Facebook

 Facebook Movie   

    Facebook is a. major social media platform that many people use to stay connected to friends and family. Facebook to most people os an amazing platform that is an innovative way to keep our world connected. In order to sign up for Facebook, you go to their website click create an account. Once here you enter your name, either your email or phone number, a password, your date of birth, and your gender. This gives Facebook your basic background for them to use to connect you to people and things.

    

During the early stages of Facebook, the company was all about connecting people and had the motto "move fast and break things". This was a moto to keep facebook moving in an innovative way. They also had a mission to give people the power to share and be more open and connected with each other. This went along with the companies goal which was worldwide expansion. The company was made of most younger workers who were in their young 20's. The founder Mark Zuckerberg was a Harvard graduate and recruited much of his early staff from his friends and fellow graduates. 

As these young graduates began to develop the site they focused on growth. They began to create new features such as the news feed which had content that you wanted to see on it, and the like feature which helped engage people and develop their news feed. While this seems like a good thing as many enjoyed the site it began to be used for different things. the company had a rile that did not incite violence and have basic decent when using the site. While these were good rules in general they were easy to workaround. The site became a part of the Egyptian Revolution. While the site was not the cause it was a way for people to get their message across to others, therefore, becoming the enabler in the situation. While Facebook did take down messages if they violated their rules they had to do it manually which made it hard to keep up with the posts. As the revolution took form the more violent comments began to get more likes which meant more people saw them. This was due to Facebook's feature where whether good or bad the more it engages people the more it is seen and put onto people's feeds. As time went it became evident that Facebook was very understaffed and that a bunch of 20-year-olds was decided what speech mattered ad what didn't.

    

Facebooks issues did not end there. Over time privacy issues began to arise. Facebook was surveying you to be able to produce ads for specifically you. They were also. found to be storing users personal information, which they also were found to be sharing information with third parties. As users voiced concerns about these privacy issues Facebook responded poorly not seeing it as a large concern. They only wanted to continue to grow and become more world wide. Overall Facebook as grown and developed with quite a bit of controversy and continues to have these same problems to this day.

Sources:

https://www.facebook.com/business/learn/lessons/tips-to-creating-a-facebook-page?content_id=72qUWeEf6MzKISG&ref=sem_smb&utm_source=GOOGLE&utm_medium=fbsmbsem&utm_campaign=PFX_SEM_G_Pages_US_EN_Brand_Exact_Desktop&utm_content=How-To-Create_Buying&kenid=_k_Cj0KCQjwsqmEBhDiARIsANV8H3Y07qHX7lh9QFO-JRGvCF29XLITkQE1LndEGuuOIl9HTtCI1WU2jG8aAh5AEALw_wcB_k_&utm_term=how%20to%20create%20a%20facebook%20page&utm_ct=EVG&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsqmEBhDiARIsANV8H3Y07qHX7lh9QFO-JRGvCF29XLITkQE1LndEGuuOIl9HTtCI1WU2jG8aAh5AEALw_wcB

(Facebook video watched in class, I can not find the link)

Final Key Post

 Final Blog Post

The invention of the internet and social media marked a major turning point in our society. It brought convenience and connection, as it allowed for quick access to all the information and people you could need. While many see the internet for all the benefits it brought to our society many overlooks or fail to see the consequences it can bring about. Speaking for myself I often forget to remember all the consequences that the internet brings especially on social media. Things such as your online footprint, sensitive information, misinterpretations, and many more are products of misuse or misunderstanding of the internet and all it contains. 

In my personal situation, I am often online, whether it's scrolling through social media or working on projects for my classes I would say I spend a large portion of my life online. Due to this, I believe my digital footprint is rather large. A digital footprint is a trail of data you create when using the internet, and there are two different types of digital footprints active which is data you intentionally submit and passive which you unintentionally leave behind. Digital footprints are a part of the internet no one can escape but be mindful of what you leave behind can be a very good practice.  There are a variety of ways to manage your digital footprint. A couple examples are by googling yourself in order to see what you can find that you may not expect. Another tip is to give some sort of reading or skim to the terms and conditions, this can give you at least the smallest idea of what you are agreeing to when you sign up. One last tip is to use privacy settings to help secure your information. These are just a few tips to manage your digital footprint. While digital footprints can be daunting though it is good to know that you can manage it all to stay safe online.

