My Relationship with Technology

Technology has become an integral part of our everyday lives.  I use technology from the moment I wake up to the sound of the alarm on my iPhone until I reluctantly put my phone away each night.  This makes me feel that my relationship with technology can be unhealthy at times.  I spend hours - more than I know I should - on my phone and laptop every day.  Sometimes this time is well spent, by doing homework, keeping up with friends and family, or reading about current events.  But a great deal of the time, I am mindlessly scrolling on social media apps like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.  I can lose track of time and don’t notice how long I am on these apps, and have to put my phone out of sight when trying to study so I won’t be tempted.  I also feel compelled to respond to notifications immediately, especially texts from friends.  I often find myself suffering from a case of “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out) and cannot tear myself away, especially on apps like Snapchat where posts are only live for a limited amount of time.  I worry that if I am not up to date on the latest trends and pop culture, I won't know what my friends and classmates are talking about.  This is what compelled me to download the new app called BeReal.  Every day at a random time, I receive a notification saying "it is time to be real" and I have to post a photo of what I am doing in that moment within two minutes.  I can only see what my friends have posted after I have completed this task.  Then I can either comment on their photos or post my own reaction photo.  Putting it in words makes it seem somewhat ridiculous that this is how I choose to spend my free time.  But my FOMO is real and I don't want to be left out of my friends' conversations.

Using social media apps has contributed to my digital footprint.  When I Googled myself, I did not find any of my information because I have a very common last name.  When I added “High Point University” to my search, my LinkedIn profile appeared.  This doesn’t concern me, because I control what is in my profile.  I also control my digital footprint by setting all of my social media accounts to private, so only people I know can see what I post.  The parts of my digital footprint that are out of my control are primarily found in my subscriptions to emails from retailers (such as Urban Outfitters or Amazon), usage of news apps like Apple News and The Washington Post, and the payment sharing app Venmo.  I try to be very deliberate about what I post online, since as we learned from Juan Enriquez’s TED talk, my online activity is like an electronic tattoo, and will outlive me.  

My family's digital footprints are smaller than mine.  As I mentioned in a previous blog post, my Dad does not have any social media accounts other than LinkedIn.  He uses technology for his job as a consultant, and utilizes online banking, but subscribes to very few newsletters and does not do any online shopping.  My mom usually takes care of that.  Besides online shopping and banking, she has accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram but very rarely posts.  My 17 year old brother's footprint is probably the most similar to mine of all of us, especially in terms of the hours he spends using technology, but he does not use as many social media apps as I do.

Social media has also caused me to have feelings of anxiety and low self esteem at times.  Instagram can often seem like a highlight reel.  I sometimes feel pressure to compare myself to others, who have the most fashionable outfits, take grand vacations, or always have perfect hair and makeup.  This causes me to have unrealistic standards for myself and self doubt.  I can relate to what researchers at Stanford University call “duck syndrome” - a duck can appear “to glide effortlessly, while below the surface its feet work frantically, invisibly struggling to stay afloat.”  I know that what people post online is just a snapshot, and not the entire story.  But I still feel the urge to compare myself to others, which sometimes makes me feel inadequate or left out.

When considering technology, we can certainly find the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Technology can be used for research and medical advances.  It connects us to our friends and family, and can make our everyday lives more convenient.  But there is a cost.  Artificial Intelligence (AI) can bring increased efficiency to businesses - robots can deliver food or vacuum floors, saving on labor costs.  But what happens to the people who need those jobs to provide for their families?  We have also given up our privacy, sometimes sharing personal data without even realizing it.  Our lives are watched through everything from license plate readers to facial recognition.  Last week, I applied for TSA PreCheck.  While this will make my air travel more efficient, I had to give my fingerprints, photo, and two types of identification for the privilege.  I don’t know what the U.S. government is going to do with my information, but that is the price I have to be willing to pay for convenience.  Is it worth it?  I guess I will have to wait and see.

EOTO 2 - Online Influencers

What is an online influencer?  An online influencer is someone who has established credibility in a specific industry, has access to a large audience, and can convince their fans to act based on their recommendations.  Influencers can be categorized into five different types:

These are examples of some of the most popular influencers in 2022, all of whom fall under the "celebrity" category:

Kylie Jenner: 247 million followers on Instagram look to her for fashion and beauty trends.  It is estimated that she earns $986,000 for every post.

