Final Post: Our Relationship With Technology

     As a member of Gen Z, since I was born technology has been a part of my life. As early as elementary school I remember using computers and tablets during school hours and then rushing home to play games and watch videos on my own personal IPad. As I have got older technology has become more advanced and a more important part of my daily routines. 

    My relationship with technology started with my parent's influence. Both my parents and older siblings have always used technology in their daily lives which ultimately influenced my usage. When my parents introduced technology into my life they did not know the power it would soon hold over all of us and the consequences that come with it. Like many adults who did not grow up with technology understanding the concept of it was difficult. 

    In the video featuring the "Futurama" ride it shows what many predicted their futures to look like. While some of these predictions were accurate there was a lack of focus own our own personal technology devices. The ride shows things like underwater hotels and flying cars, while these technological advances were valid predictions once again it didn't touch on the idea of cellphones, computers and tablets. 

     The average age for a kid to get a phone is between 12-13. This age range is middle school children. Pre-teens having a phone and using social media opens the opportunity for cyber bullying and poor digital footprint.  Cell phone users at this age do not understand the consequences of their online actions yet because they are blinded by the excitement of their new freedom. 

    Like most kids I was gifted my first phone in middle school. My parents initially gave it to me as a safety measure and a form of communication to them. Despite their original goals my first phone opened my eyes to the world of social media. During my first years online is when I developed what many could consider an "addiction" to these social media apps just like other kids my age. As more and more social media apps come out the risks become greater. 

    As technology advances we become more dependent on it. This dependance has created an unhealthy relationship with my devices. While technology has many benefits to me in my daily life it also poses as my biggest distraction. Using technology in relation to school has been a consistent benefit. I am able to use my computer to take notes, do research, communicate with professors and turn in assignments. My education has been more efficient due to technology and I have been able to learn many online skills that will help me during my future. Due to my age the use of technology in an educational environment is accepted and normal.

    While technology has benefited me in my education it also is my biggest distraction. As schools have accepted the technology use by students it is normal for me to have my computer open during class for things like notes. However, it is easy to switch my focus from school to personal use when on my computer. During class it is hard to not check and respond to texts or update myself on what's going on on social media. This idea of distraction is a major downfall and something many students struggle with. 

    Along with my computer I often find myself procrastinating by using my phone to scroll through Tik Tok or watch a movie on Netflix. This is where the relationship becomes unhealthy. A study shows the average screen time for college students is 8-10 hours a day. Along with that screen time 86 percent of college students report to sleep with their cell phone, tablet or computer in their room with them.
Technology has taken over the lives of many and will continue to have these negative effects with more advances. 

    Even with the knowledge of the side effects of technology we as a society continue to accept it and let it take over our world. It is now possible to meet people, apply for jobs and build a career all through the online world. It is easy to center your life through being online which forces people to isolate themselves. In a study done it was reported that adults aged 19-32 who have a higher screen time feel three times more isolated than those who aren't using social media as frequently. This social isolation in adults and teens can result in mental health issues. Along with these mental issues technology and social media can cause many physical health issues like sleeping problems, eye strains and posture problems. 

    The term "digital footprint" has become more relevant as more join social media. It is a fact that you can only control your own social media presence, we have no ability to control how others act. Social media can lead to cyber bullying and many mental health issues. Again with these downfalls is where technology becomes more of a risk than a benefit. Most young teens new to social media don't understand that whatever you post is on the internet forever. Many adults don't teach their children about an online footprint because they don't understand it themself. Employers and educators can look at any online footprint where they may find a controversial post. 

    The normalization of technology has eliminated positive boundaries and limits with it. There needs to be more of a focus on teaching and educating the youth on both the dangerous and risks of their technology and social media usage. 

    My own experience with technology has been both positive and negative. I often find myself wondering what my life would be like with lower technology usage and if I would be more productive without the distraction of social media. Not only have I been affected but it is clear to me my family and friends have as well. 

In conclusion, technology has advanced farther than many believed it could. The idea of it is so normalized in our society it will be difficult to make a change. As a society it is important we recognize the risks like cyber bullying, procrastination and health problems that come with technology. While there is no chance to eliminate the risks and addictions of technology it is possible to make personal goals to limit technology usage and understand how it affects you personally. 

    

    

Blog #11: EOTO Presentation Reaction

 During class presentations the topic of news deserts stood out to me among the rest. This term was something I had never heard of but found it interesting to learn about. 