 When it comes to social media I use most of the popular sites such as tik tok, Instagram, Snapchat, and vsco. When it comes to my social media sites I use some sites more than others. I tend to use Snapchat and tik tok the most. I will make tik toks every so often but I am usually just scrolling through but with Snapchat, I am answering my friends periodically throughout the day. When it comes to what I choose to put on my social media I am on the cautious side. I tend to post very little on my Instagram and on my Snapchat story. I also give very little information about myself out on my social media. One place you look for this information is Instagram bios. Many people use their bios to give their followers a little bit about them. My bio has very little in it. I have my college, my sorority, and my Snapchat. I choose to not put my hometown or anything else about me in my bio. I also choose to not have anything linked within my social media. I do all this in an effort to keep as much privacy as I can in an environment that often lacks privacy. I have been able to learn a lot more about these issues and have begun to implement new precautions. I have learned that using the same password on multiple sites can be a very bad idea as it makes it easier for hackers to gain access to all your accounts. I have now begun to use different passwords for each site to keep my information safe.

My online privacy has become of increased concern to me. I have been able to learn that over time I have given more information about myself than I would like to admit. I give out my email, phone number, name, my date of birth, and gender alone every time I sign up for a new site or social media. That information alone allows for the invasion of your privacy not even mentioning other information you give without knowing it. During our class, I have developed a better understanding of how just scrolling through tik tok allows for them to gather information about what I like watching and what I don’t. Overall I have found that while technology brings many positive aspects to our society it also brings many scary consequences. Over time everyone needs to learn to be cautious online and think before they post. If people can do that people can stay safe online.

Sources:

https://techterms.com/definition/digital_footprint

https://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/11-tips-for-students-tomanage-their-digital-footprints/

Spiral of Silence Theory (EOTO)

 Spiral of Silence Theory 

The spiral of silence theory is a theory that states people tend to stay quiet when their views are the opposite of the majority or that it describes the collective formation and societal decision making. The theory was proposed by German political scientist Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann in 1974. The theory is based on the idea that in a situation people have an intuition that tells them what the majority opinion is. We can see the theory demonstrated in the diagram above. As you move down the spiral people's opinions get less and less close to the majority opinion and people are less and less likely to talk or speak out on their opinion in fear of being isolated socially because of their opinion. 

In order to better understand the spiral of silence, it is helpful to look at a series of hypotheses that connect to the theory. One is that people fear isolation. This is pretty easy to understand as no person loves the feeling as though they are alone or not connected to the world around them.  Another is that people watch to see what ideas are approved or disapproved. This means that in a social setting people are constantly watching one another and determining what idea or opinion is the majority opinion. This allows people to speak out if in the agreement or not based on if their opinion matches the groups. It is meant to how people read a room to not become the outcast of the group. This plays a role in the idea of “isolation pressure”, or the pressure people feel to keep their opinions to themselves in fear of being isolated. This is usually caused by criticism from others. 

When discussing the spiral of silence theory it is important to acknowledge that the whole theory comes from the idea that everyone has a want and need to be and feel accepted into their circle of friends or by the public. As I continued to research the theory and look through the different hypothesis it had I found quite a few very interesting. One was the idea the theory is widely influenced by the media. It is very easy to base your opinion on what you see online or watch on tv. This hypothesis is very up to date within our society because technology plays such a large role and has such a large influence. This is due to the face that the public opinion can operate as a social control over the people of a certain society.Someone who doesnt know who to vote for or what clothing to buy may just base their opinion on what they read and see online. This is because they see that those opinions and ideas are the most accepted within society and wil keep them from seeming like outcasts. The other main hypothesis that I found intriguing was the idea that the spiral can solve conflicts. I found this one most interesting because I at first sawe the spiral as a was of causing conflict becuase it puts on opionon or belief over another. While the spiral mat due this in part it also can solve the conflicts because it integrates the public opionon into society and can fix more simple problems easily. Problems while there are always two sides soemtimes do have a clear answer and the spiral can bring out that answer and spread it widely so all can see and understand it.

The Digital Age

 The Digital Age 

In today's new digital age privacy has become a major issue. People put their information onto the internet to share with friends and family but it is shared with more than just them. While some sites and devices do a good job at encrypting messages not all are concerned with your information staying private. The government, hackers, and other companies are getting your information from your phone and your social media without you even knowing. This issue is widely discussed by professionals and different issues of your security can be heard. 

