Blog post #9

Third Person Effect           

    The Third Person effect is a theory in communications that explains how people think that others are more affected by the media than themselves. The concept was first proposed by W. Phillips Davison in 1983.  One reason this happens is because people have a natural tendency to view themselves in a more positive light, which is also known as a self-enhancing tendency. It also happens because people underestimate the influence of the media on themselves, and think that others are just more affected by it.  This can include many different kinds of media like political campaigns, advertising, social media, and the news. The third person effect can also be correlated with the social comparison theory which is where people compare themselves to other to try and figure out their own beliefs.  This effect is also the reason people support censorship, and do not always appreciate harsh topics being brought up in the media.  They think they can handle that media but it may make others upset or uncomfortable. 

    

    When researching the 3rd person theory I found a study done to research how the theory effects people. This study was done in the form of a telephone survey that 721 people took part in.   They had the hypothesis that other will think the media will have a greater effects on others over themselves, and thought it would lead to supporting restrictions on media.  Each person was put through a system to be selected randomly, and asked a set of question based on 12 conditions. They results showed the hypothesis to be correct but the support of the restrictions depended on what conditions they were asked about.

    `Above are the factors that play a part in the third person effect, and why people have certain reactions.  Everybody is different ands that is why people can have different reactions to the media, so personal characteristics play a big part in that.  Along with that culture is a factor that influences this theory because where you live, and what you're surrounded by influences how you think.  In general everyone has different opinions on social media and what people should be posting on there, so it all goes into the third person effect and thinking that media content will influences other more then yourself. 

    Personally before I researched the third person effect, I had never heard of it but, as soon as I started researching it I found it really interesting.  The third person effect is something I have noticed in my everyday life, and I can see how it is related to censorship.  We live in a very sheltered generation where "everybody gets a trophy." There is also so much technology that censors not just kids, but I know some people in college who still have restrictions on their phone.  From things like passwords to get into the certain apps, or timers on the phone so you cant use it after a certain time limit.  I know a lot of parents will do this for there kids so that they are not on technology too much because they may think it's not good for them.  Thats usually the same mom who has to post their whole day on Instagram and like to scroll on Tiktok before bed.  So while I never knew what the third person effect was, I have witnessed it many times. 

        

    

    

Blog Post #8

 Diffusion

The diffusion of innovations was a theory created by Everett Rogers in 1962, it was based off of 508 diffusion studies in a variety of fields. This theory was in place to explain how and why ideas or new technology spread in society.  It categorizes adopters into groups which are innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. Rogers states that there are 5 factors that go into the diffusion process.  Which include innovation, communication channels, time, a proper social system and adopters to the idea of innovation. 

    

I think the diffusion of innovations is a very interesting concept because it really makes you think why am I doing this? or why do people use this?

An example I can think of for my age group is snapchat.  Something I think about all the time is why did snapchat become popular?  It has many of the same features immesage does.  In my generation instead of asking people for their number people ask for their snap, and communicate by texting on the app.  This is something that older people do not do because they weren't being raised when this app came out.  At the time of the snapchat launch there was many advantages which is why I think it adapted into our society, these advantages include communicating through photos and having access to tons of filters.  It's also allowed you to have your friends locations and see what they were doing at almost any moment. 

I also see this when I compare the apps on my phone vs. my parents.  Surprinsingly my Mom just joined tiktok, however she does not know how to work it.  Besides that the only social media she uses is facebook, and my Dad is the same way.  This is a normal thing in their generation and facebook is enough for them to stay in touch with friends.  In my generation you need to be involved in so many other kinds of media to stay in touch.  If I did not have snapchat or instagram I probably would have lost touch with half of my friends from high school by now.  It also how I find out information about people like birthdays, or major life events. 

Blog Post #7

 The Age of AI

    AI is something that has more recently become extremely abundant in our world.  While AI may have just started having an effect on us, the research of AI can be tracked back all the way to the 1950's.  AI stands for artificial intelligence and basically its job is to mimic human intelligence. While AI can be extremely helpful at times, it can also be quite scary due to the fact that it makes decisions without humans overseeing, and it invades privacy.  

