https://hackmd.io/C5Z8Pc_hSY-m4umYeB6Yrw
[https://hackmd.io/images/media/HackMD-og.jpg]https://hackmd.io/C5Z8Pc_hSY-m4umYeB6Yrw Reading Responses (Set 2) - HackMDhttps://hackmd.io/C5Z8Pc_hSY-m4umYeB6Yrw hackmd.io
I found the Vandukul article particularly interesting because it was a real-life case study of actual individuals who have successfully “pushed back”. Although the Morrison and Gomez paper provided a groundwork for the “pushback” movement and cited helpful research studies, the Vandukul article showed what “pushing back” could mean for groups of people. It sheds a lot of light on how important it is to periodically unplug and become more connected with the world. I have always fantasized about a period where I could unplug and just spend my time in nature; however, it has never seemed possible for me. With constantly having to keep up with emails and participating in school, there was never an opportunity to fully disconnect. In a way, it seems that “pushing back” is inherently privileged, something that Vandukul covered in his article as well. Many people can’t afford to unplug because they need to remain connected with work or schooling. Media usage and the Internet are hardwired into every institution today, disconnecting from it is virtually career suicide. Although unplugging seems inherently refreshing and positive, there doesn’t seem to be any possibility of utilizing it unless you’re operating from a standpoint of privilege. I wish there was a way that normal people could experience disconnecting from the online world; however, with the way institutions function, I doubt that this will ever be possible.
Hi Professor,
I did not do a reading response for tomorrow but here are my 5 responses for set 2: https://hackmd.io/@sherylcheung/Hy4fnmhMp
Thank you, Sheryl
Home page: https://hackmd.io/FW-sqvNDSMGW20D_wU8hsw Tutorial page:https://hackmd.io/pR0m5w5eTzSQ3SZ0halkEg [https://hackmd.io/images/media/HackMD-og.jpg]https://hackmd.io/pR0m5w5eTzSQ3SZ0halkEg Reading response - HackMDhttps://hackmd.io/pR0m5w5eTzSQ3SZ0halkEg hackmd.io
Markdown:
How has social media affected us? Over the years, social media and the internet has become one of the top priority and peoples lives. They are unable to go for days without looking at their phones or checking their accounts. Unquestionably, the introduction of social media and the internet has changed how we connect with each other, communicate, and exchange information. This digital revolution has not, however, been without its difficulties and detractors.One of the biggest problems with social media is the spread of false and misleading information. The speed with which rumors, false narratives, and deceptive content circulate on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter has sparked questions about the veracity of information in the digital age. By limiting different points of view, the growth of “echo chambers” and “filter bubbles,” where people are only exposed to content that supports their own opinions, exacerbates the issue.
Furthermore, despite the fact that social media platforms provide never-before-seen levels of connectedness, worries regarding these platforms’ addictive qualities and potential effects on mental health have surfaced. Overuse of social media has been connected to behaviors like addiction as well as higher rates of anxiety and sadness, especially in younger users. A skewed perception of reality and problems with body image might arise from the continual comparison made possible by carefully constructed online personas. Logan, a student at Murrow High School,however, is described by Vadukul as having “experienced life in the city as a teenager without an iPhone for the first time.” She read books by herself in the park after checking out titles from the library. “She started admiring graffiti when she rode the subway, then fell in with some teens who taught her how to spray-paint in a freight train yard in Queens. And she began waking up without an alarm clock at 7 a.m., no longer falling asleep to the glow of her phone at midnight.” Logan doesn’t have to worry about posting the incorrect thing or seeing what other people are doing because she doesn’t have the temptation of social media and other smartphone apps. Social media doesn’t bother her anymore.
Additionally, Morrison notes that “people who use technology frequently are experiencing a growing phenomenon known as pushback, which they describe as a desire to reclaim control, set boundaries, resist information overload, and achieve greater balance in their personal lives.” The realization that information in the digital era is overpowering is one of the main factors causing this backlash. People frequently find themselves in a state of information overload due to the constant onslaught of emails, updates, and notifications. That being said, users are being forced to reconsider their relationship with technology and retake control over their time and attention due to the overwhelming amount of content that is available online, which may be draining and unhelpful. In the end, many users find it valuable to take breaks and do some self reflecting.
In all, even if the internet and social media have greatly benefited society, there are drawbacks and difficulties that must be addressed. It’s imperative that users, internet companies, legislators, and civil society work together to mitigate misinformation, protect privacy, and foster a positive online community. But it’s crucial to know when to give social media a vacation and realize that sometimes it can cause more harm than good. After all, it’s not your life. > used quillbot for synonyms
Hello Dr. Reagle, Here is the link for my hackmd reading response set #2.
https://hackmd.io/@LiciaDias27/B1jWg-_z6
Phylicia Dias
Northeastern University Undergraduate Student | Music Industry and Communications Major | College of Arts, Media, and Design Boston, MA
Professor Reagle,
Home Page: <https://hackmd.io/tTau29GaTZ6wpdqfEyN8dA >
Reading Response Set 2: < https://hackmd.io/tkMIDiupRmaWWo-AbB80ag >
Markdown:
“A great many blacks have become rich on the back of it. An even greater number of whites have prospered,” (Ellis Cashmore qt. in Cherid, 2021) is something that continues to be so baffling to me. It reminds me of Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad talking about Walter White saying, “He can’t keep getting away with this!” But back to these three articles, and the issue is, that people do continue to get away with this. Within all three of these articles, we hear about others faking who they are to benefit themselves. This feels like disinformation to me, as these people are falsely showing themselves physically, culturally, and in general for their benefit. “Will this ‘posthuman world be a post-stereotype world?’ Chu continues, ‘Or would stereotypes look posthuman?’” (Kim, 2021) is a question that will not be answered because nobody knows. However, I think that the stereotypes may only become worse because of all of these fakes of body images, facial images, and personas.
