Final Blog Post

 

I would say over time I have been able to develop a better relationship with technology. However, I wouldn't necessarily call it healthy. I remember I was first introduced to technology when I was younger in grade school. Our teachers taught us how to use these computers and showed us all the possibilities they behold. Using technology seemed like a privilege. Being able to use my parent's phone would be the best thing to ever happen. However, as time processed and technology advanced I would say people started to abuse this opportunity. Nowadays I can't go a single day without technology. I use my phone before I go to sleep. I wake up and my phone is the first thing I grab. During the day I will watch TV or use my computer. I would say 85% of my day is online it seems. I've been trying to be better about abusing technology but I feel like the world seems to be so evolved around technology. To Do homework I need my computer, to find something like clothes or nearby food. Looking for jobs is typically more common online. My phone is always the first thing I think of because it's easier. This is like black Friday shopping. Years ago people would wake up hours before the stores opened to wait in line and the stores would be packed full. Nowadays everyone just does it online and there are barely any people out at the stores anyway. 

Personally, I think I am using technology too much but compared to everyone around me in the world it seems to be the norm. We’ve normalized having everything at our fingertips and letting technology control our lives. There are days when I can put my phone down and take a break from technology but I feel like there's nothing else I can do. We’ve been so adjusted to having technology 24/7 in our lives that life without it seems impossible. I would say I have learned a lot while using technology. I have been able to teach myself new things and learn new concepts. However, there is also a lot of misleading evidence being posted online. Take Wikipedia for an example. Teachers for years have told us not to trust this website because anyone can edit the information with what they want. This can be misleading to those who think it's a reliable source. There are also a lot of people online who like to start drama or cause problems by spreading misinformation which can spread and make people question the truth. I typically am not too worried when using technology to find information because I typically think it will be right. However, since there is so much more misleading information being put out there it makes me question myself and I have to do deeper research to find a definite answer. Unfortunately, I have simply just accepted this as a part of society. If anything technology is gonna keep advancing and becoming more and more involved in our lives.

I would say my friends and family use technology just as much or even more than I do. My parents use technology a lot for their jobs and would consider it a necessity. My father is a chef in Boston and he uses technology to broadcast his food, find new recipes and interact with people around the city. My mother is a teacher and also uses technology just as much as finding new lessons, writing child reports, and staying in contact with the children and their families. My older brother is a communication manager and dreams to be a director one day. With this goal and major he is constantly using technology. He's working with cameras, writing scripts, and researching new things. His major is revolving around technology. My little sister is a high school student who is constantly on her phone using social media 24/7. In our house, the TV is usually always playing while everyone is isolated with their devices. I truly think we’ve been sucked into technology to the point where we can't live without it. However, it seems to be no change with that as technology keeps becoming more and more essential in our lives. I think technology plays a bad role in my relationships. It seems to be taking over quality time and reality. Everyone is constantly using technology instead of being together. As much as I wish we were so connected through technology it seems to not be changing. I've learned to expect it because it seems that we will never lose technology and we feel like we need it in our lives.

When looking myself up online I am very surprised at how much comes up. The first thing that comes up is all of my social media. I am a college student and most of my social media is as formal as my LinkedIn would be. This could be controversial when looking for jobs if that's all they see me as a college sorority girl who posts pictures with her friends. The next thing that comes up is my LinkedIn and my entire family's Linked In. You could easily find out my dad, mom, siblings, and who I'm related to from it. It also shows my Dean's list award here at High Point University which would be great for jobs to see my success in college. There is also an article posted about me and the play I did in 2016 or my town's 300th celebration. I was the lead so it includes an interview and pictures of me. A lot of pictures from that play come up as well as pictures of my family and cousins. It's pretty scary how much comes up online with just a name. This has made me rethink a lot of what I post and be more careful because you never know who's stalking you or looking into all of your information. I am surprised at how much of an online presence I have considering I am no celebrity or online influencer. This has made me private more accounts and be more cautious of what could be out on the internet. 

