While listening to Ezra Klein’s podcast, “Why online politics gets so extreme so fast,” featuring Zeynep Tufekci, they talk about the topics on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter that tends to grab the user’s attention to view and explore new content and ideas. Throughout the podcast, it facilitated many other topics like hooking viewers and holding their attention longer using instruments like the auto-play and the recommended column on YouTube on a matter because these platforms are always competing for our attention. Much of our interrogations leads us to searching up articles or videos about the subject that comes into your mind since we are intrigued in these concerns, which then encourages people to seek for answers.
One point of the podcast that caught my attention was when Tufekci explained about the younger audiences’ main source of information is through videos. Due to the fact that many kids are being introduced to technology, many parents tend to give their children electronic devices to play with, which exposes them into these trends about amusement and entertainment. Since technology is still in the making, it can effectively exploit the human vulnerabilities and cause us to stay on these social media platforms. They get rewarded by the society since the attention they are receiving is helping them make money off of our time.
When using the Internet for many purposes, we give away our personal information without realizing it to filter our necessities. As a result, the media is constantly providing us with advertisements related to our interests and continue profiting off from them. One of the main and crucial ways these platforms make money is the amount of time spent on the websites. In the digital world, we cannot replace what is done since it will transmit across many other platforms in a way to make more money.
As I listened to the entire podcast, I am quite surprised about the frequent attention towards technology. Even though technology is beneficial in our lives, it is not safe after all. With the use of algorithms, these platforms are using our personal information to simply sell their products or keep us on their page profit off of us since most people spend so much time on the use of technology. I feel as if there is something hidden in the algorithms that is hindered by these social media platforms.
- Devin Caldejon
The internet and social media does have a way of grabbing our attention towards them. I feel has though we are addicted to them, which makes us want more of it. Yes, parents do give their phones to their kids to either keep them quiet or for them to play with it. I would say that it's a bad idea for them to do that. It gives them the chance to evolve with the internet, learning many things about it, which will then make them addicted at such a very young age.
ReplyDeleteThe internet gives us easy access to a lot knowledge and information, which is why parents tend to expose their child to technology. I feel that this early exposure to technology in children could make them more careless in giving out personal information to filter their needs. Since parents give them phones to entertain them at a young age they will grow up relying a lot on technology, which could lead to addiction without them realizing it. They won't realized that they're using too much internet, whether it be for research or entertainment, because it is what they've always known.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Internet algorithms can be used maliciously against the user. Like you said, they can be used to sell our own information, and their method of doing so leaves us none the wiser, at least until we get the same five advertisements when browsing social media. These programs can also be used to highly influence the younger generation, constantly feeding them subliminal messaging in order to lead them to a certain way of political thinking. Now, it may seem like nothing, but soon you’ll have groomed these children into being political extremists who do not seek compromise.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Joanne that the algorithms implemented on Internet websites is used against us, but I believe that we ourselves are to blame for this because at the end of the day we are the ones doing the clicking. Algorithms read what YOU search. Which is why it is something that is smart since people will be able to exploit you easier. The only way to not allow people to take advantage of you, is to not give in to your own temptations. The more you can resist it; the less likely you are to be controlled.
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