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The presentations of group one stuck with me the most. These were the topics I had the least amount of prior knowledge with, in particular the concept of false flags and five eyes. A false flag being used to sway a public opinion or justify a military effort sounded like something out of Star Wars to me. When there is financial gain to be had and unwilling citizens in a war I see why a government would use such a tactic. Once the public catches wind of this betrayal of trust, there is no going back as the relationship is irreparably damaged. A false flag is a fairly underhanded tactic and intentionally misleading in a serious matter.

Propaganda is something I was already familiar with, but mostly content from the twentieth century. There is no better way to warmonger than through a rallying hoorah describing how desperately your mother nation needs your help. The only thing better is the complete demonization of opposing sides. This is similar to a false flag in the sense that it portrays the government as the good guys or heroes and gets more support for their cause. 

I had never heard of the Five Eyes program and was surprised to find out five of the worlds most prominent nations had united together to betray the privacy and trust of their citizens. They monitor all of our electronic communications and keep an eye on the actions of foreign nations. This is once again a betrayal of trust from the government. The more citizens made aware of this monitoring, the more strained the relationship becomes. 

Blog 8 Privacy

 Privacy Concerns

Privacy within our personal information and daily lives is something everybody wishes to have. Some may feel they do a better job keeping their lives more private than others. Really there are more threats and intrusions of privacy then the average person realizes. Living in the age of technology opens the door to more avenues for unwanted intrusions. A concerning fact is that privacy is threatened by both sides, criminals looking for your social security number, and the government trying to keep an eye on national security. 

A text you send to your friend is prolly being tracked to some extent by the government and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. Want true privacy? You may have to start communicating via carrier pigeon. It is easy to overshare information on the internet and it will have consequences. You don't want to reveal too much about your personal life to strangers and you certainly don't want to say anything foolish and incriminating on social media. A good VPN and a fake g-mail can help provide a thin veil of privacy and cover basic needs, but any expert in computer science can pull out your IP address. My younger sister got in a pointless political argument on TikTok and was almost instantaneously sent our home address and a picture of our house as a threat. I believe the best way to have some semblance of privacy is to remain as anonymous as possible and avoid online confrontation. It is an unfortunate reality that you will almost never be able to achieve true privacy online and someone is likely listening.

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 EOTO 2 Citizen Journalism

Citizen journalism is a term and concept that is becoming increasingly relevant over time. Now that everyone has a smartphone attached to them at all times, anybody can whip out a camera and get footage of an event guerrilla style in a surprisingly high quality. More people than ever use various social media platforms and can upload their journalistic endeavors to a wide audience. Even if they don't have a prior presence, a video can still catch fire and go viral, spreading across every corner of the internet. Citizen journalism is in fact characterized by it's inexpert nature. 

Citizen Journalism at its core takes a reader of the news, and turns them into an active participant. This raw variant to a typical journalist creates a more personal experience for everyone involved. You receive a more personable take from someone who isn't appealing to a higher up or company executive, and you often get footage that is basically ground zero of the event in real time. Someone's personal experiences of an event offer a different testimony of an event and deepen its impact. The website substack.com allows you to to subscribe to receive content from professional independent journalists offering a different take. You can curate your subscriptions to your interests, and many of the journalists here make a sizable sum of money. You get a different storytelling perspective and find angles you don't see covered my mainstream outlets. It's almost analogous to compare it to mainstream music going viral on TikTok versus indie musicians with a dedicated cult following. 

The more prevalent usage of citizen journalism is its ability to hold authority accountable. Nothing can be swept under the rug and labeled as 'natural or accidental' when there is video proof. A video showing what actually happened can help bring the guilty party to justice. That does not mean this act of collecting and sharing important information is completely safe. Obviously, there are going to be people and governments that do not want information to come to light, especially not like this.

All journalists, professional or random citizens with an iPhone, are protected under the same set of rules, but are also regulated under the same rules. If you are deemed to be interfering, anyone is subject to being arrested and detained. Anything you collect or post is subject to consequences, and these will vary depending on who it effects and where you are. During the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, a CNN film crew was detained live on the air by police. Even mainstream outlet reporters are not immune. Being a citizen journalist runs the risk of receiving some of the highest journalistic honors: assassination,  government threats, and jailtime. Without the protection of prior restraint, there are some journalists intimidated or threatened to not publish anything that could harm the reputation of authority, particularly in dictatorships. 

There has never been a better time to be a citizen journalist then now. Between the amount of issues this world pumps out daily and the convenience our portable computers provide, anybody can film an incredible moment. Various levels of independent coverage are more accessible then they ever have been. 

 

Final Blog Post Option 1

My Usage of Technology

As someone who was raised in the twenty first century, I have developed a very interlinked relationship with technology. It is something I use quite often every day. It is hard to imagine a life without screens and I don't believe I realize just how much of an effect it has on me and the way I think/feel.

As a kid I spent the majority of my time outdoors and wanted nothing to do with television and video games. The more time that's spent going for walks outdoors or watching a sunset versus staring a a blue screen in a dark room, the happier someone is going to be. There is a link between technology and declining mental health. Our dopamine receptors are fried from the constant and instantaneous access social media scrolling provides. Excessive usage of social media leads to a higher youth risk of anxiety and depression.

