Post #11 Final Post: The Impact of Technology

For generations people have speculated how the future would look and would often predict popular technological inventions, such as highways that lead to "the city of the future," in the video '64-65 NY World's Fair FUTURAMA Ride Video. Regardless if it is the first telephone or the world's first super computer, society has always sought to advance. An example of a form of technology that continues to advance is the cellphone. Cellphones, specifically Smart Phones, are like having a whole futuristic system in the palm of  your hand. Phones are constant and can be a major distraction. From watching the video "Are You Lost In the World Like Me," phones are powerful distractions that can take over people's lives. Any piece of technology can alter people's attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs and they can redefine the way people view the world. As the world and technology have progressed, so have phones and the more phones advance, the more people will be "prisoners" to their screens". Phones can not only steal people's abilities to experience the real world by keeping them glued to their screens, they can also negatively impact your overall intelligence. Phones provide the ability to research anything and everything and because of this, people are relying on their technological devices to do the learning and heavy lifting for them. By doing this, their intelligence and book smarts decrease which can cause serious problem when trying to apply for a job, get an education, or solve real world problems. 

Technology can be viewed as many things, such as, good, bad, beneficial, corrupting, and the list can go on. Technology has advanced in many ways and whether people know it or not, this modern world is already fully reliant on technology. Now, do not get me wrong, my relationship with technology is strong, and at times, I believe that my use of technology is a bit excessive, but the generation that I was born in was around the time that technology began to flourish, so in reality, technology is all that I know. 

Technology can be very useful and helpful. My family, friends, and I, or really anyone can use technology to their advantage. I use technology on a daily basis. I use it for homework, to browse on social media, to watch television, and truthfully, I could not live without technology. I was raised on technology and it has become my normal and it is apart of my everyday life. There are numerous ways that technology can be helpful. Technology can be used for medical purposes by helping to detect if someone is sick, it can lead to future discoveries, it opens up an endless amount of new and old information, and it provides easier ways to get to certain destinations around the world. There are so many ways that technology can be beneficial, it is just a matter of opinion on if you think technology is helpful or harmful. 

Technology can also be a place of manipulation and toxicity. Before technology really started to take off with it's advancements in the early 2000s, people used to actually interact with other people face to face instead of face to phone. Technology impacts daily lives and it determines how people interact with each other. Instead of people hanging out or doing things in person, they are Facetiming, Snapchatting, or Messaging and fully relying on technology to make connections. With the advancement of technology, there is also an increase in security, cameras, and monitoring. This means that there are more people out there monitoring us and our every move, scary right? Not only are people watching us, they are also listening and keeping data on what we research on the internet, watch, and click on, so that they can send us products and advertisements in hopes that we will click on it and buy it. With technology being so advanced, it is difficult to think about all the negativity that follow, but with the good comes the bad and technology is no exception. There are so many ways that technology can be corruptive and we think that the technology that we have now is high tech, just wait and see what the future of technology may bring. 

According to Reviews.org, in 2022, on average, Americans check their phones 344 times per day. That's once every 4 minutes! The amount of time that people are on their phones and technology as a whole is unhealthy, but can you blame them with how technologically advanced the world is? To give an example on how much I spend on my phone, on April 25th, 2022, I spent 5 hours and 43 minutes on my phone and that amount of screen time is not including my laptop and the television. I go on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok everyday. I like to use the various forms of social media. These forms of social media are ways for me to keep up with what is going on around the world, stay connected with my friends and family members, keep up to date with the newest trends, and just to pass the time. I would say that I have an unhealthy relationship with technology and the amount of time that I am giving to technology is inappropriate. For me, my phone, laptop, and television are what I would consider an "escape" from the real world. I have adapted to the use of technology and because I grew up surrounded by all things technology, I do not know any better. Now, I know that I have the ability to lower my use of technology, but the way it is advancing, eventually almost everything will become so technologically programmed that we will start using technology when we do not even realize when we are using it. 

Technology has become the new normal. It has wiggled it's way into society and society has accepted it and allowed it to prosper. The advancement is not slowing down anytime soon and it will only get bigger and either better or worse, depending on your opinion on technology as a whole. It is a scary thing to think that eventually we will have flying cars, people that look like people, but are actually robots, and even robotic bees. The future is limitless and the advancement of technology is endless, which means buckle up and get ready for a world made entirely out of technology.

Extra Post #3: Through the Eyes of AI

Now a days technology and machinery and anything related to those scientific systems has become some of the most well known necessities within today's world. The development over the years of technology and AI is like anything the people of this world could have ever dreamed of. From the first at home security system being made back in1969, to the advancement of a product AI technology such as monitoring robot professionals technology is becoming unstoppable. Technology is progressing at a scary fast rate and the advancement of technology is not slowing down anytime soon. 