A news desert is a community that can be either rural or urban. In these particular communities there is limited access to credible and comprehensive news. This issue can be considered to be both a supply and demand issue. During the presentation it was talked about how their is a lack of supply due to the fact that these metro papers limit their coverage in the news deserts. The issue with demand was explained by sharing how readers do not typically opt to subscribe to these local newspapers. 

A map was presented to us to show the number of news deserts around our country. This map was what made the presentation stick out to me. News is something many of us have access to in multiple different forms. People are able to read a newspaper, look online, listen to the radio or watch the TV to find news relevant to their community. For the people in these news deserts they have limited access to news and often times don't even have a local newspaper. 

Reports have shown that in the United States there are 200 counties who don't have a local newspaper.In a case where these news desert counties do have some form of a local newspaper it tends to only be published and updated once a week. 

These news deserts have began to grow and struggle more due to the struggle of the newspaper industry. In the past fifteen  years the industry has struggled immensely. Most people do not understand what is at stake if newspapers completely die out. These news deserts will loose their main form and sometimes only form of local news. 

A local news paper is a way for the community to stay in the know about their surroundings. Through the stories in a local newspaper they are able to provide answers and suggestions for problems the communities facing. 

News deserts are becoming more common every year as technology advances. The lack of local news and local newspapers effects citizens all over the United Sates. With the loss of local news and more of a focus on technological national news there is the risk of more of a rise in news deserts. 

Blog #10: In the Age of AI

 The term "Artificial Intelligence" or known as "AI" is a term that has only become popular in the last few years but it is one that will soon take over our world. AI is a robot that is controlled by a computer, the robot is programed to do regular tasks that a human can do. 

 The tasks competed by this program have only ever been know to do by a human. However recently with the artificial intelligence programing simple tasks are no longer restricted to just humans. "In the age of AI" is a documentary that focuses on how AI is taking over our world and the history of how it came to be what it is today. 

The documentary starts out by showing videos of a popular game in china that people have been playing for years. The game requires a high level of thinking and planned out moves done by the players. The documentary then goes on to highlight an AI robot who has been programed to play this game against the country's best player. Everyone believes the robot will fail and the human will win based off experience. The results of the game showed the robot had one. The programers programed the robot with hundreds of different moves it needed to win the game. 

This game against the robot could be considered the start of AI. Many people in the video expressed their fears around AI. These robots are able to do just about anything which puts humans jobs in danger. In just a few short years it is possible that AI will be performing surgeries, creating business plans and even teaching school classes. 

The documentary does a good job of offering different perspectives on AI. Some portions of the documentary share the positive effects AI can have on our society. There are endless opportunities where AI can help business, teachers and students. If you simply ask AI a question for example on your computer, within seconds it will have generated an answer. 

In terms of negative effects due to AI there is a large risk of dehumanization. When watching the video this sparked a lot of thoughts for me personally. The endless potential AI has can be scary for us as humans. There was a portion of the documentary that talked about all the jobs at risk due to AI. In just a few years it is possible AI can take over jobs relating to teaching, marketing, finance and many more. Many people have fears that companies will switch over to using AI instead of hiring and paying actual workers. 

Online security and privacy are also at great risk due to AI. There are already many risks with personal information with current online programs. AI opens new possibilities to a security threat. The programing behind AI is so complex and detailed that large companies or even the government can use it find personal information. In more technological advanced cities like Tokyo the use of AI and robots are extremely prominent. Cities and countries like this put our national security at risk. 

AI is an idea that we cannot avoid. As technology advances these programs that create AI will advance too. For many it can be a great fear that it will negatively effect their life, career and security. However for those creating AI it is a great advance that will improve our society. "In the age of AI" is a documentary that gives multiple perspectives on the topic. For those who want to learn about AI and see how it can potentially effect them this documentary provides information on all aspects of the topic. 

Blog #8: Privacy, Online and Off

 Almost everyday our privacy is being violated form the technology we use. Whether you are simply adding your information into a new app or using google maps to navigate yourself somewhere, our phones are tracking us and sending out our personal information. For many people simple things like this on our phone is second nature. Putting your birthday into your Snapchat account so all your friends will be notified the day of is something so casual for us. 

What most people don't know is how their technology and their favorite apps are violating their privacy everyday. In a TedTalk by Juan Enriquez he talks about something called a electronic tattoo. Enriquez says that an electric tattoo is created from all the different technology and apps we use and that these electronic tattoos reveal more about you than a real tattoo ever would. 

