Final Blog: Technologies Impact on Me!

Technology has honestly taken over a good part of my life. Beginning at the age of 8, I was given my first phone for emergencies. I quickly learned how to utilize it for photos and games and not for its real purpose. For every birthday or holiday since that age I have almost always received a new, updated form of technology. I think this is a slight addiction because I chase for the newest product such as a new iPhone, air-pods, macs, or watches. 

I began using social media in middle school when apps such as Instagram & Snapchat began to be popular. I am still currently on these apps as well as TikTok, VSCO, Twitter and a few others that consume a lot of my time. Sometimes I don’t want to admit how much time I spend on these apps but this class really opened my eyes on the concepts of privacy and the harm that social media presents.

I also use social media for my personal professional growth which has been very healthy and beneficial. Platforms such as LinkedIn allow me to grow my personal brand and connect with professionals within the sports industry. Overall, I think I have a healthy balance with technology when I want to. I know when to limit myself and I have no problem taking a break from it. 

I think my parents have a unique relationship with technology. My mom is absolutely Facebook obsessed and makes sure to update all of her “friends” with any birthdays, milestones, or sometimes useless information. When asking her about her Facebook use she reflected that, “It is like a photo album, Facebook keeps all of my favorite pictures and memories and I love looking back on them.” I think it is sometimes a negative part of her life because she is constantly scrolling, even if she denies it. As for my dad, he deleted all social media (except Pinterest) about 5 years ago because he thinks it is extremely toxic.

I have a ton of friends who admit that they are addicted to their phones or other technology. They spend up to 12 hours a day on their phones which can cause a great deal of distraction and affect their mental health. In high school, we had to give one thing up for 10 days (forgiveness project) and my friends and I chose to do a complete social media cleanse. Some people cracked after the first day but I was able to go against my temptations to re-download social media. I think this class has impacted the choices I make when using social media because I am now private on all of my accounts. 

I am not too exposed online. When I Googled myself my LinkedIn profile appears as well as some field hockey and softball articles from high school. It is interesting to see that my name is automatically associated to my family and peers here at High Point University. I am glad to also have this blog as a part of my digital footprint because it demonstrates how I have grown through this course. I would like to continue my blog for my personal growth and to find more time to stay away from my phone. 

Find Out More Info Below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNKN4dHGQKg

https://www.google.com/search?q=annie+borovskiy&tbm=isch&chips=q:annie+borovskiy,online_chips:athletic+director:iCW6ZHGz-ow%3D&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS737US737&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiNmL62pqbwAhVQ0FMKHfquBBEQ4lYoAnoECAEQHg&biw=1163&bih=684#imgrc=pPT8dazg7j4bXM

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/it-privacy/

Gatekeeping Theory, What is it? (EOTO #2)

For my final Each One Teach One, I presented on the Theory of Gatekeeping. Gatekeeping Theory is the process of filtering the information that goes in different communication forms like broadcasting and internet. The process is controlled by gatekeepers like journalists and editors. This theory has been around for about seventy years and is extremely prevalent in our news today. 

I would like to give a brief history of Gatekeeping which will provide great background information on how it was developed. The idea was first identified by Kurt Lewin (1890-1947), who was a a German psychologist and pioneer in social psychology. He developed the theory to understand human behavior, with nothing relating to the news. At first it was widely used in the field of psychology and social psychology. It was later moved to the field of communication as mass communication because it was a specific area of study. This was largely due to the invention of mass publication technology. It is now one of the essential and foundational theories in communication studies.

In 1950, Gatekeeping was officially applied to the news. David Manning White was one of the first to use Gatekeeping. He was a journalism professor at Boston University, where he researched the factors an editor takes into consideration when deciding which news would make it into the paper and what news would not. He also had some power in making that decision himself, so he is recognized to be the first person to implement the Gatekeeping Theory. 

It provides a way of understanding organizational processes: how journalists and managers source, filter and edit content on its way to the end user. It more of a tactic to focus on specific messages. This theory uses three specific tactics. The first is limiting information which means they have the power to hold back the full story or not provide all information. They also expand information which can be seen through extreme exaggeration or emphasis on a topic. Finally, they may reinterpret information which provides new angles or different viewpoint. In Intentional Gatekeeping, such as a newspaper- the reporters, editors, owners, government, and pressure groups have the power or ability to gatekeeper. In film, the producers, censor board, and directors are the Gatekeepers. Gate keepers are necessary in media because it allows information to be filtered, useful, credible and reliable but sometimes there are negative effects. 

The Gatekeeping model shows the step by step channels and how information is passed from gate to gate or channel to channel. 

The Editorial Process is also an important aspect of the theory because this decides what content reaches the viewer. The focus is on how journalists and managers source, filter and edit content on its way to the end user. Here, the gate is found within the organization itself.  In addition, some people look at gatekeeping in connection with government regulation. Here the emphasis is on how gatekeeping affects the workings of the economy and how governments uses competition law, media regulation, and licensing to create a framework for the media market. Within ecology and media marketing gatekeeping is seen through competition and cost. This means that organizations such as news broadcasting stations control access to media and uses the gate to gain a competitive advantage. 