Where technology gets really scary is when you have security cameras all around you watching your every move. Not only are there cameras all around us, they are also on our technological devices. These cameras can include the physical camera that you can see, but it can also include a "monitoring camera" that detects where you like to shop, what you like to buy, and other things and once it has that information, it starts sending you ads and information from wherever you searched. From watching the video "In the Age of AI by Frontline," We thought that we were searching Google. We had no idea that Google was searching us." We can never really know who is watching us and when they are watching, that is the scary thing about this world and the use of technology and its progression is not going to stop, it will only grow and advance in the future. 

Post #10: Reflection of EOTO #2

Upon watching and listening to all of the EOTO presentations, I really took interest in Anna Claire Miller's presentation on The Total Information Awareness Program. The Total Information Awareness Program (TIA for short) is a way for your information to be collected even when you do not know about it. That information can be used by the government in multiple ways and it can even be used in some ways that the government likes to keep confidential to the public. This ability to collect peoples' information could also cause the abundant use of power. What I mean by this, is that the government could use your information for more than just to see if you are a terrorist, they could use it for other concerns or situations that they see fit. 

This program really started to take off after it was created in 2002. The main reason for the creation of the TIA is because of the terrorist attack that occurred in New York City on 9/11. After the attack, security and surveillance around the world grew stronger. The TIA helps provide information on people to make sure that they are not a terrorist. Some might say that the overall program violates peoples' rights and that it is "secretly" taking peoples' information without their consent. While some might say it is a violation, others might say that it is helpful because it aids in finding terrorists and those who want to harm our country. For those that believe that the TIA is violating your privacy, there are many ways in which you can avoid your personal information from getting out. You can use a fake email and password when creating an account for something and you can even use a fake profile picture to really keep your personal information safe. Overall, the TIA can be both beneficial and harmful to the public. It is just up to you and how much you are willing to keep your personal information more secure. 

Post #9: The Diffusion of Innovations Theory Takes On YouTube

YouTube has been one of the most popular websites for many years now. Some may argue that the overall popularity of YouTube is declining, but if we use Roger's Diffusion Theory, we can take a closer look to see if YouTube is still on top as the Critical Mass, or if it is in their maturation faze and are becoming less popular. The Diffusion Theory helps us to get a good grasp of how platforms, movements, ideas, and more, start out and then eventually either stay at the top, or fall and become less popular and unfamiliar. YouTube originally came out in 2005, ever since then, the platform has been top three of the most visited websites. 

YouTube can be used by all ages, but we are often seeing more and more adults and teenagers use the platform. The age group that uses and watches YouTube the most falls under the ages 15-35. This app became popular so fast, due to the fact that there was no easy way to post and share videos with people from around the world at the time. The early adopters that instantly got hooked to YouTube simply starting using the platform because it was the newest and coolest thing at the time. Even though YouTube is one of the fastest growing and most viewed platforms, there are many who choose not to even fool with YouTube, those people would be called the non-adopters. They may just see the negatives in the platform and they may find that other social media apps are better. For me personally, I watch YouTube very often, however, I do use Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook more than I watch YouTube. After the non-adopters, there are the late adopters. The late adopters will join YouTube or start a channel many years down the road. The reason for the differentiation of adopters is because YouTube changes constantly. If YouTube never changed and upgraded its content, then it would loose so many people and eventually be in the saturation phase of the Diffusion Theory. 

I believe that YouTube has gotten even bigger and more popular over the years. According to Global Media Insight, just from 2013, to 2020, YouTube has gotten more than 1.3 billion more users. So how did YouTube become so popular and how did YouTube become one of the most popular websites not only in the U.S., but in places like India, Brazil, and Japan? Well, YouTube allows people from all over the world to create and experiment on postable content. This website initially started out in the experimental phase, but it quickly went over the curve and through the uptake to become a critical mass. Some might say that the platform is starting to burn out and get less popular, but according to Newsweek, as for YouTube, "growth will only continue." 

Post #8 EOTO #2:

Have you ever been persuaded to do something from seeing an advertisement or a tv commercial? Have you ever seen posters promoting a certain event or cause? Well, that would be considered propaganda. Propaganda is the spreading of either true or false information to the public. Propaganda can influence and manipulate people into believing and doing things that they never intended on doing in the first place. The term propaganda was originally introduced in 1622. It began as a term, but then grew to become a manipulative tool that people still used today. 

