Final Presentation

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-JGV0sH60aVIm8Ywq_vaLjF-N0m4OO4nWZ6V5XIRto4/edit?usp=sharing

Police Cameras

       According to attorney Cathrine Crump, "NSA-style mass surveillance is enabling local police departments to gather vast quantities of sensitive information about each and every one of us in a way that was never previously possible." Automatic license plate readers, which are popping up more and more around the country, are being used to automatically scan license plates, take pictures of them, note locations, and pull reports on past wrongdoings. Crump goes on to say, "the issue is not just that one police department is gathering this information in isolation or even that multiple police departments are doing it. At the same time, the federal government is collecting all of these individual pots of data, and pooling them together into one vast database with hundreds of millions of hits, showing where Americans have traveled." 

      I find this information to be highly disturbing. I am a law-abiding citizen, and there is no cause for the government and police agencies to be tracking where I am going. Although, I act just like I don't know that my phone tracks every single place I go and how long I'm there. And if I were a betting man, I'd say it would be pretty easy for someone to get their hands on it. 

EOTO Part 2

I opted to write about GROUP 2's presentation 

Whistleblowers: 

A person who informs on another person or organization engaged in an illicit activity. Whistleblowing affects society in positive and negative ways. While there are some people out there who make false claims, whistleblowing can protect the safety of the public and employees. Whistleblowing might be difficult for people to go forward with, but with the government’s Whistleblower Protection Program, people are more inclined to do so because they are protected. Some people think whistleblowing is a negative thing because it breaks trust, so many look down upon whistleblowers which leads society to believe whistleblowing is a bad thing.

Echochambers:

An echochamber is an environment where someone encounters opinions or beliefs that coincide with their own, so their existing views are reinforced and alternative ideas aren’t considered. This can be good because it can quickly and effectively get people information they want, but it can be bad because it can close people off to other's points of view.

Citizen Journalism:

Citizen journalism is “the collection, dissemination, and analysis of news and information by the general public, especially by means of the Internet.” Due to the rise in social media and instant technology, citizens who would normally be the consumers of journalism are now able to contribute their own content, therefore becoming a citizen journalist. Citizen journalism affects our society as a whole because it allows anyone and everyone to take part in the sharing of news through social media and technology, which has both benefits and consequences. This revolutionary way of sharing and receiving news will continue on as our generation ages because we will be the ones contributing.

WikiLeaks:

Founded by Julian Assange in 2006, it publishes news leaks and classified media. WikiLeaks is essentially a whistleblowing platform that receives its content from anonymous sources. WikiLeaks forces transparency and gives the public more information to determine their own judgment on the matters being discussed. However, If things are not substantiated it could spread false information among the general public.

Alternative Media:

Alternative media is media that is not mainstream or corporate-owned. t represents and gives voice to the “secondary” who are oftentimes ignored by the mainstream media and seeks political change. Alternative media is mostly polarized and appeals to a typically only a small subsection of the population. In comparison to mainstream media, alternative media has significantly less funding and a more diverse audience. Alternative media outlets are much harder to access than typical media outlets as well.

Mainstream Media:

A term referring to various large mass news media that influence many people by reflecting and shaping their thoughts. “Mainstream” things are those that are currently popular with most people.  Mainstream media keeps us connected, spur businesses, spreads art and culture, and gives a voice to voiceless. However, it can empower the already powerful, disinform, and overtake personal connection.

Online Footprint

       I would say that I have quite a large online footprint, and the more I look into it, the larger it appears to be. While I do not have a personal website, it is not at all difficult to find me online at all. I am on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YoutTube, Google, Blogger, VSCO, Reddit, Pinterest, Snapchat, Soundcloud, Tumblr, and TicTok. And those are just the ones I can remember right off the bat, I'm sure there are more that I have made and am just forgetting. As far as what I have linked to them, not too much except for some professional stuff on my LinkedIn. Most of the rest is just personal pictures and thoughts.

