My Relationship with Technology

Growing up as part of Gen Z means I've been surrounded by technology since I was born. It has shaped almost every aspect of my life to the point where I use technology every day. I remember learning how to type in the computer lab in elementary school, something that's different from when our parents were younger. Fast forward to today, as a college student, my laptop has become my lifeline, from taking notes in class to staying connected with professors and peers. Technology isn't just a tool; it has become the main component of daily learning, communication, and functioning. 

Living in a time of massive technological advancement has deeply influenced how children grow up. When I was younger, my mom had rules about screen time. She didn't want me to watch TV for too long, and she refused to get me a tablet until I had finished my homework. At the age of ten, I already had a phone that she wasn’t a fan of. Back then, I didn't understand why, but looking back, I am grateful for her decisions. By limiting my exposure to screens when I was younger it allowed me to be more present in the world beyond technology.

My relationship with technology began when I was about ten years old. At that time, my brother and I didn't live with our dad, so he gave us a green iPhone 5c to share to stay connected. From that moment on, technology became a pivotal part of my life. I don't think there's been a single day since I haven't used my phone or computer.

My digital footprint started at the early age of 11 when I first got Instagram and Facebook. I didn’t learn that nothing is ever really deleted from the internet until I searched my name on the internet my freshman of high school. When I searched, I found an old website I had created in middle school, that had old pictures of me, and much more. I was able to get mostly everything deleted from the internet. This made me realize that what you post on the internet matters. I frequently search for my name on the internet to see what pops up, and I will say that I am proud of my digital footprint. 

In today’s society, having a clean digital footprint is extremely important. Over the past several years, there has been a phrase called “cancel culture.” Cancel culture is publicly calling out, boycotting, or withdrawing support from individuals, organizations and even brands for behavior or statements that are offensive or unacceptable. Social media influencers especially have to be careful of their digital footprint. This is because their followers will deep dive into their past and find old incriminating posts they made before becoming popular. This has become most common on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, which make it easy for old posts to resurface, even years later. Sometimes, these posts are taken out of context or reflect views the person no longer holds, but the damage is often already done. Careers, friendships, and reputations can be severely harmed because of past mistakes coming to light. This shows how powerful and permanent our online actions can be in today’s interconnected world. 

Technology and social media have become essential to my life, shaping how I learn, communicate, and do everyday tasks. From my experiences in elementary school to understanding the importance of maintaining a positive digital footprint, I’ve learned that technology is both a useful tool and a significant responsibility. Our dependability on the internet and the effects of cancel culture highlight the need to be mindful of what we post online and the digital legacy we create. As I continue to use technology, I want to continue to put out an image that reflects who I am positively, both on and offline.

EOT Reaction Post: Citizen Journalism

 

Olivia’s presentation on citizen journalism provided an insightful look into how this practice has evolved and reshaped the media landscape. It’s clear that citizen journalism, driven by the rise of social media and digital tools, has transformed the way news is reported and consumed. Her explanation of how ordinary people, equipped with smartphones and access to the internet, can now share breaking news from their communities before major outlets even catch wind of it was particularly striking.

What stood out to me most was how Olivia traced the evolution of citizen journalism from its early days in the 1960s to today. She highlighted the role of community radio stations in the 1960s and 1970s as early examples of grassroots media that provided alternative perspectives to what was being covered by mainstream outlets. I hadn’t realized how important these local platforms were in giving people a voice at a time when traditional media outlets were often out of reach.

Her presentation also shed light on the pivotal moments in the 1990s when search engines, blogs, and online forums gave rise to personal reporting. I hadn’t considered how these early forms of online content paved the way for today’s citizen journalists. As Olivia pointed out, the real revolution came with the advent of social media in the early 2000s. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube allow everyday people to provide real-time updates, photos, and videos from events that would otherwise go unreported. 

Olivia’s mention of Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was particularly powerful. It illustrated how citizen journalists became key sources of information when traditional outlets were limited in their coverage.