Rihanna: a musician with 99 million followers that also has beauty and clothing lines.

Charli D’Amelio: an Instagram influencer who gained popularity on TikTok.  She has an estimated net worth of $8 million and is only 17 years old.  On average, each of her posts gets 4.5 million views.

So what do online influencers do with all this power?  They can use it to have a positive impact on society.  By engaging with their followers through posts, appearances, and creating special merchandise collaborations, influencers can raise funds and awareness to important causes such as homelessness/poverty, racial justice, and health/medical research.

Influencers can also have negative effects on their followers.  By endorsing products (sometimes their own), they persuade their followers to spend money on things they don’t need or cannot afford.  They also use filters to perfect their appearance, which can make fans unsatisfied with their bodies in comparison and cause lower self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. 

We can see online influencers’ impact across many different segments of society.  After reading “what I wore” posts (which usually include links to the merchandise), everyone from sorority girls to stay at home moms can follow trends (sometimes at a price point beyond their budget).  “When it comes to influencer marketing, over half of women made purchases due to influencer posts.”  Women are usually the target audience, with 78% of women being active on social media, especially on Snapchat and Instagram.  

While there may be fewer men following online influencers, they are willing to spend more money based on their recommendations.  70% of men said they would spend over $50 on a product sight unseen that was promoted by an influencer they trusted, whereas only 50% of women would.  Men are also more likely to follow celebrity influencers rather than “real people.”

Influencers need to consider the age of their audience to be successful.  Baby Boomers (people aged 58-76) have the most disposable income, but prefer a simple user experience.  Gen X (42-57 years old) are more thoughtful with their purchases and rely on reviews.  They are also more likely to purchase from brands they already trust.  Millennials (age 26-41) look for authenticity and relatability.  Gen Z (ages 10-26) are vocal about their interests and are the easiest to reach on social media.  (Source: https://www.mavrck.co/influencer-marketing-by-demographic-stc-deep-dive/)

There are even kid influencers.  Ryan's World is a YouTube channel featuring 10 year old Ryan Kaji.  What started out as RyanToysReview has grown to a channel featuring science experiments, skits, cartoons and more.  There are now more than 31 million subscribers and over 45 billion views, and Ryan is estimated to be worth $32 million.  

My own social media consumption exposes me to online influencers on a daily basis.  The “For You” page on my TikTok account shows products that I might like, sometimes causing them to purchase them.  On Instagram, following celebrities such as Zendaya and Selena Gomez impacts my consumption of TV shows and movies.  My family’s exposure to influencers is much less.  My Mom, an avid reader, follows several influencers to find her next book.  She also follows home design and fashion influencers.  My Dad is not on social media other than LinkedIn, and has minimal exposure to influencers.  

When online influencers use their platforms to promote worthy causes or social change, we can all benefit.  We can also individually benefit from product reviews before making a purchase.  But, users should be careful in their spending habits and not just buy something because an influencer recommends it.  Social media is just a snapshot in time, and not the entire story.  Sometimes details are left out and only the prettiest or most pleasing photos are used.  Filters can hide imperfections or make someone look very different than they do in real life.  An influencer’s lifestyle shouldn’t be something you try to achieve or something that makes you feel bad about yourself. 

The Age of AI

 “In the Age of AI” is a really interesting documentary about the changes that Artificial Intelligence is bringing to our world.  AI affects our everyday lives, often in ways that we don’t even realize.  It can be fun to ask Alexa for the weather forecast or to play a favorite song, but I had no idea how these simple actions can be used to gather data about me.  I was really surprised to see how AI is being used to gather data in China.  Facial recognition is so advanced, it can recognize your face in 0.1 seconds.  While it is convenient for Chinese citizens to buy lunch with just a facial scan, it’s not so convenient for them to be caught jaywalking and shamed online as well as fined.  When applying for a loan, Chinese citizens can be approved or rejected based on thousands of criteria, including how they keep their phone battery charged (a lower charge often indicates someone will be more likely to default on their loan).  I don’t think that the convenience and speed of these types of transactions is worth giving up all the intimate details of your life.  