In the first ted talk, I watched Catherin Crump discussed one of the many ways the police and government are keeping an eye on us. She discussed how while doing an everyday act of driving can compromise your security. No one would think of it but when you drive cameras are recording you as you pass through stoplights. While these cameras are claimed to be to stop traffic violations in the process they are documenting all license plates that pass through there each day. While this may not seem like a major issue Crump explains how this allows the police and government to know where you have been and who was with you at a given day and time. These cameras can also be found on police cars. With all the information these cameras take the license plates are run against plates of cars that have had violations. the main issue with these cameras is that police are no longer just keeping the data of wanted plates but all plates that pass through. With police and government being able to use this data they can virtually track your every move which is a major privacy concern for the people of our society.

In the next ted talk, I watched Christopher Soghoian discussed how silicon valley companies have begun adding encrypting into your phones to help guard from surveillance. He discussed how companies such as apple have to add encrypting to their products in a way that they can not and others can not read or listen to your messages and calls. While this is great for the consumer's governments are not as pleased about this as they no longer can access your information. As his talk continues he speaks to how officials are mas about how these features are on these products by default. he said that government officials believe they should have access to this information to guard against terrorists, yet not everyone is a terrorist. This is a hard thing because while there may be people like that out there all the systems are the same meaning if the government had access to one they have access to all. Suvalliance back doors open up access to hackers who can then steal people's information. He ended by stating that we need these features to keep our privacy safe. 

In the final ted talk, I watched Darieth Chisolm spoke of her personal experience with privacy issues. She discussed the issue of revenge porn. She talked about how people can so easily take photos without your consent and create a website that they own. These websites are then considered their private property even though the photos are not of them. The main issue of this privacy issue is that there are few laws that help and protect people who are affected by this. While there are bills in the process they could take years to pass and in the meantime, people are suffering and get hurt by revenge porn. She told us how she finally was able to get a private company DMCA to get the site taken down. Through this whole case, she told how easily others can take away your privacy. She discussed how there needs to be more against offenses such as this within the law to help those affected. Overall she showed how easily your privacy can become public and how you can at times have no control over what is on the internet. 

Sources:

blob:https://embed.ted.com/fff80bf5-a566-44c0-8c8f-8ba302829dc1

blob:https://embed.ted.com/b648fa50-85ba-4ec6-8c7a-3efd7b38a7d8

blob:https://embed.ted.com/437f255e-accb-4336-95f4-65e915bfce9d

Diffusion Theory

 Diffusion Theory Through SMS Texting

SMS texting started off with slow growth but then became a rapid phenomenon. The reason for this is the fact that Sms texting provided an easy and quick way to communicate with others. As phones began to be compatible with SMS texting more and more people began to see the effectiveness this new form of communication had. Early adopters saw how quick and easy it was and how communication was evolving and this was the new way to connect with others.

While many were early adaptors and early majority; there still late adaptors and people who choose to not adapt at all. People may choose this course for a variety of reasons, especially the negative consequences that come with texting. Texting is an extremely impressionable technology and causes many distractions within everyday life. Texting can cause people especially the younger generation to have bad grammar and literary consequences, hurt relationships (can’t read emotions, bad with empathy), and distractions such as texting and driving or within the classroom. These repercussions to texting could discourage people especially older generations who have lived without technologies like this to abstain from using them. People who made the choice to not SMS texting may have made that decision in an effort to be better at spelling and grammar, be a more personable person and have an easier time reading people's emotions, and have more meaningful relationships.

While the answer to whether the positives outweigh the negatives could differ depending on who you ask, overall the positives do outweigh the negatives. The reason for this is because all the negatives can be rectified if people don’t completely let it take over their lives and if they work to use it in the right way while also being aware of the consequences it can bring about. Every technology is always going to bring about consequences but it is whether society fights back against these consequences or if they allow them to overtake them. If people work to keep a professional literacy and work to keep meaningful in-person relationships texting can be seen in a more positive light.

sources: 

 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2b50/b8f4305c87ca96cb8808f4bba7446c169d3c.pdf

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/1-84628-204-7_5.pdf

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kalpathy_Subramanian/publication/327369077_Texting_and_Teen_Aches_of_the_Turbulant_Times/links/5b8aa88f92851c1e12407bcd/Texting-and-Teen-Aches-of-the-Turbulant-Times.pdf

https://www.mobivity.com/mobivity-blog/2012/09/a-brief-history-of-text-messaging#:~:text=The%20SMS%20concept%20was%20first,developer%20at%20Sema%20Group%20Telecoms.

