Privacy? What Privacy? Blog Post #5

Ted Talks have been a staple in the classrooms for many years now, once again in class this week we got to see some more Ted Talks. Each video had a different idea that was brought forward, but they all have a central idea that connects them. The topic is Data Privacy and Data Collection and how we as people always have eyes on us. For people hearing this for the first time, it might be enough to make someone panic.

The video that caught my eye and raised some interesting points was Your online life, permanent as a tattoo. In this video we see the comparison of a tattoo to our online presence where everything we have ever published from Twitter to Instagram is visible. Juan Enriquez even poked fun at the fact we will be immortal with these digital tattoos. 

These digital tattoos themselves affect my family and me because now forever whenever something is posted it stays around. With any big-time job, a company can go back to see anything they want, and if any bad videos or pictures taint a reputation your chances at the job plummet. With the issue of digital tattoos creating immortality, the government may have to step in. With this issue, I think the government should use software to sift through all the bad videos and figure out how to make the nation safer and the good videos should be deleted to save room in the databases. To protect ourselves from this invasion of privacy we can be careful of what we post. If we do not incriminate ourselves there is no need for the government to go through all of our media and try and find something that we can be charged on. 

There was also a second video that caught my eye and that video was Christopher Soghoian's talk about How to avoid surveillance... with the phone in your pocket.  In this video the highlighted the topic that with cell phones and media in general we are always being watched. One of Christopher's points against this surveillance is the companies in Silicon Valley that have made their technology very hard to survey. 

The surveillance issues affect me as a person because I am always being watched. I always have to be worried if I buy things online that my credit card information may be stolen or maybe my identity will be stolen. This is where I want the government to step in and help create a nationwide VPN or something to protect the web so people are safer. They will never do it because the government also wants to watch the citizen's media along with the hackers. Finally, to protect ourselves if there is no nationwide VPN people should buy their own to protect themselves. These days, all we can do is be cautious about the media and protect ourselves. 

History and Impact of The Radio- Key Post #2 Blog Post #4

 History of the Radio-

Many scientists have proclaimed to have invented the radio, but each of them has added to the great invention in their way. Starting in the year 1820, the magnetic field that makes all of the radio plausible was discovered by Hans Christian Oersted.  This theory of the magnetic field was then confirmed by Michael Faraday. 

After the magnetic field was discovered in 1864 James Clerk Maxwell figured out that electromagnetic currents can travel distances. This highlighted the idea that maybe sounds or signals could be sent out. In 1899 Gugliemo Marconi  brought radio out of the laboratory and into the real world. He was able to telegraph dots and dashes a short distance and by 1901 he was able to have his own commercial wireless company that was able to send a yacht race results a short distance to another station. 

In 1906 Reginald Fessenden broke the broadcasting of dots and dashes. He was able to produce the first human voice and music. 1910 brought the next radio breakthrough with entertainment broadcasts beginning. These entertainment broadcasts would lead right into the genres that were televised in a short forty years. Before television the golden age of radio (1920s-1950s) music became a widespread thing with celebrities being created and entertainment shows hitting an all-time high for listeners. 

After the golden age of radio though, the invention of the television and then the color television killed radio. But one thing the radio industry could do was adapt. After the 1950s they found their target audience with the automobile industry. The car radio was still needed for people to listen in cars, and this is still on the market today. Even if you buy a brand new car there will still be radios in every car that you buy. Radio over the years adapted and has still stayed popular with there targeted audience. Radio is a father's choice all over the world to listen to their tunes with ease. 

Impact of the Radio-

Radio was the original social media and was the first way the whole world could be connected out of the comfort of a chair. If it was the broadcaster or the listener all you had to do was either talk or listen. This was the first rapid mass media outlet as well, that made newspapers and letters virtually obsolete. Along with this, radio helped keep people informed of World War Two. Along with keeping the people informed and updated about a war for the first time, Americans were able to use the radio to win the war. 

Also, radio create the first global superstars with people being able to listen to radio all over the world and listen to music all over. These celebrities consisted of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald just to name a few. Music was mainstreamed for the first time and celebrities became mainstreamed for the first time. This set up stardom that would increase rapidly with the television. 

