers will see these shared news more frequently and will start to believe they won’t be seen as “cool” without them. This activity increases sales and the company's perception in the market.

        This theory affects me because like I said at times I am guilty of slipping into these lies when I know deep down that I shouldn't. I know I need to be more aware of what I'm reading and making sure the information that I am getting is coming from a trusted source. I feel especially in today’s younger generations we are too caught up on social media and electronic use. Therefore, we get too wrapped up in drama and get carried away at times. 

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psych-unseen/202001/illusory-truth-lies-and-political-propaganda-part-1

https://fs.blog/illusory-truth-effect/

https://www.adcocksolutions.com/post/what-is-the-illusory-truth-effect

Blog 8 : Privacy Online & Off

        This week we were assigned 4 short TED talk videos to watch discussing issues of privacy. These videos were very shocking and troubling to hear. Especially the TED talk video “How Revenge Porn Turns Lives Upside Down” by Dairteh Chisolm. Chisolm discussed how her ex-boyfriend sadly put up a website without her knowing and posted graphic images of her. Chisolm had no idea this website existed and was horrified when her ex-husband called her regarding the issue. Her ex-boyfriend threatened her and held social media over her. Chisolm defined this issue as “digital domestic violence” (Chisolm). It was difficult to listen to and I was easily moved by her talk. Chisolm’s discussion, and the other TED talk videos made me reflect on my social media use and my own privacy. 

        The issues affect me because I am an avid social media user. I may be guilty of sharing too much on the internet which I am quickly reconsidering. I always attempt to make good decisions on what I post and what I should not. I once had someone make a fake Instagram account pretending to be me before. It requested a lot of my family and friends online. I quickly reported the account to get it removed. Other people reported the account as well. After some time, the account was finally taken down. Unfortunately, this has happened to a lot of my friends. It's sad to think this is considered “normal". Not to mention, how I always seem to receive weird messages or emails from accounts requesting money or asking me to apply for promotions.                                                            

         This is because social media has zero privacy. We are constantly leaving pieces of ourselves online. Once we post, these pieces are open to everyone to see and use. Today, I am guilty of having most of my social media accounts as public, but I am now going to change them back to private. After watching these videos, I learned how important it is to keep our privacy secured online. It’s unsettling that we must worry about these issues and can’t just enjoy social media as it is. I feel the government officials need to do a better job regarding social media use and protecting users' online privacy. I feel we need more secure features put in place to monitor accounts. For example, putting laws in place against hackers to protect its users. Rather than having officials focusing on what we do, they should help decrease the negative side of social media. Focusing more on the negatives will make social media safer and more enjoyable for users. Users should be educated and use social media responsibly to limit their worries of hackers or threats. 

                                                            

        As an avid social media user, I feel there are potential steps that can be taken to help secure your account. As discussed above, switching your account to private is a definite first step in protecting privacy. Hackers won’t be able to access your account as easily, and this will keep your posts more private. Also, making sure you have a secure password. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard horror stories of people’s accounts getting hacked. Also, limit the amount of friend requests. I am guilty of not always doing this, but make sure you only allow people that you truly know to follow you. Often with these fake accounts people are pretending to be others and will try and contact you. By being more cautious online it will protect your privacy. Its important users are aware of this because sadly exposing your privacy all over the internet can damage you or lead to dangerous situations which may be hard to avoid. One day when I become a parent social media use is going to be very limited and heavily monitored by me. I hope eventually, social media will become regulated and protected so users can utilize its positives rather than the constant fear of others invading their privacy.

Blog 7 : Diffusion of Innovations

        This week in class we discussed Roger’s theory, the diffusion of innovations. According to Investopedia, the diffusion of innovations theory is described as a “hypothesis outlining how new technological and other advancements spread throughout societies and cultures, from introduction to widespread adoption” (Halton). This theory started off as a communication theory, but then quickly evolved into this elaborate theory which can be used for many different things. His theory can also be a very useful tool. Therefore, it can be used to explain innovations and or presentations. It was fun to practice this theory in class. We looked at the chart and thought about today’s controversy and ideas that could fit. I decided to fit the popular social media app TikTok into this model. TikTok has become a huge success over the past few years. TikTok is an app where users can create short videos, where you can add music or popular sounds.  

