Benefits of Blogging

Here is my presentation on the benefits of blogging!

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1k5rKFg8o-GXD9Ryj6pKloSj6liC8xvB11K3iAOHwiX4/edit?usp=sharing

Privacy

The topic of privacy when it comes to the internet is quite the controversy. After watching the TED Talk videos about internet privacy, I've realized the serious issue online privacy is and the consequences we as a society may face. Not only do companies and the government have basically full access to every detail of your life, but they could use it against you. One of the videos talked about how even a google search could affect how you are judged in court for whatever that reason may be. Another TED Talk discussed how your online presence is as permanent as a tattoo. Once you put something online, they say it never disappears. This is dangerous for not only my generation, but especially for the future generations of children who grow up using the internet. There is a fine line between being cautious of what you personally put online, and having our entire lives hacked by the government for selfish and unnecessary reasons. There should be a change in laws regarding privacy that impact the way we feel safe as an internet user. There needs to be laws prohibiting the excessive information the government gathers about us through our personal internet usage.

https://hackernoon.com/internet-privacy-guide-keeping-your-data-safe-online-be3d823f05f5

Propaganda

From our class' EOTO presentations, we learned about propaganda. This form of advertising has been used as a manipulative tool since the 1600s. Propaganda is using misleading or biased information to promote a political cause. Although this technique has been used for centuries, it still continues to be an important aspect of our political culture today. The main purpose of propaganda is to manipulate other's views and opinions using symbols, designs, gestures, music, etc. Iconic propaganda has circulated through American history throughout the decades that defines the historical aspects of that time period. A famous example is the "We Can Do It!" poster from 1943 that was created to boost the morale of women during WWII as they went to work in place of men at war. Throughout the years it has resurfaced to promote feminism. Often propaganda was used to both promote war, and anti-war movements. Another famous example is the Uncle Sam posted with the quote "I want YOU for U.S. Army!" encouraging men to enlist in the army during WWI. Propaganda has been a way to persuade the public to one side of a political standpoint and continues to be used in today's society.

 https://www.canva.com/learn/examples-of-propaganda/

Citizen Journalism

The official definition of citizen journalism is “The collection, dissemination, and analysis of news and information by the general public, especially by means of the Internet.” Due to the rise in social media and instant technology, citizens who would normally be the consumers of journalism are now able to contribute their own content, therefore becoming a citizen journalist. Here are some pros and cons of citizen journalism:

Pros:
- Constant information flow
- Collaboration between journalists and consumers
- Beneficial to countries in which media is limited

Cons:
- Not always reliable information
- Facts are not usually back checked
- Possibly biased
- Competition for news outlets

How are we affected by citizen journalists?

Old vs. young generations:
- Since older people are generally not as inclined to get their news from social media, they are not as affected by citizen journalism and typically stick to professional outlets
- The younger generations are affected by citizen journalism because they are more likely to get their news from social media, as well as participate in the conversation and information flow

https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/our-research/agency-full-citizens-how-news-agencies-cope-citizen-journalism-their-concerns-and