Data Mining and Searching Questions (Group 4)

A Deep Dive into Facebook and Datalogix

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/09/deep-dive-facebook-and-datalogix-whats-actually-getting-shared-and-how-you-can-opt

1.) I know Facebook has a lot of advertisements on the side that say "click here", but what about when users don't use that direct link but still purchase something because of Facebook? How can we make a direct link or measure this?

2.) IS THIS LEGAL?! This is all extremely (what I thought to be) confidential information... It is scary how many things can be monitored that I do that I am completely and utterly unaware of. How am I supposed to feel safe now knowing I am being monitored even when I don't know what I am being monitored for?

3.) We have the constitutional right to privacy... So then why doesn't Datalogix ASK us before giving this information instead of making opting out the exception to the rule? PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE THIS IS HAPPENING, so how can they possibly know opting out is even an option?

IT & Politics Questions (Group 2)

http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/social_media/review.pdf

1.) The article talks about how things you post on Facebook can be seen on Twitter or other social networking sites, so couldn't we say that this is a bad thing? It is great that everyone can be so easily connected,  but isn't it also dangerous? These easy linkages could lead to people knowing way too much about your life, especially with the minimal privacy settings. Why are these risks not discussed? Do people not care that strangers can easily access their entire life?

2.) If social media can lead to protests and upheavals, is it possible that this all leads to violence? If one person gets an extremely radical idea and posts it socially, it can escalate into one big chaotic and violent ordeal since they have the support behind them...

3.) I have read a lot about the bans on certain websites and applications or programs in the Middle East, how are the people there coping being cut off from the world? Are they still able to communicate and access information with all the censorship occurring?

My Personal Network

I am truly astounded by the amount of time during the day in which I am consuming media. From the second I wake up in the morning until the second I go to sleep, I am using media. My iPhone alarm wakes me up, and after that I immediately check the weather app and my text messages. I then go to class, and instead of wearing a watch to see if I am on time I always check my phone. When I had to go to a meeting at an unfamiliar campus building, I plugged it into the map app and am guided step by step to my destination. After all this technology at school, I then go to work where it is my sole job to work on the computer. I do everything from entering data to making copies to researching academia, and my eyes are sore by the end of the day from the glare of technology. I haven’t even mentioned how many times throughout the day I am checking Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook for live information or entertainment during my five minutes of free time. I find myself so easily distracted from everyday tasks and craving to check my phone for new information inputs from friends. I can’t remember the last time I sat and just twiddled my thumbs, any down time I have is spent on technology in some way or another!

 So much of my attention is focused where it shouldn't be, honestly. Before starting my homework, I sometimes check Facebook for a “little bit.” That little bit then turns into hours from click to click my attention is being drawn from pictures to funny videos to stalking someone all the way back to 2008. I think it is sad how consumed I am by technology, but I feel that there is nothing I can do to stop it. In such a technology-centered society, not having a cell phone or instant access to the rest of the world is unheard of. Why is it SO important for me to be texting my friend I saw an hour ago about the kid in my class’s weird hairdo? I am so wired it scares me.

It is unreal to think about how truly dependent I am without technology. Without a simple cell phone, I wouldn’t wake up in the morning, keep myself entertained, or know what time it was. With an iPhone, the world is literally at my fingertips. I can get an app for any and every thing imaginable. There are apps for ordering food, paying your parking meter, keeping track of bank accounts and so much more. I don’t even have to use my hands anymore, I can just yell at Siri to get me any information I desire.

Asides: Twitter Use 2012

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Twitter-Use-2012/Findings.aspx

