Blog 9: EOTO2 Reaction

 EOTO 2 Reaction

Confirmation Bias

Similar to my EOTO, confirmation bias goes hand in hand with echo chambers. I was intrigued by this presentation because it reminded me a lot of my own. Camden discusses how confirmation bias is our underlying tendency to notice, focus on, and give greater credence to evidence that fits with our existing beliefs. Confirmation bias can be helpful, but it can also be harmful. It makes people feel more sure of their beliefs when they find information that agrees with them. This avoids the discomfort, called cognitive dissonance, that happens when new information doesn't fit with what we already believe. 

Confirmation bias makes us feel more confident in our beliefs when we see information that agrees with them. This can strengthen our connection with people who share the same views and push us away from those who don't. It can create social divides between groups with different beliefs. The difference between my presentation and hers is that confirmation bias is when we naturally favor information that supports our beliefs, while echo chambers are places where we only hear ideas that reinforce those beliefs like social media. I loved this presentation because it was very informative and gave a lot of real world examples.

Five Eyes Alliance

This presentation drew my attention because Jake presented it in such an intriguing way. He started off his presentation by saying “What if I told you that the governments of 5 countries have the ability to monitor almost every digital footprint you leave behind, right now?” which was an eye opening sentence to me. The Five Eyes Alliance is a group of countries: the U.S., the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand that share intelligence. It was created during World War II and has become a powerful tool for tracking threats like terrorism and cyberattacks. However, it has also raised concerns about privacy, ethics, and accountability. This is a scary thing and reminds me of the Privacy blog post we did because I never realized how many eyes can be monitoring my screen. 

The Five Eyes Alliance is a symbol of global cooperation but also raises concerns about privacy and ethics. It started during wartime to take care of global threats, but now its role in surveillance needs to be more transparent. This presentation showed that the challenge is to balance safety with freedom while making sure intelligence sharing respects democratic values. Understanding the Five Eyes helps us deal with today's security issues. Jake emphasises the challenge is to keep us safe while protecting our freedoms and ensuring intelligence sharing follows democratic values. After watching this presentation I learned that understanding the Five Eyes helps us handle today’s security concerns.

Blog 8: EOTO2 Post

 Echo Chambers

In today's media, there are a variety of sources that reflect all different beliefs, but what if you only surround yourself with media that only reflects your own? This could cause you to be in an echo chamber. An echo chamber is when you only hear ideas or opinions that match your own, over and over again. Instead of hearing a variety of viewpoints, you just hear things that confirm what you already think. While this can feel comforting and you agree with everything being said, it also limits your understanding of the world.

How do Echo Chambers affect our thinking

Echo chambers can prevent people from seeing the full story. When you're constantly exposed to biased or misleading information, it’s easy to believe things that aren't true. According to GCF Global, they state, “Echo chambers can create misinformation and distort a person’s perspective so they have difficulty considering opposing viewpoints and discussing complicated topics.” For example, sometimes I watch news that supports one side of an issue, because of this, I am not seeing both sides, which impacts how I view certain issues. Echo chambers can affect how people think critically. When people hear the same ideas over and over, they stop questioning them. It becomes easy to just accept things without really thinking about them. Without different perspectives, we can miss important details or misunderstand issues. 

Social Media

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can easily create echo chambers. These platforms show us content based on what we like, share, or comment on. If you engage with posts that match your beliefs, you’ll keep seeing similar posts. According to Matteo Cinelli, he states, “Social media may limit the exposure to diverse perspectives and favor the formation of groups of like-minded users framing and reinforcing a shared narrative, that is, echo chambers.” Over time, people will only see content that agrees with them, and they stop encountering new or different ideas. I feel that the views people have can also come from the environment they were surrounded by growing up. If people are constantly hearing things in their household as a child, they might believe it as they start to grow up. This leads me to the question can households and that environment be an echo chamber?

Politics

In politics, echo chambers can have a big impact. Some news outlets or websites are designed to appeal to specific political views. A conservative outlet might focus on stories that support conservative ideas, while a liberal outlet might do the same for liberal views. I've experienced situations where my friends are so set in their views that they're not open to considering other perspectives. According to Morgan Kelly, she states, "The researchers found that when people preferentially connect to people with similar opinions, they create an echo chamber that increasingly polarizes the views of everyone in the network." This is especially common in politics, where it often feels like people believe their way is the only right way, and there's no room for other opinions. During elections, this can be dangerous because people may only hear one side of the story and miss important facts. It makes it harder for people to understand each other and find common ground.

Echo chambers limit our understanding of the world. Whether it’s on social media, in politics, or online sources, echo chambers prevent us from hearing new ideas and can make us believe things that aren't true. When we only surround ourselves with content that confirms our beliefs, we stop thinking critically about important issues. Personally, I have fallen into an echo chamber before. It wasn’t until recently where I started to see from a global perspective rather than having tunnel vision for one point of view. To avoid falling into an echo chamber, society needs to make an effort to look for different viewpoints, talk to people who think differently, and be open. By doing this, society can better understand the world and have an open mind.

