Blog Post 11-EOTO Reaction #2

 During the semester of this class and having to do these presentations, I gained valuable insights into topics I had which I have been unfamiliar with, Net Neutrality which proved to be enlightening was not. I learned that large internet service providers (ISP) often seek to exert considerable control over network access, presenting the case that could enhance service quality and have additional fees. They argue that charging website for faster connections are essential, while asserting that governments regulations are intrusive. This approach can lead to financial burdens on consumers who should not be required to pay extra for what should be standard service. 

  

Net Neutrality emerges as a crucial framework designed to counter these practices, making sure that all the people have affordable and equal access to online services. By fostering a competitive marketplace, Net Neutrality have smaller companies, which otherwise be sidelines by more formidable corporate interests, additionally it champions free expression by mitigating the risk of censorship, allowing diverse voices to be heard and promoting technological innovation without restrictions. 

The significance of Net Neutrality cannot be overstated, for those who might struggle to pay for premium that yield no genuine improvement in access or quality. The principles of Net Neutrality in place we can guarantee equal internet access to all users preventing ISPs from throttling or shutting down services based on their own interest. Net Neutrality protects not only the integrity of the internet but also the democratic principles that open dialogue and diverse perspectives in society.                                                                                                                                          

Diffusion of Innovation-Blog Post #8

 One of the most innovative technology of our time has to have been the smartphone, which has gained the biggest popularity out of all other technologies and has enhanced the communication and the connections that people have now. 

Smart phones have revolutionized how we communicate with each other through calls, texts and apps that keep us connected to friends, family and worldwide. According to medium.com “In 2006, 22 million smartphones were sold worldwide.” This convenience has not simplified the process of messaging others but it has improved safety allowing users to reach out for emergency services, loved ones, or work friends without actually having to go to the place. 

For many, the ability to communicate instantly no matter where they are, represents day to day life interactions. People that have brought iPhone early on have seen the transformation through the renovations that iPhone companies like Apple have done. 

The excitement through the people have surrounded the launch of smart iPhones and those who embraced this technology have taken advantage of its features from navigations like instagram or Snapchat. Some people who don’t know how to control themselves on having a phone faces challenges that are very hard. Some struggle to adapt to emerging technologies feeling overwhelmed by the rapid pace of change and the complexity of new devices. Other experienced financial barriers as smartphones can be significantly more expensive that older models or traditional communication methods like the flip phones. Older generations might have stuck with traditional methods out of necessity feeling comfortable. 

While the smartphones are impressive it is also important to the potential drawbacks associated with widespread adoption. Having concerns on negative impacts can have issues on addiction and can increase mental health and privacy issues. Smartphones are a growing issue and can have leading distractions that can impact relationships and productivity. Despite these challenges I believe that the overall benefits are easy communication access to information and the ability to navigate our increasingly complex world. 

As we continue to have this technology in our daily lives it is crucial to remain mindful of both its advantages and its pitfalls making sure that we use it in a way that enriches our lives rather than detracts from them. The smartphone has our communication landscape and understanding it’s diffusion and essentials that we have to navigate this ever evolving realm. 

Final Post Launch

 The Double-Edged Sword of Technology: Navigating a Digital Life

Technology has transformed our world. It has become embedded in every aspect of our lives, whether it is the way we work or learn or communicate or even entertaining ourselves, we live in an age where relationships between daily life and digital innovation are inseparable. 

Artificial intelligence would not have existed without the internet or advanced computing and now on this day forward we see how it is driving a new way of innovations according to industries. This fast evolution is both exciting and complicated because it offers powerful tools for progress but it also has many risks.  

The Bright Side of Innovation 

There is no question that technology has brought the incredible benefits that it has as well as it has made our lives more efficient and convenient. Having direct communication through texting, FaceTiming, calling and many more has changed the way people connect with others, lowering the distance and creating a sense of global closeness. 

Education has become better than ever, with having online courses and resources available to anyone that has WiFi. In healthcare, there is something called a telemedicine which patients use to remote areas and receive care without traveling many many miles to the nearest hospital. 

Broadly, technology holds the help that people need to solve some of the problems that are happening in the world like climate change and poverty. Innovations has a meaningful change of  food production and clean energy.  

The Risk We Can Not Ignore 

Now, for every benefit, there is always a downside. One of our main concerns is having to grow over-reliance on technology. As we have more aspects on our daily life, we have risk on losing touch with patience and hard work, and when powerful technological tools goes into the wrong hands of someone or something, the consequences are very serious and can lead to cyber attacks, data breaches, or having to misuse artificial intelligence.  

