Final Blog Post: Auditing my Online Presence

    When looking at my personal online footprint I would say it is significantly large. I have been on social media since I was 13 and became active around the age of 15. I have used platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Youtube for over 6 years of my life. Along with growing up as the internet and social media have been growing alongside me. I have a personal website that I have created for educational purposes, my blogger account. On this website I post assignments I have completed along with work that I am proud of keeping a portfolio in website form. Evolving with the media has caused me to create a large digital footprint myself over the years. 

On a daily basis I use the platforms Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, Youtube and Facebook. I have used these and check on them daily for as long as I can remember. I post on Instagram and facebook pictures of my friends and I and fun things we do. I also post on snapchat random things I do throughout my week I find entertaining or funny for my friends to see. I also use LinkedIn for a professional platform, to network and expand my connections. I have for as long as I can remember have updated these platforms, with age I update them less frequently yet I still do check and see what my friends post. I have never found a concern with my usage of social media as I did not create a toxic addiction to the platforms. I purely use them to check up on friends and family and post about my life to keep them updated. I could delete all my social media and not care because I have no connection to the validation social media gives others. I purely want to be kept in the loop of my personal friends and families lives along with keeping up to date with trends and news within the media. 

I feel as if a visitor would glean across my profile I would seem like any other typical 21 year old woman. I post pictures of what my friends and I do along with some images of myself. I do not keep a theme on any of my platforms like others do as I post what I want when I want. I do not think most people portray their lives realistic through the media and I like to keep it real. No fancy filters or captions just me and my friends and whatever I am doing. I find it hard to watch people of my demographic crying and becoming upset if they don't get a certain amount of likes and or comments on their posts. This is the validation factor I mentioned previously, as this is what many have social media for. Creating a toxic relationship with the media is something I did not want to do and knew I could fall into that cycle easily as a teenager. Setting boundaries with myself within the media was essential. 

I have given all my information to all my social media platforms and websites purely because I didn't think twice about it. I never thought anything of it when creating my accounts along with giving my email and number to companies. Those two things seem so impersonal to me from a broad perspective yet over time I have grown some concerns with doing so. My phone number can be traced, which I had no clue about before when I was 13 making my instagram account. Social media sites use this as a backup method when forgetting your username or passwords yet it is just a way of them getting more personal information about you. I wish I did not give my number to social media platforms along with companies I purchase from. Just by doing that I could decrease my digital footprint, yet once it is in the world it is out there, which is the scariest part of the media. 

I do believe that social media can cause depression and make individuals feel lonely and or isolated. Some people's whole life is purely lived through media and only on media. You can create a very false illusion through the media and what you are posting, people could think you are the happiest person in the world yet you are hurting on the inside. People can isolate themselves from the world yet be such a big part of it through the media. Loneliness is also something that I feel many experience through social media as they are looking at pictures of others with their friends having fun while they could be scrolling alone on their couch. The issue of comparing yourself to others is very prominent in today's society especially when looking at social media platforms. I see the depression factor of the media coming from comments and words said about others from behind the screen. Anyone can say anything they want from behind their screen and not care about the person on the other side. There is a very toxic culture blowing through the media now and it needs to be changed. Yet the only way to do that would be through the mindset of the users.

Blog #10 ETO Terms and Concepts (Alternative Media)

 Alternative media is not something I knew about whatsoever before doing research on the topic. This is the first problem when it comes to today's society as I am one of many that would have no clue when asked what alternative media is. By definition alternative media is “Newspapers, magazines, radio stations, or online media which are not corporately owned and which circulate political messages felt to be under-represented in ‘mainstream media’ (seen as geared towards maximizing profits and supporting a ‘free-trade’ agenda).” Alternative media gives the opportunity for news that is not typically broadcasted a place to shine and be seen. There are thousands of sources giving information on topics the media is trying to cover up and push away. Many individuals are turning to alternative media to avoid fake news as they believe this is the most reliable form to receive and perceive media. Alternative Media forms change depending on what is considered “mainstream” or what is on trend. This form of media can come in the form of print, digital, audio and or video. Alternative media gives the opportunity for those voices and events that go unheard or pushed away. There are so many things that we have no clue about as Americans that are going on within our country. Being educated and knowing what is going on is our civic duty and the government is continuously taking that away from us.

After researching and reviewing some alternative media sources it blew my mind how much I didn’t know. I would consider myself a fairly informed individual as I try my best to keep up to date with things going on within our country. I never knew and or even thought of half of the things that I read while researching. I came across a source of alternative media called South Front, a popular sight and form of alternative media. South Front is an organization that is 100% funded by supporters and readers, and provides the world with daily updates on everything happening with the Syrian War. They provide information that corporate media does not want people to know, yet they broadcast everything being transparent. Transparency is something many look for when seeking news outlets as everyone is searching for those that are reliable. I had no clue about anything going on in Syria as the mainstream news does not keep up to date with those events. Yet there are so many sights that are niche in the way that they are focused on one thing going on within our country and publishing anything and everything being transparent with the reader. There are so many more sights and forms of alternative media that individuals check up daily on. When asking a wide range of people from different demographics many did not even know what alternative media was let alone any of the topics discussed within this type of media. If alternative media became more prevalent and normalized within society the government would feel as if they lost control. As they have control over all media they do not have control over this type as it is simply individual exercising their first amendment. Being informed and staying informed in today's society is important, and alternative media can help those who may not be informed get informed. A simple google search and you have a world of media you never would have thought of. Alternative media is transparent and is a way to give those who want to know what is going on with the world a place to get informed and or inform others. 