    When talking about AI the topic of national security may come up, AI can pose both threats, and advantages to national security.  It can enhance national security because it allows for a more technologically advanced system, so that could mean like automatic threat detection, and other benefits when it comes to military power.  At the same time however it can threaten national security because it puts the system at risk for things like cyber attacks, or getting hacked.  Now if AI has more control in our country, then that means more information in the cyber world that could possibly be stolen, and depending on the information could put our country at high risk of danger. 

    Similar to the threats AI poses for national security, it also poses threats to overall privacy.  We may not always realize it but AI is always watching and it can collect and analyze your personal data on the internet.  Once AI has control over that data  they also have the ability to use it and release your information to whoever.  The amount of power AI truly has is frightening.

    Personally I don't really love AI, i've never been a big user of chatgpt and websites like that because of the sketchy things I have heard about AI.  I really only used them when I had teachers who wanted us to it for research reasons.  I feel there are definitely some benefits to AI, and that it is changing our world and making it more advanced.  Major advancements not even just in the technology industry but in the health care field have been thanks to AI.  AI also plays a huge part in things like self driving cars or finding cures, things that are extremely beneficial to our nation. However at the same time, while the world may be more advanced I think it also sets us up for more risk.  We put so much trust in the technology, I think that could lead to many dangers in the future.  There are  many different kinds of AI and they all deal with different things, I just think everyone should be aware of the benefits and risks, and be cautious of what data they give AI. 

Blog Post #6

 EOTO Technology Reaction 

One presentation I found very interesting was the invention and timeline of Netflix.  Netflix is something that I use almost everyday, and I know many people are the same way.  It is by far one of the most used streaming services.  Something new I learned from the presentation was called "The Netflix Effect", which is a phenomenon that Netflix series can have an effect our real life. Something new I learned from this presentation was that when Netflix first started it was very similar to redbox. It started off as a DVD rental company, but eventually evolved to streaming. Netflix has expanded so much over the years that now they even produce their own TV shows and movies.

Another piece of technology that I found very interesting was cassette tapes, and how they evolved over the years. They were first invented in 1962 and really didn't start to have a downfall until the 2000's, which shows how successful this piece of technology was.  While when I was growing up they weren't really making these tapes anymore, I did own a sony walkman and cassette tapes passed down from when my cousins were growing up. While we don't really have a need for them nowadays due to the convenience of our smart phones, at the time cassette tapes were life changing.  It was the first time you could make music portable. 

Blog Post #5

 Ted Talk Reflection

As many of us know todays society is a bit internet obsessed.  I know some people who simply could not function if they didn't have their phone or computer or apple watch.  Unfortunately what a lot of people don't realize is that all your actions have consequences.  Any cookies you except will be there forever and anything you post anywhere can be saved forever.  According to the ted talk this is referred to as an electronic tattoo, which I though was a very clever name. 

While I knew we were constantly being watched in our society, I didn't realize to what extent.  I did not know that the police were collecting information on innocent people. I do agree with the solution the speaker had to have the police run by city council so that information can not be used for anything it shouldn't.  However I feel that this information should not be collected in the first place.  Unless you are doing something illegal the police should have no reason to scan your license plate and gather information on you, that they don't need. 

For the most part a lot of people know that they are being watched on the internet, they just don't care because they need to internet for different things. I just never thought about how dangerous the internet could be.  Depending on what you click on the internet, strangers could have access to any information they wanted on you, which is very scary. 

After watching these ted talks I am going to try and be much more aware when I am on the internet.  I wont be as eager to accept cookies, and will be more careful with what websites I put my information into.  I have personally seen people experience identity theft or spam phone calls that lead to threats.  I hate that this is something we have to worry about in our society, however I don't think enough people worry enough and people need to be better educated on the dangers the internet creates. 

Blog Post #4

 The Uprise of Amazon

Amazon is a national technology company that provides digital shopping for consumers all around the world.  What many people may not know is that amazon was originally founded under the name “Cadabra” by Jeff Bezos in 1994, but shortly a few months later he changed it to amazon. At the time Jeff was a Princeton graduate who was working out of the garage of his rental home in Washington. 11 years later in 2005 amazon prime was launched which played an extremely crucial role in amazons success and also the expansion of the company.

When doing my research I wondered why did Jeff Bezos create amazon? There was many advantages to startig amazon however he said "you can literally build a store online that couldn’t exist any other way.” He wanted an online store that was unique and could not be replicated in person.  This played a big role in his success because he created amazon just at the start of the e-commerce era, so many people were still not shopping online. Not only was he one of the original online companies but he also later expand his company to be the quickest.  Amazon prime changed the e-commerce game completely with prime 2 day delivery. That was back in 2005 now you can order from amazon and it could be at your doorstep that night. 