Blog 7: EOTO1 Reaction

 EOTO1 Reaction

Ballpoint pen

 

One of the presentations I found the most intriguing was the invention of the ballpoint pen. I use these pens every week, so it was interesting to see the information behind it and where it came from. Who would have ever thought that a pen could be a changing point in history! Students found it more efficient when doing school and work. The pen was created by John Loud, who was a Harvard Law alumni. He worked with leather. Because he worked with leather, he was constantly using pens to mark things, but he found that it wasn't efficient. This is why he created the ballpoint pen! Although John Loud created his design in 1888, the ballpoint pen didn’t become popular until years later, when Laszlo Biro improved upon it in the 1930s. The ballpoint pen is now a common tool in offices, schools, and homes, changing how we write and communicate. It is interesting to me how such a little tool can impact so much.

World Wide Web

I was very interested in the presentation about the world wide web. It was founded by Tim Berns Lee. In the presentation, Jake explained the launch of the World Wide Web changed the Internet from a small network to a global platform that affects every part of our lives. It has brought many benefits, like easy access to information and better connections, but it also means we need to use it responsibly. He emphasized that as we move forward, we must make sure the Web remains a force for good. When I first started using the world wide web, I noticed how there were some things that should probably be censored to keep young audiences safe. Like Jake said, we need to make sure that the Web stays a positive force. 

Facebook and Instagram

Facebook and Instagram was one of the presentations that grasped my interest. I loved this presentation because it related to the websites that I use everyday. Facebook made it easy for people to instantly share messages and pictures with others around the world. It also gave businesses a new way to promote themselves using Facebook’s algorithms. Personally, I don’t use facebook as much as I use other social media platforms. Instagram is one of my most request used. Tatum discussed that Instagram makes it easy to take a photo, add a filter, and share it with friends and family. It created a new way to communicate, focusing on images instead of just text or business.

Blog 6: EOTO1 Post

VCR and Video 

The creator of the VCR and video was Charles Paulson Ginsburg, however, the first easy and affordable VCR was introduced by the Sony Corporation in 1969. The VCR was created to solve the problem of not being able to choose when to watch TV shows and movies. Before VCRs, people had to watch programs at specific times, which wasn't always convenient. With a VCR, they could record shows and watch them later, which made it easier and more efficient. According to Britannica, a VCR is an "electromechanical device that records, stores, and plays back television programs on a television set by means of a cassette of magnetic tape." The creation of VCRs made the technology better because it made people have more control. 

There was a case in 1984 called the “Betamax case" which Universal City Studios sued Sony corporation, claiming that Betamax VCRs encouraged people to illegally copy movies and TV shows. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Sony, saying that recording shows for personal use was fair use. This made sure that people could record TV shows without breaking copyright laws, which helped make VCRs and similar devices popular in homes. 

VCR's made watching shows more efficient. According to Britannica, "Most VCRs have fast-forward and reverse controls and a timer that enables television programs to be recorded automatically, and they can record a program on one television channel while a viewer watches a program on another channel of the same television set." This feature made it so people can control what they are watching. According to EverPresent they state, "What truly stood out about the VCR wasn’t just that you could watch your favorite movies on demand, but you could even record live television. VCR recording allowed you to take any channel’s broadcast and put it on your own blank VHS tape." This was a huge benefit of having a VCR because it allowed for people to choose what they wanted to put on their VHS tape. According to Marshall Brain, "The VCR was one of the most important events in the history of TV because, for the first time, it gave people control of what they could watch on their TV sets." The VCR does two things. It manages the tape, which is thin and fragile. It also reads the information on the tapes and turns it into signals for the TV to display.

A negative effect of the VCR is that it is a complicated device. According to Alexander Katlan, he states, "The video cassette recorder may be a complex piece of electronics, but it is, after all, a non-scientific household appliance. The ease of use makes it applicable for many purposes where traditional photographic methods are too time-consuming or too difficult." Although the VCR is an efficient device, it can still be difficult to use. 

Overall, VCRs changed history. They changed how people watched movies and TV shows, giving viewers more control and helping to shape the entertainment industry for the future. Before the VCR, people had to wait to watch specific shows are certain times. It also helped the entertainment industry grow. As more people bought VCRs, there was a higher demand for VHS tapes, which helped other businesses grow. The VCR was a turning point in history, and was the starting point to more efficient technology.

Blog 5: Age of AI

 Age of AI

Artificial Intelligence is taking over the world. Now, AI is changing society. In the documentary, "In the Age of AI" by FRONTLINE, it gave an eye opening look at what AI really is. 

There are a variety of positive aspects to AI. In the documentary, it mentions how AI is making other industries like medicine and education better. It talks about how AI has the potential to improve these fields. Improving efficiency is one of the ways that AI will make the world better. AI in healthcare has allowed for quicker diagnosis with the way AI speeds up that process, which has allowed for better treatment. AI can adapt to the needs of people and alter the way it gives information. AI does not just help people, it can also help the environment. The documentary states that AI can be helpful in cutting energy use in cities and improving management. 

