Technology is an extremely scary topic. Yet, it is so strange that everyone is very comfortable with it. The problem with technological advancements and privacy have been a recurring theme throughout Media Law and Literacy. It has also been mentioned a large amount of times throughout my blog posts. The reasoning behind this, though, is because people seem to forget how worried we should be. It feels like one day there is a news article slandering Facebook that everyone sides with, and the next day everyone is back to using it.
Facebook has been the main subject of many of my speeches and essays this year. This just shows even more evidence to the fact that there are so many things wrong with the company. If I can spend a whole semester writing about the negative consequences of Facebook, then something needs to change. Throughout the semester, my main problem has been with privacy. Technology and companies that control it are always trying to take and use your privacy. Yes, that includes Facebook. They make it seem so harmless to gather your information. After all, it makes it so much more convenient when you do not have to type in your password every time you open Google. However, people should come to realize that their information is not being kept safe. It is being used to make money and target specific ads toward people.
What is so wrong with that? Some people will not mind getting ads that are catered to their needs and wants. Well it turns out that information taken by any company can be stolen. There have been so many instances in which a company’s storage was stolen by anonymous hackers. Now with your information, someone could be trying to steal money from you or even your identity. I always like to mention California when it comes to privacy laws because they have put in a system that allows users to willingly stop the taking of their information. It is called the California Privacy Consumer Act. I have argued for it multiple times and I will continue to speak for it. If technology continues to grow in the way that it is, we should have control over our privacy as much as possible. There is no way to give up technology at this point, so we might as well fix it.
When it comes to my relationship with technology, I am not so innocent either. I, too, ignore the problems most of the time. It is just so easy to forget about the problems when technology is a part of everyday life. I am thankful for my classes this semester because they constantly are pulling me back into the real world to see the dangers. Personally, I think I have a more healthy relationship with Social Media than most others. I only really use Snapchat and YouTube if that counts. I have Facebook and Instagram, but I rarely get on it. Sometimes when I am talking to someone about Instagram, they mention that they need to check how many likes they have received on their latest post. I constantly wonder about this. I have asked a few people about how their mind works with the need for likes. I honestly do not understand how liking posts can affect your mental health so much.
I feel like maybe I am on technology too much sometimes. It controls so much of life that I do not even think about it. I rarely am off my phone except for when I am eating. I always try to put away my phone when I am at dinner. The funny thing, though, is that it is not something that my parents taught me. My family never really ate at the dinner table for an official dinner every night. They usually would just make food and we would get some and leave. Most of the time, when we did eat at the table, my parents would be on their phones. I think I just find it more uncomfortable when I am on my phone instead of talking to the people I am eating with. Sometimes I break that rule, but I generally try to avoid my phone.
I think social media and technology are more worrisome for younger people. The younger you are, the more innocent you are. The more innocent you are, the more trusting you are. As a child, I was so willing to give away information. One time I was messaging a stranger over a phone game and offered to give my email, and the other person told me that it was dangerous to give information so willingly. I learned my lesson that day and will never forget it. I was lucky that someone nice was talking to me. It easily could have been a creep. The fact that kids are also putting so much hope into social media is also scary because an online presence will never keep you relevant forever.
In conclusion, there is an understandable fear behind technology and social media. There should be more regulation over it and the companies that control it should be more limited. I hope that people start to realize that there needs to be a change.
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