Blog Post #11

 EOTO Presentation #2

        During these presentations, one thing in particular stood out to me. That was the idea of "gatekeeping". Gatekeeping has become a popular social media term that means "the intentional withholding of information, knowledge, access, or opportunity - keeping these things all to yourself". This term is often used when online personalities do not reveal details about little things such as the music they listen to or the clothes they are wearing, creating a feeling of exclusivity. However, gatekeeping within the government is an incredibly important issue that limits access to different information. Gatekeeping refers to filtering information for decimation. The government uses this to hide certain things from the American public. It changes how we receive information. 

    Gatekeeping is not only used by the government. In the 1950s, gatekeeping was brought into the newsroom. News anchors were able to limit the information they shared to the public. This led to an imbalance in power dynamics. Those in charge of creating news scripts now had power over the American people. The American people began to receive filtered information without their knowledge. People were unaware of what they were missing.  

    Since then, gatekeeping has been used in many different fields. Gatekeeping is prevalent in Hollywood. There is a place known as "Bohemian Grove", a secret elite retreat in California where different powerful figures go each year. Ranging from former presidents to CEOs and musicians, the details are unknown. They all partake in grand discussions and unusual rituals, but no one knows exactly what goes on. The public has begin to question why these people attend this retreat and the purpose of it. Why do all of these powerful figures gather together? Is there something bigger behind the scenes that the public is not aware of? It is likely the public will never find out. 

    Gatekeeping has also being used countless times in the science world. It is commonly believed that the cure for cancer has been found. However, the economic impact of the cancer industry has caused the scientists who made this discovery to be silenced. Large medical companies make billions off of cancer treatments, CEOs of these companies do not want to lose this revenue. The same thing goes for Covid. Many companies made millions or even billions off of products necessary to survive covid or prevent covid. Hand sanitizer, masks, paper goods, and even vaccines are all manufactured by companies trying to make a profit. Again, these CEOs do not want to lose huge streams of revenue. 

    One of the most interesting examples of gatekeeping came from the music industry. The idea of artists selling their soul to some "power" or "Illuminati" was not something I was aware of until this year. The various conspiracies and secret meetings between artists however does lead me to believe there are some dark industry secrets. There have been numerous examples of artists speaking out against these secret societies who then suddenly face different controversies or career failure. One of the most notable being Kanye West. When he attempted to expose these controversies, his career and his public image suddenly faced a steep decline. The real reason could absolutely be due to his mental health, however, it is unclear. 

    While gatekeeping does play an important role in learning information from the government, we still see this idea impact countless other elements of our lives. Gatekeeping is a dangerous tool to prevent the spreading of information. Transparency must be advocated for. 

Blog Post #7

 Antiwar

    While I had heard the term antiwar, I previously did not comprehend what other ideas came along with this. Antiwar is not just being opposed to war, it is about taking efforts away from foreign policy. Antiwar activists do not believe that we should not be completely uninvolved in global affairs or to prevent conflict, they simply believe more effort should be placed in fighting domestic issues. Many antiwar individuals are advocating for a stronger voice in the government and to limit the centralization of the current US government. They are advocating for problems to be solved and promote "freedom" once again. 

    Not only are they advocating for individual freedom, but they are advocating for more viewpoints to be shared. They are advocating for different opinions in the media. They are asking citizens to become more informed. Citizens should hear multiple viewpoints and receive all of the facts about different situations in order to determine their stance on a particular issue. The media today has become overran by wealthy individuals with different agendas. The media is no longer about informing the public, it is about pushing the agenda that either benefits the owner of the media company or making money. 

    In an article published by the Daily Take Team in 2014, the referred to the media as "infotainment". Infotainment is essentially all about attracting people to watch and the money that increased viewership brings in. The interests of promoting positive things for citizens or our country are no longer important. The media just wants to bring in money. Reporting on war and other conflict is a perfect way to do that. Not only that, but back in 2003 before the invasion of Iraq, MSNBC was owned by an electric company that makes billions of dollars from war. One of their hosts that was opposed to this invasion then suddenly"stepped away" from the network. Media networks are constantly showing support for war and hosting guests to show their support as well. The public is not being exposed to these antiwar opinions largely in part to the economic impact of war. 