I was also surprised to hear that there could be autonomous driving vehicles, particularly freight hauling trucks, in 5-10 years.  Autonomous driving will probably be safer, but unfortunately will cause drivers to lose their jobs. "Mid skill" jobs such as food preparation, cleaning, and driving have the highest likelihood of being replaced.  In the documentary, a family who relies on a truck driver’s income was forced to use the money in their child’s piggy bank to pay for a doctor’s visit.  Automation brings efficiency, but at what cost?

In certain circumstances, I think the data collected with AI can have benefits.  I was impressed with the improvements AI has made in breast cancer diagnoses and treatment.  By comparing mammograms of large groups of women, doctors are now able to diagnose and treat cancer earlier.  Doctors can also use AI to treat patients without a hospital visit, such as the use of glucose monitoring apps in diabetic patients.  If a person consents to sharing their data, it can be harnessed for good.  But something one of the people in the film said really stuck with me.  We are not using social media - social media is using us.  Companies that use our data may not share our goals.  And that is something everyone should consider.

Is your privacy really private?

 

After watching the videos related to the issue of privacy, I was very surprised to learn how I am being watched in ways that I never realized.  I thought that license plate surveillance technology was only used by the police for law enforcement purposes (for example, to recover stolen cars or help solve crimes).  In reality, by observing when and where a vehicle travels, a company can learn if someone goes to church (or not), where they shop, where they work, and even who is in the vehicle with them.  I also was surprised to see how much personal information can be obtained using facial recognition technology.  The ability to identify a person with just a snapshot of their face can give companies mountains of personal information, like internet browsing habits, credit scores, and criminal records.  This can lead to financial hardship (being denied a mortgage) and discrimination (being charged a higher rate for health insurance).

When using an app or website, most people don’t bother to read the Terms & Conditions.  They are very long and too complicated for the average person to understand.  I think the government should force companies to make them simpler and easier to read, so users understand how their data is being used.  In Finn Lützow Holm Myrstad’s TED talk, he used the example of a dating app that pre-checked a box allowing access to all of his Facebook photos.  If he had not taken the time to read the Terms & Conditions carefully, he would have had no idea, and someday his photos could have been used without his knowledge.  Informed consent would go a long way towards building consumers’ trust in companies.

What can we do to protect ourselves from invasions of privacy?  Most importantly, make sure your social media accounts are all set to private.  That way, only the people you choose can access your content.  You don’t want a prospective employer browsing photos of you at fraternity parties!  When granting people access via friend or follower requests, make sure they are someone you actually know.  And when posting or commenting on social media, think before you post.  As my mom likes to say, don’t post something online that you wouldn’t want your grandmother to read.  The extent to which my privacy is violated makes me consider what I post online very carefully.  Privacy concerns affect my family in their choice to post online, or not.  My Dad does not have any social media accounts at all except for LinkedIn, but my 92 year old great grandmother is on Facebook!  She says she uses it primarily to see our family’s posts and photos, but I am sure she doesn’t know what is being done with her personal information.  She is not alone.

War Coverage in the Media

 In this week’s lecture, we learned about the Pentagon Papers, a study commissioned by the federal government to examine the history of the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War.  The report revealed that military leaders, politicians, and even U.S. Presidents had lied to the American people about the United States’ activities in Vietnam.  When Daniel Ellsberg, one of the co-authors of the report, released it to The New York Times, President Nixon filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction against the report being released, claiming it was a threat to national security.  The suit went all the way to the Supreme Court, which ruled that the government had failed to prove this threat, and that the report could be published under the First Amendment’s protection of freedom of the press.  

So if the media is protected by the First Amendment, why don’t we see more anti-war coverage?  The media is driven by ratings because higher viewership leads to financial gain.  If a media outlet supports the government’s agenda, the government will be more likely to grant them interviews with high level officials, which leads to high ratings, and in turn, more interviews, and on and on.  Antiwar coverage can also be perceived by audiences as supporting the enemy.  You don’t see a lot of coverage that opposes the war in Ukraine because media outlets do not want to appear as though they support Russia.  That could lead to a decline in ratings or bad publicity, driving viewers to other news sources.