Above you can see just how successful amazon has become over years.  Not only has amazon become one of the most successful online shopping websites they have also expanded.  Amazon also offers media streaming services, and they make their own technology like kindle or the fire stick.  Amazon also offers a food delivery system known as amazon fresh, that delivers your groceries to your doorstep. Many factors went into the success of amazon however covid played a big role in their more recent success.  You can see the increase in amazons revenue since covid in 2020.  Since there was a pandemic people were scared to go out to the stores, and some people couldn't because they had compromised immune systems.  Amazon was an easily accessible and fast way to get the materials you needed to survive.

(Breakdown of the revenue from amazons different branches)

While I feel overall amazons success has made a positive impact in our society, there are some negatives that come with it.  One of these negative outcomes is the overspending of consumers.  I know personally that I am a victim of this because its so easy to get anything I could want or need online.  Due to the convenience of amazon consumers tend to spend money on things they normally wouldn't if they were shopping in person.  This is also leading to things like ghost malls, and small business loosing customers.  Not only are in person companies loosing business but it is also making people more lazy because they can get anything they need from the comfort of their own home.  In a way it is also leading to more social anxiety in the younger generations because they are growing up with this advanced kind of technology. 

Blog Post #3

8 Values of Free Expression

Over the past few weeks of Media Law and Literacy we have been learning about 1st amendments rights, and the importance they bring to our society.  Before hearing about these values in class, I had no idea that they existed, which is upsetting because they play such a crucial role in our society.  These values play a crucial rule in our privilege to have freedoms in this country.  Here is a list of the eight values below. 

1. Marketplace of Ideas: also known as the discovery of truth, it was also an argument against requiring a license to print/publish
2. Participation in Self-Government: It allows citizens to make more informed decisions abut candidates 
3. Stable Change : it is the process of addressing and resolving social conflicts or issues through peaceful dialogue rather than violence or anger. It allows citizens to share their problems causing more stability. 
4. Individual Self-Fulfillment: Free speech allows individuals to express themselves and create  their own self fulfilling identity
5. Check on Governmental Power: freedom of the press enables citizens to learn about abuses of power and because of the check-and-balance system we can restrain government power
6. Promote Tolerance:  means to encourage acceptance, understanding, and respect for differences among people or groups and a more tolerant society is a better society

7. Promote Innovation:  Where free speech is protected and promoted, and it allows citizens to be more involved, creative, and energized in society.  
8. Protect Dissent: This is your right to disagree with the government, and anyone else you may disagree with. The First Amendment protects minority views, no matter how unpopular.

When looking at these 8 values of expressions, it was hard to choose which one resonated with me the most because I feel they all play a crucial part in our society.  If I had to choose one I would say that individual self-fulfillment stuck out to me the most because it is the process of having free speech and how that allows citizens to create an identity and express themselves.  this value allows people to gain a sense of personal satisfaction and that can lead to so much growth personally, with achieving goals, or even someones overall well being.  Self-fulfillment is a key aspect of personal development and can contribute to ones overall satisfaction in life. This value also plays a huge role in our everyday life because of social media.  Social media is an outlet to so many people in this day and age, and for many of them it how they choose to voice their opinion of try to make a difference.  While this isn't always a good thing, many people feel validated by their opinions because of social media, and what they post online.  

I also like the value of checking on governmental power, and I think that value plays a crucial part of keeping our government in check.  Without this value government would have way too much power, and it's possible they wont use this power responsibly. Exercising this right allows for transparency, and accountability in government.  It also allows citizens to get more involved with our government and share unique perspectives.  

Lastly I think tolerance is another extremely important value because it encourages people to have patience and go with grace. In our society it is important to accept everyone for who they are and build people up rather than knock them down.  This value stresses this idea because it encourages acceptance and wants people to respect each other because of their differences.  This is especially important because of social media and people using those platforms to express themselves.  Not only can anyone post anything on social media but anyone can also respond to them.  So there needs to be a mutual respect  between people, which is what this value stresses in a way. 

Overall I think more people need to be educated on the importance on these values because I know personally I had not heard of them until this class but, I feel they play a crucial role in our society and the rights we have.