As a personal Twitter aficionado, I am surprised at the low number of Twitter users! The statistics say that only 15% of adults use Twitter with only 8% using it daily. My mom asked me the other day if she was “out of the loop” since she doesn’t have an account. And the truth is yes, she is out of the loop! Twitter is not just a social media site. Twitter is where I get all the breaking news, gossip, get to see pictures of my friends as well as celebrities,  I get to follow famous people who inspire me and read their firsthand thoughts, politicians to learn about their standpoints, my favorite brands to get deals, and so so much more. Social media networking is becoming so necessary in business and society nowadays, it’s almost unheard of not to have a Facebook or Twitter account. The article says that the most popular demographic users are African Americans, young adults, and urban and suburban residents. It’s clear that rural people who aren’t as attached with society wouldn’t have the extreme urge to be connected and informed all the time like urban residents. Young adults probably use Twitter more because they are tech-savvy as well as interested in learning and being informed about society as much as possible. Both men and women use Twitter equally, similar to other social network sites. I think with or without all of the graphs, charts and statistics of who uses Twitter, the main focus is that social media sites are essential and people want to be up-to-date. The easy and quick access to information makes it almost impossible not to be informed. Take for instance, a football game. If I am curious to who won the game or what horrible calls were made, I will check my twitter feed before I check the news or ESPN or the newspaper. I can’t even imagine how people functioned without information in their immediate grasp. Our society thrives on instant gratification and won’t settle for anything less. With Twitter available on all smart phones, I predict its usage to rise immensely among people of all ages, races, social statuses, and education levels.

Readings from Week 5

Coleman, G., 2012 The Ethics of digital direct action. Al Jazeera. 
1. I understand that "...chaos on the internet is unacceptable," but is being an activist or protester enough cause for an arrest? What about freedom of speech?

2.  If people are being arrested for creating "chaos" on the internet, does planning a protest online count as chaos? We have learned that technology and social media have been a huge part of new activist movements and this was a big leap forward in society... This article makes it seem like a bad thing instead of technological progress.

3. How is something that a hacker posts on the Internet a bigger threat than the slander we read EVERY DAY online? I am just confused on who is in trouble and who isn't.. The internet is already in chaos and people can write anything they want, we just have to hope people are intelligent enough to believe the truth. Why should this be any different when the anonymous groups are doing it versus people who do the same things but are brave enough to use their names?

Coleman, G., 2012. Our Weirdness is Free. May, (9). 
1. We live in such an active and changing time, why do activists and advocates choose to hide behind the anonymous name instead of their own? Especially with the mediocre reputation and long history sometimes associated with that name might not always shed positive light.

2. Why did Anonymous change from the prankster/"lulz" users to more serious and concerned activist users? 

3. I think it is very interesting and confusing that "Anonymous" was named Times' number 4 person of the year in the people's choice poll.. Did this happen because people relate to the anonymity that this name brings or because they respect their actions or what? 


Libicki, M., 2009. Cyberdeterence and Cyberwar. (Summary) 

1. If cyberattacks are only possible because systems have flaws, why do we continue to manufacture flawed computers? Why don't we use the same high-tech tools we use on governmental computers on everyday computers so everyone's data is safe?

2. I know we read in earlier articles that technology and cyberspace can be very unpredictable, so why are we choosing to put so much effort and focus on this aspect of warfare? (especially if the results are only temporary and short-term)

3. If "cyberattacks are cheap and cyberdefense is expensive" then shouldn't we always be on the offense and using this tactic often, since we expect no/minimal retaliation?

Answering Other's Questions Take 2

Questions from http://maggiestillatlas2000class.blogspot.com/

1.) Tools for Thought Chapter 1 and 2: 
When it states the difference between today's personal computers and tomorrow's intelligent devices will have less to do with their hardware than their software---- can you explain in more detail?
Hardware is a collection of physical components that make up a computer whereas software is the collection of computer programs that tell the computer how to operate. So I think what is being said here is that in the future hardware and the physical elements will be so much less important than the innovations in software that they're irrelevant. So much attention now is focused on the physicality and looks of the inner and outer computer design and that will all be obsolete compared to the software advancements yet to come. I am constantly in awe of the software updates on my iphone.Siri now reads my maps to me like a GPS and I can even book a flight on my phone... I can't even imagine what more updates there are going to be in the future. 

2.) The Political Power of Social Media
Explain the thought that the use of social media tools do not have a single preordained outcome?
I think what this means is that social media is an unpredictable tool in politics as well as everyday life. When posting something on a social website, you cannot predict how the audience will respond to it. It depends on the context or the experience of the reader and many other factors. That is what's scary about social media taking over so predominantly... especially since things we see on social media websites aren't always accurate. I remember reading crazy celebrity death rumors, people's crazy statuses from being hacked on Facebook, and many other stories that always make me question what is real or who to trust.