The idea that citizen journalism is now collaborative, with mainstream media integrating user-generated content, resonated. Olivia highlighted how this fusion of grassroots reporting and traditional media has made news coverage more diverse and inclusive while also helping to bring attention to local issues that might not otherwise reach a global audience.

However, Olivia didn’t shy away from addressing the challenges of citizen journalism. One concern she raised, which I found necessary, was fact-checking and verifying user-generated content. As the speed and accessibility of citizen journalism grows, the potential for misinformation increases, and Olivia emphasized that this creates a responsibility to ensure that content is accurate and trustworthy. I think this is one of the most critical points when considering the future of citizen journalism.

Olivia’s presentation gave me a deeper understanding of how citizen journalism has shaped our media consumption. This practice has empowered individuals, provided new perspectives, and brought previously unheard voices into the global conversation. Moving forward, I think we will continue to see citizen journalism play a significant role in accessing and sharing news, especially as new technologies emerge. While challenges like misinformation remain, the potential for citizen journalism to enrich the media landscape and contribute to a more inclusive dialogue is undeniable.

News Deserts

 While other traditional forms of mass media may be loosening their grip, the news media is still considered an essential player within a properly functioning democracy and a well-informed citizenry. News deserts are geographically based areas where residents cannot access local news, which affects a vast spectrum of society, from civic dimensions to social justice and even personal everyday life. The trend towards the increase and growth in the use of internet-provided news, especially in smaller countries and rural areas, has accelerated with the decline of the traditional print news media. Let us examine the consequences of this development in greater detail and its relevance to particular stakeholders and society at large.

Local newspapers have indeed not survived in their present form and scope, and competition cannot be said to be the cause of their misery. Information in a news format has become possible over the Internet, including the television trend. Since news agencies have been improved by the need to keep up with technology, community support in journalism has increased in the areas concerned.

Nonetheless, the negative aspects greatly exceed the positive. Without local news resources, a community faces problems of misinformation regarding local healthcare, education, and the accountability of local authorities. In some cases, they increase the government's expenses and political processes. As the study from the University of North Carolina shows, news deserts have a detrimental effect on people's democracy, accountability of local authorities, and in some cases, increase the expense to the government. Such a gap, on the other hand, creates fewer reasons for citizens to vote or engage in activities that benefit the communities in which they inhabit, thereby loosening the social bonds that hold such communities together.

There are a variety of ways in which news deserts affect society. Local Information Deficit affects society as a phenomenon that endangers democratic oversight as institutions of local journalism play an efficient institutional role and investigate local governments from within, exposing wrongdoing​. With the closure of publications, necessary checks on the actions of local authorities and other forces are alleviated. Formal and state structures become more prone to abuses and misuse of power with reduced oversight by the press. Furthermore, and especially in areas where the reporting is not localized, the level of faith in the media continues to plummet as residents struggle to assimilate or feel included within the community.

Another significant repercussion is misinformation. In the absence of community reporting, individuals frequently rely on social media or partisan sources for news, many of which lack standards of objectivism and verification of claims. This facilitates the quick circulation of untrue information, thereby deepening existing divisions among societies.

The consequences of the news desert are not felt evenly. Richer neighborhoods or cities are more likely to offer readers alternative news, either from the Internet or from well-established non-profit journalism movements. On the other hand, poorer and more rural areas have to face the greatest challenge of the loss of community newspapers. Such places are usually short of the resources and market to support new media opportunities and are likely to become news deserts.

Minority communities similarly carry a disproportionate burden. Studies show that neighborhoods with higher concentrations of Hispanic/Latino or other minorities have limited local news coverage. This leads to their underrepresentation, which is a barrier to their active participation in local politics or advocating for their interests.