        The first section of the model starts with the pioneers. The pioneers are the ones who invented it and ultimately want people’s attention! Zhang Yiming is the creator of the app. With the help of his company, ByteDance he launched the app in 2018.  He originally oversaw the similar app Musical.ly, but then transformed it into what we know as today as TikTok. Since the introduction of TikTok, its platform’s success has skyrocketed. I read a Forbes article called, “TikTok: Why The Enormous Success?”, and it stated “According to our recently launched Digital 2020 report, TikTok boasts over 800 million monthly active users–up 300 million from January 2019” (Forbes). Yiming would be the pioneer because he wanted to reinvent Musical.ly for the better. He saw the success Musical.ly brought and knew he could make his platform even better. 

        Moving up the chart we meet the early adopters. The early adopters are the ones who saw the potential and utility of the invention or idea. The early adopters would be the younger generations who supported TikTok. The younger generations loved the app’s concept and started creating popular dances and trends. As a result, this influenced more to download the app and create. According to the Influencer Marketing Hub, “In October 2018, it was the most-downloaded photo and video app in the Apple store, globally” (Geyser). Not to mention, some kids have become famous because of their TikTok content. Moving along, the early majority would be other businesses and the users who became famous using the app. For example, Charlie. D’Amelio. D’Amelio is a 17-year-old girl dancer who downloaded the app during the height of quarantine. To keep entertained, D’Amelio kept up with the TikTok dance trends and started posting videos of herself. Before she knew it, D’Amelio videos views were top of the charts and started getting recognized by other platforms. I read an article on The Cold Wire, which stated D’Amelio “was the first creator to ever reach 50 million followers on the platform, which she achieved in only seven months” (The Cold Wire). This motivated other users to start posting more and become a TikTok star like D’Amelio. 

        The next section is the late majority. The late majority are other people or businesses who are starting to see their app's potential and want to be like them. I think the late majority are other popular social media platforms. For example, Instagram today has now introduced “reels” where you can post short videos like TikTok. I feel other competitors will soon start to implement features like TikTok for competition. I feel they recognized TikTok was taking over the social media market and wanted to do something so they could be in the same playing field. The final section is the laggards. The laggards are those you think won't benefit them using it. I feel the laggards are the older generations.  This app is mainly dominated by young adults. I know my parents see no need for it, but I disagree. I tried introducing my parents to the app, but they were quickly unamused. I think the app is very immature at times, so that’s why I feel it’s mainly used by the younger ages. Sadly, it can also be a very negative outlet and can promote cyberbullying. However, I believe the app has changed social media and marketing for the better. TikTok is a remarkable marketing outlet and has promoted many small businesses and their products especially during quarantine. I think TikTok has changed social media for the better and created an expressive outlet for users to be themselves and create new content! I believe businesses will follow TikTok’s footsteps and relate to their success for the future.

Sources:

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/diffusion-of-innovations-theory.asp

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomtaulli/2020/01/31/tiktok-why-the-enormous-success/?sh=1f759f0e65d1

https://influencermarketinghub.com/what-is-tiktok/#toc-2

https://www.thecoldwire.com/why-is-charli-damelio-famous/

 

Blog 6 : Antiwar

        In class today, we discussed how war is reported in the press. Today, I feel the press are focused more on negatives or conflicts, rather than positive events. I feel the media today thrives on drama, conflict, political unrest to boost ratings and followers. This can be a very negative place with the power to influence society. This idea directly relates to how the press portrays war in the media. The role of the press leading up to war, is how they will always be in favor of it.  Sadly, the media highlights destruction. Not to mention, false media can play into this when completely different ideas or images are reported that’s not actually related to the article or is old news. It doesn't matter how against you may feel towards war, the press will always be in favor of war. 

        This is very troubling to me, as a country’s press is immensely focused on war and destruction for its own benefit.  For this week's blog we were assigned two anti war websites to explore, The American Conservative and Antiwar.com. While exploring these websites, it’s apparent they are antiwar websites and ultimately want to help make our world a better place. I feel these websites share their anti war thoughts because they want viewers to hear different perspectives.  Often these voices are overlooked because other websites only want to listen and write based on others with similar views. As a result, this makes it harder for other websites to be heard as people are drawn to the popular and powerful news networks.
    

      The press ultimately wants us to focus on the “drama”, rather than coming up with solutions on how we as a country can do better for this world. Therefore, most of the time our media is very misleading and attempts to sway opinions. Unfortunately drama, violence, and war sell. These websites want viewers to understand the other sides to disputes and how violence should never be the answer. While reading, I  came to the realization that I have never seen or heard of these websites before. You may wonder why that is, but I think it's purposely planned. I feel the media does this on purpose because they don't want viewers to read websites with conflicting views because this will hurt their overall status. They want the best publicity possible, so in order to do this they overcompensate their stories to outdo others. I plan to do a better job listening to the media and not allow myself to rely on one popular news source.