Final Blog Post

 The relationship between society and technology is a very complicated thing. The rise of technology is one of the biggest experiences that people have gone through throughout the years, as it literally changed the way society will be forever. It has undergone changes and transitions year after year and it has completely changed our communications, jobs, healthcare, education, and many more for the better. When it comes to the generational growth in technology, there are both countless positives and great things to come out of it, and then there are a large number of negative effects as well. 

Many people would say the most profound impact of technology has arguably been the growth in communication. With the development of social media sites, cellular devices, and instant ways of talking through messages and phone calls have transformed the way human beings communicate as a whole with each other on a day-to-day basis. Distance can no longer impact a person’s ability to contact others, and information is available to travel faster than ever. This has made for a spotlight to help start spreading awareness and give people a place to speak their mind to bring about movements and such. This, unfortunately, brought quite a few negatives for people using the same technology, but for the worse than better. They did this by spiking counts in false news and information, cyberbullying, depression, anxiety, addiction, and unhealthy relationships with technology, and more.

Personally, I don’t think I currently have an unhealthy relationship with technology, although I believe that I definitely used to at one point or another. From experience, I know that it is very easy to form an unhealthy relationship with technology, and it will bring about loads of unhealthy effects, such as cyberbullying, decreased sleep, bed rotting, etc. I also know that it happens to around 45% of people in the United States of America. Because of this, I have learned how to be more manageable and healthy when it comes to my usage of technology.  

I don’t believe that my digital footprint is big at all, and I really am not that active on social media. I will occasionally post on Instagram, but other than that you wouldn’t see much from me when it comes to finding me online. When it comes to my friends and family, I do not believe any of them really have any problems with keeping their relationship with technology healthy, either. 

I believe that there are both advantages and disadvantages of technology, and I don’t see a stoppage in society's complicated and changing relationship with it. Communication, education, and healthcare have all been transformed by technology, which has improved access, efficiency, and connectedness. Even through all of this, because of the toxicity that takes place, it has also brought about issues like bullying, misinformation, and privacy issues. I believe technology was the greatest invention to happen, and it has developed numerous achievements and milestones in society, but I also believe that some of the worst struggles in society can be traced back to technology.

EOTO 2 Day 2

 One concept I found interesting from a fellow classmate was the Illusory Truth Effect, which essentially, according to the National Library of Medicine, states the concept that repetition to a certain thing or statement increases a person's belief in that certain thing. Outcomes for this effect can be both positive and negative. A few negative outcomes and results for the illusory truth effect can be misinformation, bad decision making, political propaganda, and swaying public opinions. Opposed from this, a couple positive results can be the retention of factual information as well as the memorization of facts. 

Believe it or not, we see prominent examples of the illusory truth effect in our everyday lives. We see this with the use of rumors, fake news, and urban legends. Social media is well known for carrying loads of this effect through all of the misinformation and lies spread daily. This is also found in marketing and politics through the use of repeated slogans or frequently used claims portraying a certain fact or bias towards something else.

Although there seems to be numerous facts and statements made that portray the Illusory Truth Effect as a way more negative thing as opposed to positive, we all actually use it a whole lot more than you think, especially in the classroom. Learning through ways like repetition helps us retain information. For example, when a teacher repeats a fact to a room of students multiple times, the students are more likely to remember it correctly for future assignments and tests. 

Because of this, students all over the world will study just like that. This allows for a recognition of repeated information, which then in turn helps speed up decision-making because the students already have the information memorized without having to think through every fact and piece of information from scratch.

Age of AI

 Viewing the second hour of In the Age of AI was both informing, yet very concerning. Prior to watching, I was expecting to gain insight into how artificial intelligence is influencing our world, yet I was surprised to feel so in the middle with all of the information. The documentary effectively illustrates both the potential and the risks of this constantly evolving technology. 

One of the most beneficial features of AI and machine learning is their ability to assist humanity significantly. The video noted how AI is enhancing healthcare, logistics, and climate studies. Machine learning models can identify illnesses sooner, enhance supply chain efficiency, and even aid in forecasting natural disasters. This type of advancement can preserve lives and conserve resources. 

However, the negative aspects of AI are difficult to overlook. I was interested in the use of AI for surveillance in various nations. The use of this brings significant worries regarding privacy, such as what occurs when all our activities online or in public are monitored, recorded, and assessed? Though some argue that this can enhance national security, it can quickly transition into authoritarian dominance. The balance between safety and freedom appears to be becoming more pronounced. 

Another alarming aspect was the potential for AI to be weaponized, with it being employed not merely for national defense, but for attacking as well. The notion that cyber warfare and AI arms races might disrupt global politics is a perspective I had not deeply thought about previously. 

Digital safety and identity fraud are significant issues as well. As AI improves in replicating human actions, such as deep fakes and social manipulation, it is increasingly simpler for cybercriminals to imitate individuals and appropriate identities. If we can’t trust what we view on the internet anymore, how can we safeguard ourselves? One thought that keeps crossing my mind is, how can we strike a balance between innovation and regulation? 

EOTO 2 - Citizen Journalism

 In today's digital age the way we consume news has undergone a dramatic transformation, one of the most significant developments in the media landscape is the use of citizen journalism. Citizen journalism refers to the act of ordinary people who are most professional journalists collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information.Thanks to the widespread availability of smartphone social media platforms and internet connectivity, individuals now have the tools to report events as they happen, offering perspectives and insights that might otherwise go unnoticed by mainstream media. 