Living in the age of AI

While watching this video learned a lot and it really opened my eyes to how artificial intelligence and technology are changing life as we know it. I learned how everything you do is producing data and computers are trying to personalize things to you and adapt the world to you. The dangers of this seem to outweigh the good side of technology. Companies don’t have the same goals they need to be aware to have more control. Something that stood out to me was “we were searching google but google was searching us with every move”. Hearing this really made me think about how often I use google and look stuff up for google to be doing the same and gathering more and more information on me. I’ve learned that surveillance capitalism is real and although many say it claims private human experience, there are surprisingly a lot of businesses that wanna know what we will do now, soon, and later. In 2015 there was controversy about how privacy in google truly was. “You'd be horrified if you knew how much we knew about you” , This was Mactaggart from the video. The entire business is learning as much about you as they can mining the data of your life with this power it holds. Some would say technology has developed a place in our lives that it has not earned. Since technology has always made things better we have developed a trust and industry that has earned goodwill.

I would say that technology beholds a lot of pros and cons with privacy. The pros being it allows us to create these private accounts to hold information and keep our privacy safe. Many social media websites require a lot of passwords and verification to access an account which appears to make it seem safe… or so we may think. Social media sites are collecting way too much data on us that we should be careful with especially with hackers or unwanted viruses. Technology has surveillance on us in places we didn't know before. Something that shocked me was hearing about how google homes could spy on you. These devices that we keep in our homes are surrounded by our everyday lives. They use spoken interactions which are being trained not only to recognize who you are but are getting deeper information on you. They will ask you simple questions and will listen to your responses very clearly. They can tell if you have a cold or maybe if you’re sad just by how your voice is sounding. This could be by simpling you asking what the weather is like that day. Some google homes also have cameras now which gives total surveillance on you and your own. They can see and hear everything that is going on around them giving us no privacy. It is scary how much technology is taking over and stealing our privacy.

The same goes for national security which ensures the protection of our nation's fundamental and enduring needs. This allows protection for all citizens and protects us by maintaining effective arm forces, service police, and civil defense to protect us and the nation from internal threats. However, it can direct acts of war and aggression which could result in something bigger. Although the national security we have is protecting us as citizens the government also knows everything about us. In this day in age, it seems nearly impossible to have your privacy. Online security has also been set into place to ensure privacy for activities and transactions made over the internet. It can seem safe in the moment and protective however how would you know if someone is watching your every move on the computer? Identify theft has never been easier with the help of technology. Hackers can access people's accounts and almost every bit of information about them through the internet. While the internet may seem like an amazing tool that we've been gifted with it makes it harder for us to keep our information private. Technology nowadays is full of many possibilities and many unknowns especially when it comes to our privacy as citizens. 

EOTO Online Influencers

 While listening to the EOTO presentations of my classmates I was very intrigued to learn so much about awareness, mediasphere, theories, and policy. One that stood out to me was in the mediasphere the topic of online influencers. Online influencers have taken over the world of social media. Online Influencers are creators who use social media platforms to create a brand and image for themselves using their own creativity. They make regular posts about different topics to generate a large following of people. Online influencers can even make a living and get paid for uploading videos or pictures and just doing what they love. 

Many positives come with being an online influencer. For example, they get brand deals, and brand ambassadors, make money, raise brand awareness and increase brand sales. These influencers also typically grow a big following and live a life similar to a celebrity by simply expressing themselves online. Influencers also help build trust and credibility as well as broaden a brand's audience when promoting their products. Social media has become a fun and interactive way for influencers to grow with an audience to inspire.

While there are many positives of online influencers but as there are positives, negatives typically seem to follow behind them. Some influencers unintentionally promote unhealthy habits, affect mental health, and could damage a brand's reputation. None of this is intentional but sometimes people watching their videos will start to think differently of themselves or try to live more like the influencers. There can also be a lot of competition between the influencers with what they post and how many likes they get. Unfortunately, most of the time influencers receive haters and hate comments in form of bullying. This can be hard for influences to take in and please everyone. Although influencers can experience hardships on social media, so many influencers have impacted our society today. Influencers have inspired young people to follow their passions and dreams and have role models to look up to. Influencers are gaining new marketing opportunities and impacting how they communicate and network. Influencers have become a huge part of our society today and I truly believe there are so many inspirational influencers out there that have changed someone's life for the better. 

Propaganda

  Propaganda is statements or ideas that are often false or exaggerated. Typically these statements are spread to help the government, leaders, cause, etc. These statements can influence or even change someone's views or attitude towards a specific cause. 