There is a lot of privacy concern when it comes to AI. The documentary stated how every online interaction we have, our data is getting analyzed and collected. The documentary states, "AI is the ultimate tool of wealth creation." It brings awareness to have views think about how much data that online sources like Facebook has. The data the is being collected can lead to identity theft and other security concerns. These sources are gathering information about you that is being shared and once these sources have it, privacy is being taken away. According to Kai-Fu Lee, "Ai is a set of tools that helps you maximize an objective function and that objective function initially will simply be make more money."  Although AI is a resource that can be used in wealth and companies, it is slowly taking over peoples jobs. 

The documentary also discusses how AI affects national security. The government is trying to use AI to protect people and prevent crimes from happening, but this could lead to a more controlling government. AI can improve national security by responding to threats and emergencies more quickly, however, AI can be used to target other companies and servers as well. According to the documentary, it states, "Democracy is threatened by the progress of these tools unless we improve our social norms and we increase the collective wisdom at the planet level to deal with that increased power." As AI advances, it can become a threat to democracy, which is why we need to be responsible when using tools this powerful. 

Blog 4: Privacy

Think Your Emails Private? Think Again.  

Andy Yen talks about how we have lost control over our data and privacy. During the ted talk, Think Your Email's Private? Think Again, he proves that the option to communicate privately online does not exist. This talk stood out to me because I send emails everyday and I was intrigued to know who else was able to access my information. 

Yen explains that most people have no idea that their email providers can read their messages. From this fact, Yen took it upon himself to make a solution. He created ProtonMail. It is an email service that keeps emails private in secure by using end-to-end encryption. Yen states, "What we do is we generate encryption keys on your computer." By encrypting emails, it means that only the sender and recipient can read the emails. Proton mail cannot access or decrypt emails, which makes it a reliable email source and Yen states that he wants to get the whole world on board with this email server. 

This issue affects me because my messages are not fully private. My email providers have access to my data which makes me feel invaded. My family and I are not safe when it comes to thinking we are only communicating with each other. If my emails are not encrypted, that means there are multiple other sources that can access what I am saying. After listening to the Ted Talk, I believe that encryption should be implemented in all email services. Yen describes how emails are sent as everyone having a key to messages. When encryption is present, the only people who have the key to know what the message says is the sender and the recipient, and I think that this is a great idea to ensure privacy. 

The government should pass laws to protect online privacy. They should give people the right to control their data and limit how many other sources can access peoples personal data. The government should enforce stronger privacy laws and enforce encryption on every email service. In order to protect my own privacy, I need to make sure that I am aware of what websites are not privacy friendly, use encrypted messaging, and be cautious when I use public servers. 

Blog 3: Eight Values of Free Expression

 Eight Values of Free Expression

1. Marketplace of Ideas

John Milton said that letting all ideas compete helps the truth come out stronger. When people can discuss freely, they find out what is true. I believe that this is a great way to help collaborate through ideas. According to David Schultz, he states, “This concept draws on an analogy to the economic marketplace, where, it is claimed, through economic competition superior products sell better than others.” Just like in a marketplace where better products are more successful because they compete against each other, the same idea applies to ideas and opinions. When different ideas are allowed to compete, the stronger or better ideas will become more popular or accepted over time. This stands out to me because I am a strong believer of talking through things and letting everyone be heard, so this is important to me. 

2. Participation in Self Government

Alexander Meiklejohn believed that for democracy to work, citizens need access to information. If they can’t hear different opinions, they can’t make good choices in elections. This stood out to me because it talks about how citizens need to be educated on all points of views before voting in elections. According to Center for Civic Education, they state, “We should be sure the people we "hire" (elect) can do the job we are hiring them for. Once they get the job, we should keep an eye on them to make sure they are doing that job. If they do a good job, we may not watch them as closely. If they do a bad job, we may watch them very closely and may even decide to replace them.” They compare electing a president like hiring someone for a job. I believe this is the perfect comparison because I also strongly believe that the people of America need to have a say on who will be running America. The government cannot speak for every single American, so that is why this is important.

3. Promote Tolerance

Lee Bollinger said that protecting all speech, even hateful speech, teaches society about tolerance. Discussing difficult topics helps people understand why some views are harmful. This stands out to me because I agree that having a discussion about it instead of hiding from it teaches us tolerance for these harmful speeches. Since speech is not an action, society has the right to say whatever they want. Because of this, we need to have tolerance. Freedom of speech is a fundamental right, and even when people express harmful or unpopular views, it is protected by law, as long as it is not a threat. According to Ryan T. Anderson, he states, “The United States is a pluralistic society. To protect that pluralism and the rights of all Americans, of whatever faith they may practice, religious-liberty laws are good policy. Liberals committed to tolerance should embrace them.” He is saying that the United States has many different cultures, beliefs, and religions. To protect this diversity and everyone’s rights, laws supporting religious freedom are important. It suggests that people who care about tolerance should support these laws so everyone can practice their beliefs freely.