The same is true for older populations who traditionally consume printed materials and miss news organizations' transitions toward the digital world. Younger people may have the training to utilize online news, but they still face adverse consequences due to fewer trustworthy local information sources. This generation gap tends to magnify the confusion among different age groups and heighten the stress within societies where equality in information distribution is challenging.

For my friends, family, and I, there would be long-term impacts on civic youth engagement and participatory citizenship within the democratic spaces without local news. And while most of us have moved to social media in search of news, these also do not serve the need for targeted reporting at the community level. As one who is readying for the legal profession, I find it evident that geotargeted reporting is critical in law because people need to know the legal or political happenings around them. If this is well done, no glaring disinformation will complicate a simple situation and even intimidate some people to vote or seek healthcare or laws.

My extended family, including elderly relatives, could be among the first to be affected by a move from mass media. They tend to avoid seeking information from the internet, and to exacerbate the situation, unity would have no local newspaper they trusted.

As the number of news deserts increases, it is evident that there is a need to change the strategy of how one supports community journalism. To be effective in this strategy, funding shall emanate from individuals, government policies, and the public to fill the gaps created by the demise of print media​. As citizens, we also have ways to help enact legislation, such as providing local news organizations tax breaks or hiring aides to prevent business news facilities in poor neighborhoods from closing down​.

That said, although anyone can predict how the news will be in the future in 'global cities,' the need for localized information goes beyond accuracy. It is critical to stress that promoting such mechanisms is more efficient than acquiring news-gathering habits because it caters to both the parochial and mass assembly of society regardless of its geopolitical and economic status.

Antiwar

As the U.S. keeps up its military operations in various corners of the world, it is incredible how antiwar voices are mostly absent in the contemporary mainstream media. Websites like Antiwar.com and The American Conservative feature and defend very forceful opinions against war, but those are few and far between when it comes to general conversation. So why are people seeking out these voices on lesser-known platforms? Why aren't these views in the mainstream media, and why do people have to look for them?

There is an explanation for this. It is based on the ownership and structure of the audience. Most of the most extensive media houses are run by companies with a direct interest in dealing with the government, strong defense enterprises, or other sources of income related to war. Thus, any dissenting opinion or coverage that may appear offensive to the foreign policy of the U.S. or its military operations is swept under. Instead, dominant political discourse in the media treats military action as operationally unavoidable, emphasizing tactical aspects and avoiding broader ethical or political contexts.

The article "With Attack on Yemen, the U.S. Is Shameless" from Antiwar.com sharply criticizes the United States for its ongoing support of Saudi Arabia's military actions in Yemen. It highlights the U.S. government's hypocrisy in promoting human rights while continuing to provide arms and logistical support to a brutal military campaign that has devastated Yemen, causing widespread civilian suffering, famine, and death. The article points out that while mainstream media largely ignores or downplays U.S. complicity in the humanitarian crisis, antiwar voices must work to bring attention to this gross contradiction in U.S. foreign policy.

Likewise, The American Conservative has a critical approach to the American Empire and its policies of overseas intervention, seeking to convince those who do not align with the neocon's expansionist ideology. There is also an article entitled!. "Why Are You Still There, when the author calls ok in India and retuning the Society in pain?" there seems to be no explanation as to how and why the conventional army has not been pulled out of no victories cyber wars. The article notes that these issues, if discussed in the American print media, are rarely treated in the American press, however, out of politics, to sound reform-oriented.

Stereotypical views of the conflict and even dissent are held because a lack or absence of antiwar voices characterizes the issues raised by the media. Such audiences have to go to non-mainstream sites like Antiwar.com or The American Conservative to engage in loam critiques of U.S. interventionism. Just as people argue about media pluralism, it is a fact that these anti-war voices are marginalized in mass media.

All in all, the primary strike against American terrorism is suffered from the absence of anti-American terrorism ideology from the American public sphere. Mainstream solutions center on arms and strategy and the prevailing political consensus, while outside the box invites consideration of why America is even doing it in the first place. To have a complete citizenry whose perspectives are less partial to the broadest segments of society, such perspectives should not only remain on the peripheries in any strategic debate.