The Televison

 The Televison

Television is something many take for granted in this day in age,

but it is crazy to think of how short its history really is.

The electro ic tv that today's TVs are based off was created in 1927 by Philo Farnsworth.

Following in 1939 RCA televised the world’s fair for the first on screens that were just 5 by 12 picture

e tubes. 

At first tv’s were not at home products but that changed between 1946 and 1951

as at home TVs began to grow. This helped spark new advances within the television industry.

In 1964 the television finally began to have color broadcasting. Then in 1980 videocassettes came

out which showed off the potential of the television of at-home entertainment. 

TV’s continued to advance into what we know them as today. In 2000 the

first flat-screen TVs came out and then in 2010 LED TVs were invented.

As we can clearly see the television has a short history with major advancements made in

short periods of time. The tv changed lives and entertainment in general allowing for a new at-home

easy way to watch movies and shows.

SMS Texting

 SMS Texing 

SMS Texting is a large part of our society today, but it was not always that way. SMS texting has a rather short history as the first message was sent on December 3 1992 by Neil Papworth. The concept of SMS texting started in 1984 by Friedhelm Hillebrand and Bernard Ghillebaret. They were a part of a Franco-german GMS company. SMS stands for short messaging service. It got its name from the fact it could only send a maximum size of 160 characters.SMS texting started off rather slowly. Only about .4 texts were sent each month by Americans. This could be because of the limited availability of technology around that time. Over time SMS texting began to grow and by 1999 texts were ab el to be sent between different networks. This helped SMS growth and by 2000 35 texts were sent each month by Americans.

SMS texting started off as a multi-tap system. You had three letters associated with each number and would tap till you had the letter you needed. This was a very time-consuming task so  Cliff Kushler invented the T9 or text on 9 keys method. This method displayed commonly used words and phrases that you could press with a single key. Then in 2011 Kushler developed the Swype method where you could drag your finger to connect the letters. This new development came along with new touch screen phones.

In our society, today SMS texting has a very different role. Texting is a part of our everyday life. While it has become such a major role in our society that does not mean its use is all good. Many professionals worry about the effects texting has on the youth today. Texting has created an overall distraction for young people. They found that 64% of teens text in class and fail to pay attention regardless of rules put in place at school to prevent this. That’s not the only place texting creates distractions though it also can distract all ages while driving along with many other aspects of everyday life. SMS texting also affected the way people have relationships. Texting has made it harder for people to know how to read emotions and respond with empathy when needed, which can then result in over-dependence. 

Texting has also developed ling term consequences within our society. With texting being the new norm teens found ways to make it faster and easier. The term textisms is a way to describe the abbreviations, and short forms teens use while texting. While these textisms are great for texting professionals have found that they are now making their way into students writing within the classroom as well. Texting is now affecting the youth’s use of grammar and it has been found that people who use abbreviations often tend to be bad spellers. This shows the effect technology can have on educations and the power it had over people especially the youth whose minds are still developing.

While grammar, distractions, and less meaningful relationships are all consequences SMS texting has also brought about positive changes. Texting has given people the chance to get immediate feedback. It has offered a more connected world where you don’t need to wait to hear someone’s response. Along with that, it has created a new meaning of literacy.  Now literacy is about finding purpose and being able t analyze the tone of writing to be able to answer in a sufficient way. So while many see all the negative effects of SMS texting it has also brought about positive change and the opportunity to create something new using the knowledge you already have.

sources: 

 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2b50/b8f4305c87ca96cb8808f4bba7446c169d3c.pdf

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/1-84628-204-7_5.pdf

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kalpathy_Subramanian/publication/327369077_Texting_and_Teen_Aches_of_the_Turbulant_Times/links/5b8aa88f92851c1e12407bcd/Texting-and-Teen-Aches-of-the-Turbulant-Times.pdf

https://www.mobivity.com/mobivity-blog/2012/09/a-brief-history-of-text-messaging#:~:text=The%20SMS%20concept%20was%20first,developer%20at%20Sema%20Group%20Telecoms.