Find Out More Info Below: 

https://www.businesstopia.net/mass-communication/gatekeeping-theory#:~:text=When%20gatekeeping%20is%20done%2C%20the,dissemination%20by%20David%20Manning%20White.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/107769905002700403

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOwcFiAbbIE

Online Privacy

Privacy is an extremely important aspect of our lives. With the rise of social media our privacy is constantly questioned because of the platforms that use our personal information. When agreeing to the lengthy terms and conditions we sign all of our information over to them. Depending on the platform information such as our name, phone number, email address, credit card numbers, and face identification is given to the owners. This can be a dangerous choice because we do not know what these companies do with our information or if it can also be used against us. 

After watching Juan Enriquez’s TED Talk, I learned a lot of great information about our life online. He explained that “electronic tattoos shout like real tattoos”. In today’s world, you cannot hide, especially with facial recognition. Nowadays, our technology is so advanced that platforms such as Facebook and Google can recognize a fee and automatically tag a name to the face. This can lead to the exposure of criminal records, credit scores, and other extremely personal information. 

In addition, Face.Com has millions of faces within its software. There is also an immense amount of face detection services in public and within other technology platforms. The use of this technology truly violates a person’s privacy and more people should be aware of their privacy rights. I think younger generations should be informed of their privacy rights in educational settings because it impacts them in so many ways. I believe that our generation will guide younger kids into making more sensitive choices regarding social media and privacy. 

Find Out More info Below: 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2020/06/26/there-isnt-enough-privacy-on-social-media-and-that-is-a-real-problem/

https://www.ipc.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/resources/youthonline.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu1C-oBdsMM

The Diffusion Theory through Social Media

There are new innovations seen every day in our lives. An innovation is a new method, idea, or product and I will be specifically highlighting technology. In my lifetime, social media has had the greatest influence on me and other people my age. New emerging apps such as Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and TikTok have dominated the app stores for years and gain millions of new users each year. This relates directly to Roger’s Diffusion of Theories and how or when people adopt new ideas. 

As you can see based on the timeline below, there is a specific order in which ideas or technologies are adopted. You first begin in an exploratory phase, and this phase consists of the pioneers/ inventors of the idea. An example of this would be the app, Snapchat. Stanford University Students Evan Spiegel, Reggie Brown, and Bobby Murphy were the founders and first users of the app. Some early adopters included their personal friends and family which included some of the student population at Stanford. With the addition of the video and “stories” feature, millions of new users were on Snapchat and it gained a lot of exposure. This is called the early majority and by 2014, 40% of 18 year olds were using Snapchat on a daily basis. 

This timeline does include a tipping point which is usually after the “climax” of the app. After this point come the late adopters who might just be trying out the app, are now old enough to be using the app, or are a part of an older generation. With Snapchat specifically, there have been over 100 million new users since 2015 so there are a lot of late adopters and laggards. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QnfWhtujPA

There will always be new innovations in life. Whether it is a new method, idea, product, technology, or social media platform we are affected by it. Roger’s Diffusion of Theories helps in understanding the timeline of an idea and explains each stage of adopting the idea!

Find Out More Info Below: 

https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/the-snap-generation-a-guide-to-snapchats-history/#:~:text=Just%20a%20year%20after%20launching,narrative%20of%20snaps%20strung%20together

https://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/mph-modules/sb/behavioralchangetheories/behavioralchangetheories4.html

https://www.buycustomgeofilters.com/blog/snapchat-history-and-updated-timeline

Bonus Blog: My Phone Knows Me Better Than I Know Myself...

 Have you ever caught yourself thinking or talking about a product or place and moments later you are seeing an advertisement for it on your phone? I have had this happen to me countless times with shoes I wanted to buy, a restaurant, & even for a gym membership! I feel as though my devices such as my phone and laptop are “listening” to me and it is frightening that technology has evolved to this and questions the idea of an invasion of privacy. 

 

I have had targeted ads reach me through various ways. They can come through as an Instagram ad, on a Spotify or Sound Cloud commercial, and on the recommended shopping section on Facebook. 

 

Technology has made some serious advancements in the past decade and guessing my next purchase is like a game of mind control. These are described as targeted ads which means they are based on your search history, location, and other internet activity. It is no secret that Google and Facebook use your data to find your interests in order to sell you something. This is how they make money, they are not in business to know everything about you they just want to find any way to take your money.

 

No matter the reasoning it still feels that I am being listened to and that my conversations and inner thoughts are being monitored. Facebook does exactly what the government tells them to do which may be the worst privacy to exist considering the billions of users on the app. 

Lights, CAMERA, Action (EOTO)

Living in a world where technology is forever advancing, it is sometimes difficult to keep up with the history of a product. This is extremely prevalent with technology that relates to communication. For my EOTO I researched the camera and thoroughly enjoyed learned about the early models to high tech versions today. I also got to view the different lenses that these devices were meant for such as capturing photos, the beginning of photojournalism, and even the ones that are attached to our cell phones.