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South Front

Blog #9- Privacy

 After listening to the assigned TedTalks it is hard to believe the little to no privacy we have, even if we think we do. Growing up in an era that technology was developing gave me some sort of insight on how to behave and treat the internet. It was always ingrained into my head that you can never take something you have posted online away. Whatever I wanted to post online, I always had to ask myself am I ok with this being permanent and the world being able to see it. This from the start put a bad taste into my mouth when it came to any sort of social media platform as I saw no benefit as a 13 year old when the media started booming. Yet as time went on and the more people that began to create an online presence started to make me feel okay about it. Privacy being invaded on social media and just the internet in general has been a common theme while growing up. My friends and I used to google our names constantly because we wanted to see what would show up after googling. The friends that were careless and posted and or were tagged in photos they didn't want many to see were broadcasted to anyone who typed their first and last name into a search bar. This terrified me and I have always been conscious of what I put out on the internet under my name. 

Nowadays it is common to talk about your “fbi agent”, this is someone we believe is listening to us all the time through our devices. This seems too good to be true as curated advertisements became scary. Advertisements for products I have spoken to my mother about pop up on her feed and mine just purely off of a verbal conversation. This is not normal and is frightening to many who don't know how their facebook feed would know they are in the market for a new coffee machine. Anything and everything is always listening, trying to get you to buy their product is the number one priority. The tricky part about this all is agreeing to the terms and conditions on any internet sight. This is something everyone clicks over as they just want to get into the app and skip over the terms. With a click of a button you subconsciously are just giving them all your information and privacy on a silver platter. Large platforms such as Facebook and YouTube hide clauses about the lack of privacy within these terms and conditions as they know no one looks closely enough to them. When it comes to current day internet and privacy you just have to assume and expect there is none. People have coped with or thrown the idea out of their head that they have no privacy when having an online presence. Yet, some people find it worth it to maintain a presence in the media, and or just don't care. I will find it interesting to see how the media evolves and if this issue of privacy on the internet will ever be resolved.

Blog Post #8- Diffusion of Innovation

 

The evolution of the platform Facebook will continue to amaze me, as it is now the most used social media platform with 2.3 billion users. Facebook started off with four college guys with an idea for an app. The app started off as a rating app of the attractiveness of peers at their college. This app was a start to a great new beginning for these men, yet after two days their university shut down their app due to violations of student conduct. Their app was a major success and within the two days of it being up it spread like wildfire. These users are the early adopters as they were the first to be interested and download the platform. They continued on with the app and registered Facebook.com in February of 2004. This website was a space where college students could upload pictures and status updates, something many have never seen before. The early majority continued to grow as college students within ivy league universities began to flood onto the site. As the platform continued to grow by the end of 2004 there were over 100 million users. This platform was still exclusive only to those in college and not to anyone else outside of that bracket. Two years later in 2006 the platform was released to all above the age of 13, making it easily accessible to many. These are the late adopters, as they have not experienced and or been able to join the platform. Being established for over  years they generated a foundation that they could up and run with. This could be seen as a downside as the platform was not accessible to all that wanted to join. Yet this allowed Facebook to grow first and gain credibility. Technology can always be seen as a negative within individuals day to day life. Yet Facebook can be seen as a platform that can keep family and friends connected and updated though a click of a button. Many use the platform purely for keeping up with the lives of their friends and family, yet some use it for entertainment. Along with the fact that Facebook has become a megahub for advertising and marketing. Screen time is important to keep at a minimum yet for some this could be their only way of contacting and or keeping updated with some family. Many individuals make the choice to stay off of social media, as that is their personal choice. I understand the want to stay off social media platforms as they can become toxic and consume daily lives. The issue of identity theft is also something that people may steer clear of social media for. Yet if you are safe and have a good intention when downloading the platform self control could be established. Facebook is an amazing way to stay connected with family and friends within the palm of your hands, especially in times like now. In a global pandemic you may not be able to see all your friends and or family regularly, this platform allows those who cannot connect to connect. In my opinion the negatives of the platform would outway the positives. Having a hub of communication with your loved ones is something not many platforms have been able to do before Facebook. Staying connected and informed is easy and can be safe if you are careful with who you are friends with on the platform. I would compare Facebook to a reunion of your close family and friends but virtually. Scrolling through one's profile could show you the highlight reels of their past 5 years, something you would normally have to meet up and or have a conversation about. The diffusion of innovation throughout this platform was short yet booming. From a few hundred users at the beginning of 2004 to 2020 with over 2.3 billion users Facebook will only continue to grow and expand further.  

