EOTO #2: TOTAL INFORMATION AWARENESS

 Individuals across the country have more and more of their lives tied to technology, hence the issue of online privacy continues to be one of high relevance. Different political climates as well as matters of national security have often been used as reasons behind mass surveillance and data-mining that is continued to be pushed by the national government. 

 The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks brought the concept of national security to the limelight in which the U.S. government reacted by creating and implementing the Total Information Awareness program. The Bush administration was the driving force in this task as they were pushed for the incorporation of this system across all government agencies. The Total Information Awareness program makes it so one's information is shared and analyzed across various databases which may then profile potential threats. It is important to note that the information that is being accessed includes private information in addition to public information. 

Although at the time, Total Information Awareness was introduced as a means of national protection, it is now clear that there were other underlying intentions as it has lead to issues of violating one's right to privacy. Total Information Awareness was established created 2002 and since that year it has been on an upward trajectory in the creation of manners the government is able to track everything it is doing. 

In order to understand the extent of information the government is able to collect about one should take into account TIA technologies. For starters, "genysis" is a form of technology that allows a mass amount of data to be built upon about a subject. In addition, Human identification has been a very prominent tool as this uses, "automated biometric identification technologies", to identify and individual. Another tool that is heavily is the, "effective affordable reusable speech-to-text" in which technology is used to translate informal communication amongst individuals whether it be over a phone call, broadcast, or text, and makes sense of it so the information can be used. 

It is widely known that almost all of one's actions via technology and online are being tracked, whether by the government or by companies such as Google.When comparing the Total Information Awareness, to the fourth amendment of the constitution it is clear this is not constitutional as the program allows, "warrantless surveillance",  which raises additional concern as to how the premise of this program is still very much an issue today.

 Another constitutional violation that author, Elliot Cohen, points out is the violation of the First Amendment. There are clearly no limits for those who are being watched and this includes journalists. This raises additional concern as people may be less likely to cooperate with journalists for fear that any information exchanged is being followed by the government. In turn this may cause interference in the collection of information for the press and allowing the public to be made aware of things occurring. In Elliot Cohen's book,  "Mass Surveillance and State Control", there are countless pieces of information that brings great awareness for themes that are more relevant today, more than ever.

Diffusion Theory & the Invention of the Telephone

 Blog #7

Have you ever wondered how a new product or invention grew to be such a vital part of society? For example the telephone, how did something that was never utilized become a must have for day to day life? E.M. Rogers created the Diffusion of Innovation theory that can help us answer these questions and break down the adoption of a product into phases. The Diffusion of Innovation Theory allows us to elaborate upon the process of diffusion of a product or concept amongst a culture or society. 

The invention of the telephone through the Diffusion Theory: 

Stage 1: Innovators

For every new concept there has to be individuals willing to be pioneers in discovering and creating something that has yet to exist. In the invention of the telephone, the innovators and pioneers of this groundbreaking communication invention were Alexander Bell and Thomas Edison. In 1876 Alexander Bell was able to create the first telephone as a result of discovering that sound-waves emit electricity. Thomas Edison shortly after, joined the innovative efforts by making improvements to the original model of the telephone.  

Stage 2: Early adopters 

 The second phase in the Diffusion of Innovation model is Early adopters, in which these are people open minded and willing to change, they are visionaries. A prominent early adopter of the telephone was Gardiner Greene Hubbard , who helped Alexander Bell establish the Bell Telephone Company. This was the first telephone company to ever be created and they were a driving force in making the telephone available to the public. 

Stage 3: Early Majority

The early majority refers to people who may be skeptical however, still are early in comparison to the rest of society in utilizing the new product and/or concept. The early majority in regard to the telephone were businesses as they were the first to partake in the commercialization of the product. Specifically, the E.T. Holmes Burglar company was the first office to have telephones installed  in order to have greater efficiency in communication. 

Stage 4: Late Majority 

The late majority consists of people who 'drag their feet', as they are reluctant to adapt to the change. The late majority wishes to have the majority of the population to act as a testament that the new invention functions properly before they use it themselves. The late majority for the use of the telephone involved lower class individuals who did not have the disposable income to afford the telephone as they needed to be shown that it would be a necessity. 

Stage 5: Laggards 

Laggards refers to those who are extremely weary of change and anything new as they are tied to their traditions and habits. Laggards for the telephone included the older population as they were so set in their ways of living. Having this technological advancement was difficult for them to fathom as they had spent their whole lives functioning without it. 

The telephone was a product that was rapidly adopted through the nation as it enhanced the fundamental need to communicate. I personally believe that the positive effects of the telephone outweigh the negative as this made it possible for people to communicate in the present moment. 

                                                                            

Anti War Voices

 Blog #6

Recently, the topic of War has once again taken center stage in the United States as our country has involved itself into other country's wars. Two wars that are unfolding in this very moment include the war between Ukraine and Russia, and the Hamas-Israel war. 

According to PBS, the United States has allocated over $75 billion dollars to Ukraine in efforts to aid them in this war. In addition, the Biden administration is currently working towards allocating inventory from the Drawdown of Security that is said to be worth up to $125 million and they are also investing $300 million into the Ukraine Security Assistance initiative. As for the Hamas-Israel war, the Biden administration has recently asked Congress for $14 billion in order to support Israel. 

As these Wars continue to unfold, the Biden Administration continues to intervene by sending money and supplies to support Israel and Ukraine. In the United States, one of the jobs of American citizens is to keep the government in check, as this is one of the beauties of our democracy. With this sentiment in mind, one must remember that disagreeing with the government is part of the checks and balances system, as we have a right to not agree with every action our government undertakes.