 

The first camera was the Pinhole camera that was developed by philosophers Mo-ti, Aristotle, and Euclid. This invention was able to reflect images using light and projection to show an inverted picture of what the pinhole is focusing on. In the 1500’s the Camera Obscura was created and was also known as the dark chamber. This type was invented by Alhazenn. The next forms were Daguerreotypes and Calotypes, these unique types used mercury vapor and a strong solution of salt to develop photos after exposure. The more popular types of cameras are Kodak’s and film which were invented by George Eastman. These cameras were used for photographic film and revolutionized the beginning of photojournalism. Reise cameras soon took over the camera industry. They were known as “travel cameras' ' because they were extremely light weight which allowed them to be easily transported. This camera changed the way of journalism because it introduced the idea of photojournalism. 

 

Photojournalism is the particular form of journalism that employs images in order to tell a news story. The easily accessible Reise camera allowed journalist and non-journalist document events through photos. One of the most amazing things about cameras is that you can relive an event through the stories that the camera portrays. Photo-journalists are a critical part of our history as well as our current news. No matter what generation you are a part of, photos are a common ground for all which I appreciate because I can connect with anyone through the work a camera can do.

 

Moving on to “modern” cameras we have the introduction of the 35mm/ Candid camera. These were considered the first real mobile cameras because they made the job quick and easy. In addition, all film cameras were based off of the 35mm camera. Following that there was the introduction of the infamous Polaroid. It was invented by Edwin Land in 1984 and photos were printed within 1 minute! The first digital camera was the Sony Mavica in 1981. This meant that there was a video recorder as well as it had the capabilities to be displayed on a monitor. 

 

Nowadays we are more familiar with cameras such as DSLR’s, Camcorders, Smartphones, and GoPro’s. I remember at a young age I was introduced to photography and was so excited to see what new camcorder or lens was coming out because there was nothing better than taking photos of my favorite places or experiences. Technology is forever advancing and before we know it the next new camera will be created! It is so fascinating to see the technical progression made over time for an object that has the same function, create an everlasting photo. 

Find Out More Info Below:

https://www.photoblog.com/learn/history-of-cameras/

studiobinder.com/blog/when-was-the-camera-invented/

https://photography.lovetoknow.com/Why_Is_Photojournalism_Important

Eight Values of Free Expression Recap!

The freedom of expression is one of the most important aspects to being a citizen of the United States. There are eight speech theories that identify why it is so important to Americans. These theories consist of the Marketplace of Ideas, Participation in Self-Government, Stable Change, Individual Self-Fulfillment,  Check on Government Power, Promote Tolerance, Promote Innovation and Protect Dissent. Some of these theories resonate with me more than others but all carry immense value and importance to the reason we have freedom of expression. These theories connect to many present day social media resources and can help understand the happenings in the real world. 

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Personally, two theories speak to me the most. I have seen these two theories present in my own life through various news stories and events. The two theories are Stable Change and Individual Self-Fulfillment. Ultimately, understanding the importance of each theory and how it is still seen today is beneficial to understanding the evolution of the first amendment. 

Stable Change relates to the idea that citizens are allowed to “vent” if they are angry and alienated. This allows the United States government to monitor potentially dangerous groups who could act out in violence. Having the ability to speak out is a much better choice than committing acts of violence. I like to see the Stable Change theory as a balance that the government creates between angry civilians and non-violent approaches. An example of this would be peaceful protesters. In March of 2018, The March for Our Lives commenced in Washington D.C.. This march was about adding more gun-control in America after 17 were left dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. A former student opened fire at the school and his accessibility to weapons such as a semiautomatic rifle enraged millions and an estimated 800,000 people were present at the march. Instead of causing more violent crimes protesters gathered for their voices and messages to be heard by congress for changes to be developed. I even remember walking out of my high school campus (in early April) across to the state representatives office to peacefully protest against gun violence. Another prime example of Stable Change are the Stonewall Riots. In the 1960’s the New York Police Department commonly raided gay bars. Members of the LGBTQ+ community had enough on June 28th, 1969 when officers raided the Stonewall Inn and began protesting for six straight days. This protest led to the start of the Christopher Street Liberation Day march where the theory Stable Change is represented. 

Individual Self-Fulfillment relates to human dignity and how we are free to express ourselves to create our own unique identities. This theory feels extremely personal to me because it is important to me that I am able to identify in a way that makes me feel that I am living my most authentic life. I believe that having individual self-fulfillment is critical to freedom of expression. In other countries such as South Korea, they are limited in the ways they can create their own identities. Specifically, there is clear official censorship set in place by The National Security Law that makes it illegal to share sympathies or beliefs with North Korea, however much more of the censorship is focused towards the media. Contrastingly, as Americans we can share our opinions freely with very little restrictions. We are also free to express ourselves by appearance while countries such as Sudan and North-Korea are not given this option. 

Find Out More Info Below: 

https://www.ucf.edu/news/7-influential-protests-in-american-history/

https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1022&context=uhuru