    After exploring these websites, many of their ideas caused me to think and evaluate my agreement with. the government's actions. With so many Americans struggling with hunger, homelessness, and addiction, I began to question the importance of foreign policy. There are so many different issues that must be tackled in our own nation to promote individual freedom, which reflects the principle ideas our country was founded upon. I believe that in order to promote growth as a nation, our government must place more interest with it's own citizens. I also believe that antiwar voices should be promoted more in mainstream media. While I am not sure I agree with all of their ideas, I still believe that it is our right to be exposed to these ideas. As citizens, we have the right to receive unbiased information. While this may be difficult, promoting and exposing the economic interests of many mainstream media networks will be critical for creating a more informed America. 

Blog Post #9

 Propaganda 

    The Cambridge dictionary define propaganda as "information, ideas, opinions, or images, often only giving one part of an argument, that are often broadcasted, published, or in some other way spread with the intention of influencing people's opinions".  When the word propaganda is brought up, many people's initial reaction is to think of World War I and Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler used propaganda to influence the German public into believing they were fighting "a defensive war" and nationwide support was needed to fight this war. German propaganda was so prevalent because leaders feared the public would become influenced by other nations as they found out about the mass genocides. They did everything in their power to lie and convince the nation that things were not as they seem. To me, propaganda is simply lies told, usually through the media to sway public opinion or cover up the actions of the government. Propaganda does not just come from the government. Every day we are exposed to media with extreme bias to convince us to agree with their opinion. Many Americans no longer take the time to learn the truth, they are simply influenced by the media. 

    Propaganda has been used in the United States countless times. Throughout history, it was used in both World Wars to garner support for the war from the American people. During WWI, it was used as a recruiting tactic to encourage young men to join the military. The famous image of Uncle Sam with the words "We Want You" is one of the most famous images to help sway Americans into believing joining the military was a positive act of patriotism.

    During the second World War, the Office of Strategic Surveillances was set up. This was the precursor to the CIA, it was an attempt by the US government to combat foreign efforts and distribute propaganda. Many film companies also helped develop short films to emphasize and promote American ideals such as freedom, patriotism, democracy.   

    War time propaganda from the 1900s only represents a very small margin of propaganda within the United States. One of the most prominent uses on propaganda in United States history comes from the Gulf of Tonkin incident. The Gulf of Tonkin incident involved the United States attacking Vietnamese ships based upon "reports of an attack" on American ships on August 2nd and 4th, 1964. The attack on August 2nd did take place, there was real evidence to support this. However, on August 4th, the US
military intercepted communication that led them to believe their destroyer ships were going to be attacked. The Maddox and Turner Joy moved further
out into sea and reported they were potentially being approached. These two destroyers then began to fire at other ships, the air support they brought in then reported an attack was unlikely, other factors caused this false report. They even suggested further evaluating the situation before proceeding. However, President Johnson decided to continue attacking North Vietnam based upon the "attack" on August 4th. He urged Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin resolution and take action against Vietnam. This heavily increased the involvement of US military in the Vietnam War.  

    On August 3rd, 1964, the New York Times posted an article stating that the US ship, the Destroyer was attacked unprovoked on routine patrol. However, this is not true. Many of the information that they shared was untrue, exaggerated, and only came from the US government. The use of only one source is a strong cause of misinformation, leading to propaganda. An article shared on August 5th with the title “U.S. Planes Attack North Vietnam Bases; President Orders 'Limited' Retaliation after Communists' PT Boats Renew Raids" struck fear into millions of American citizens. Once again, this article only provided information from the US government, the majority of citizens believe the information they read without any doubt, especially if they are told the information comes from the government. 

    The New York Times was not the only publication to share this propaganda. Time Magazine aimed to publish a summary of the events that had occurred. Immediately it was clear that the US was the victim in this series of events. The US ship was patrolling innocently near the "the shores of the diabolical Red states". The article portrayed the US as heroes during the August 2nd attack. The ship was actually 30 miles off the shore, but it was reported as 15 miles off the shore. This difference allowed citizens to believe this was an unprovoked attack. Had they known it was further, citizens may have begun to understand that there was clearly some reason an attack was taking place. 

    False, specific information was published regarding the attack on August 4th. Once again, this just increased the credibility of this information among citizens. The article ended with this, "At week's end U.S. forces around the world stood alert. And behind them stood their nation.” There is no doubt that this article was propaganda. Falsehoods and misinformation were shared in a direct attempt to influence public opinion on a political matter. 

