Final Blog Post

     Throughout this semester in Media Law and Literacy, we have explored technology extensively. We have covered the evolution of technology, technological inventions and advances, as well as how technology has become integrated into our society. Technology today often feels like second nature for many, is this really a good thing?

What are the Positives?

    Technology is incredibly powerful and many positives. The video of the Futurama ride in 1964, predicted how technology could create a brand new, shiny, society. The ride talks about putting a man on the moon, new interstates, and high tech public transportation. Although American society doesn't necessarily live up to the vision of the ride, we have inherited a lot of the "futuristic" ideals. 

    

    The Futurama ride exemplifies the wonderful possibilities of technology and highlights the potential of American society. This video sparked my interest in mentioning the power of electric vehicles. Although electric cars have risen in popularity, it is predicted that they will only become more prevalent. I believe that generation Z will widely benefit from the technological advancements of cars. Sustainability or "going green" has been a large concern for gen-Z. 

    

EOTO Terms and Concepts Reaction Post

 This EOTO focused on terms and concepts in technology today. A lot of these terms and concepts were happenings in media and what to stay vigilant of in everyday life while using technology. The concept I want to focus my reaction post on is News Deserts, in this post I will go over what I learned and my interpretation of the concept.

What Is a News Desert?

    A news desert is an area or region that has little to no access to credible news sources. These areas receive little coverage and typically have one newspaper. I found the concept of news deserts incredibly surprising because of how widely America has internet access. In today's age, especially in suburban and urban areas, I find it difficult to step away from the internet and news. However, news deserts are still prevalent and happen in areas of the country like parts of Texas, rural parts of California, and a high percentage of counties in Mississippi. 

Why Do They Happen?

    News deserts are caused by a supply issue in the newspaper. Often, the newspapers in parts of the country act as "ghosts". The papers may be owned by a private corporation, hedge fund, or private equity fund, causing high cost cutting and eventually leading to lower quantity and/or quality of the media. Most of the citizens living in a news desert get their information from the radio and social media, this can create bias as the media being consumed is swayed. 

Who Does This Effect?

    Most obviously, news deserts widely effect the citizens living in these areas. News deserts can also be created in elderly communities, low income communities, and local governments. Citizens living in news deserts will cause a sway in voting, they may be voting on misinformation causing local governments to be corrupt. This could also cause marginalized communities to become vulnerable to being taken advantage of, in factors like voting and where their money is going.

    Overall, news deserts are a very large issue America will be forced to face. Funding to local papers and media is vital to ensure all news can be credible. Quantity and quality of news is vital to navigate the problems of America today. I really enjoyed learning about this EOTO!

Diffusion of Inovation

 What is the Diffusion of Innovation?

    The diffusion of innovation is a theory pushed by Everett Rogers; a book published in 1962. Rogers' theory is an innovation on how technologies are thought of, popularized, and spread through different channels. His theory covers how different distribution methods over time, through a social system, can alter creations. 

    During the first EOTO, I talked about the creation of iPhone. I extensively got to dive into the creation, the product, and the impact it had on society. I will use this theory to better explain the creation and popularization of iPhone!

    Roger's theory covers five main components, the first being the innovation itself. The iPhone was one of the first revolutionary smartphones. The iPhone included touch screen ability, internet connection, picture, video, and music. The iPhone used components of a mobile phone and smart device to create an invention that had everything a consumer could possibly want to carry on hand. Roger's talks about a product meeting critical mass, selling as much as it possibly can and reaching a stopping point. However, the iPhone was able to bypass this. The iPhone kept adapting, creating new versions constantly. 

    The second main element of the diffusion of innovation theory is the adopter or customer. The theory states that innovations rely on consumers to be candid about the product. Apple was able to create an invention based off consumer feedback, wanting a device that included a mobile phone and music. As the iPhone progressed in popularity and gained new feedback, Apple was able to create newer and updated innovated versions of the iPhone.

    The third element of the theory is communication channels. Although not explicitly stated in my EOTO, the iPhone became highly popularized due to media coverage. As Apple was rising in popularity, the iPhone was the first version of smartphone during its time causing media coverage to be extremely high. 