Along with all the positive impacts of radio, there were some negatives that I briefly touched upon. Whenever there is mass media it creates tension as well. Everyone wants to know what other nations are doing and that's were spying and listening 24/7 started. There is no secrecy anymore for anyone. Along with this newspapers and the press in general were killed with everyone getting their media from radio. After all, radio created the world as we know it by creating a worldwide connection within a matter of seconds. 

Eight Values of Free Expression- Key Blog Post 3

 The First Amendment was the start of both controversy and freedoms presented for the people of the United States. Whenever it comes to bending or twisting the constitution it usually falls under the First Amendment. Many people have come to find their ideas and theories on the First Amendment and how it should fall when in the hands of the people. The Eight Values of Free Expression is one instance of this. The Eight Values convey the beliefs and ideas of people to freely share whatever they please. 

Starting with the Market Place of Ideas which was an idea that was suggested by John Milton. The Market Place of Ideas suggests that people need to be able to share their ideas with some ideas being lies and some others being the truth. Milton believed the truth would always show out, due to the grappling between ideas. As time in history, many people could print whatever they felt like. After time and the requirement to get a license to print the grappling of ideas came between people who were of higher education. After all, stronger more truthful, and powerful works were made through people staying away from publishing fake news and sticking to the facts.

Today, we see many news outlets try and spread fake news, but they can only try due to the truth always stands out. When we read things in social media we can always look to see if someone is verified versus someone who is not. This is very similar to the fake house of Highlights accounts reporting that famous players have gotten traded. The real House of Highlights is verified and I could easily see the difference. In this Market Place of Ideas, the truth made its way out andmore information to keep readers was present. 

Next, Individual Self-Fulfilment is how people can express themselves in a way that makes them have their own identity. While speaking how you feel people gain autonomy and create exactly who they want to be. This is what makes America truly America with everyone having their stances on many different matters. 

Individual Self-Fufilment is exactly what makes a person a person who is the leader for the people. For example, when I read the original definition of Self-Fufilment I directly linked it to Martin Luther King. When Dr. King spoke with free speech against the oppression of African Americans. The people tried to put Dr. King in jail, but with free speech, he had all the power to lead and speak out. He was able to gain his self-identity but create an identity for a group of people just through the power of the first Amendment. Martin Luther King is a prime example of Individual Self-Fufilment throughout history. 

Last but not least, is to Prommote Innovation within a community. Promoting Innovation is when free speech is valued and open the people of a community are more energized and creative. When a society is energized and creative it leads to great success all over with many different outlets. Just like Nissan's tagline, "Innovation that excites." That is exactly what innovation does and continues to do across the world. When new things are invented and successful, people want to use them and become the best nation that they can be.

When freedom of speech is blocked, innovation cannot create energy and places go stagnant.  The Soviet Union blocked all of free speech when they were still the communist block and it caused all kinds of issues for the people. There was no innovation or energy in the Soviet Block and the nation did not produce anything. The people in that area lived cold and poor lives due to their liberties being stripped. At the same time, the United States was going through rapid change in America with people like Michael Jackson and many other pop culture icons energizing the nation. This was through the innovation of pop culture that directly energized the people. 

In the end, the First Amendment lets people truly become whatever they want to be. I believe it is something that is not appreciated as much as it should. Being a democratic nation, people have a say in basically whatever they want, and it is a liberty we have as Americans. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that not everyone is so lucky to have this freedom.

The Supreme Court- Blog Post 2

 The Supreme Court is something that troubles many people even me. Throughout all of the social studies classes I have taken, I have been troubled by the lifelong service and even how the constitution can be stretched and interpreted. These videos did help me to understand more of what the Supreme Court is all about. When I started all I knew was there were nine justices and it was the highest court in all of the land. 

