Final Post: Our Relationship with Technology

Our Relationship with Technology

Final Presentation

Technology, in my opinion, can be viewed as both a blessing and a curse. Our society is extremely immersed in all forms of technology - computers, phones, AI softwares, social medias... the list goes on and on. Technology has provided us with efficient and necessary ways to connect with those around us - via social media outlets, extremely fast phone calls, instant messaging apps, and video messaging. However, newer issues such as revenge porn, using deepfakes to steal someone's identity, cyberbullying, and data mining have made the world of technology and social media a rather slippery slope. Society's relationship with technology is complex and multifaceted. On one hand, technology has revolutionized the way we live, work, and communicate, bringing immense benefits to individuals and society as a whole. On the other hand, there are concerns about the negative impact of technology on mental health, social interaction, privacy, and the environment.

One of the most significant ways in which technology has helped us is by enabling us to connect with each other regardless of distance or time zone. Social media platforms, instant messaging apps, and video conferencing tools have made it possible for us to maintain relationships, collaborate on projects, and share information on a global scale. Additionally, technology has made many aspects of our daily lives more convenient, from online shopping to mobile banking to virtual fitness classes.

During the pandemic, technology was one of the safest ways to communicate with one another during the nationwide lockdown. School was being conducted via video messaging apps such as Zoom and Skype, the number of social media users hit an all time high, and online shopping became one of the most popular ways to buy both clothes, and even necessities, like groceries and prescription medications. However, the pandemic's extreme focus on technology had a rather negative effect on many of those who were utilizing technology's "benefits." Excess amounts of screen time resulted in many technology users to develop anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The "real" things seen on social media apps are anything but real - during the pandemic, teen photoshopping, fad diets, and workout videos became extremely popular on all social media apps. This had an extreme effect on me personally, causing me to further develop issues surrounding my body image and eating, which I still struggle with today. Dove recently released a moving campaign called "The Cost of Beauty," surrounding the effects that social media has on young children, and I think that this subject is extremely fitting considering the extreme pressures put on young people to be perfect for the screen. 

Cost of Beauty: A Dove Film 

We constantly are checking our phones to see if we were texted, called, emailed, etc. Moreover, the constant barrage of notifications, messages, and alerts can be overwhelming and distract us from the present moment, making it difficult to focus and be productive. Additionally, the rise of automation and artificial intelligence, such as programs like ChatGPT and new AI softwares have led to concerns about job displacement and economic inequality.

New generations have grown up in a world where technology is ubiquitous, and they have come to rely on it for many aspects of their lives. While this has brought many benefits, it has also led to concerns about the impact of technology on young people's mental health and social development. For example, there is evidence that excessive screen time can interfere with the development of social skills and lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Often, when I go out to eat with friends or family, I will see toddlers as young as two years old with tablets in their hands, parents on their phones, etc. Sometimes, families do not talk to each other at all at the dinner table. I am definitely guilty of this myself, but it is disheartening to think that relationships could possibly be soon diminished due to the addictive qualities of technology, social media, and electronic games. 

In terms of how technology impacts the normal person's daily life, it is difficult to overstate the extent to which technology has become intertwined with our routines and habits. From the moment we wake up, we often reach for our phones to check messages and social media, and throughout the day, we rely on a variety of devices and platforms to navigate our personal and professional lives. While technology has undoubtedly made many tasks easier and more efficient, it has also created new challenges and demands on our time and attention.

 Society's relationship with technology is extremely complicated. Some would definitely call it a love-hate relationship. While technology has brought many benefits to individuals and society as a whole, it has also created new challenges and concerns that must be addressed. It is up to us as individuals and as a society to use technology in a responsible and balanced way, taking care to mitigate its negative impacts while maximizing its potential for good.

Diffusion of Innovations 

    For a social media platform to be successful, it must be engaging, interesting, and contain a new element of content-sharing for its users. When TikTok was first introduced in 2016 by ByteDance, a Chinese software company, I remember opinions being on both ends of the spectrum regarding TikTok's rebirth from its former name, Musical.ly. Lots of people said that TikTok wouldn't be successful, due to the decline in Musical.ly users, which forced the company to rebrand itself. However, TikTok users at the time raved about the no-nonsense algorithm and "realness" that the app presented, unlike other social media platforms that encouraged photoshopping and fakeness. 