I personally feel I spend far too much time with technology. I use just my phone for up to six hours every single day. Twenty five percent of my life is spent staring down at the little computer in my pocket, and that makes me feel like I'm wasting time. If used sparingly social media and technology can be an amazing tool. The amount of things I can do by tapping a few buttons is truly incredible but it is up to me to regulate that usage and hold myself accountable. 

For every new innovation or convenience society conjures up, multiple unintended consequences sprout from beneath it. You have to take the good and the bad with everything, but it's more dangerous here. Venturing into the uncharted waters of artificial intelligence could be a deadly endeavor. It can feel quite harmless when people create beautiful AI generated art, but some dislike it and feel it isn't truly art and merely an amalgamation of most relevant images to a few key words. This is an image of 'Media Law and Literacy I had an AI generate within five minutes.

The rising prominence of social media in the daily lives of teenagers has led to knew issues. There is a lower level of people and communication skills now that more is said to a screen then one another. There aren't nearly as many real conversations anymore, everything is behind a cordial email or a rude text message. When I had Covid and had to spend time in isolation, I found that only using my phone and basically not talking to anybody else immediately affected my communication skills. I was 'rusty' once I recovered.

I cannot imagine going more than a day without checking my phone or opening up my laptop. This is plain and simple an addiction. It's weird thinking about that now, knowing I lived the first thirteen years of my life like that. I love that I can communicate with my best friend who lives on the other side of the country at any time. I cannot understate how much good has come from the rise of cellphones and technology. That said, we cannot ignore the negative effects being dragged with it or they will spiral out of control.

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 EOTO Reaction Search Engines

The presentation I found the most compelling was Caleb's. I did not have much prior knowledge on the history of search engines. In my mind I sort of that the predetermination that google was the father of all search engines and had paved the way for everybody else. It is extremely difficult to imagine a world without google now. Not being able to find anything and everything with one click is an intimidating prospect. I had never heard of Archie or known where the concept of search engines originated. 

I think a lot of people take for granted the unlimited access to desktop computers we carry with us at all times. The modern evolution of how search engines evolved to the precise and convenient technology we have today is under-sung in its praises. When started as an index it took a lot more manual and meticulous searching to find the specific pages or ideas requested.  

The PageRank system created by google is what helped set it apart from its competitors and revolutionize the technology. It gave webpages a priority ranking to filter in the most relevant sources of information. It measures links between the search and various contents of pages. This reminded me of a joke where stepping onto the second page of a google search is like entering the deep web. We are so used to finding exactly what we were looking for and needed within the first one to two results. It is baffling to think about how we never go past the first page on google but there are thousands listed in an order of relevancy. It truly is a wealth of information at our disposal whenever we please. 

Blog 5 AntiWar

 Anti War Posts

After browsing these sites, my first impression is that I'm looking beyond into an alternate universe or reality. This is the first I've heard or seen of all of these outlets. These websites and their stories never make it through the filter into mainstream media coverage. The obvious reasoning for this is that such a stance isn't in the best interest of the government. It is best for them to put this information behind a veil and let conflicts around the world continue to grow. These stories do not mince their words and take a strong stance you wouldn't normally hear. Their content is often shadow banned. You have to specifically search and go out of your way to find it, because it certainly won't be getting covered. 

Issues and violent affairs overseas are often told in a misleading manner via mainstream news organizations then they framed to portray the most favorable angle for the government. Many media outlets and journalists portray wars as a necessity or a preservation of justice when reality is that half the time we have no right or reason to be involved. Why is every president so dead set on staying in the middle east? Especially if they had previously spoken against staying involved in external conflicts. The story Biden Pulls Trump Card To Continue US War in Yemen shows Biden is not an innocent successor to Trump and is capable of falling onto previous habits. It is in his best interest to continue pumping money and weapons to warring nations across the globe. Finding true coverage of this oversight is impossible without digging into a specific genre of website such as these. 

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 History of Emoticons and Emojis

As members of society become increasingly attached to our phones and technology, the aloof faces and and images of a secondary keyboard are increasingly seen. They aid in conveying emotion via text and e-mail. Emoticons make sure nothing is lost in translation and nonverbal cues can be added to a conversation that isn't happening face to face. While sometimes coming off as a little too casual and unprofessional, their lighthearted nature does have its place in academic feedback and workplace messages. 

The first recorded usage of an emoticon took place in an 1881 magazine. They serve as a reaction or display of emotion. The admittedly unsettling faces conveyed four ever important emotions in print for the first time. This magazine was known for political satire and commentary, almost like a predecessor to 'The Onion'.

The word emoticon is a combination of emotion, and icon. Sarcasm is far more evident in a message when it is followed by the stalwart face of indifference. With enough creativity, you can create just about any expression imaginable using a keyboard. The modern birth of emoticons came from professor Scott Fahlman in 1982. He suggested the usage of a smiley face to make it clear if a joke was being told and prevent misunderstandings. 