The first thing that I learned when I started the video was that when a new justice arrives there is a period where the justice will have to embody themselves and handle their dilemmas. When someone figures out their dilemmas it can lead to controversy that no Supreme Court justice can avoid. Starting with John Marshall who is probably the most famous Supreme Court justice, controversy cannot be avoided. When determining if something is constitutional or not it all lies in the hands of the nine justices and the whole United States even the president can do nothing but wait for their decision. Another thing I never understood is the justices are called to draw the boundaries for the government as well. They decide how far the Constitution can bend, but only how far it can change which is very interesting. 

The most important takeaway from the Supreme Court in my eyes is that when a decision is made it can either weaken or strengthen the court. In the Dread Scott decision the Supreme Court ruled that slaves were not citizens and could not sue in Federal court. This was a pit for the Supreme Court because this ruling would not be undone until the Civil War was over and slavery was abolished through the Constitution and the 14th Amendment. 

The most surprising thing that I learned within the Supreme Court is that it is a life sentence there is no way to get rid of justices who may be a little too old to handle these large cases. This falls into a line states in the video, that controversy for the Supreme Court will always be there. In the end, it's surprising to me that someone with dementia could serve on the supreme court with no rules to remove them. 

The video changed the way I thought of the Supreme Court due to the fact that these justices have to work hard on these cases and think in a way not too many people can. Whether it's determining constitutionality or how much power the government has on a particular subject. I always thought that the justices sat around and their cases were very easy, but that is not the case at all and they work hard and are under tons of pressure. 

My Top 5 Sources of News and Information- Blog Post #1

 

Ever since the internet has been invented people have been trying to spreak false ideas to the public. Within these false and noncredible cites there are also cites that are reliable and have built very good reputations. Today, started below this paragraph I will list my five credible sources that I use on a daily basis in order to get the best and most credible information I can. 

1- Safari

Safari is my go-to web browser that I use daily. This is mostly based on the fact that I am on all Apple products, but it is my go-to search engine. I use it to look at school assignments or even shop for boats. The only issue with Safari is, that it will provide you with both credible and non-credible sources to sift through. That is why I recommend it though, because it gives you this diversity of cites that actually will give you the real picture. Web users of Safari get quick access to tons of information and that is where it gains its popularity and why I recommend it. 

2- ESPN

Being a huge fan of sports ESPN is my go-to website for every sport. ESPN does not just cover one sport but is a hub for every sport even sports like bowling and pickleball. ESPN gives readers updated scores and stories on their favorite teams in all the major professional sports leagues. ESPN is a website that I highly recommend due to the ease of access it provides. There is no need to look up multiple scores of a football game when one website has them all in one place. That's the benefit of ESPN and what made it so popular, people have an ease of access to great information about great sports. 

3- Google

In my third spot is my second most used web browser for me. Just like Safari, Google gives us an ease of access to the web, but since I moved away from Chrome products my use of the site has gone downhill. Google is the largest search engine and has a way to even sort out credible sources with the use of Google Scholar which is a program that runs through the Google engine. Along with scholars, there is also access to Google Docs where I take my notes every day. I recommend google because along with being a web browser, people can use it and its many programs to become a better student. Google has always been my go-to site, and I highly recommend everyone to use the browser and all the tools that come along with it. 

4- Youtube

As a child, I only viewed Youtube as a source of entertainment, with no information to be had. As I grew as a person and student I was able to see Youtube has great information and as a visual learner I was able to learn many new things. YouTube was actually where I taught myself how to make my call sheets for broadcasting when I first started broadcasting. I was working on a local game and needed to learn quickly. Not only did I learn with YouTube, but my broadcast was on YouTube. YouTube needs to be a site that people use to learn, but maybe even take a break from the world and watch some funny cat videos. 

5- D11 Sports

D11 Sports is the media company that I was a student intern for in High School where I was able to broadcast local championships and regional championships in wrestling to working semi-pro basketball in the TBL. Now, as someone who is at college, I still go back and check in on how the Lehigh Valley is doing sports-wise. This website produces great information because student writers at each school write stories about their school with all the inside information. That is why I recommend this cite, I know it does not pertain to everyone due to the fact it is the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, but people can see some interesting student writing.