Diffusion of Innovations

Everett Rogers, a sociologist, proposed the Diffusion of Innovation Theory in 1962 to outline the process of technology and other innovations. This theory helps us understand why particular innovations, such as social media, spread within a very short period of time, why some people are more willing to adopt them faster while others are a bit slower, and why others do not even wish to adopt them in the first place.

Sociocultural web-based applications, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, rapidly grow within societies since they emphasize user needs, such as the need to connect, be entertained, and access information. The revolutionary nature of early technologies meant that the average early adopter, fond of innovation, immediately saw their usefulness and adopted them into their everyday routines. They influenced their friends who did not participate in the adoption campaign by using new programs that people found interesting, fun, and valuable. For instance, users could network with relatives and friends living far away from them, send pictures easily, and receive updates about news as it happens.

However, not all consumers quickly adopt the innovation. Late adopters or non-adopters might suffer from East Central or did not see any need factors. For example, many people do not even open accounts on various social networks like Facebook or Instagram due to risks like data security, trolling, or addiction. In addition, some may feel bored due to the constant sharing of posts they may not wish to participate in.

But on the other hand, non-adoption deals with losses. Social media will give valuable opportunities to reach friends or advance professionally as business networking shifts online. Still, the decision to stay cut out from such an interactive environment could have benefits, including preserving one’s peace of mind and protecting one’s privacy in the age of advertisement and aggressive targeted marketing. Many, if not all, experience adverse side effects from social networks, such as distractions, anxiety, or the need to create a beautiful picture of life that has little in common with reality.

The evaluation of the cost-benefit ratio in the introduction of new communication technologies remains a very subjective issue. In the opinion of some, what social media offers in terms of interpersonal contact and entertainment exceeds its negative aspects. On the other hand, some people consider advertising, the invasion of personal privacy, distractions, and even mental breakdowns to be excessive drawbacks to the advantages of social media platforms. Such an assessment has proved helpful for each person in determining whether this innovation is in line with their values and needs.

Privacy

In today's digital age, the question of privacy looms large for all of us. Juan Enriquez's TED Talk, Your Online Life, Permanent as a Tattoo, and Christopher Soghoian's How to Avoid Surveillance... The Phone in Your Pocket highlights the critical intersection of personal data, privacy, and the increasingly inescapable nature of surveillance. Both talks focus on the profound effects of our digital footprint, not just for ourselves but also for our families and society.

Always be mindful of the balance between convenience and safeguarding our privacy, and act responsibly in our digital interactions. Enriquez uses the tattoo analogy to underscore the need for responsible digital interactions. Every social media post, search query, and seemingly innocent interaction leaves a permanent imprint. This permanence affects us, our friends, and our family because, in essence, our online identities are etched into the digital landscape. Whether we like it or not, our past is easily accessible, potentially influencing job opportunities, relationships, and reputations.

As a result, it's challenging for me and those in my circle to disconnect from the online world. This underscores the need to carefully consider any information we share, primarily online, to avoid potential repercussions. The unsettling reality is that a seemingly innocuous post from years ago could resurface to haunt us.

Christopher Soghoian is very anxious about ordinary apparatus, so the threat layer is strange. They are the parts of our appliances, which may be even in our pockets or our handbags. There are civil liberties and integrity of other people that extractions have only an aspect of the contest which we might be towards in looking ahead. How concerned are we? If our whereabouts, speech, subsequent actions, and indeed where we would be according to predictor algorithms are the issues in question.

For my family and friends, this realization means being more selective about the technology they use. Some people have started using encrypted messaging applications or switching off location services to ensure privacy. Nevertheless, the sensation of being "on surveillance" is very offensive and, to some extent, becomes excessive as all about the devices turn to paranoia.