Everyone that uses online interactions can come with a cost. Having to misuse these interactions can have personal data by tech giants raise urgent questions about privacy. Many people like younger kids have unknowingly spread personal information like their locations, interest and habits in exchange for free access to social media or apps. Has anyone ever thought, Who has access to this kind of information and what are they doing with the information?

My Personal Love-Hate Relationship with Tech 

My relationship with technology has a bit of up and downs. I enjoy the ways it enhances my life. I use it to edit photos, shop, play games, watch TikTok, talk to my friends and play music. All these things bring me joy in having social media and makes life easier. 

With having good sides of social media there is also a bad side as well. I often find it hard to get off my phone and do work or go outside and play with my dog because I get attached with watching TikTok all day. According to the website hbr.org, “77% of employees use social media while on the clock many of them for up to several hours a day.” What starts with me just looking at TikTok or texting for ten minutes can turn into hours and hours of scrolling or texting. This can have effect on my mental health, sleep schedule and real world relationships. I’ve had regrets on having social media because without having social media I could have spent time going to the gym or I could be reading a book but instead I just get attached with looking at TikTok all day. 

According to recent estimates, around 210 million people globally have struggle with social media addiction. These platforms can have a toll on people aswell as the apps are intentionally designed to engage people to keep on watching or pressing on the apps. 

Finding Purpose Through Technology 

Despite these challenges, I still believe that technology is a good source because in my field as a Public Relations major and having a minor in Social Media, it gives me benefits in finding a job and working with the media world. It gives me tools to share my stories and share my voice. For those of us in creative or technical careers, technology is not just a tool it’s part of our identity as well as our job. 

In conversations with my friends and family I have noticed a common thread; we all feel a push and a pull in technology. We love its benefits but we struggle with the constant pressure, for example my mom loves using social media but she sometimes realizes that we all get way to attached with our phones and scrolling on things that she starts to see how much of a horrible impact it has on social life and being with your family. Curated feeds, viral trends and influencer lifestyles can take a toll on our self image especially for young viewers who are still trying to figure out who they are. 

Cyberbullying is another main issue in having social media. Studies have shown that a string link between online harassment and mental health challenges like depression and suicidal thoughts among teen particularly have a bad move. Cyberbullying isn’t just at school it is everywhere so it does not go away even when you want it to go away. 

Moving Forward with Intention 

So what is all this about? 

We can not and should not reject technology. It is to embedded in our lives to simply walk away. 

But we can be more intentional about how we use it. For me, that means setting boundaries, turning off notifications, using privacy tools and spending less time watching social media by putting on sleep mode with makes you stop. It also means staying informed about the issues surrounding technology and advocating for safer more humane digital spaces. 

Technology will continue to evolve and with it our relationship to it. The challenge ahead isn’t choosing between tech and no tech its having control with it and learning to live well with it. If we can strike a balance between embracing innovation and protecting our well-being, we might just create a future that’s not only more connected but also more compassionate. 

Blog Post #10- Age of AI

 AI is useful in some ways but it can also have some consequences and concerns. After watching the video I found out that AI is starting to act like a human and have human behaviors. This can have concerns on how people now rely on an online robot for information on anything that makes it easier for people to find and faster for them to know which can also lack the false information it can give. 

The video points out that AI is making the richer rich and poor people poorer. As AI continues to become more and more powerful it might be taken over peoples jobs and even lives. Many students in school have been using AI for answers or help with homework or work in general. AI gives students a huge benefit to having more and more free time due to AI doing all the work that people tell it to do, which is very sad because instead of actually learning what is taught in school people just have AI for answers. 

There is always a positive side to a negative side as well. The positive side of AI is the data that it stores and the help it gives and it an also organize any schedule that the person needs which makes life easier and helpful. There are many trust issues that people are concerned about which is the privacy of one another and the data that AI stores. AI can only be an innovative tool when someone needs a quick answer. In everything, AI has helped many people with quick work but it is very important to be aware of how someone uses AI and why someone uses it. 

Blog #9-EOTO Terms

     Social media has changed a lot since it first started. Initially, it was mainly a place for people to share fun photos from vacations or family gatherings and many people would just like and comment on the post. Now, it has become a vital platform for social and political engagement, largely thanks to online influencer. These influencers, who have huge followings on platforms like instagram, TikTok, and twitter, now use their reach to raise awareness about significant political issues. They’re encouraging their followers to get involved in elections and make meaningful changes in their communities. This shift is especially important now, as Andri Silberschmidt, a member of the Swiss National Council, pointed out; the pandemic drew attention to just how deeply politics can affect our everyday lives. 

