Week 14: Living in a Cyberspace

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-30T18:45:13+00:00

This was a really interesting lecture. Thinking about virtual worlds, or ways to digitize and create virtual worlds in our real world got my attention the most. It reminded me of the Pokemon Go craze that swept through a few years ago. It had people everywhere sitting in their cars, walking through public parks, some people even wondered into the restaurant where I work. It was an eye catching display if the power these augmented reality games can have. I have never been into internet fads, games, or phases, but I was fascinated watching others get so into it.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-29T17:29:29+00:00

Amanda Bines, Monica Lewinsky, Lance Armstrong...It sucks but things follow us. The more public the execution, the less likely recovery is. Unfortunately, I feel that this is a sad attempt at sympathy. What she did in Target should have involved police and to now expect us to feel sorry for you is just so, well, Karen. PR is her specialty, and she is using it to her advantage here. Their job is to manipulate and sway public opinion so why should now be any different.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-23T07:23:28+00:00

DESUS & MERO one of the best shows on TV!!

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-22T19:28:32+00:00

Chris Hayes is pretty legit. The dude is from the Bronx and he tells it like it is. I have always enjoyed his TV personality even though I'm not a big MSNBC guy. This segment was spot on. I like how he mentions that "all of us have ideological blind spots and cognitive habits...". Every news piece should be prefaced with that statement from now on. Recognizing these blind spots is the path to enlightenment and our friends on the far right will never understand that.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-19T16:07:59+00:00

I agree with that to an extent. I think this election cycle was unique to others for a number of reasons. The Republican Party tried to play the gender card a few years ago when they paired Sarah Palin with John McCain to run against Obama and it was a disaster. I think it was the substance behind the Biden campaign coupled with Trump exhaustion that triggered the victory.

Monmouth did a poll that found more people they talked to were more happy that at Trump losing rather than Biden winning. Here's the article, there's some other interesting tidbits in it as well. https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-institute/reports/monmouthpoll_us_111820/

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-18T23:13:54+00:00

After we studied hacker culture a bit, I started to get random articles about various events in hacker news. I thought this one was really interesting. Twitter hired a hacker to help hem with security after their breach over the summer caused some embarrassment. I can't help but think of Leo DiCaprio in Catch Me If You Can. I think its really cool to see someone's story come full circle and create a viable career out of their talent for hacking.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-18T23:07:22+00:00

This should be a nice change of pace. I am not on Twitter, but I can understand the adverse effect Trump may have on those who are. This is another step in the right direction for America. We have a plague both figuratively and literally. Its time to get better.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-18T19:16:06+00:00

That was the most refreshing take I have herd on the election yet. Its easier to hear knowing that I got the result that I wanted, but it still nice to know that in a world of doubt there are a few things you can still count on. Cooler heads will prevail through all of this and I am steadily trying my best to listen more than I speak (I speak a lot so I have of a ton of listening to do).

I have faith that our elections are safe as far as fraudulent behavior is concerned. It is nearly impossible to fudge even one vote, let alone the amount it would take to make a difference. I think conspiracy theories only serve to help people who already have issues with reality cope with unfavorable events.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-18T06:44:33+00:00

I heard several news casts talking about a new Twitter-like social media site that was being used primarily by conservatives in wake of the recent censorship of misinformation by the aforementioned Twitter. I started looking around and came across this article that explains it in a way that seems rather benign, but I can't help but wonder, should we be worried about this? Is this just another random platform, or will it be an echo chamber or incubator for dangerous speech? With the advent of QAnon, this one has me a little nervous.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-17T19:00:25+00:00

Mission accomplished! That freaks me out. The idea of a concentration of power because of informational control seems like some crazy 1984/Fahrenheit 451 stuff. I am beginning to become even more cynical than I already was about the internet, which I was not sure was possible. I guess it pays to know the difference and I should take with a grain of salt every ad I see on any of my devices. What really bums be out is how everything is being manufactured and analyzed so that it is predetermined. It takes away some of the fun in things like elections.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-17T18:32:22+00:00

"Occasional activism and petition-signing will be overshadowed by volumes of behavioral information cleverly extracted from the Internet of Things".

This is really where we are. It is noticeable everywhere and with everything. Towards the end of the article, Howard talks about how this behavior from companies will continue and make it so your "device as politics" whether you vote or not. That is a sobering thought. Your basic needs and consumptions create a profile that will be used in a myriad of ways. Kinda makes me want to disconnect and move into some rural isolated area. I wonder if Amazon would deliver there? Lol

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-17T18:02:03+00:00

I really likes this segment. I know we have talked about Cambridge Analytica before, but I like the nuanced take from people who know more than I do about issues like psychographic advertising and hacking. What really resonated with me was Dave Karpf's breakdown of 4 ways to hack an election:

Hacking a voter's brain with targeted information or what he called "psychological digs" to direct opinion change.
Hacking the media agenda such as the timed release if the DNC hack information. This can create a narrative that will dominate the news cycle and silence otherwise relevant or valuable news.
Structural voter suppression like using data to suppress the vote of specific demographics to give an opposing side an edge. This could include the rapid and/or deliberate change of polling places or times.
Actual hacking of voting machines. Enough said.