 I think that, regarding the Diffusion of Innovations theory, TikTok was first adopted and accepted by Generation Z. Our generation thrives off of social media - which can definitely be a negative thing. However, I believe that TikTok has been able to generate a positive impact with many users. TikTok's widespread communication algorithm has created a plethora of new careers, PR campaigns, and even businesses through just one viral video. TikTok utilizes a personalized algorithm, which they have named "For You", which generated content based on previously viewed content, or content that a user has interacted with. Therefore, if a close circle of friends with similar interests likes the same content, then they will most likely see the same or similar videos in their "For You Page" based on their content engagement. This allows small creators to be seen by a wide array or different users, creating more opportunities for the diffusion of information, innovation, and ideation.

 

    Late adopters of TikTok are most likely corporate businesses, (who have gained the respect of younger audiences by being seen on the platform), parents, and adults in general. I think that with any social media platform, there are downsides regarding privacy, issues such as scams and phishing, and data selling and sharing. With all the new news stories regarding TikTok and national security, I think that TikTok's reputation in the U.S. is being significantly hurt, despite its popularity overall as a social media platform. I believe that the risks surrounding data leakage and privacy as well as personal safety in general is what prevents people from adopting social media sites such as TikTok in the first place. 

EOTO: Media Consolidation

    Within the American corporate world, monopolies are considered extremely hurtful and damaging - not only to the market itself, but to consumers' needs and the prices of goods. When the Sherman Anti-Trust Act was passed in 1890, monopolies were outlawed, as well as conspiracies of monopolization within the corporate world. Now, independent companies can share their values, right? Not quite.

    

   This same monopolization is happening within American media. Media merges are now occurring at a faster pace than ever - this results in a few mega conglomerates (often controlled by the wealthy few) to dominate the media industry, resulting in smaller, independent, often investigative voices to be stifled and silenced. This potentially harms the Watchdog Rule of journalism and media. Without a diverse group of media channels, voices, and opinions, the media we consume will continue to grow more homogenous, cookie-cutter, and submissive to big corporations within television, news media, and journalism.

   The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued new rules regarding cross-ownership within media in 2002 after the Telecommunications Act of 1996. After the rise of skepticism from both citizens and members of Congress regarding large company media merges, the rules were voided on technical grounds by a federal court. After reconvening, the FCC has since relaxed their rules regarding media consolidation, merger companies, and media buying. Since the 1990's, the number of independent news outlets have fallen, due to big media mergers being on a steady incline. 

                                           
                                     

    Only 37 years ago, there were 50 companies in charge of most American media. Today, 90% of the media in the United States is controlled by just six corporations: AT&T, CBS, Comcast, Disney, News Corp, and Viacom. These corporations are known as the Big Six. The Big Six essentially acts as a media monopoly. These large companies buy smaller networks and channels of media - along with their direction - therefore, they are able to dictate every show, personality, or advertisement on their channel. For example, CBS Television Stations consists of 28 CBS-owned stations in 17 major U.S. markets. Disney owns and operates some of the most watched networks on television: ABC, ESPN, Lifetime, History, A&E, National Geographic, and many more. AT&T is the largest media conglomerate in the United States after buying Warner Media in 2018, with a total revenue of $163.03 billion (2020). These are only a few examples of top media conglomerates within the industry.

    Media consolidation doesn't only occur in television. Magazine companies, social media websites, and newspaper publishers are also subject to being merged or bought out by a larger, more powerful company. For example, Facebook is the #1 social networking platform worldwide, reaching 2.8 billion users. It acts as a media conglomerate or "big media" due to reaching an extreme number of consumers, as well as providing them with news and other information on an extremely large scale. Facebook is owned by Meta, who has since 2012, has acquired Instagram ($1 Billion), Giphy ($400 Million), WhatsApp ($19 Billion), and Oculus VR (2.3 Billion), just to name a few. In January 2022, an antitrust lawsuit against Meta was filed regarding Meta unlawfully accumulating monopoly power via anti-competitive mergers. The lawsuit is still in action, with the Federal Trade Commission still investigating.