When listening, watching, and reading the news there hardly seems to be any antiwar voices, despite the fact that war is a controversial topic. Recently, I have come to learn about the news platforms, "The American Conservative", and "Anti War news", and it shocked me to know I had never heard of or seen either platforms.

When reflecting on why one has to go to obscure platforms to listen to anti war opinions I think this has to do with our nation's history. This pattern is connected to the early establishment of our nation. For example, the Espionage Act of 1917 which essentially punished government employees who were against the war. On top of this, seeing how the Biden administration participated in censorship of Covid-19, I believe it is not a coincidence that antiwar voices are not easily found online. I truly believe there are manners that make it so anti war voices are being made hard to find for the public. Knowing this, I will be more mindful when looking at sources and thoroughly searching, as I want to be able to take into account a variety of views.

EOTO POST: The Invention of the Telephone

The invention of the telephone is one that revolutionized the field of communication and over the centuries has been transformed in unimaginable ways

The invention of the telephone is one that revolutionized the field of communication and over the centuries has been transformed in unimaginable ways. The image above illustrates what the first ever telephone to successfully transmit sound waves looked like. According to Britannica, Alexander Bell invented the telephone in 1876, in which he filed a patent in February, but did not have the product functioning until the month of March.

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 Alexander Bell accomplished the ability of noise to be relayed by discovering that noise makes sound waves. Sound waves omit electric vibrations out of a transmitter which allows the sound waves to travel to other connected receivers(Britannica). What one should keep in mind is that this invention did not work for long distances as it's power source was an electromagnet which was fueled by one's vocal vibrations(Britannica). However, later down the road others invented telephones with stronger power sources allowing the person to communicate over greater distances.  

During the 1870's the Reconstruction Era was continuing to unfold in which the United States continued to face polarizing Civil Rights issues. The main form of communication during this time was the telegraph and writing letters. In hopes of improving the feasibility and efficiency of communication, Alexander Bell decided to work towards improving the telegraph but instead unintentionally invented the telephone. 

As a result of Bell's groundbreaking invention, the Bell Telephone Company was created in 1877, with the hopes of making the telephone available to the public. During this time, telephones were mainly prioritized and used for businesses(Grant and Meadows 15). After 6 months of the telephone existing,  a total 1,300 were being used(Grant and Meadows 15). 

Thomas Edison's version of a telephone

Soon after Bell's original telephone creation, Thomas Edison created another version of a Telephone that made it so the piece intended to speak and the piece intended for listening were separate (Forrester 2). As a result of separating these two key components, a person using the telephone could hear the other person more clearly. Thomas Edison was not the only inventor that built off of Alexander Bell's original telephone invention, as this creation continued to evolve. 

During the 1890's Almon Strowger created the automatic telephone which made the communication process even more easier(Forrester 2). As a result of this, instead of having a physical person facilitate the call you are making and connecting you to the other line, it could be done automatically(Britannica).

Brittanica defines a telephone as a product that allows for the, "simultaneous transmission and reception of the human voice". Reading how revolutionary this product was puts into perspective the historical impact it had, as now in days it is a product is incorporated in every day life. The telephone solved  communication problems of timeliness, misinterpretation, and a general sense of connection. Even today the telephone is greatly appreciated as it gave people the ability to directly speak to one another. 

Sources 

Borth, David E.. "telephone". Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/technology/telephone. Accessed 7 November 2023.

Forrester, Rochelle. “Invention of the telephone.” SSRN Electronic Journal, Jan. 2020, pp. 1–5, https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3513276.

Grant, August  E, and Jennifer H Meadows . Communication Technology Update . 10th ed., Elsevier Inc, 2006.

    Hochfelder, David. "Alexander Graham Bell". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-Graham-Bell. Accessed 7 November 2023.

Privacy: online & off

 

There is a growing issue that is unfolding before the worlds eyes that is going unnoticed for many, including myself until today. This issue is online privacy, whether you are online or offline, there is a growing issue of one's personal privacy. Having taken the time to delve into the topic of privacy in regards to ones technological/online presence, has been an astonishing as there is a sever violation to the public's privacy.

After having watched various TED talk speakers convey relevant issues on the matter of online privacy I have 3 key concerns. The first concern lies in the ability of one's online presence to be permanent even if one thinks it is deleted, as there is always a way to access one's online presence. Juan Enriquez was one of the speakers, who describes himself as a "business leader" and "technologist", and touches upon the life span of one's online presence. Enriquez argues that one's online reputation is like a tattoo, as it is permanent and speaks for itself. One should be wary that their online presence is "immortal", and will leave its mark forever, in which everyone should be highly cognizant of what they share. 

My second greatest concern is NSA mass surveillance continuing to grow in ways that track down more and more personal details about individuals across the nation. Civil liberties lawyer, Catherine Crump gives insight into this issue illustrating all the ways we are being watched such as our license plates used to track our every whereabout. In addition, Police are tracking mass quantities of all American's data such where we are going and who with, even details about ourselves at our own homes. It is frightening to think that this is already occurring and devices are continuing to be created to track more of our personal information. Lastly, the third occurrence that has left me feeling uneasy is the fact that our phones and phone carrier's were built to act as a surveillance system, in which at any given moment someone could be listening. 

Although there are various issues arising in regard to our online privacy, there are actions we can take to combat these problems. Christopher Soghoian makes various recommendations within his TED talk including using an iPhone to send a text message,  using face time to make a call, and utilizing WhatsApp. Inscription is also used to go against online privacy violations. There are manners to go about this issue and a key component is mindfulness.