My Relationship with Technology- Final Blog Post

     Technology and social media can be a tool or a weapon, positive or negative. It all depends on how you use it. It is a great way to stay in touch and communicate, but it is also a way to hear about false information and to get hurt. The advancement of technology has made it possible to create a multitude of innovations that can advance our society, but there are also many disadvantages associated with it.

    My relationship with technology is not good or bad. I would say it is useful in my life, but I know my boundaries. I use technology every day, on my computer and iPhone, to send messages, emails, complete school work and so much more. However, social media can be a dangerous weapon. It can take time away from us if we are not careful. 10 minutes of scrolling on Instagram and TikTok can turn into 2 hours, and it wastes precious time. 

    Personally, I did not receive my own personal iPhone until I was a Freshman in high school. To me that was late because all my friends were getting phones in the 4th grade. However, I am glad that I did not get a phone that early because I was involved in other useful activities such as sports, playing with friends, spending hours outside with neighbors, and many more activities that I probably would not have done if I had a phone or social media. I was not allowed to get social media until I was 16 years old. Looking back on it, I am so grateful that my parents did not let me grow up on electronics.

    Also, my school did not allow much technology. Phones were not permitted to be out at all during the school day. Teachers used laptops for PowerPoints to teach, however, students were expected to take handwritten notes. For homework, almost all of our assignments were done on paper. On occasion, we would go to the school's computer lab with PC's to write essays for English classes. This really taught me to be present in school with no distractions and to soak up what I was learning and be in the moment with my friends.

    In a reading from Columbia University, experts discuss the detrimental effects of technology, particularly social media.  According to internal studies, the body image of teenage Instagram users has declined, and app usage correlates with anxiety and depression. It is concerning that teenagers are being impacted and swayed by technology at such an early age.

    Technology makes me frustrated sometimes. Especially, social media can be aggravating at times. I try to limit how much I use apps such as Instagram and TikTok because they can become addictive in just one simple click. I like to delete these apps during times of my life when I need to be focused and not distracted. I have gone months without them, but it's nice to stay in the know and connected to what is going on. 

   

    It makes me so sad when I see young children or tweens have a phone or social media account. Their innocent eyes are seeing things they should not be seeing, and they are dealing with cyberbullying or body image, or mental health issues at a very young age. I hate going to a restaurant and seeing kids on an iPad or their parents' phone with headphones in watching something at the table while parents are talking and completely ignoring their child. 

 

    Technology is a great way to learn. Whether it's watching videos on how to do something or reading an article, it can be very helpful. In today's age, we cannot live without technology; it is a part of us. However, we need to be cautious about how we use it and the time we spend on it. Parents of young children need to be role models for them and not let electronics take over their child's life too early. It is addictive, and we need to use it responsibly and understand that it comes with challenges. 

Living in the Age of AI- Blog Post #10

    Watching In the Age of AI really opened my eyes to how much AI is affecting our lives today and forever. I knew that AI was being used, however, I didn't know how much we revolve and rely on it. 

    It can be frightening to imagine the future of AI! For example, robots in grocery stores are capable of packing a variety of items, including soup containers and fruit, for online customers. These machines are capable of picking up groceries, reading labels, learning routines, and comprehending tasks, and are now arriving in stores, and departments. It’s quite frightening to consider how AI robots are taking control! An AI robot has now taken the place of a human being who previously completed grocery orders in the supermarket. This also removes jobs from individuals who worked at a grocery store. At my local grocery store, they hire baggers and other employees who have special needs. I worry that people like them will lose their jobs to a robot.

    Molly Kinder explained a noteworthy fact that caught my attention. She talked about how the cashier is the top profession in the DC metropolitan area, and for numerous individuals, it serves as their first job during high school at a young age when most jobs require you to be older for. With AI now being utilized, machines are set to take on these roles. This could become a major problem because people cannot afford to lose their job to a robot.

    Every industry will be impacted by new machines that employ AI. From grocery stores, shopping centers to HR departments, legal practices, and Wall Street trading floors. Simultaneously, AI usage is facilitating greater efficiency and competition among companies with a reduced workforce and is saving companies money by not having to pay employees.

    I think that using AI as a tool is a wonderful source, however, I do think that we cannot let AI take over our world that we live in. So many things are coming from AI, robots, self driving cars, and much more. Because of its growth, we are going to need to adapt to it but also not let it become a dominant factor in our lives. 

EOTO 2 Reaction Post- Blog Post #11

 Theories

    In today's class, I learned the effectiveness of theories and how they are used positively or negatively, right or wrong. Group 3 discussed four crucial theories that stuck out to me. Including the Illusory Truth Effect, Confirmation Bias, Gatekeeping, and the Overton Window. These are all powerful concepts related to how we process information, particularly in media and politics. 

Illusory Truth Effect

    This theory makes people believe false and repeated statements are true. Repetition is associated with truth, so even if a statement is false but is repeated, someone will perceive it as true. Social media will spread this effect to reach a greater reach of audience. Also, easy-to-read fonts are associated with truth. 