3. The Internet Revolution
What did they use before the mouse?
This is a question that I also was curious about! Since I did not know the answer, I looked it up. It turns out there was no need for a mouse with the original computers. Early computers were text based and only required a keyboard designed to handle computer code. The mouse we use today was invented by a man named Bill English in 1972. 

Asides: Are You A Psychopath If You Don't Have A Facebook Account? We Don't Think So

Seeing as I am in the age group most predominately active on Facebook, this article was very intriguing to me. I think that social media has created a new sense of loneliness we have never felt before and created this “fear of missing out.” My teacher had our class deactivate our Facebook accounts for one week. I thought it would be so easy, that a week was nothing; but after less than three days, I felt so disconnected from the world. It’s silly really, how we can live so close to one another or easily pick up the phone and call our close friends, yet without the constant ability to stalk their profile, we feel so out of the loop. Facebook can tell you everything about a person. The new “timeline” feature literally chronicles your birth to the present down to every friend you made on the exact date. By accepting a friend request, you are giving someone the ability to know every last detail of your life. Facebook stalking is so simple and people are so careless with the information they give out freely, strangers can know more about us than our friends do. I think not having a Facebook doesn’t make you abnormal; but one would genuinely miss out on important life events, moments, and pictures without it. Let’s be honest, nothing is official until it’s Facebook official. But on the other hand, social media websites like twitter and tumblr can be just as intrusive as Facebook. There are also settings on Facebook to make your profile a lot more limited and secure. Although I am a huge fan of Facebook, I do fear the effect it has had on my life. Every time I miss a party or a fun time with friends, seeing the evidence on Facebook makes it so much worse. Even though my profile says I have 800 friends, how many of them are my actual “friends?” And with 800 friends I sometimes feel lonelier than ever, just like Ashleigh Elser said. Facebook has the power to connect as well as disconnect relationships. I am addicted and dependent on Facebook, and that fact scares the living daylights out of me.

Readings from Week 2

Agarwal, R., 2003. Resisting Technology: Regaining a Personal Ecology. In the 2003 Sarai Reader. Delhi, India.

1.) How has technology negatively impacted people? Why do we continue to use technology that puts certain groups at risk or at a lower level of living? 

2) This leads to the greater question of: Does technology have more of a negative or positive influence on our society today? Is it helping or hurting in communities?

3) I think "And [technology] was not designed for the greater common good, but for a greater common market" is a very interesting comment... What does this mean?

4) Does technology solve needs or create them?

Hopkins, J., 2007. Architectures of Participation. Helsinki, Finland.

1.) Not quite a question but very valid and intriguing points to ponder on... "With this in mind (knowing that life is not infinite), how then do we choose how to  expend our life-times, our dwindling energy stores? Do we value every moment as we should?"

2.) The author is saying without human relations we cannot find our purpose... but I'm not sure I agree. Isn't it true a lot of people can find their purpose or meaning of life by looking at themselves internally? I agree social contact is important but I think introspection is just as important as being social in learning.

3.) In the battle between the spirit and body for a purposeful existence, why can't they both win? Shouldn't that be the ultimate goal?

Shirky, C., 2011. The Political Power of Social Media. Foreign Affairs, 90(1), pp.28–41.

1.) I see how social media has amazing benefits of connecting us to one another, but isn't it also bringing us further apart? Are text messages and emails replacing everyday conversations? If so, this is  big concern socially since everything we do in life relies on the ability to communicate with others successfully

2.) Is it fair that social media has such an impact on politics? Shouldn't politics be about cold, hard facts instead of who has a better Twitter manager or more creative internet ads?

3.) With all the chat rooms, customer review sites, and forums isn't it almost impossible to censor? People aren't accessing facts anymore but everyone's opinions and coming together... How is this a peril? People with similar interests are coming together and becoming empowered... only the government of oppressing countries should feel threatened, not USA