The idea of citizen journalism is not entirely new. Even before the internet era people would share the news and personal accounts within their communities especially in times of crisis or any social movements. However, with the advent of digital technology and social media, the scale and impact of citizen journalism have grown immensely. They gained a lot of popularity in the early 2000s when platforms and blogs, online forums, facebook, and later on twitter gave ordinary people a voice and public platform. Citizen journalism often emerges in situations where professional media outlets are either absent, restricted in such cases, or participants take it upon themselves to document themselves  through videos, photos, social media posts, or blogs. This grassroots form of journalism has become a powerful tool for raising awareness about issues ranging from political protests to natural disasters and human rights abuse, or unable to cover a story. One of the greatest strengths of citizen journalism is its ability to amplify voices that are often marginalized or ignored by mainstream media. In parts of the world, state- controlled or corporate owned news outlets may avoid  covering controversial or politically sensitive stories. In such situations citizen journalism can shed light on hidden issues, hold authorities accountable, and mobilize the public. Despite its many benefits, citizen journalism also faces challenges and criticism. One of the major concerns is the accuracy and credibility of information shared by the individuals, online professional journalists, citizens reports might lack fact checking resources. 

Journalistic ethics reading of editorial oversight. This can lead to spread of misinformation, rumors, or biased reporting. Another challenge is the safety and legal risks  faced by citizen journalism, especially in countries with strict media control or during volatile situations. Without the institutional backing of media organizations, individuals may be more vulnerable to harassment, arrest, or violence for reporting sensitive stories. Additionally the anonymity of the internet allows the rapid dissemination of false or harmful content. In some cases, citizen journalism has been used to spread propaganda or incite violence, as a result it's  crucial for audiences to critically evaluate the reliable sources and cross-check any information from multiple other outlets. Citizen journalism has become an integral part of the modern information ecosystem. It empowers ordinary people to share their stories, raise awareness of crucial issues, and challenge the narratives presented by traditional media. While it offers many advantages, scuba speed, accessibility, and grassroots perspectives, it also brings challenges regarding accuracy, ethics, and safety.  As technology continues to evolve, citizen journalism will likely play an even greater role in shaping how we understand and respond to the world around us.  

Diffusion of Innovations

 Throughout history innovations have shaped the way people live, work and communicate. Among the most transformative technologies in recent decades would be the smartphone. Once a nice new smartphone has come out, they have been almost indispensable in daily life nowadays. By examining the spread of smartphones through the diffusion of innovation, we can better understand who this technology caught on.

Who adopted it early and why some still resist. We can also weigh the benefits against the downsides of it all.The diffusion of innovations theory  explains how and why technology spread through the cultures.The processes are typically broken  into five categories.Innovators, adopters. Early, majority, late majority, and laggards, each group adopts an innovation at a  different stage  influenced by personal factors.Innovators are typically the risk takers and were the first to embrace the iPhone. The innovators see potential in combining the phone, camera and computer in a portable device for everyday life. They valued novelty, status, and cost as well as occasional glitches.The early adapters are then ones that follow closely and recognize the iPhone potential; improving in productivity, social connectivity and entertainment.or non-adopters, are typically more resistant to change and skeptical of new technologies. Their hesitation may be influenced by concerns about privacy, mental health, misinformation, or a desire to maintain face-to-face relationships over virtual ones. As they showcased the benefits for a smart phone the early majority began  adopting the technology, driven by pure influence, falling prices, and growing app eco systems.lastly. The late majority waited until the phones became way more affordable and had gone down in price after a bit. Often older, more traditional or less tech savvy individuals resisted adoption until it became almost unavoidable or under the models that emerged and became way more popular as time went on.

The Progressive Era

 As of today the United States continues to engage in military operations across various global regions, reflecting a persistent interventionist foreign policy. This approach has drawn criticism from a segment of conservative thinkers who advocate for more of a restrained and non-intervention list stance, yet their perspectives often remain  underrepresented on mainstream news. Antiwar voices are rarely heard on the news due to them challenging powerful interests. Corporate media rely on many of those who profit from war or global instability. 

In terms of media ownership and commercial interest. Large media corporations may have financial ties to defense contractors or other entities that benefit from military action. Journalists also depend on access to government and military officials discouraging dissent. This systematic narrowing of public discourse not only undermines the democratic deliberation  but also contributes to policy decisions that may not reflect the full spectrum of public opinion or serve  the national interest. Democracy functions best when citizens have access to a wide range of view points on matters of public  importance. When mainstream media platforms marginalize antiwar perspectives they effectively  constrain the information available  to citizens, hampering ability to form well-reasoned  opinions on critical matters of war and peace.When newsrooms present primarily pro-intervention voices they had indignantly positioned  military action as the default response to international conflicts. This framing subtly  shifts  the burden of proof from those advocating war to those advocating the diplomatic solutions  or non-intervention. There are compelling reasons  why antiwar perspectives deserve greater inclusion in the mainstream news coverage.The antiwar voices are  for sure mischaracterized as unpatriotic or isolationist, and further marginalizing them. Complex critiques don't fit the soundbite- driven by the nature of the cable news, which prefers clear cut news antiwar voices do exist in the news media landscape but particularly in private or independent medium opinion sections, academic publications, and increasingly on social medias and especially podcasts. On some international news platforms antiwar perspectives are featured more. The representation gap you're noting is a legitimate concern for those who believe that a robust debate about military intervention is essential for democratic discourse.