    These articles fueled negativity towards Vietnam and made citizens feel as though the US needed to be more involved due to direct attacks on the nation. They were led to believe the US was attacked twice unprovoked. This false information absolutely would encourage citizens to increase hatred towards Vietnam. This allowed citizens to feel that the Gulf of Tonkin resolution was absolutely necessary. The government was able to justify their aggression and war involvement through the use of propaganda. American citizens were given false information to falsely support war involvement. 

    Again in 2003 the US government used propaganda to justify the the illegal government invasion in Iraq. The government launched an attack to oust the regime of Saddam Hussein. This began an 8 year war that the majority of citizens felt was not necessary. Following 9/11 many people were able to accept the use of military force after Bush declared a "global war on terror". The Bush administration used this to their advantage. They began fueling the public with more information about the wrongdoings of Iraq and the danger they pose to the US. This led Americans to believe they were at risk of being victims to weapons of mass destruction. The actions of the military now had support from the public. United States citizens now felt it was necessary to take action against Iraq. However, this attack was not legally justified. Government officials attempted to gather evidence that justified this use of force. They constantly said even if there wasn't strong enough evidence, it was too risky to not take action. Just like the Gulf of Tonkin, the United States citizens were provided information from the government in order to influence their opinion and justify the use of military force.

Blog Post #6

 EOTO Presentations

       After watching everyone's presentations, one of the technologies that stuck out to me the most was the invention of the radio. While the radio is an incredibly common technology, popular all across the world, the creation and evolution of this technology fascinated me. 

    The first long distance radio transmission occurred in 1896. This action was performed by the Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi. This transmission was sent approximately a kilometer with the words "can you hear me". In 1901, he became the first person to transmit signals across the Atlantic Ocean. Marconi then began the company "Marconi Radio". This company remained popular until the late 20th century. In 1906, the first transmission of music and speeches happened. Reginald Fessenden produced a radio signal from his studio in Massachusetts to as far as Norfolk, Virginia. This was revolutionary. It was the first AM broadcast and it completely changed the radio industry. 

     I also learned that radio was primarily used to contact ships that were out at sea. Radio technology was used by those out at sea to communicate with operators. When the Titanic disaster occurred in 1912, it was determined that having proper radio equipment and radio operator would have potentially made this disaster avoidable. Following this, the 1912 radio act was passed. This act outlined that all ships must have the appropriate equipment and a certified operator. Marconi's technology was used heavily on these ships. This technology was incredibly beneficial in WWI for American forces to communicate messages to those out at sea. However, WWII really helped to popularize radio. Radio began to inform the public about the events taking place during the war. In the United States, it became a way to distribute propaganda all over the nation. But, it was also used by those fighting in the war to communicate strategy and intercept enemy information.

    Following WWII, FM radio became incredibly popular in the 1940s. FM radio helped to produce mass media, music, information, and speeches were now broadcasted globally. Following this, in the 1950s, disc jockeys or DJs gained popularity. DJs began performing and producing music to be played on FM radio. The culture created by DJs helped popularize music over the radio. Radio talk shows also became incredibly popular in the late 1900s. In the 1970s, Howard Stern popularized these shows. He still remains one of the most prominent radio hosts in history. 

     In the early 2000s, two radio companies, Sirius and XM combined into one, known as SiriusXM. This made it easier for both companies to reach more consumers. They partnered with car companies to give consumers a few free months of this radio service after they purchased their new car. This partnership helped increase the popularity of nontraditional radio. People were now willing to spend money to gain access to more channels. In today's world, radio is unfortunately seeing a decline in popularity. Mobile devices and smart phones have made it easy to listen to anything at anytime. The biggest change came from podcasts. Podcasts have taken over. Podcasts have also transferred from traditional radio to different streaming platforms. Companies like Spotify and Apple Music have benefitted heavily from this. Overall, while radio had an incredible impact on shaping our communication history, it has unfortunately been on the decline due to technological developments. 

Blog Post #5

 Online Privacy

    Learning about the lack of privacy we have online is quite honestly terrifying. This idea of "electronic tattoos" gave me a new perspective on the permanency of everything I do online. Not only is it permanent, but it becomes the way people see you. Your actions online now become a representation of you. No matter how long ago or any changes you go through, your online actions still represent what people think of you. As someone who grew up when social media was first becoming popular, I was exposed to it at a young age and began my own social media accounts when I was 13. From the age of 13 to now, I am a completely different person with a completely different view of life. My parents have always taught me it is important to be conscious of my actions online because they understand how permanent they are. While I think that there is not anything that could do serious damage, I certainly would not post or say some of the things that I once did. I find myself looking back and regretting old posts or even regretting the texts I sent. It is scary to think that my actions years ago can impact my future career. I personally have had friends who got in trouble with their school or even law enforcement for things they did or said online. Not only that, I have seen friends not get jobs because of their social media. My boss this summer told me that someone's social media can absolutely influence which candidate gets the job. That has stuck with me ever since and everyday I try to be conscious about what I post. 

