I am TrUtH

         “The more we read and watch online, the harder it becomes to tell the difference between what’s real and what’s fake. It’s as if we know more but understand less (Lynch, 2017).” This quote is pretty close to spot on to the way I feel about today’s technology at the tip of your fingers. So many people rely on the internet for news feeds. This is where most people today get information about what is going on the world. The problem with that is, WHAT IS TRUTH!?! If most internet companies tailor their search engines and newsfeeds to the individual’s needs, and likes, then how in the hell will you get the “real news” about what is going on in the world. If you are only seeing things that meet your likes and dislikes, how will you ever know the real? You must always remember that there are two sides to every story.

     A prime example of this, are those out there who are anti-guns, these people will only view how firearms are, and how a world without civilians owning firearms will be a great, and peaceful world.

      Most anti firearm people, or as I call them “do-gooders,” believe that the truth is that guns kill people. Therefore, only law enforcement officials should be allowed to carry firearms. Most searches that the do-gooders will look at online are sites that will reconfirm their personal views on firearms. Majority of the newsfeeds that will pop up on whatever the favorite social network may be, will only show them articles and “fake news” to also reconfirm their own personal views and beliefs, since most internet sites tailor their newsfeeds to people’s personal biases. On the other side of the coin you have people like me, who is a card carrying and proud member of the NRA. In return, the same thing applies to me and people who share my beliefs. All of the newsfeeds that I receive through social media reflect my views and personal biases. Just like the anti’s believe that guns kill people, and those who carry firearms (aside from law enforcement officials) are criminals. I feel that guns kill people just like my pencil got me a damn F on my exam. It is not guns that kill people, it is people that kill people. Now that I had to throw my own personal little rant into this blog, let’s see if we can get back on track…

    The more accessible the internet has become to the majority of us, the more garbage gets thrown in along with it. What is real? What is the truth? If you only get news that tailors you own personal views, and “fake news” about the things you do not believe in, the stronger your stance will become against those with opposing views. With so many trolls out there uploading garbage on to the internet, i.e. fake celebrity death newsfeeds, they are able to manipulate people and misinform many of us.

What is TRUTH? What is REAL? What is FACT? What is FICTION?

    Have a nice day, and remember the sky isn’t blue…

The Good, the Bad, and the Googly

     The moral bias that runs online search engines is a constant, and as long as humans have a say, as to what is or is not allowed to remain on the search engines. There will always be a moral bias. The perfect example is what Andreas Ekstrom mentioned in his TedTalk speech. Why was a photo of Michelle Obama, whose face morphed into a monkey removed from the search engines? Is it because she is a high profile and respected individual? Was it because it was a purely racist photo? And who decides what stays and what should be removed from search engines?

     Here is a prime example of moral bias. When the morphed photo of Michelle Obama hit the search engines, it was deemed to be racist and morally wrong to leave such a photo to be viewed by the general public. However, this photoshopped picture of Donald Trump hanging out with the KKK is perfectly acceptable to leave on search engines. Is it because Trump has been ridiculed from day one when he announced he would be running for the Presidency of the United States. This is where moral bias really takes place. The fact that President Trump is the butt of many jokes, and is continuously ridiculed seems to make this photo acceptable to remain on search engines. Now, would this be the case if those who moderate and write the code for these search engines were pro Trump? I would venture to guess that these photos of Trump would be removed, just as the photos of Michelle Obama were removed.

     This is now the average photo of Obama that is allowed to on search engines. So once again, who decides what is and what is not morally acceptable?

     Moral bias will always be prevalent as long as people have an opinion, and a moral statute to which they hold themselves. I do not feel that it was wrong to remove the morphed picture of Obama, however, I do not feel that it is right to leave such photos like the example given of President Trump. Why shouldn’t there be equality for what can be found on search bars? All though equality should exist, I do not believe that it ever will. Since people who control and moderate search bars have their own bias towards some and not others, equality will always be on the back burner.

     I just wonder what would happen if someone loads a picture of me and morphs my head into a taco, if it would be removed from the search engines? Such a photo could definitely be considered racist since I am Hispanic. Or would it just remain since I am a nobody from Las Cruces, New Mexico and not a high powered well respected individual like Michelle Obama.         Just food for thought, I hope you enjoyed my blog on The Good, The Bad and The Googly.

     

Time well wasted

Former Design Ethicist at Google Tristan Harris, gives a very informative speech on Ted Talk about the way tech companies manipulate tricks to capture the attention of their consumers. As tech companies such as; Google, Facebook, and Snapchat create new apps and programming, they must also continue trying to find innovative ways to keep the consumers attention. It is apparently not enough to simply market their new app or program by advertising it alone. These tech companies try to find ways to manipulate their customers into spending as much time as possible using their cyber product. YouTube, for example, in their efforts of keeping people logged in longer to their site, came up with the idea of auto playing the next video that was in line after the video you chose to watch ended. This was a rather smart marketing ploy to keep people watching more videos and staying logged in to YouTube even longer than was initially intended. Low and behold, after YouTube started the auto play, other sites such as Facebook followed suit. The aforementioned trick of keeping people logged on to apps or sites, is just one of many ways tech companies try to manipulate the consumer. Manipulating the consumer is also used by the majority of games people play on their smartphones or PC’s. These gaming apps keep people logging in several times throughout the day by giving timed bonuses. Meaning, if you are playing a slot machine app, for example, every few hours you can collect bonus chips if you open the app. Snapchat also developed a way to manipulate their users by creating Snap streak. Snap streak is a record of how many days in a row you can have a Snapchat conversation with the same person. So, now, many users of Snapchat will send meaningless and empty messages to one another, just to keep their streak going in this “semi-contest.” The reason I call it a semi-contest, is because there are no prizes, prestige, or Snapchat awards that you will receive. This was a marketing ploy targeted mainly at teenagers, to keep them logging in daily and using Snapchat. Even if that means sending a completely meaningless message of a wall, the ground, the sky, etc. just to keep their streak going. I believe these tech companies are doing nothing more than hurting their consumers by manipulating the time people spend on their sites. I am going to use myself as an example of this. With all these new and amazing apps that seem to pop up every day, I find myself spending more and more time online or on my phone utilizing these apps. I HAVE to collect my bonuses on the slot machine app that I use. I HAVE to keep in touch on Facebook or I feel like I might miss something important. Even as I am writing this blog, I have collected bonuses on my game twice, and peeked at Facebook once. It seems that my attention gets pulled elsewhere, even when I am trying to focus on something that should take precedence, such as my homework. The amount of time spent on these apps could very well be spent doing something considerably more productive. On the bright side, I know longer watch porn; So, that has freed up a nice chunk of time that I can spend doing something more valuable… Who am I kidding? The time I freed up will probably be spent playing games on my phone. 😊