        Someone could find out what I look like, where I am from, where I go to school, who I am friends with, what music I like, what I like to do for fun, when my birthday is, what I am studying, and what positions I hold/have held, and probably more just by looking through my social media. 

       As far as private information, I don't even know how many places I have given out my phone number and email to. Aside from that, I have no clue how many times I have clicked yes to the terms and conditions without knowing what I was agreeing to in the slightest. I did it just because I wanted to get to the other side of the agreement and clicking through it is the easiest way to get it done. 

       I think that the widespread use of social media is both a good and bad thing. On one hand, it allows for the free spread of ideas and information between people that would otherwise have no means of communication. On the other, it can contribute to depression, loneliness, and obsession with an appearance on social media. Constantly seeing others who appear perfect makes it hard to look at yourself with the same confidence, and social media has certainly contributed to this. This can result in people closing themselves off and becoming lonely and depressed. 

Amazon Alexa

     

       Amazon's Alexa has made big waves in recent years. A home speaker with a built-in "AI," or artificial intelligence, assistant. The allure to Alexa is that is works simply by speaking to it. Alexa can carry out an array of tasks, including playing music, setting alarms, carrying out online searches, scheduling appointments, and more, all by simply saying, "Hey Alexa."  

      The convenience of the product led many people to be early adopters, with more and more buying Alexa as it ascended in popularity. Early advertising campaigns featuring pop-culture icons such as Cardi B contributed to its uptake. While other companies like Apple and Google have since released comparable products, Alexa remains on top of the market.

       Despite its success, however,  Alexa has been at the center of recent controversies over the recording of people's private lives and information without their immediate knowledge. Another scandal involving employees responsible for monitoring artificially intelligent assistants recording people having sex and selling the tapes has further contributed to controversy surrounding devices like Alexa. 

Promoting Innovation

A community in which free speech is valued and protected is likely to be a more energized, creative, interesting society as its citizens actively fulfill themselves in many diverse and interesting ways.

- Jack Balkin

       In today's world, it is imperative that a society do everything they can to promote innovation and progressive thought. A society's right to free speech is critical in achieving this goal. This value is highly important, meaningful, inspiring, and consistently underrated. 

       Free speech is often overlooked in the pursuit of innovation, with much of the focus turning to the scientific realm alone. However, it is the right of free speech that given scientists and innovators the platform they so desperately require to spread their findings. The value of free speech and the free flow of ideas is an idea that is inherently flexible and progressive. It moves with time and adapts to an ever-changing society. Paradoxically, it is a principle that requires some level of blind faith to support. Supporting the idea of a free flow of ideas means supporting a system that would allow a platform for ideas that could potentially directly conflict with your own. 

       However, the ability to accept and discuss ideas that may conflict with your own is equally as important as the right to express and spread the ideas. This duality is part of what makes the value so important. The effective exercise of free speech and everything that goes along with it is truly inspiring. 

Propaganda

       

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "propaganda is the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person." Propaganda can take the form of ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause, or to damage an opposing cause. Though it is most widely known for its use throughout the World Wars, propaganda has been around for hundreds of years and continues to be used today.

Propaganda originated in ancient Greece. Differences amongst Athenians on religious and political matters gave rise to propaganda and counter-propaganda. The Greeks had games, the theater, the assembly, the law courts, and religious festivals, and these gave the opportunity for propagandizing their ideas and beliefs. From that time forward, whenever any society had common knowledge and a sense of common interests, it made use of propaganda.

The term “Propaganda” was first used in the result of Catholic missionary actions in 1622. Pope Gregory XV created in Rome the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. A College of Propaganda was set up under Pope Urban VIII to train priests for the missions. These priests received training to spread written, visual, and oral propaganda. Propaganda was also used widely throughout the French and American Revolutions.

Propaganda is also used widely throughout the political world today. During election seasons especially, the use of propaganda can be seen to advance some political agendas and put others down. This is when propaganda can affect society the most today. The very nature of propaganda lends it to be easily used to target and appeal to different groups. Each social group, regardless of any sort of alignment or affiliation, is subject to the use of propaganda.