There are two types of propaganda: those with a positive message and negative. ​​Although when people hear propaganda they think of it as someone bad there are times when it's positively promoted. Organizations like the government or news can promote positive messages and lifestyles. For example, messages about drunk driving, drug use, the effects of smoking, healthy eating habits, violence against women, and vaccine programs are often spread through propaganda. Propaganda can also be used to promote unity, cooperation, and community through people during conflicts. For example, this propaganda against smoking states “About 440,000 Americans die each year from disease related to smoking. 90% of them started as teen smokers”, which “Smoking Kills” a supposedly unconscious human. This was hopefully made to try to convince people to stop smoking and be safer. Positive propaganda can initially be used to promote positive change in society. 

While there is some positive propaganda being promoted throughout the world there is usually a lot more negative. Propaganda can be used negatively to cause damage and demolishment. Negative propaganda can be used as a very powerful weapon during the war. This type of propaganda can create hatred towards enemies by creating a false image of the opposing country or nation in the minds of the people. Negative propaganda can affect the way we teach information to others. Degrading disinformation about a group or the history of a certain country could be promoted in the education system by using the media to create and navigate false information. A real-world example of negative propaganda was while under Hitler's rule the German government used propaganda to favor and try to promote nazism. Another example of negative propaganda is during World War II, stating “More toolie you crackie… More Happie Jappie… Nations Fall When Workers Stall” a 1940's US anti-Japanese propaganda. The United States used propaganda to try and convince people to support the war by joining it, saving material goods and food, and buying war bonds. This was done by initiating hatred for the enemy.

Propaganda can affect society as a whole because some may believe one thing while others would disagree. This could cause an uproar in protests or arguments due to the opinions of others. Negative propaganda can cause fear and strong either agreeance or disagreement by the people. For example, the Nazi propaganda some seeing it as a way to promote nazism while others' lives were being torn apart by people believing the propaganda and wanting to join it. However, positive propaganda can be used to help promote positive and change society. Many propaganda posters are improving and can change one's views for the good. For example the “We Can Do It!” poster by J. Howard Miller in 1943, promoted feminism and is a symbol of women's empowerment. This is an inspiring poster that positively impacts society. Another very famous propaganda poster was the “I want you” recruitment poster by Leslie’s Weekly on July 6, 1916. This poster represents strength and a sense of urgency to encourage the citizens of the United States to join the war effort. Posters like these are impactful and change the way society is as a whole. I would say there are many propagandas representing different segments in different ways, some of which people would find offensive or discriminating. Posters reflecting different segments could be very offensive to some and impact one opinion on the matter. Listed below are a few examples of each. 

Rich/Poor: This poster was German propaganda criticizing American World War I tactics. The saying “Rich Mans War! Poor Man's Fight!” Could be interpreted in many ways and for me, I see it almost as during the war the poor had to fight to survive and get the necessities they needed while the rich were prepared and wealthy enough to 

provide for themselves. Almost as if stating the rich were stronger and better than the poor.

Old/Young: This poster is trying to encourage mothers to keep their children out of London. As you can see Hitler appears as a ghostly figure in the back trying to get her to take her children back home. 

female/male: This propaganda was used for gender in first world war propaganda. Shows the wives telling their husbands to join the war while they stay back.  

Gay/Straight: This propaganda is negatively impacting those of the LGBT stating they are dirty and a “walking disease”, which is something you should never call someone no matter their sexuality. 

Minority/Majority: This 1942 World War II propaganda poster, titled This is the Enemy, circulated in the United States following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. Its purpose was to express the entire Japanese nation as a ruthless and animalistic enemy that needed to be defeated. 

Propaganda could influence my opinions on certain topics. Not only myself but many people nowadays are always on the internet, on social media, and watching the news. Social media websites are always posting new information and I would like some of its usual propaganda. There are many people o this world that want to show their opinions online and try and make people believe one way over the other. For example, I always get ads about different websites or brands that say you can get benefits from them. When in reality you'll go to these websites and it's trying to make you pay all this money or it wouldn't even have what the post was promoting. Nowadays so many people believe so much about what they see online that people think they wouldn't notice the propaganda being promoted. 