Facial recognition is something that our iPhones have recently developed in the last few years. This started out as a way to unlock you phone faster but it is now a way to identify anyone and all their records in seconds if they have added their face to their iPhone. 

While researching this topic online I began to think abut my own privacy and the privacy of my family. All of my family has an iPhone and all of us are on social media. This means that our private information like addresses.

In another TedTalk by Christopher Soghoian he talks about surveillance and privacy through our cell phones. Soghoian says that while making a casual phone call anyone can break into the surgery and listen to your call. These haters could be part of our own government or foreign governments. The idea of wire tapping has recently come public, this means companies can wire tap their programs to ensure that no one can listen to your calls our read you're texts. 

Our government should be protecting us from this innovation of privacy. Everyone should have the right to use their personal technology without the risk of their information being leaked. Social media and technology is going to continue to grow and companies first priority should be protecting their customers. 

After doing this research
in the future I plan to be more cautious of my information. It has proved not to be safe to just enter information like our names, emails and birthdays into apps. With the advances being made in technology everyday that means the hackers have more ability to see our information. With this knowledge I plan to be more cautious of the apps and technology I use. 

Blog #7

Diffusion of Innovations "is a theory that seeks to explain how, why and at what rate new ideas and technology spread. In 1962 Everette Rogers created this theory and further popularized it. In his theory Rogers proposed there are 5 main elements that influence the spread of this idea; the innovation itself, adopters, communications channels, time and a social system. Within the processes of diffusion of innovations there are adapters these consist of early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. 

There are constantly new innovations coming out and being created. Some of these innovations are more widely adapted than others but it ultimately comes down to how fast people adopt the innovation in order for it to succeed. 

 An innovation that stood out to me in my life time was the creation of Tik Tok. While Tik Tok was one of the most recent social media platforms to come out it took its way to the top quickly. Many social media users would say Tik Tok is their most used platform as well as their most recent downloaded platform. 

Many people across the world wonder how Tik Tok became so popular because platforms like Instagram, Facebook and snapchat were already created and had a similar experience for users. 

The timing of the launch of Tik Tok contributed to its popularity because it become popular in the United States close to the start of the pandemic. This was important for the company because while the world was in lock down with nothing to do many turned to the app for entertainment and a way to interact with others virtually. 

 In relation to the Diffusion Theory Tik Tok is a perfect example of an innovation to use Rogers guidelines for the success of this platform. The app had all forms of adaptors ranging from early adopters to late adopters. The group of early adopters consisted of late teenagers and people in their early 20s. This group of early adopters were what brought the app to its popularity. The younger generations started by downloading the app and getting used to this platform by watching the short funny videos posted by others. As they became more comfortable with the app users were able to begin sharing videos both to other social media platforms and friends who may not have been on the app originally. 

 Once a non user had watched one video whether that be on something like Facebook or just one shared with them it becomes addicting to want to continue scrolling and watching. All of those who spent time during the pandemic using Tik Tok could be credited for the Sucsess of the app. 

 As the app grew popularity the late adopters began to see the uproar caused by users. Late adopters were older generations, business owners and many parents to children already on the app. Without the usage of the late adopters Tik Tok may not be what it is today. For business owners Tik Tok became a place for them to promote their products and gain customers. 

While many users simply use the app for entertainment there is a large percentage of users who use the app for personal gain. Within years of the apps release they created something called the "creator fund" which is a way for Tik Tok to pay creators who have a large following and bring more traffic to the app. 

 

The app has presented to be a controversial topic in the past due to some of the negative effects it has on users. Some users have reported struggles getting off the app because the videos can be 'addicting" to watch. The never ending "for you page" filled with interesting videos puts users into a cycle that that is hard to get out of. This has posed some negativity around the app in the past that almost led to a ban of the app in the United States. Many people have forced themselves to get off the app and just live a Tik Tok free lifestyle. 

Since the app was not baned it has continued to grow. The positive effects and benefits of this app surely out weigh the negatives. It is important for users to have self control when using the app so they can benefit from all the information and products the app can provide. 

Blog Post #9: Alternative Media

In our world today there are multiple different ways to obtain our news. All different ages and generations are able to get their news in a way that works best for them. Whether ur news is coming from a television, radio, newspaper or social media we have access to all different types of news sources. 

News outlets are divided into two main categories; mainstream news and alternative news. Until the 20th centry main stream news was the only way for people to get their information. However, with more people speaking out and more problems coming to life main stream news is not enough for some people. 