Propaganda can be both good and bad. Most people that think of propaganda only think of the bad forms. For instance, like posters promoting and advertising a war or a tv commercial that tries to make a certain president look bad. Most of the time what would be considered the bad propaganda is usually the only propaganda that the world sees. This type of propaganda is not only false advertisement, but this type of propaganda can also cause arguments within families and friends. One side may agree with a certain type of propaganda, while the other side may disagree and vice versa. The bad propaganda can also harm the younger generations. Millennials I would say, have more common sense on what is real and what is fake when it comes to the world than the up and coming generations. Why do I believe this? Of course, Millennials have been around longer, seen more, and have experienced more than, lets say, Gen Z. The younger generations are being raised around more technology and have more access to social media. Social media and the abundant use of technology can be harmful. Anything and everything is posted on social media and the amount of propaganda that is floating around on the internet is outrageous. When something is posted on an account that you really like, or your favorite celebrity is trying to promote something, all of that would be considered propaganda. Propaganda can also affect the majority and minority by causing diversity within different populations. It also affects the rich and the poor because the rich can use propaganda to their advantage and have more resources to promote it, whereas, the poor are more likely to believe it because of their lack of financial resources. With that said, not all propaganda is bad and corrupting. There are examples of good propaganda, such as, a promotional add for Taco Tuesday or a Rosie the Riveter poster because these examples are promoting good and helpful things. 

Propaganda can also influence the decisions you make on a daily basis and it can also change the way you make decisions. Propaganda can be very deceiving and I often find myself trying to distinguish what is real and what is fake when it comes to the world and the information surrounding it. I am one to get on social media often and a lot of what is on social media is fake news. Sometimes I get drawn into the deception of propaganda. Not only am I sometimes blinded by the propaganda, it really affects everyone in society. Propaganda is never ending and it is not going anywhere anytime soon. That is why society is going to continue to get persuaded by either fake or real news or information. 

 

In the end, you can be 80, 15, male, female, rich, poor, and so on, but you are still going to face propaganda. Propaganda will continue to grow, the real question is, is the world going to continue to abuse the power of propaganda, or are they going to use it to benefit society? 

  

Extra Post #2: An Unforgettable Mission Trip

December 12th, 2019, was the first day that Covid hit. It started out as a gentle virus in China that had spread to a couple of people and it was not considered to be life threatening. Around March 2020, the Covid cases started to increase, but only a couple of states in the United States had accumulated cases. March 11, 2020, was the day that me, two of my teachers, and two of my classmates decided to go on with our mission trip to Peru. At the time, people were not wearing masks, there was no 6 feet apart rule, and Covid was not really a concern. We landed in Cuzco Peru on March 12th 2020.

 A couple of days went by and as we had just came back to the hotel from eating at our first restaurant in Peru when the President of Peru announced that they are closing the boarders of Peru, which meant no one in and no one out. In frantic mode, we all started to freak out and we were trying to get a flight out that night, but they flights were all booked up. We all went to sleep that night, only to wake up realizing that our 10 day trip was going to last much longer than expected. We had to move from our hotel to the missionary family's house because we were not sure if we would be able to get food at the hotel. Days went by, streets got empty, stores remained closed, a  curfew went into effect, masks became mandatory and our hope of getting home started to fade. On top of it all, it was my first time out of the country. After days of waiting and listening for a way to get out of Peru, we heard President Trump, Mark Walker, and Pompeo talk about American citizens being stranded with no way of getting home and that they were trying to figure out ways of getting them home.  

After days of waiting, we finally got the news that we were coming home on March 29th and what was originally supposed to be a 10 day mission trip, turned into almost a month long quarantine. To get home, we had received special permission from the Peruvian Government and the U.S. Government and after three flights, we eventually landed in Charlotte on March 31st, 2020.    

Post #7: Is Privacy Really Private?

According to the Merriam- Webster Dictionary by definition, privacy means the quality or state of being apart from company or observation and freedom from unauthorized intrusion. Privacy literally means having the freedom to protect what you do and when you do it without the interference of others. In todays world, we are constantly being watched, filmed, and monitored on a daily basis. From watching the TED talks in class, the realization hit me that we are not really granted our own freedom to privacy at all. Once you step foot outside, a picture of you could be taken by the next cop car that passes you or you could be going about your everyday life without even realizing that your phone and your  Amazon Alexa is constantly listening in on your every word. The constant observation from the outside world should affect us and our lives drastically, instead we are often blinded by the obstruction of our own privacy. 

I know that for me, I do not even like to go out in public places and socialize, let alone be secretly recorded by those of higher power. The government has so much power over you and those around you. Sometimes I feel like we should be asking ourselves do we actually have the freedom that is promised to us within The First Amendment? I believe that the government is doing right by all of the constant surveillance, but I believe that that surveillance should not be used on those who do not deserve it and that ability to watch and listen to someone daily, should not be abused by using it on the "innocent."

Even though we are allowed to speak up and have a voice against the government and the decisions that they make for us, the constant monitoring is never going to stop, in fact, it is probably going to get even more advanced in the future. So how can we, as American citizens, protect ourselves from the government? We can find loopholes like using a fake email account to log into apps and websites. We can limit the amount of time we use things like Amazon Alexa's and Echo Dots. There are many ways to protect yourself from the continual supervision of the government, but it is all up to you and if you are willing to go the extra mile to secure your safety as an American citizen.