One of the great things about influencers is their ability to connect with younger voters. They frame political messages in ways that feel personal and relatable, which is something traditional media often struggles to do. This connection makes discussions about social issues more engaging and easier to understand. Influencers dive into topics matter, helping them participate in elections. When influencers share their opinions and start conversations, they create a sense of community around shared beliefs, which can empower their followers to voice their thoughts and take action.

However, this comes with serious consequences regarding misinformation. Research from psu.edu highlights a worrying trend: when influencers share misleading or false political information to grab attention it can significantly distort how the public understands these issues. This spread of inaccurate information can cause political parties to lower down their policies to attract more voter leading to a more polarized society where people views are sharply divided. Social media yields to younger audiences who are often more engaged with digital trends and content. This creates an environment where people can have their own opinion and it can be negative sometimes because of how they respond it on their platform. As influencers can share their own beliefs, which can resonate with their audience but also have views. It’s very dangerous because many young people tend to accept the information presented to them without making them vulnerable to misinformation. While online influencers have the power to encourage civic engagement and have important discussions about democracy, they also risk spreading false information due to the lack of clear regulations governing political content on social media. This absence allows influencers to post anything they wish potentially misleading their followers and complicating the landscape of public opinion. Overall, while social media can be a tool for positive change it also presents significant challenges that must be addressed to ensure that information shared online is both accurate and responsible. 

The unregulated nature of social media complicates the relationship between political discussions and how audiences, especially young people receive these issues. With influencers often blurring the lines between genuine information and misinformation it’s become increasingly clear just how important media literacy is in today’s digital age. For students like us, it’s vital to learn how to navigate this cluttered landscape of political information online. If we develop string critical thinking skills we can empower ourselves to form our Own informed opinions rather than relying solely in the sometimes biased perspectives of influencers of information we see on social media. Engaging with this content means questioning the sources, checking facts, and recognizing when information might be misleading. As we continue to interact with social media especially with social media influencer talking about politics we must remain aware of it power they have to change someone’s opinion on who to vote for. By becoming conscientious consumers of information we can ensure that we make choices and contribute positively to discussions about political matters having a more engaged and informed community. 

The Progressive Era- Blog #7

     

     Social media and news outlets have had many bias throughout generations showing political views that can change a persons perspective of things. News anchors like Fox News, and CNN are the preferred news lines that are used for political views with people leaning towards their favorite channels for watching the news. Having Anti-War and The American Conservative can have a confusing layout. For example, the Anti-War website users have dense text and a cluttered interface. 

    The American Conservative lacks a clear main page, presenting only links that can frustrate reader seeking content. This can discourage engagement and push the users to seeks news from sources that are available. Additionally this raises concerns about how social media platforms might suppress certain viewpoints influenced by government interests which could lead to censorship of information that challenges the status quo. If a website doesn’t align with popular narratives, it might be ignored or hidden form public view, limiting our access to diverse perspectives. 

EOTO Reaction- Blog Post #6

     The technology that I really liked during all these amazing presentations was the invention of the iPhone. It is really cool to think about how iPhones are used in our daily routine, with most people using them for a long time in their day. I learned that the first iPhone began in 2007, which really surprised me because I really thought that it began way earlier than 2007. 

     This made me realize how technology has worked throughout the years and how fast it evolves and how we consider this device an essential for our daily lives. The iPhone has changed over the years with features like, a touch screen, video quality, calls, texts, music, access to apps like Snapchat, instagram, twitter, facebook, TikTok etc. all of these things were not available in that time. 

     This technological device impacted people’s lives and communications towards people, but I also learned that there are some consequences that has rise with iPhone, for example online bullying has has a huge toll over having an iPhone since its invention many people especially now in this society and generation have grown to bullying anywhere in person on text by FaceTime etc. we have started to struggle with communicating face-to-face because of this device. 

     We are very comfortable to text or FaceTime on the iPhone the we don’t realize that we need to have face-to-face interactions because if we don’t we won’t be comfortable talking to a person you will only be comfortable talking through an iPhone. 

     Overall, while the iPhone has transformed our lives in many positive ways, it is essential to consider the social challenges that have come with its popularity.