The government is responsible for protecting citizens from exposure, danger, violation, or any privacy breach by developing and implementing adequate and current laws that consider the problematic conditions that prevail in the information era. When it comes to data privacy, regulations should make it compulsory for companies to reveal their data gathering, retention, and dissemination practices so that users remain in control over the use of their data. In addition, there should be a more rigorous threshold connected to the period of data retention by the companies, and independent agencies should be formed to monitor the misuse of the collected data or its unauthorized access or theft. This would ensure individual rights and information protection from being commercially abused when running the business in a risky environment, as everyone's data is enticing meat for different players in the market.

However, when it comes to surveillance by the government, both the transparency of the government and accountability to the law are matters of concern. All surveillance activity must have judicial control to reduce the potential of abuse, and the public should be educated on the extent of activities to promote discussion on the appropriate conditions of existence of the state on security and citizens’ privacy. Covert surveillance is fatal, and the government, the only institution that acts in the name of 'security,' must pre-empt differential treatment of its political ideals and security with individual-based satisfaction. In this manner, governments should respect the right to privacy of the people while at the same time ensuring that their citizens retain confidence in the government institutions that serve them.

We can also do things on a personal level to ensure that our privacy is not compromised. First and foremost, encrypted applications such as Signal should be utilized. App permissions shall be limited, and privacy settings on social network sites will be checked regularly as well. But there are other steps, too. In addition, we should strive for more scrupulous privacy legislation, considering that we all receive digital 'tattoos' in some form and take part in defining the internet. Conclusively, action is needed in this age of unending encroachment into privacy. There's no doubt that technology is of great advantage to humankind. However, there is a need to compromise between technology and respect for privacy.

Instant Messaging: EOT Presentation Blog Post

Instant messaging has developed from simply exchanging text instructions into an enormous computer environment. It also includes a mechanism to control foreign correspondence courses sourced from hundreds of novels and articles or more on the World Wide Web. Audrey's presentation opened such a subject, and its specific features were pleasant to listen to.

The most exciting moment of the presentation was when she explained why, back in the '90s, when people were communicating via AOL Instant Messenger AIM /MSN Messenger, it influenced an evolving notion of what it meant to have an online identity. The buddy list and away message weren't simply instruments but features reflecting one's individuality. Most- if not all people, therefore, could create some virtual self-disguised behind statuses and icons for updates. Amazingly, this feature made everybody construct their imaginary self on IM, which began social networking as we know it now.

Mobile chat apps, notably BlackBerry Messenger and WhatsApp, were also a remarkable portion of her report. She described how BBM changed how people communicated with each other because it offered cheap and reliable communications, thus gaining the attention of the youth and the stars. But that was before I saw how the application integrated data to send messages. Deploying an affordable and accessible communication medium changed the messaging norms that people have used. It eliminated the financial constraint that SMS tended to impose and enabled people of different geographical areas and social classes to communicate without the fear of making unnoticeable phone calls.

Perspectives on updated intercom policies, like those implemented in Slack, should be considered when discussing remastered communication systems. That is how AI has changed how IM is traditionally used and turned it into a productive enterprise by doing things to enhance productivity. I was shocked that this transition made IM not just a messaging tool but also an integral part of the functioning system of any work and inter-team collaboration. This change has transformed the role of IM from a toy into an essential part of the business.

Messaging apps such as Telegram remarked on society's increasing worth of information security. With more and more people worrying about data confidentiality, the need for direction communication security has never been higher. I have been such a moron that I never imagined how crucial these services are in the modern world.

Audrey's presentation dealt not simply with the evolution of instant messaging and the rise of new services but with how these transformations redefine the order. Overall, the aspects of her presentation were the formative aspects of the early IM services, the rise of mobile messaging as a means of people's communication, and the changes like instant messaging to an effective working tool through the help of artificial intelligence. Such changes have had enormous implications regarding self-expression, socialization, and, eventually, doing business in the present world.