The news we hear from mainstream news sources like Fox or CNBC are cooperation owned outlets which means the people working for them are being told what to say and being paid to say it. Many citizens do not agree with what is being said on mainstream news because it often can be bias as well as having a lot of censorship content. 

Due to the limited opinions on main stream news many have turned over to using alternative news. Alternative media can be defined as "small scale politically radical media, using a wide spectrum of communication technologies and formats." In that definition it uses the phrase "politically radical" while a lot of alternative media can contain information about politics not all of it does. Politics is a big concept in alternative media because the writers can talk about whatever point of view they want to without worrying someone will be mad. 

In main stream media journalists must follow the political views of the corporation they work for, unlike alternative media these platforms are often single owned or private owned. 

An article written comparing mainstream vs. alternative media raised a point that truly showed the difference between the two. Main stream media supports the status quo, always promoting societal norms. Alternative media activity tries to change these norms with their content. 

Alternative media can be found in many different ways. The decision of where the content is posted is up to the publisher because they are not answering to or following a corporation. Websites, e-books, e-magazines, steamed audio and video are all platforms in which we can find alternative
media. 

During my research I was interested to see how many people were using alternative media. I read that 6% of adults in the U.S say they regularly check one of the seven main alternative news websites. A lot of what I read about alternative media had connection to social media. Many of these alternative media cites use social media to publish their content because it is free and and they know many will be able to see it. 

In a survey it said that about three quarters of users who get news from alternative cites use social media for this. If users choose to use social media they have to be able to decipher weather it is credible or not as well as if it actually alternative news or just someone personal opinion. There are many questions recommended to ask to decide if news sources are alternative news. Is it cooperate owned? Is it news that has been repressed or mis reported by MSM? Is it intended to generate profit?

All of these questions are ways to determine if you are reading alternative news. While alternative news is relatively a newer concept it has quickly become many main source of news. Through alternative news you are able to get honest and non-biased opinions. I believe that opinions grow stronger and more social issues become relevant the voices of alternative news will become more popular. 

Blog #6: The Progressive Era

    Dissent means to voice your opinion, a powerful source for developing effective public reasoning. There are many different forms of dissent; in law, government and war. 

    In regards to the role of dissent and war it relates a lot to loyalty and the enemy of war. When nations enter war they need to have support behind them from the citizens of their nation. The American Bar Association  says " Public disagreement about war strengthens the enemy's resolve and deepens its will to fight. If it is disloyal to strengthen he enemy's mettle, then dissent fits the bill."

    In all aspects of our society dissent is powerful to develop public reasoning and opinion. However, when it comes to the role of dissent in war it can make us look weak to the enemy when there is different opinions on the war and strategies. 

In terms of war the enemy must believe that the oponinet is strong and unite. If there is dissent and anti war voices it shows that a nation is not unite and there are possibilities of weakness. When looking at the anti-war websites there were a lot of conservative opinions on topics like internecine conflicts in our region. This specific website was asking readers why it is important to double down on these conflicts. The next website I looked at titled its self as "Your best source for antiwar news, viewpoints, and activities." On this second website there were links and headings to topics like Ukraine, money spent on Polland, and counter acts against China. 

Both of these websites shared similar topics around their overarching goal to promote their antiwar opinions. During my research on antiwar and the role of dissent I wanted to find another source of information however I struggled to find another website. These antiwar websites are difficult to find and it requires a lot of searching to come across one of them. The difficulty in finding these websites related back to the role of dissent in war. A nation should limit the amount of dissent during war to ensure they stand as a unified army that has people behind them. 

When looking at these websites I noticed they were small and not owned by mainstream companies. There are multiple reasons in which main stream news stations and websites are not able to publish antiwar news. Some of these reasons relating to government influence or fundings, bias and economical purposes. Many main stream news sources are funded by the government and if they begin to practice their role of dissent and publish antiwar content they could loose their fundings. 

In terms of the Government relationship to these news sources many of them are influenced by the government. With the influence of the government there can be a lot of censorship and limited coverage based on what the government approves that they publish. With ownership whether that be cooperate ownership or government influence that means full control of what is published. 

 Many reasons play a factor in why antiwar websites are difficult to find. The main one being that they are small websites that are not mainstream. My research helped me learn about the many different reasons as to why large news sources do not post antiwar content. From economic reasons to ownership reasons antiwar content is hard to come across on main stream news. The people who support anti war opinions are able to use their power of dissent to speak their mind on smaller private owned websites.