    Some examples of illusory truths include the Iraq WMD Myth, a false claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. The birth conspiracy of the false idea that Obama was not born in the U.S. and think him becoming president should have been illegal. As well as misinformation regarding vaccines during the pandemic is portrayed as an illusory truth effect.

Confirmation Bias

    Confirmation Bias is the tendency to process information by looking for or interpreting information that aligns with your existing beliefs. With this theory, this is where a lot of fake news and misinformation fall under. It is hard to get the full picture of an issue because of the bias. It is normal to make friends with people who have the same beliefs and morals as we do. Some specific types include biased attention, which confirms our views. Biased Interpretation, which interprets information that already confirms our beliefs. And, biased memory means that we remember details that support our existing views because they are familiar to us. 

Gatekeeping

    Gatekeeping is the activity of controlling and limiting the general access to something, and was established in 1943. It refers to the process by which information is filtered before it reaches the general public. The media chooses certain events or topics that are newsworthy, and they filter the information. It can also shape perceptions. Agenda setting suggests that the media shapes the political debate, choosing which topic should be featured. This was established in 1968. The media influences the public's perception of what issues are important or not. 

Overton Window

    This theory was made by Joseph Overton (Overton Window), and it deems governmental policies as acceptable or unacceptable to the population at that specific time. It states that an idea falls within an acceptability range. It helps politicians make decisions in policies they support or don't and it is a guide for politicians to embrace ideas. 

Diffusion of Innovations- Blog Post #8

    The Diffusion of Innovations theory aims to show "how, why, and the rate at which a product, service, or process spreads through a population." This theory was invented by Everett Rogers in 1962. This theory involves six groups: innovators, early adopters, early majority, tipping point, late majority, and laggards. By understanding this theory, we can gain insight into inventions, including the first newspaper. 

    

    For example, the modern newspaper is a European invention.  While its initial pioneers or innovators included various people throughout the 17th century, Johann Carolus was the first. He created the first newspaper in Strasbourg, France, in 1605. Carolus took considerable risks as the creator of the first newspaper, but his bravery sparked a movement that would lay the foundation for the diffusion of innovation.

    In the aftermath of Caroulus, several early adopters, such as city residents who were interested in politics, started their own newspapers. The people who authored and published newspapers were essential to the establishment of newspapers in our society.

    

With the rising popularity of newspapers, the early majority started to interact with them, making newspapers a staple in daily reading habits. They played a role in establishing newspapers as dependable information sources and supported ongoing expansion.

    The invention of television in the 1950s marked the tipping point for newspapers. People perceived television as an intriguing new medium for news, redirecting their focus from newspapers to the new medium. Later in the 1990s, the emergence of the internet provided a variety of media outlets, which also had a role in the decrease of people reading newspapers because of faster and more convenient media platforms that were now offered to them.

    Even with this tipping point, newspapers remained significant for the late majority, who continued to read the printed or later version of the online newspaper. These people appreciate reading the newspaper as part of their daily routine, and some still have newspapers delivered to their homes today because it is a habit and something that they have always been used to.

    

    After that, some laggards may not be concerned about keeping up with the latest technology. Despite this, they ultimately find themselves using the technology because it has become so accessible in society. Although newspapers are not utilized as frequently today compared to the past, nearly everyone has read a newspaper at some stage of their life or will do so naturally, as it is a widely common source of news and information.

    In conclusion, the newspaper was a groundbreaking invention that changed how we communicated and accessed information. They are still being read regularly, although there are different forms of newspapers such as online in addition to the newspaper's printed versions. We are lucky to live in an era where the advent of newspapers continues to influence our access to information, as there was minimal information distribution before their invention. While certain innovations marked the turning point for newspapers, they ultimately laid the groundwork for the current information sources we are fortunate to use today such as the internet and social media.

EOTO-2: Mediasphere- Whistleblowers Blog #9

    

    A whistleblower is "someone who reports waste, fraud, abuse, corruption, or dangers to public health and safety to someone who is in a position to rectify the wrongdoing." Their actions can cause worldwide debates as they emphasize transparency and national security tensions. They play a controversial role in society. They promote transparency by promoting wrongdoing.

    

    On a timeline of U.S. Whistleblowing, the earliest sign of whistleblowing was in 1777; more modern cases occurred in the 1970s. One early case was from 1971 when Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War.  This paper revealed that the United States had expanded war with the bombing of Cambodia and Laos. Ellsberg faced public scrutiny and legal consequences however, he was being transparent. 

  

     A more recent case of whistleblowing was in 2013 when Edward Snowden created the biggest intelligence leak in the National Security Agency’s history. He is known as the most consequential whistleblower. The disclosures made by Snowden uncovered various worldwide surveillance strategies. The case underscored numerous issues, such as the secret utilization of governmental authority, and privacy in the digital era. He believed the public deserved to know how their privacy was being violated. In a note that he left with the first set of documents, stated, “I understand that I will be made to suffer for my actions,” but “I will be satisfied if the federation of secret law, unequal pardon, and irresistible executive powers that rule the world that I love are revealed even for an instant.” He was very transparent and was honest with the public be releasing this. However, now he lives in Russia under asylum. 