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Blog Post #7- Technology #2 (Twitter)

One of the technologies presented on was the platform Twitter. The modern day social media platform is a staple in many individuals' daily lives. This platform is one of many gen Z’s frequent and is a hub for not only entertainment but news. The app has had to evolve to get where it is today. Twitter was invented in 2006 and started off as a platform for podcast makers to interact with other podcast creators. The app was originally named “twitter” before it changed to the current name Twitter. By 2012 there were over 100 million users of the platform that were posting and checking Twitter daily. Twitter is an essential and a part of many modern day individuals' daily routine. Twitter is the main source of news for some, as they check twitter in the morning instead of turning on the morning news. The platform keeps people informed on daily activities and or news going on in real time. Sometimes Twitter is the first place news is spread, even before major news sources. The fast and easy ability to send a tweet is both a positive and negative thing. Within the matter of seconds anyone can tweet anything at any time. This is where fake news can become an issue and or biased news. People that follow one specific source can fully believe anything they post even if it is not a fact. Although this is a negative to the platform there are many positives that come to light. The accessibility to stay informed if following reliable sources is one of the main benefits of the platform. There are also communities within Twitter that interact about certain niche topics. It gives people a place where they feel like they belong and can speak freely. Twitter can give people a voice they may not have normally. Giving people the ability to speak their mind and see if others agree and or appreciate their thoughts can make someone's day. Along with the funny content that the platform provides there are so many things that make Twitter so many individuals the most used platform. Twitter has come a long way since it started as a podcast creator platform and it will continue to grow with time. 

 

Blog Post #6- Technology (Facebook)

  Facebook was founded in 2004 by  Harvard students Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. The platform hit 1 billion users in 2012 and Facebook became the largest social media platform  in the world. Facebook originally was created as a site for college students to rate the attractiveness of their peers. Yet after two short days the app was shut down due to code violations of student policy. This issue did not stop Zuckerburg as he persevered. Due to the great response of the platform, it lead Zuckerberg to register facebook.com in February of 2004. The platform allowed people to post status updates about their lives and photos. This was only exclusive to college students as it as made by students for students. By taking the status update approach and not the hot or not method the app began to spread rapidly. The platform  sparked at Harvard and spread to all the other ivy leagues, by June 2004 Facebook had over 250,000 users across college communities. And by the end of 2004 Facebook had over a million users. 

In 2006 the platform opened to others not in college over the age of 13. Just two years later in 2008 Facebook surpast MySpace and became the most visited social media site. Facebook is used to aid in political campaigns, making the word spread faster about particular candidates through advertisements. The platform is a free networking site that enables you to connect with friends all over the world with a click of a button. Facebook is free to the public yet generates revenue from advertisements daily. Facebook is the most used platform daily in the US with a 170 million users. This platform is amazing for social media marketing and is a major platform to do so.Facebook then went on to buy Instagram, Whatsapp and Oculus. Overall, from start to beginning Facebook has been a force to be reckoned with. This mega platform has expanded within itself and on to other platforms. Zuckerburg has created a media empire and will just continue to grow with time. 

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Blog Post #5: Eight Values of Free Expression

     The Eight Values of Free Expression are crucial when it comes to our first amendment rights being an American Citizen. I don't see one value meaning more than another as all of our rights and expressions as citizens should be taken seriously and with pride. The marketplace of ideas creates a structure and an outline for what we see as the basis of the countries values. All eight values speak out and are meaningful to all citizens yet they all intertwine together, making what it is to be an American. 

If freedom of speech was not in place individuals would not be individuals. No one would be able to speak their mind and or their truth. America would be seen as a very different place if we did not have the freedoms we have in place. The American Dream would not be sought after, change would not be made and voices would no longer be heard. “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave” within our countries national anthem underlines what people come to America for. Seeking a better life, opportunity and the right to speak their mind freely without consequence. 

Within the article Market Place of Ideas it speaks upon the “marketplace of ideas refers to the belief that the test of the truth or acceptance of ideas depends on their competition with one another an not on the opinion of a censor, whether or not one provided by the government or by some other authority” (Marketplace of Ideas). This reiterates freedom of speech and being able to speak your truth. The marketplace of ideas allows individuals to speak their truth and prove them to be correct. Allowing others to express themselves in belief allows for new ideas and perspectives to be brought to the table. This is beneficial to all as all of the marketplace ideas align with freedom of speech and everything it entails. 

Being able to create your own identity and path is one of the many benefits of being a citizen of the United States. This specifically aligns with the value of self-fulfillment. The promotion of tolerance is also affected by the marketplace of ides as it helps individuals see hate speech and speak out against it. Being able to respond and defend the side you choose to speak upon. This idea can also be shown within governmental power, if citizens do not speak upon where they think the government is lacking and or needs improvement upon nothing would ever get changed. Progression would not be made and laws, acts and bills would not be changed. It protects dissents and allows us as citizens to disagree with the government and speak out against it. Being able to use our voices and call out the government for what we believe they are doing wrong promoting change and growth. Overall the power that we have as citizens is something not many people in this world get to experience. Exercising your First Amendment and speaking freely is one way you as a citizen can not only better our nation yet promote change and growth.