Prior to this class, I had never heard of Antiwar.com and TheAmericanConservative.com.  I found Douglas MacGregor’s article “When the Lies Come Home” about how the media has misled the public about the war in Ukraine particularly interesting.  Ukraine was made to look stronger than it actually was by using the same videos of Russian defeat over and over.  “Russian losses and the true extent of Ukraine’s own losses were distorted, fabricated, or simply ignored.”  Why?  Perhaps because the U.S. has sent billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, and if the American public sees defeat, it will cease to support our government’s involvement.  I think Americans have the right to the whole story in any conflict our country is involved in so they can make informed decisions.  They shouldn’t have to hunt down obscure websites to do so.  

Diffusion of Innovations - Instagram

 Diffusion of innovations is a theory that tries to explain the “process by which an innovation is communicated over time among the participants in a social system.”  It was introduced by Everett Rogers in his book Diffusion of Innovations, which was first published in 1962.  Rogers wrote that there are five main elements that affect the spread of a new idea.

Innovators: A person who introduces new methods, ideas, or products.

Early adopters: The people who are first to adopt to a new innovation.

Early majority: The first segment of a population to adopt to a new innovation.

Late majority: People who are doubtful about change and will only adopt to an innovation if the majority of a population has tried it.

Laggards: The people who are last to adopt to a new product or service.

We can see this process through the creation and adoption of Instagram.  Instagram is a social media app that was created by Kevin Systrom and launched in October 2010.  Systrom’s first app was called Burbn and was aimed at whiskey and bourbon enthusiasts.  Users could share photos, check in and post their plans.  Eventually, he decided to focus on photo sharing and commenting, and Instagram (combining the words “instant” and “telegram”) was born.

Early adopters signed on quickly.  In its first week, Instagram gained 100,000 users.  The newest version of the iPhone, including a better camera, had just been released several months earlier, and users were eager to try it out and post their photos.  Instagram's filters offered an easy way to make their photos, and themselves, better.

The early majority of users was significantly increased when the app was launched for Android in 2012.  In April 2012, more than one million users downloaded Instagram in one day, on top of the existing 27 million users.  Features such as messaging, liking, commenting, and “stories” (photos and videos posted in a separate feed in the app that are only live for 24 hours) attracted the late majority, allowing them to connect with friends, family, and influencers.  In 2018, only YouTube was downloaded more from the Apple app store than Instagram.

As of April 2022, there were at least 1.4 billion Instagram users across the world.  However, there are still some laggards who still haven’t bought into the hype.  Older people who are not technically literate, or those who already spend their time on other apps, seem to be the last holdouts.

While Instagram is certainly entertaining, allowing me to keep up with friends and pop culture, I think the negatives outweigh the positives. Users can have a “fear of missing out,” and spend too much time on the app instead of connecting with people in person, working, studying, or even sleeping.  Influencers can also feel a great deal of pressure to constantly post content for their readers, sometimes sacrificing quality.  Even everyday users feel pressure to "make their lives more worthy of posting about."  People feel the need to use filters to alter their appearance, to showcase their aesthetically pleasing homes, or choose their vacation destination based on potential photo opportunities.  I am making a conscious effort to try and limit my time on the app each day.  

EOTO response: The Telephone

 After reading several EOTO posts, one that stood out to me was about the history of the telephone.  The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876.  I did not know that Elisha Gray also claimed to invent the telephone that same year, but Bell received the patent because he submitted his application just a few hours earlier.  I was surprised to learn that the first model could only transmit a few words before needing new batteries.  

It took Bell 30 years to make a major improvement to his invention, when he started using a metal diaphragm to amplify sound waves.  This allowed voices to be transmitted over long distances.  Dialing methods advanced to a rotary dial in the early 1900s and then touch tone dialing in the 1950s.  In the late 20th century, digital technology allowed wireless transmission of voice and data signals.  The most recent innovation is the use of Voice over Internet Protocol, which converts your voice to a digital signal that travels over the internet.

The telephone has enabled families and friends to stay connected with one another, even across the world.  It also allowed businesses to communicate with both customers and suppliers quickly and efficiently, rather than relying on the US Postal Service to send and receive orders.  However, there have been some negative consequences to the technology.  One is the increase in telemarketing and robo calls, which can be disruptive and annoying.  Another is a rise in crimes like identity theft and fraud, which can especially target the elderly.  With the invention of the smartphone, traditional phone use is on the decline.  But no matter the method – traditional phone, smartphone, or computer, people will always want the ability to connect with each other.