    The second video truly highlighted how much we are monitored. Once again, assumptions and personas are given to us by outsiders based off of where we drive or where we are. I do not personally believe that the government has the right to monitor each citizen this closely. The use of advanced surveillance techniques on citizens who have not proved to need to be watched is an invasion of privacy. However, I find this to be less concerning than the permanency of our online data. With all of the current safety issues in society, it is important to be able to track people or get footage of an event, but, the average daily life of citizens should not be used to make generalizations about someone. The fact that most people, including myself don't know that their data is being gathered to this extent is something I feel needs to change. I believe the government and even other organization need to be more transparent about the data they gather. This surveillance technology has become too invasive and weaponized in a way. It is like they are jut waiting to catch someone committing a crime, they are not using this technology in a way that benefits society. The government must start acting for the betterment of society, not for their own goals. 

    The third video followed very closely with the ideas I just previously discussed. The government being upset by the fact that they cannot automatically access our data is an incredibly clear violation of our democracy. Cellphone companies taking matters into their own hands is something people need to know. A conversation had with a friend does not need to be heard by the government. Ensuring the use of encryption technology is something that I will absolutely be mindful of to protect myself and my privacy. When wire tap technology was first used, it felt similar to other tracking technology in the way that the government is trying to catch something before it occurs. They are surveying based off of no probable cause but they can claim it is beneficial when they do catch something. I do not believe that is fair, in my mind it is similar to the idea of prior restraint. While obviously not directly the same, the government is monitoring people before they have proved they have done something wrong. Securing my phone calls needs to become a priority in my life. I plan to do more research on how to do this and implement these techniques. The last video shared more in depth about the lack of support from the government when you are wronged on the internet or data is stolen. In order to progress as an online society, the government must begin to protect out rights online. However, this change has to be started by the people. Advocacy for the dangers of our online data being so readily available must happen. 

Blog Post #10

 Living in the Age of AI 

    AI has become integrated into all aspects of our daily lives. While this technology has proved to be beneficial due to its ability to analyze information and generate never seen before solutions, there are pitfalls that come with this technology. This technology has transformed many industries, providing benefits in healthcare and other research fields. However, in the production industry, AI has replaced the need for human labor. The CEO of Fanuc Robotics believes that where there is a job taken, two more are created. However, community members disagree. The first thing I found interesting was hearing from the social worker about the intergenerational effects of losing jobs due to AI. The negative impacts were extensive, including repeating a grade, dropping out of school, and overall lower educational experience. Also, it was incredibly interesting to me to hear how AI increases the economic inequality in the United States. Mr. Kaplan said that the idea of the struggle between capital and labor brought to us by Karl Marz is correct. This is so fascinating to me because a philosopher from the 1800s accurately predicted an economic situation that was caused by brand new technology. The fact that the general consensus from the people in the beginning of this video was that AI is going to cause inequality and economic trouble for so many people that it will be hard to come back from was terrifying to me. As someone entering the workforce soon, it is concerning to see how many jobs are being replaced by AI. 

    AI has also played a huge role in data collection. This video discussed how the "world can become adapted to you" because AI analyzes the data it collects from you to tailor content or advertisements to fit your desires. However, this does pose a privacy concern. The people in charge of these companies could unfortunately use your data in negative ways, or even sell it to foreign nations. The whole idea of "surveillance capitalism" is also very concerning. As explained, human experience is being transformed into predictions of behavior that is sold to companies. This is something that more people should be aware of. The shift in our economy and the overall business world is astronomical because of AI.

     The man sharing his experience with a Google engineer about how you should be horrified about the amount of information they have about you is definitely a cause for concern. While I may not feel there is something to hide, my privacy is still important. Our data is almost like a form of currency, no one is truly focussed on protecting our data. The integrity of organizations has been compromised because of their need for money. Businesses realized how important data is in predicting human behavior. They knew that they could gain large advantages over other organizations by selling other companies this data. For example, when Google started selling data, their revenue line increased by 3,590%. This goes to show how valuable this data is. Companies like Google and Facebook gained data from so many different sources that it was quite concerning to me. While I can understand gaining some information for targeting advertisements, as it can be beneficial to me as a consumer, trying to gather their credit card data or even a woman's menstrual cycle data is in my opinion taking it a step too far. 