As online chatrooms and messaging become more common in the nineties, the usage of emoticons went up. They help to follow up a statement with added connotation subbing in for vocal inflections and facial expressions. 

On the other side of the world Japanese artist Shigetaka Kurita created the first emoji whilst working for a mobile carrier. Emojis are basically the upgraded descendant of emoticons. Offering a wider variety of colorful expressions, items, and people. The far more detailed images can be added to any message to take it from cold and distant to cordial and forgiving. As more and more generations adopt texting as part of their daily routine emojis become a more frequent site. As of 2015, over six billion emojis were sent daily. Chances are this number has drastically increased. 

With every IOS update countless emojis are added for anything you could ever possibly imagine. So many modern emojis are useless in about 98% of situations, but when the time comes and you for some peculiar reason need a moped or a microscope emoji, it will be there. 

Another modern update from emoticons is the transcendence past facial expressions. Some have changed in meaning, such as the crying emoji often used to depict humor and laughter. Others are items that serve to represent something else. Possibly seen as an extension of slang, a fire emoji would be used to show when something is cool rather than the presence of an actual fire. There are even special apps where you can create your own custom ones such as Memoji. They are usable in the format of selfies even mimicking your expressions incase you feel the generated 3D image better conveys feeling than your actual expressions. As more time passes and the massive library of emojis increases, emoticons become increasingly obsolete. 

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Rise of Artificial Intelligence, Downfall of Civilization?

With every technological advancement, you will hear harrowing warnings from harbingers of doom. No amount of discourse about classic films such as 'The Matrix' will adequately prepare us for monster of our own design, artificial intelligence. In the most bleak terms, if we really are headed on this path, there isn't much we can do to stop it. Technology isn't going to stop advancing and the incredible feats and convenience isn't going anywhere. The endless possibilities of our destruction only get scarier with extra thought. 

The computing power of artificial intelligence is incredible without a doubt and its abilities only become more accessible over time, such as AI generated art. The more complex its creations and computing becomes the worse off we could be. Human fail-safes such as the Turing Test attempt to cover the potential negative paths technology can take. In a dramatic comparison, this is like trying to block a gunshot with a napkin. It may already be out of our control if we are a simulation millions of layers from the base reality. If AI is smart enough to pass the Turing Test, chances are its smart enough to pretend to fail. 

Even if the threat isn't some cybernetic monstrosity capable of profound thought, AI still prevents risks and threats. Privacy has never been harder to come by, strangers and entities can suddenly locate your address of a social media comment. You are being monitored more and more. A startling example was the phone assistant capable of normal conversation for setting up an appointment. Its ability to adapt and speak naturally made it indistinguishable from a human. A foreign threat can invade your computer and take all your private information if you use the internet recklessly. AI and identity theft is an understated threat of the deep web. A solid VPN and fake G-Mail has never been more important. For all its contributions and revolutionary ability, AI is a rose covered in numerous deadly thorns. 

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 Diffusion Theory in Regards to TikTok

Social media is arguably the largest and most influential technological change of the modern world. Regardless of opinions, it is here to stay. Social media has been integrated into every aspect of our lives sometimes to an almost smothering degree. The necessity of a smart fridge that can use apps and connect to the internet is certainly debatable, but imagine telling someone fifty years ago you would be able to "tweet" via the door of your refrigerator.  Why has social media has such an all consuming and rapid rise to the forefront of a modern upbringing?

The most common answer for why Facebook and Instagram users have an active profile is simply to keep in touch with friends and family, see what they're up to. This does not really cover the cultural powerhouse that is TikTok which somewhat bridged a generational gap. Seeing my mother use the same social media app as my younger sister was unheard of. Everybody can find their own particular niche of content to follow or even produce. So many content creators had no plans to generate a massive following and become celebrities. 

You seriously can see the egregious juxtaposition of a Ukraine war video, sports highlights and move clips, or just some teenagers dancing to the latest hit songs within the span of a minute. This instantaneous gratification can fry dopamine receptors and slaughter already depleting attention spans. This ultimate time waster rapidly addicting and comforting in times of boredom. Thus being part of why the app spread to all demographics. 

With its massive popularity comes a disproportionate amount of influence, both culturally and even in politics. In 2020 many users utilized the apps reach to stand with the Black Lives Matter Movement and show their support. Whether through jokes or serious statements the app can sway political events. A lot of music today is tailored and created (absolutely for the worse) specifically to go viral on the app and push streams through the roof. A Netflix show can go from unpopular to number one in the country off a little discourse and trendy content on the app. This massive pop culture discourse leads to FOMO. The fear of missing out inspires more people to get involved and stay in the know rather than not understand the latest trends and slang. Back in early 2019, TikTok was not as popular and it was almost seen as "dorky" to have an active profile there. Today, it's surprising and impressive to hear someone abstains from using the app. 

TikTok has a growing list of negative effects and controversy due to foreign ownership and potential negative impacts. I can see where these come from agree to an extent, letting a user know who has them in their phones contacts is an invasive and slippery slope. Yet I still use this app and waste plenty of time mindlessly scrolling. The cost benefit is easy to ignore with a dopamine farm accessible at all times.