     These companies, by definition, monopolize. They obtain possession and control of smaller, sometimes completely independent companies, which creates problems not only within the market of buying and selling assets, but within user interfaces, causing independent voices to be silenced, and the overall morale of now one large company to be effected.

    Overall, media consolidation is not only harmful to consumers, but companies within the market as well. The use and abuse of media monopolies causes views to be suppressed and companies to succumb to their competitors by being bought out. The projection of large media companies' views on society can cause citizens to feel isolated, unheard, and angry due to companies such as the Big Six and Meta using their power to suppress smaller networks and their messages.

EOTO: Response Blog

EOTO: Response

        

When listening to other groups' presentations, I gained a significant amount of knowledge regarding the development of new technology around the world. A couple of specific technologies that I found to be extremely interesting were the creation of the pencil and the utilization of tactical products and natural materials such as graphite, wood, and even breadcrumbs. I think that the pencil is just a precursor to other more advanced communication technologies - Apple has made their version of the pencil called the Apple Pencil - which ultimately is inspired by the technology of the original pencil. 

    The pencil was originally named in the 1660's in Nuremberg, Germany, when graphite was attached to a stick to create a long-lasting, useful writing utensil. However, the Napoleonic Wars forced the French to create an alternative recipe for the pencil. The modern pencil was developed by Nicolas Jacques-Conte, who was a scientist actually serving Napoleon himself. The word pencil is derived from the Latin word "pencillus," meaning "little tail." This was to represent the thin-line writing of the middle ages. The first pencil factory, Cumberland Pencil Company, just celebrated their 175th anniversary. 

    

 

  Though the pencil has lots of positive impact on communication and society in general, the pencil has had a negative effect on society. 82,000 trees are cut down every year to make 14 billion wooden pencils.  Many pencil and stationery brands switched to making mechanical or plastic pencils, which aided in the amount of trees being cut down, but provided more plastic which can also be damaging to the environment. Without the pencil, writing and education would have never been introduced to the world the way we know it now. We would not have had such an essential form of writing at such an early time period. The pencil revolutionized communication in general, and without it, we would not be where we are today. 

    

The Age of AI

     Within our society, new ideas have been proposed regarding artificial intelligence and new technological advances that could revolutionize the way we live, work and function. While these ideas can be extremely functional - they have the ability to speed up work processes, make day jobs easier, and create possible new pathways or approaching the job market and hiring processes. 

    However, not all Artificial Intelligence is inherently good. There are many risks with using AI, some practical, some ethical, and some which even invade on citizen privacy. One of the most prominent concerns with AI would be privacy protection. With the technology we currently use - social medias, the internet, etc., there is already a problem of privacy. Facebook is notorious for data mining and selling user data to different companies. Data mining is able to track user's personal choices, buying habits, and friends/followers' habits. Sites such as Facebook only scratch the surface when utilizing the beast that is Artificial Intelligence. There are very few regulations on AI, since it is fairly new. Because AI essentially runs off of personal data, if AI is introduced to the wrong entities, it could potentially be used to carry out identity theft. 

    AI entities are also extremely susceptible to mistakes. These mistakes can be as simple as containing embedded biases on the internet, or as large as endangering human life by incorrectly piloting a self-driving car. I feel as if privacy and security protection are extremely important, especially when dictating by technology, but when it comes to technology dictating the safety of human life, that is where it becomes a significant issue. A self-driving car could contain defects, some which may go undetected in routine services and inspections. A vehicle which is automated by a computer can easily be affected by rain, snow, or sensor error, causing potential danger to human life inside the vehicle. 

    National security is even at risk when AI is involved. Different governmental bodies have incorporated Artificial Intelligence into their legislation. According to the Department of National Security, AI is essential to completely protecting our nation. Within warzones, fully autonomous ships, enemy facial recognition, and automatic computer machinery is beginning to guide the battlefield and assist our country in regaining militarial victory.

    Overall, I think that with any technology, there are pros and cons. With AI, the same applies. I think that as citizens and the nation as a whole, we need to be aware and not give in to Artificial Intelligence as our main source of thinking. 