    It is evident that all main aspects of the theory work together to cause an invention to become revolutionary. The face of Steve Jobs, timing of the invention, channels of distribution, and the invention itself all are what caused the iPhone to be highly successful. With the right components, any invention can gain immense traction and become larger than life. 

    

EOTO - Cord Cutting

 What is Cord Cutting?

    As streaming services have risen in popularity and cable has become more expensive, consumers are starting to realize that cord cutting may be the best path for them. Cord cutting is the act of canceling regular cable or satellite television, to only have streaming services. 4 million Americans canceled their cable within the first six months of 2024.

Pros

    The main pro of cord cutting is the power of choice it gives consumers. People are able to pick what channels, shows, movies, and content they want to watch. Cable allows less choice causing customers to have limited options in what they want to watch. Streaming services allow a vast array of options along with the ability to pause, rewind, and restart something. 

    The Beginners Guide to Cord Cutting explains how most Americans can get streaming services for a more affordable cost than traditional cable. Most streaming platforms offer a free trial option which can promote consumers to try new platforms while keeping a lower budget than paying for cable. 

Many streaming services also have a live TV option. Services like Hulu and Philo give customers an opportunity to stream live television on the platform. This eliminates cost of cable while also allowing consumers to get a chance to stream a minimal amount of content that is on cable or satellite. 

Cons

    Although cord cutting has many advantages, there are many downsides. For customers who don't want the hassle of picking a show or movie, streaming services force choice. Although some streaming services offer live TV, there are limited options on streaming platforms. Depending on the customer and wants of the consumer, people who purchase streaming services should be aware the live TV options are minimal and not always available on every service.

    Having streaming services instead of cable also requires a high functioning internet connection. This could cause the price of internet to rise and become increasingly more expensive. Along with an increase in price of internet connection, streaming services could have hidden costs. Now, streaming services are requiring a higher subscription to access certain shows or movies.

Who Will Cord Cutting Effect?

    Society has already been largely impacted by cord cutting. Millions of people are moving towards streaming services and steadily away from cable, especially Generation Z. Apps like Tik Tok and YouTube cater to a lower attention span allowing users to flip through videos instantaneously. Generation Z has grown up with shows and networks of their choosing only being streamed on certain platforms. This gives the ability for the younger generations to pick and choose what platforms they feel they need. 

    The rise in cord cutting from younger generations could lead to a massive end in the cable industry causing it to become close to nonexistent and lose relevance. However, streaming services like Hulu and Netflix will gain immense financial benefit from the uproar of cord cutting.

    As younger generations have preferred cord cutting, older generations may suffer. Cable has been a staple in many households which allowed people to easily access it. The uprise of streaming services could cause a learning curve for older generations or prompt their favorite shows to only be available on a streaming service. Although cord cutting essentially hurts older generations, it could cause cable to become less expensive and motivate older generations to keep their subscription. 

    My family has participated in cord cutting for as long as I can remember. My mom decided to lose cable very early on and switch directly to only having Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. I believe cord cutting will become increasingly more popular and newer generations will want to stick to streaming platforms. 

Privacy Online and Off

 Do We Really Have Privacy in Todays Age of Technology?

    After watching these Ted Talks about privacy in our everyday lives, it is only natural that we question how much of our life is really private. Generation Z is constantly told to be aware and weary about what we post on social media, as it will be online forever. Posting a solo cup or anything insinuating that you are breaking a law can now lead to expulsion, being fired from a job, and other repercussions. So how much of our life is actually private?

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EOTO - Technology Presentations

     Through our classes EOTO, I was able to learn lots of new information about technologies that shape our world today. Although all of the presentations were able to fascinate me and teach me something new, I want to focus on the history and impacts of VCR. 

    The VCR has particularly peaked my interest because growing up I had a VCR! Before getting a Samsung TV, I had a VCR television that would play The Lion King and The Little Mermaid. Since I have gotten to experience how a VCR works, I was astounded by how much I didn't know. 

    The first household VCR was created in 1975 by Sony, it was called Betamax.  The VCR had a complicated makeup that included parts like videotape, video heads, tape transport mechanism, video processor, and audio processor. This invention allowed entertainment to be consumed in the home. It created new habits for people to watch television, recording and reviewing their favorites. This also began the idea of home video rentals and the concept of cable television. This allowed a new and less expensive way to consume home entertainment. 