    After learning more about the Facebook scandal in 2018, I fear for the integrity of our nation. The fact that a British company was able to purchase all of this data, and attempt to influence the 2016 election is a direct threat to our democracy. Our nation was founded on being able to use our voice and voting power to make decisions, not that another country can exercise control and affect who are leaders are. Voting should not be impacted by our online data and who has access to it. While I will continue to believe that AI technology provides benefits in so many ways, the farming of our data is something that needs to be taken more seriously. The people in our nation must be aware of what is truly going on with their data. 

Blog Post #4

 Evolution and Impact of Motion Pictures

    When you think about motion pictures, you see vivid images, bright colors, sound effects, famous actors, advanced plot lines and so much more. Everyone has a favorite movie, whether it's from your childhood or it just came out. They are such an important part of our society, telling both fictional and non-fiction stories about recent events. Not only do they bring in over 100 billion dollars in revenue, they help to bring people together and create incredibly strong fan bases. However, movies did not always look like this. While they have always been a method of visual storytelling, they did not start looking like what we picture until 1939. In 1939, the first full length, color movie was released. Motion pictures have a rich history, constantly undergoing massive changes. 

Zoetrope

    The first representation of a motion picture comes from something known as a "zoetrope". A zoetrope allowed a series of pictures to be shown rapidly to give the appearance of movement. Following this, a bet placed between colleagues in California about whether or not a horse had all four hooves off the ground during its stride led to the formation of a "zoogryoscope" this allowed 12 images to be showcased in rapid succession. Then, a French physiologist developed a camera that could take 12 pictures per second of a moving object. This was caused "chronophotography". These two techniques led to the foundation of motion pictures. 

Kinetograph Parlors

    Back in the United States, Thomas Edison and William Dickinson were making great progress developing a motion picture camera. In 1890, a prototype of a camera known as the "Kinetograph" was unveiled. In 1892 it was perfected and officially invented. Two years later, Edison took this camera which projected moving images onto a screen was used to allow public screenings of films. These public screenings took place at "Kinetograph parlors". The French were achieving very similar results. Two brothers, Auguste and Louis Lumière developed a "cinèmatographe" which showed 16 frames per second. Early films showcased a baby eating and a hose squirting water. 

Wizard of Oz

     Following the work of these individuals, the Silent Film era began. From 1894 to 1929, hundreds of films consisting of moving images were introduced. This was also the first time movie stars were recognized. Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, and Harold Lloyd are just some examples. Again, silent films have to build a strong foundation for what movies are today. Following this, sound was introduced into films. Edison first used a phonograph to play music alongside these moving pictures. Then was the development of the "vitaphone". Warner Brothers began to use this technology first. The first film with sound was Don Juan in 1926, followed by the Jazz Singer in 1927. Color films were introduced in 1908 with a British short film. The Kinemacolor process was revolutionary in allowing for the development of color films. Color added another dimension, sophistication, and a higher level of expression in film. 

Star Wars 

    Blockbuster movies changed the movie industry in the 1970s with the release of Jaws (1975) and Star Wars (1977). Special effects, computer generated images, and advanced story lines helped to transform the film industry. Star Wars was key in revolutionizing this technology. Visuals became much more advanced and allowed for exciting settings like space. Films such as E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982) and Jurassic Park (1993) continued to revolutionize the movie industry through the use of fantasy elements created specifically for each film. Movies during this industry were no longer representations of plausible events, an element of fantasy was created. 

Movie Franchises

    Overall, movies have had incredible influence on our society in so many ways. Not only do they bring in incredible amounts of revenue, but it went from storytelling to something fans can be a part of. Merchandise, toys, and other goods are created for every popular movie. Each movie series causes a development of strong "fandoms". Movies are not just movies anymore, they are a community. Movies also serve as a way to showcase historical events or the stories of influential people. They allow us to connect deeply with people all over the world. Streaming platforms have also revolutionized the movie industry. People all over the world now have access to hundreds of movies at anytime on any device. People can watch from the comfort of their own home which has increased streaming numbers. Technology also continues to improve every single day. Movies are not only in 3D, but 4D allowing for immersive experiences. It is impossible to know what the future will hold, but I am excited to see the continued development of motion pictures.