The Progressive Era

    

            The Progressive Era consisted of of social activism and attempts for political reform nationwide. Most progressives also happened to be antiwar activists, as the era was introduced from the destruction and mass spending from World War I - most progressives sought to defeat inefficiency, overspending, monopolies, and destruction. With a want for change comes the opportunity (and the right) to protest and petition. As we have talked about in this course, the government should be working for the people as a whole, therefore, the right to petition has a very significant role in the way a democracy works. However, in this age of progression from 1896 to 1917, many were jailed, blackballed in the journalism industry, and extremely persecuted for their own opinions and views. Views of America as a country that provides the right of "free speech" was severely tainted during this era. 

    Today, the USA is involved globally with military operations. Getting involved with wars, forming alliances, and trading weapons with other countries is extremely common regarding America's military tactics. Though many still have issues with these tactics today, their voices are not being heard in the mainstream media. When exploring websites such as Antiwar and The America Conservative, there are countless articles regarding war and the domestic economy, and new U.S. bases being announced in foreign (and war-driven), countries. These articles explain the negative effects that war has on our country as a whole - financially, socially, and economically - but they seem to receive minimal attention from the "big" press. 

It seems almost as if the role of the first amendment protecting dissent is still not fully covered in today's climate. Though the consequences for speaking out against war (usually) will not get a person thrown into jail, the usage of government agencies and technology to block certain sites from getting their full exposure seems off. It is interesting what stories get shown and what stories are hidden under layers of potential unconscious bias that is in direct conflict with the first amendment.  

EOTO: The History of Netflix

    Netflix has become one of the world's top streaming services, containing both original and classic movies, shows, and documentaries. Personally, I use Netflix to watch my favorite movies and TV shows due to the app's convenience and reliability. According to research, Netflix has approximately 220 million memberships globally.  The average cost of a Netflix subscription is $15.49 USD per month. That's an average of $40,893,600,000 per year based on subscription revenue alone. Not only is Netflix dominating the video streaming field, but they are making an extremely successful revenue while doing it. 

The "Founding Fathers" of Video Streaming

In 1997, Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph (an HPU Innovator-in-Residence), proposed an idea which entailed renting DVD's containing hit movies and television shows via mail. Through the growth of this concept, the original idea of Netflix was born.  

Pictured: Hastings & Randolph after Netflix's NASDAQ debut in 2002. Credit: Marc Randolph

Many entrepreneurs expressed their concerns about Netflix to both Hastings and Randolph. The pair was rejected more than 1,000 times when they pitched the original idea to investors. Though they faced more negative feedback than positive, they believed in their idea, and it began to flourish. 

The Growth of Netflix

    From 2002 to 2006, Netflix grew exponentially. Their membership grew to 5 million subscriptions, allowing subscribers to rent an unlimited number of DVD's with no due dates, late fees, or limits. These factors separated Netflix from their at-the-time competitors such as Blockbuster, who turned down Randolph and Hastings when they first pitched Netflix to the company. 

Streaming was introduced from Netflix in 2007, which ultimately revolutionized the way media and television have developed today. Netflix was the first real success story of video streaming, which is huge, considering the extremely quick development of the company. In its first 20 years, Netflix quickly became a $100 billion dollar company, now worth even more. Netflix continued to pursue worldwide growth throughout the next few years, expanding into Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Red "Netflix" buttons started to appear on remotes, as well as compatibility with devices such as the Xbox. 

An extremely monumental moment for Netflix was in 2015, when their first original feature film, "beasts of No Nation," was introduced for streaming. This became a gateway for Netflix to utilize original works to create revenue, while also working with different names in Hollywood and beyond. 

Netflix's Lasting Impact

Last August, Netflix turned 25 years old. It is now the most popular streaming service in the world, and is available in more than 190 countries worldwide. Though Netflix has received immensely popular reviews and has revolutionized the TV industry, the cable television industry has suffered, simply due to a lack of the need for cable as streaming services become more prevalent within the media. There are also some cons, such as the normalizing of binge-watching shows, creating a sedentary lifestyle as well as an escapist view on responsibilities of daily life. Ultimately, Netflix is forcing the television industry to adapt to their standards, or die trying. They are extremely successful and their global impact has affected many in an extremely positive light.