Blog Post Twelve: Technology

 Technology has revolutionized the way we communicate with one another over the past few decades. It has been a breakthrough in the modern world, allowing us to do things quicker, easier and more efficiently than ever before. technology has had a profound impact on our generation, both in term of how they interact with the world and in terms of how they think and behave. While it has made life easier in many ways, technology has also caused several issues. 

Our generation has grown up in a world here technology is ubiquitous. from the moment Gen Z was able to walk, we have been exposed to devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Technology has drastically changed the way that people communicate. In today's world, people are more likely to communicate through texting, social media. and other online platforms, rather than face-to-face. While technology has improved communication in some ways, it has also had a negative impact on society.

One major advantage of technology in the modern world is improved communication. People can now talk with each other from anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds. This has made it possible for people to stay in touch with their friends and family, regardless of their location. Technology has also allowed us to communicate with bushinesses, customers, and clients more quickly and efficiently. Another improvement of technology in the modern world is improved entertainment. Technology has made it possible for us to access a variety of entertainment options from the comfort of our own homes. We can now watch movies, listen to music, play video games and more. It has also made it easier to access educational resources, such as online courses or tutorials. It's possible for us to accomplish more in less time. For example, computers have made it easier to automate certain tasks, such as data entry and customer service. Technology has shaped relationships with technology at a young age and altered the way we interact with the world. 

One way technology has worsened communication is by making it easier to avoid in person interactions. In the past, people would often talk in person when they wanted to communicate with someone. This has caused people to become more removed from each other, and it has made it harder for people to build meaningful relationships with others. Another way technology has decreased communication is by making it easier to be misunderstood. When people communicate through text messages or online platforms, it can be difficult accurately convey tone or emotion. This can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations, which can causes conflicts and tension in relationships. Rather than talking in person, people hide behind a phone.

Technology has revolutionized the way we communicate with one another over the past few decades. With the advent of the internet, communication has been transformed into something instantaneous and global. The internet has opened a new world of possibilities. Personally, I believe technology has benefitted me in positive and negative ways. I like being able to keep in close contact with my family and friends and makes communication easier. Although i dislike how it closes people off to real interactions and always constantly staring at a screen. Technology has shaped our world and is ever changing and growing and will only continue to rapidly increase as time goes on.

Blog Post Eleven: EOTO- The Illusory Truth Effect

     The illusory truth effect shows how, when we repeatedly receive incorrect information, we frequently start to believe it to be true. Unfortunately, this also occurs when people ought to know better, like when individuals initially recognizing the falsity of the misinformation. Repetition can influence how people view the truth. If a claim has been presented to a person before, they are more likely to believe it. This phenomenon sheds light on the effectiveness of propaganda and advertising as well as the reason why people accept false information as fact.

    For example, imagine a cold going around your school, and you want to try your best to avoid getting sick. Multiple people and other sources have told you that taking vitamin C can prevent sickness, so you start to take it regularly. After conducting real research, you come to learn there is no true evidence that the vitamin C is what prevents the cold. Although it could boost your immune system, there is no real proof it is a preventer against a virus. This is when the bias occurs. We all like to assume that we are immune to false information, yet even the most informed people can fall victim to the illusory truth effect. When a bogus claim initially appears on our social media feed, or you hear from a few sources, we could be dubious of it, but the more we are exposed to it, the more we begin to believe it to be true- and our prior awareness cannot stop this. 

    Misinformation can spread like wildfire to enormous numbers of people very quickly in the social media age. The evidence implies that online efforts led by influencers or celebrities who are aware that all it takes to start a rumor is to repeat it consistently, and it will have a significant impact on our generation. Although it sounds dramatic, this poses a challenge to both the fabric of our societies and integrity of democracy itself. Knowing that we evaluate information accuracy in a biased manner is crucial in this day and age. 

    How can we determine whether a claim is accurate or not? Naturally, you would assume, we evaluate that assertion to the available data using our existing knowledge set and perhaps a few strategically placed Google searches. Unfortunately people are not always logical when it comes to things like this. We make an average of 35,000 decisions a day. We cannot possibly hope to analyze everything throughly as we would like with all the decisions we must make and the massive amount of information that is being bombarded upon us every second. We frequently make judgement errors as a result of the numerous heuristics we use to make sense of the world in order to conserve our finite mental resources. The illusory truth effect is caused by a few underlying biases and heuristics. 

    Most of us are all too acquainted with the term "fake news" by this point. Non of us are immune to the false rumors, conspiracies, and blatant lies that thrive on he internet. We will all come across fake news eventually and given the abundance of lies in our media environment, it is likely that we do so frequently. We run the risk of the illusory truth effect just from this. It's vital to be aware of the illusory truth effect and other biases that skew our judgement so that we are encouraged to pause and consider information we may otherwise accept as true with a little more skepticism. 

Blog Post Ten: EOTO- Whistleblower

    An individual who reports wrongdoing, such as fraud or corruption, to the public or a higher authority is known as a whistleblower. They may work for a firm or government agency. There are particular rules designed to shield whistleblowers from losing their jobs or receiving unfair treatment. Most businesses have a distinct policy that outlines exactly how to report such an incident might start a criminal inquiry against the firm or any specific department. Once the appropriate individuals have been notified, the whistleblower has made a Protected Disclosure and is entitled to whistleblower protections. 