Invasion of Privacy Through Technology

                                          

I was very fascinated to learn about all so many ways our privacy could be taken through our technology without us even realizing it. Every time you’re on the phone someone could be listening on the other line and I know a lot of people that will give crucial information through the phone clueless about whose listening. Posting on social media could also play a big role in our privacy. Social Media sites can see what you post and hackers could even leak or take personal information or pictures that were saved through the app. Facial recognition was another big one. Nowadays our face has facial recognition and most online websites could identify anything and anyone. This could even result in their records and personal information being online. This could drastically affect me, my friends and my family, and our safety. Unfortunately, there are so many people out there that would go above and beyond to try to steal someone's personal information or try to hack them. This is so scary to think that someone so small as our phones could hold the power of relaxing our privacy without us knowing if we’re not careful. 

To protect ourselves from invasions of our privacy there are many precautions we can take to safely use the internet. For starters, It's important to limit the personal information you share on social media. Try to fill out as much information without giving away too much information. Use a virtual private network service when connecting to wifi. Most places will be able to see everything you do online when connected to their website. Make sure to be careful where you click and to avoid clicking on “scam” emails. In some cases, the scam emails we get could be hackers just trying to get your information. Another big thing is to always password secure everything. Especially with a strong password that wouldn't be guessed by most people.  

The Diffusion Theory

 The Diffusion Theory is stated to be a theory that inquires to explain how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology are spread. Once the first smartphone was debated almost everyone had it… 1.9 million people to be exact, according to Appleinsider William Gallagher. I truly think some people don't think having all this technology is so crucial to their lives. For example, my grandparents just got a smartphone this year and rarely use it. They don't find it as selfless as our generation does. My grandparents have their landline phone and computer and they state that's all they need. Nowadays without generation technology is everything and everywhere. We’ve become so used to having everything we need with the touch of a finger. Phones have become our personal computers that have everything and do everything for us. 

 I would say the positives of having social media apps like Instagram and Facebook are that they are a great way to discover new things and ideas. I truly would say I’ve learned many different things on social media apps that I don't get taught in school. Social Media is a great way to stay connected with friends and family as well as very quick access to information and research. There are many options for content discovery, online learning, and job skills. Many people also can become involved in civic engagement like fundraising, social awareness, and providing a voice for themselves. However, while social media may seem to appear so great there are some negatives. Many people compare themeless to what they see online and in most cases, it's not even real. This can cause self-image issues and people to feel insecure while seeing other people's lives. Social media has become addicting and has increased the usage of people on their smartphones which truly isn't good for their health. Many people also get fear missing out while seeing people live lives they wish they could. I truly think some people simply don't think there's a need for it all. The internet and a way of communication could be all they need. The same goes for social media. Our generation seems to rely on social media as their source of communication. It would say it's taken over people's lives. I don't see a need for everyone's lives to revolve around social media. 

While there are many positives and negatives I would say the initiatives outweigh the positives. There's a lot of cyberbullying through social media and self-image issues and social media can impact one's mental health and wellbeing. There are so many other ways to produce content or find new ideas. The internet for example is a perfect way to look for jobs, advertise for oneself, and do most of what social media would be. I think to weigh the cost-benefit analysis with new communication technology it's important to argue the right decision and why it's important.  Many people have different opinions on social media and believe they have different effects on one another. Social media truly is what you make of it and although there are a lot of positives there are quite a few negatives that could follow. 

EOTO Technology presentations: Drones

 I got the opportunity to learn about many different technologies throughout the years and how they've impacted communication. One that stood out to me was drones. When I think of drones I think of small aircraft controlled by remotes and people. However, drones have seemed to advance throughout the years. Drones were used as military weapons for many years upon influencing communication. Drones have become such a unique way for journalists to capture images and videos at angles we never could before. However, I learned some disadvantages come with it such as environmental hazards. Drones have now been used for news to broadcasts to unreachable places and reach new outlets. Drones have also been used as ways to carry information from one place to another more efficiently. For example, Walmart was using drone services to deliver their packages to homes in a faster and more efficient way. Nowadays many people use drones as cameras to capture heights a human camera could never reach. A lot of movies and music videos use drone production to capture amazing footage. Drones have advanced immensely. Drones are also now used for aerial photography for journalism, film, and real estate, as well as express shipping and delivery. Drones are used for gathering information or supplying essentials for disaster management. Drones could also save someone's life with easier access to search and rescue operations. I think it's so cool that we can have these drones as a way to communicate and see places we never thought we could.