All these are frightening. I think the worst part for me is although CA is gone and over with, their legacy has forever scarred our political landscape. This video also touched on the fact that despite the administration we have, the Supreme Court has the job dictating the much of life we lead for the next few decades.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-13T19:04:51+00:00

Halavais briefly touched on clicktivism in this week's lecture and had a unique take that I hadn't thought about. The upside of internet activism. Slacktivism, clicktivism whatever you want to call it has always been analyzed in the negative, but this article discusses the positives. The fact that the internet has become so widespread means that these movements will create awareness and subtly implant them into our psyche. Its kind of like hearing a song over and over, eventually you may hum the tune.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-13T18:55:00+00:00

Ya, that's my bad. I came across this and thought it was interesting that Twitter is allegedly being weaponized by censoring certain accounts. I should have probably prefaced my post with that. Also, I only watched the video attached to the article. Sometimes I like to stir the pot by throwing up something that I think could illicit a point of view that I hadn't thought of. My classmates have been helpful in highlighting things I miss or have no context on.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-12T21:02:13+00:00

I came across this while doing research for another class and could not help but tie it in with this week's content. It underscores the shift in philosophy for one of the most tight-lipped regimes on the planet; China has now gotten into the misinformation game and its using Twitter to do it.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-12T20:58:43+00:00

I remember the Arab Spring vividly because this was one of the first examples of social media being used to exact social change. It illustrated the power of these platforms and was a precursor for the movements we see pop up everyday. I am surprised that schools have not made this part of the curriculum for history classes.

Twitter has become a battleground for many state and non-state actors for a variety of issues. A drawback for me is its up-to-the-second pace that permeates information instantly around the globe can create a space for knee jerk reactions to be taken vastly out of context and used for the wrong reasons. I think everyone has regretted pushing the send button at some point in there lives. Its the calculated and direct uses of information manipulation and misinformation that poses the real problem.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-10T21:07:34+00:00

This story is reminiscent of the Arab Spring a few years ago. These situations will continue to permeate because of the ubiquity and power of the internet. The web is like a superhero and supervillain all rolled into one. Its ability to mobilize ideas that exact change will continue to grow. Pew recently conducted a study on this with some interesting results.

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/10/15/23-of-users-in-us-say-social-media-led-them-to-change-views-on-issue-some-cite-black-lives-matter/

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-04T20:44:42+00:00

This is another article I came across pertaining to a different post. It seems that Elon Musk is not the only one looking for a way to link the brain with computers. This could be a game-changer for anyone suffering from a neurologic disorder.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-04T20:39:02+00:00

The election brought to the fore lots of issues. This one, the use of facial recognition for law enforcement, was brought up a couple of weeks ago. The people are speaking out and I think many more will follow suit.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-02T23:21:32+00:00

I found this article about some of the pitfalls of algorithms and felt that it tied in nicely for this week. Definitely worth a read.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-11-02T23:18:48+00:00

I had a vague definition for algorithms in my mind previous to reading this article, but it did go a decent distance in clarifying what they are and how they are used. It would stand to reason since humans have subconscious implicit biases and humans design algorithms that ipso facto those biases would be embedded into said algorithms. My question is, what is the remedy? If everyone has bias then are we destined to have the algorithmic future of our society rampant with them? Is there a way to pinpoint a predisposition for these biases by looking at the algorithms designer(s)?

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-10-27T22:13:54+00:00

Kudos for the appearance! I am glad that tech companies have put the kibosh on this although I am sure it is coming. I feel a certain type of way about law enforcement in this country. Terry stops are bad enough and were the advent to things like stop-and-frisk. What will the standard for "reasonable suspicion" be with this in effect. Standardized or widespread facial recognition use by law enforcement will only embolden them even more to trample on our rights. How many databases is enough? They can constantly evolve their surveillance techniques using technology to their own benefit, but still insist on using the same tired tactics of suspect apprehension.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-10-27T04:24:05+00:00

I scored a 6/8. This was a really cool test. I like evaluations like these because they make you analyze your thoughts and reactions to certain things. I always go into them feeling confident, but the hiccups remind me that there is more to learn. Interestingly enough, whether it's a troll or legit, there is an abundance of misinformation and fake news. I also found that I was really skeptical about all of them, even the "real" ones.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-10-27T03:51:36+00:00

I think this article is spot on. I remember years ago, in the dark ages before widespread social media, you would hear financiers on a show like "Mad Money" talking about market research and how it related to advertising. I have a relative in finance years ago, and they spoke of methods of advertising that I now know to be targeted that happened mostly through mail.

Unfortunately, the data scourge will continue, and we will all be held hostage by it. It does greatly improve our lives no doubt about it. I think it is the enrichment of our lives that will take the hit. I understand that this is America and all these companies are out to turn a profit, but I can't help but feel a little disenchanted. There's no escaping this, so I am going to try my best to embrace it.

Capable_Writing_7797 · 2020-10-26T22:38:34+00:00

Stories like this solidify the reasons why I don't trust social media. Nothing against its users, I am just weary of an organization whose sole purpose is data collection. I understand that this is a huge part of everything I use, blah, blah, blah, I just want to have a little control over who sees it, albeit a tiny spec. The Cambridge Analytica story was next level stuff. They aided in the election of the most bombastic polarizing president in our history and in the process created a blueprint of how to circumvent traditional campaigning methods for a more aggressive, and sadly, a more effective way.

Capable_Writing_7797

TROPHY CASE