   

    Another instance that most of us can all remember was in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic. Whistleblowing was a big thing when doctors and nurses were exposed to the public that there was a lack of ventilators and testing kits as well as hospitals having a lack of preparedness. A particular example was Dr. Ming Lin an Emergency Room Physician in the state of Washington. He posted on social media how hospitals around the world were lacking in resources and how dangerous COVID was in the ER. Dr. Lin spoke out for the public interest however this resulted in him being removed from his job as a physician in the ER. This brought the public and media attention to hospital system failures. And it inspired others in the medical field to speak out despite the potential consequences. 

    Whistleblowers usually aim to defend the public, maintain legal standards, and cultivate transparency, even at the risk of retaliation such as losing their job or facing legal consequences. Whistleblowing is crucial for ensuring that powerful institutions are held accountable, and it can inform about significant changes in policy, law, and public awareness. Whistleblowers can expose corruption or power abuses, but their actions may also risk military operations and reveal sensitive information. Whether an act is seen as heroic or reckless, it often hinges on public understanding, the whistleblower's motives, and the negative impact of their disclosures. Whistleblowers are essential, they bring the truth to light, push for reforms that create safer and more transparent systems. Without whistleblowers, serious problems can stay hidden, allowing injustice and harm to continue without anyone knowing. 

The Progressive Era- Blog Post #7

    Dissent means to publicly disagree with an official opinion, decision, or set of beliefs. Dissenting opinions play a role in the First Amendment. Dissent can make a lot of people uncomfortable, but it is necessary. It’s how we hold power accountable and ensure we’re making informed decisions.

    After researching two websites featuring anti-war voices, I became aware of the power of these voices, despite my prior lack of understanding with these sites. ANTIWAR.COM is dedicated to promoting non-interventionism within U.S. foreign policy. The American Conservative is another anti-war voice, that challenges unchecked power in government and business in support of individual freedoms. These two websites prompted me to wonder why anti-war voices and opinions are not more frequently heard in mainstream media. 

    

A potential reason we are not hearing anti-war voices is that the government is controlling what is distributed on mainstream media. The media lacks interest in advocating against war. As journalists obtain a part of their news information from the government, overly harsh criticism of military actions could influence their relationship. The government is very much anti-war and because the government controls the media, they block out most of the anti-war content. 

    The United States of America is pro-war, therefore they desire to keep these sites hidden to try and protect the country's reputation. If Americans happened to see more of these anti-war initiatives, it would be harder to get them to understand the purpose of war. 

   

A reason that these websites and ideas are being hidden from us is because war generates money and money is good for our economy so the government is all about war.  It also enhances the economic power and naturally, a country that wins a war can enhance its trade standing with other nations. These are a few of the crucial facets that nations consider when making the decision to declare war, which they view as beneficial.     

    My awareness has increased due to the experience of investigating for these antiwar platforms. While the First Amendment grants us the right to speak, it also grants us the right to listen and to pursue viewpoints that confront us. It is essential, even though it’s not always easy and can be uncomfortable at times. We should be more aware of these platforms since they are not willingly talked about in the media. 

EOTO 1 Reaction Post- Blog Post #6

During today’s lesson, I heard presentations from my HPU colleagues about the various types of communication that society has depended on over the last few hundred years. It was intriguing to learn the progress and history of the rise of communication and technology.  I found it fascinating how we transitioned from the telegram and the printing press, fundamental forms of communication, to more strategic and complex tools such as Google and the television. 

Some of my favorite topics are explained below.

Newspapers- It took a long time for newspapers to be what they are today. It all started in 59 BCE in Rome and later expanded and was handwritten before the invention of the printing press. In 1690, the first newspaper was introduced in the American colonies. From there, newspapers progressed and became more accessible in the mid-1800s. Now, newspapers are viewed online a lot of times and it is amazing to see how much this invention has progressed over time.

Television- I found it very interesting to hear about the history of this invention, especially the meaning of "over a distance." The first TV was invented in 1920 for educational purposes. Later, color TV was invented in the 1960's, followed by high-definition and plasma technology TV's. The progression is impressive and televisions today are still changing with newer inventions and vary in size. 

Paper- This was very interesting to me, I love hearing about older inventions, and I did not know how it was made before wood and recycled materials. In the B.C. era, resources such as clay tablets, papyrus, and silk were used. Today, we use paper all the time when viewing textbooks or newspapers. Paper is a very portable option and is used a lot in the Government for signing documents. It led to the rise of poetry and literature. It transformed how people communicated before the rise of communication via the iPhone. 

Carrier Pigeons- I thoroughly enjoyed this topic because it was something I knew very little about. The first use of communication in ancient times in Egypt. The Greeks used these for the Olympic games as well as being used in the Civil War to send messages to those in the front line. It is because of this invention that the radio and later advancements were created. 

Radio- As someone who listens to the radio in my car daily, I was very sad to hear the radio is on a decline as it is being taken over by platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. Radio has moved from box radios to higher advancements such as in the car or even military communication. I learned that FM is a stronger connection and is easier to tune in rather than AM radio. It makes me think that car radios will not last much longer. But I do wonder, for military communication, if there will soon be an advancement in the radio or another way of communicating on the battlefield will come into effect and be invented.