    Whistleblowers might be either internal or external. Internal whistleblowers are those who alert senior officers of the company, such as the CEO or head of humans resources, to misbehavior, fraud or indiscipline. An external whistleblower reports wrongdoings to parties outside the organization, such as the media senior government figures, or even the police. While whistleblowing is crucial for securing sensitive national security data and operations while ensuring that you can "say something" if you have "seen something". Every day, there are whistleblowers in the Federal Government. A simple talk with a supervisor, calling a specialized hotline, sending information to Congress through the appropriate procedures are all examples of whistleblowing. 

PROS

    Fighting corruption is one of the main benefits of whistleblowing for others. One of the greatest financial burdens on society is caused by corruption and waste in government. Every time a contractor overcharges the government, or a company commits fraud, they are earning money by defrauding other people and their hard-earned money. Making sure wrongdoers are not rewarded is another advantage of making a whistleblower report. To put it clearly, the bad guys win when a company is permitted to get away with defrauding the government because those who are aware of the illicit behavior are afraid to speak up. Because of the wrongdoers' unfair edge in the marketplace, honest contractors and service providers suffer. Earning financial compensation is one of the major benefits of making a whistleblower report. The law offers large financial awards for whistleblowers who reveal information that results in a recovery since the government understands that they are courageously acting to do what is right. 

CONS

    Whistleblowing has the potential drawback of putting your job or career in jeopardy. It is true that an employee who files a whistleblower claim or otherwise provides information to the authorities may experience employer retaliation and may later have trouble finding employment in relevant industries. Another disadvantage of whistleblowing is the process being lengthy. Between the moment a whistleblower starts working with an attorney and the time attorney and the time a financial incentive is given, whistleblowing claims can take several years on average. The delay, however, might be worthwhile given the size of the potential rewards and the beneficial impact taking a stand will have on society. The possibility of a whistleblower's claim might not be true, can affect many people's jobs, time, and money. As a whistleblower, you could only be partially aware of potential misconduct, and you might not be fully aware of the relevant legal framework. There is a risk of making an inaccurate allegation that cannot be supported by the law or the facts. 

CONCLUSION

    Whistleblowing can be a very risky job. An example of a whistleblower would be Edward Snowden. In 2013, while working for and on contract with the National Security Agency (NSA), Edward Snowden exposed highly sensitive material. He is a dual citizen of the United States and Russia. This is an example of how much whistleblowing can affect someones life. Snowden has been living in Russia for the past nine years to avoid prosecution in the US after leaking classified information along with documents detailing government surveillance programs.  

    Whistleblowing can affect our generation along with society in negative ways. Gen Z is known as the digital age, therefore making it a lot easier to leak more information. Also, having a lack of privacy from being surrounded with technology consistently, has made whistleblower's job's easier. It gives them more access to private details of everyone's lives. Although the risks and cons will still remain. Reporting typically comes at a high cost: in order to reveal misconduct that endangers the public good, whistleblowers risk their reputation, livelihood, and sometimes their personal safety. They might lose their jobs, be sued, put on blacklist, detained, or threatened. 

 

Blog Post Nine: Privacy

    The term "privacy" can be used in many different contexts and/or definitions. The definitions of privacy in physical terms is "the right to be left alone, or freedom from interruption or intrusion." Contrarily, information privacy is defined as "the right to some control over how your personal information is acquired and used." How privacy should be regulated and what constitutes privacy are hot topics in today's society. True privacy is supposedly nonexistent, according to popular belief. From the way technology has escalated in the last decade it becomes hard to keep private information away from social media or the public. 

    Catherine Crump, a lawyer for civil liberties, discusses how a shooting has awoken small-town police departments of the national mass of surveillance technology. Local police agencies are now able to collect a ton of sensitive information about people in ways that were never before conceivable because great various sorts of surveillance. As people travel throughout America in their cars, location data can be sensitive since it might expose where you go and where you don't. The government can obtain a thorough picture of how regular citizens interact when this information is paired with data on US citizens. This information is no longer private because of current technologies.

    Too much information on our private lives and what takes place behind closed doors is known to the authorities. Local police departments decide who you are before you get a chance to refute. their assumptions. Police cars, stoplights, and even buildings use license plate readers. They include it into hot lists so they may monitor individuals for illegal activity. Police personnel record every plate that passes a plate reader in addition to recording people and their wrongdoings, which leads to the collection of enormous amounts of information about where Americans have traveled. After listening to her Ted Talk I thought that this was all very interesting and also freighting. Everywhere I drive, there is record of it, including who is with me in my car and everywhere I go. There isn't even privacy for driving to the grocery store or to a friends house. This is an example of how technology has developed in a negative way, leading to no form of security or privacy in life. 

    Governments may help the public become more informed, safeguard their own infrastructure, and ensure that businesses disclose any possible privacy or security issues and follow their stated rules. By using appropriate procedures and strong privacy standards before attempting to access a citizen's personal information, it can also set a positive example. While it is true that excessive regulation and bad legislation can inhibit innovation and can have unforeseen consequences, it is also true that it ti foolish to ignore the issue or believe that the market would automatically resolve all problems. The government can't protect from privacy breaches, but they can raise awareness.