    When VHS became popular, it had many more positive impacts as opposed to the original Betamax.  The VHS has a tracking button, affordability, and was sturdy. The VHS began to revolutionize and become a household product most families used, and was now a mainstream source of media. 

Although I had a VCR in 2005, I wasn't aware that it maintained popularity until 2003, many companies were new and upcoming in televisions that ran quickly and had streaming services. The early 2000s even seems late for the VCR to still be used in households, as the iPhone came out less than 10 years later. 

    The history of VCR and its impacts on the world today are imperative to understand the evolution of technology. During this EOTO, I was able to learn about new technological advances that helped shaped what the world looks like today! I really enjoyed the EOTO and plan to work on my presentation skills in the upcoming presentation. Learning about different technologies has inspired me to consider doing a deeper dive into the iPhone and it's history!

   

EOTO - The History and Impact of iPhone

    In the 21st century, the iPhone has taken over America. As of 2024, there are 120 million iPhone users in this country alone. With the iPhone 16 emerging, it is important to retrace the steps of Apple and fully understand iPhone's history. 

The Inital Creation of iPhone

    

    The very first iPhone was officially announced in 2007, created by the company Apple. April 1st, 1976, Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. Apple originated with the iPod, a device that only played music. Apple knew that users carried both mobile phones and an iPod, they needed to start an initiative quickly for a device that had both functions. 

    Prior to 2007, Apple had been perfecting a mobile device for years in the making. Steve Jobs put all hands-on deck for project purple in 2006 after launching the idea in 2005. Project purple was an extremely private, even described as secretive, project that consisted of two teams. They worked aimlessly to create a prototype that matched Jobs's idea. Jobs was aiming to create a mobile device that had similarities to the tablet, a glass display and touch features. Project purple faced challenges like creating the right software and the right display. Last minute changes were even made like changing the screen from plastic to glass. 

    The first iPhone was used to run Apple's Mac OS X operating system. It looked like a small, smooth, glassy block, with a camera on the backside. The most revolutionary element of the new iPhone was its tactile display feature, users were able to use their fingers to navigate the screen. The iPhone featured picture, video playback, music browsing, and internet connection. The iPhone became so revolutionary because of it's accessibility, the interface was simple and user friendly. The first iPhone became revolutionary and the new standard for mobile devices. 

Impact

    The iPhone has become a standard for technology in today's world. This invention allowed Americans to have a compact device, that could be taken anywhere, that was capable of texting, calling, music streaming, internet connection, and a wide array for other possibilities. The creation of iPhone set a precedent for the possibilities of technology. People were now able to communicate through a smartphone that was simplistic and easy to understand. The new standard for communication was text and call, anyone could reach each other from anywhere at any time. 

    Although the iPhone has created immense positive change and progress for technology, the invention also has negative effects we still feel today. It is very obvious how invested in technology we all are today, it has become integrated into everyday life for all ages. CNN came out with an article in 2017 that projected how detrimental the iPhone is to humans.  One point that particularly stuck out to me was that we are always expected to be available for work. Today, work is forced to come home with us even after hours. Factors like email etiquette, and appropriate times for getting in contact, creating an environment that causes users to perpetually be bringing work home. The lack of separation between work and home can cause an increase in stress. 

    The idea of being constantly available can also create cyberbullying. Much like bringing work into a home environment, the iPhone allows many children to bring instances of bullying at school back into their homes and constant everyday lives. As children of younger ages become smart phone users, access to internet and social media is becoming possible from anywhere. This allows anyone to engage over text and other apps, allowing bullies to reach their victims instantaneously. A recent study in 2024 revealed that from 2018-2024, 59.9% of children ages 11-14 have been reported, by their parents to experienced bullying and one fifth of all bullying occurs online.

    The iPhone has made access to the internet and others so readily available that there is bound to be detrimental consequences. As a society, it is imperative that we work to create a social norm of respect, even if it is not face to face. This amazing invention has allowed us to reach amazing possibilities, yet it is important to remember the beauty in face-to-face contact.