In Cherid’s article, it starts by telling us a list of people who blackfished for their own benefit. But when they finally admit it, do they get punished? I think it would only be right if this were the case. People should get punished for fakes to benefit themselves in cases like this, as the article said, it may limit others who actually fit the description chances of these scenarios. However, I think it would be an issue if these people did get punished as people who photoshop images like “Coconut Kitty” probably won’t get punished. So I don’t know if there is a right answer.
What’s really to blame for the lack of love from dating apps? Is it the idea that we rely more on robots than humans for connections? Is it all the different lies in profiles? Or could it just be the evolution of trends and the idea that we have outgrown them? Derek Thompson tied two of these together very well saying, “ It merely came along as that dusty old shroud was already unraveling,” ( Thompson, 2019) when talking about the robot algorithm in dating apps taking over the mutual connections linking people. Sadly, I’d have to agree with him. The algorithm came in at a great time and it just boomed. There isn’t much that would’ve been able to change it. But this new trend came with issues too. Christian Rudder mentioned many in his 2010 article, whether it be the lies in height, income, or even pictures. They all hurt your character when you finally meet the person in person if it ever happens. Rudder said this, and it made me think about how often my friends and I joke about each other’s heights. Everyone seems to be shooting the shit with it, but I can see it happening on a profile.
But in honesty, could we have just outgrown the old trends in dating? In Joseph Chaime’s 2021 article, he mentioned many different statistics and how they have grown. But I truly believe that this may have come with time as people changed, medicine advanced, and so did technology. So, although I do think technology changed these trends a little, I think there is a lot more to play into it than just the tech.
“It is based on the simple economics of demand and supply,” (Stokes 2013), this is a statement that could be said about anything when it comes to advertising. It is, as said, simple economics, but in online advertising, it is quite fascinating. The demand here is a product or need that a consumer needs, but with ad tracking, it will go wherever it needs to to get the supply, delivering the product or need. With online advertising, the main idea truly isn’t too different from advertising in other situations, as it just shows the product, and tries to complete the conversion. But of course, there is still online advertising’s biggest tool, tracking. This allows companies to use web analytics from browser to browser (really it just uses your cookies) and continue to get the ads. It follows you around the internet and shows you the demand you were looking at all over the place, meaning different websites. There are so many for this too, as Stokes talks about Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and more, and these are just some. Cleo Abrams, the creator of the Vox YouTube video mentioned Google and Facebook as these are almost the golden children of online advertising. They send their ads but also send out the ads of others. The way these cookies and ads benefit is through social networks or an idea of them. People will send the ads, or the cookies will be sent through websites.
In Abrams’ work, she mentioned how Google and Facebook both have their ways of “blocking” third-party cookies. It left me pretty confused, as I don’t necessarily understand how their loophole works. Is it just like a cookie on steroids? In Abrams’ video, Lou said, “I would say that the advertising-only business model has caused products to become less good than they could be.” (Lou Montulli in Abrams 2020) I’m not sure if I agree with this. I feel like this gets people what they want/need, but I do understand that it might not be the perfect one for them. What would be a better way of going about this, either from a business model standpoint or even from an advertising standpoint?
Isn’t everything manipulated online at this point? Algorithms have been put into place almost everywhere you go, especially on social media apps. And although these algorithms have their upsides of showing what you probably want to see because it’s popular, they have their downsides of lowering posts with the least engagement although it could still be something you want to see. This is exactly how things are manipulated online. It is very difficult for many small companies to start up because of this, as they can’t pick up the necessary attention without boosting their posts. Also, many retailers or companies will do whatever they can to get positive engagement, as they know this is what their products need to be boosted and shown higher. Like Reagle (2015) said, “Amazon and others have ‘let truth loose’ with user comment, but that truth is being overtaken by fakery and manipulation,” basically saying that there isn’t much of the truth left online because of all of this manipulation by companies doing whatever they can do boost themselves. This is exactly why people don’t know what to believe on the internet —consumers and those who post— as there is so much fake engagement that leads to the promotion of posts.
“The main tactic of reputation services is to ensure that enough positive content is on the Web to drown out the bad,” (Reagle 2015), but why is this the case? I know that plenty of companies are going to pay people to write them good reviews and give high ratings if they have low ratings and/or reviews, as they need to try and replenish their ratings. But the algorithm shouldn’t necessarily allow this. I believe that there is a need to see the bad online in some scenarios as people need to know to stay away from things, which is why I believe the manipulation in the online world has crossed lines that it shouldn’t even be near.
So many people on the internet don’t show themselves as who they are, at least for the sake of brands. Nothing feels genuine anymore. Influencers will do almost anything they can to get a good deal, and as we talked about for Manipulation, it has drastically changed the internet. I think that we can blame companies for this because they want to seem like they’re relatable. Like Lerman (2020) said, “Partnering with relatable, down-to-earth, ‘authentic’ influencers was one way to do that,” when companies were trying to promote their brand after COVID-19 shut everything down. These influencers also tend to push these narratives, no matter the post. Some people even make their whole accounts feel this way, just like Palak Joshi did, “‘They just assume everything is sponsored when it really isn’t,’ she said. And she wants it that way” (Lorenz 2018). When accounts do this, it can feel like there is no reason to follow them as their posts feel so ungenuine. In cases like these, I often unfollow the accounts.
If so many influencers face backlash, is the money worth it? I hadn’t even known there were blogs specifically made to hate on influencers, and when it comes to gendered content these blogs get specific; “In other words, the targeted influencers serve as individual scapegoats for the hatebloggers’ ire at the existence and reproduction of problematic, narrowly defined ideals of femininity, domestic life, and the possibility of ‘having it all,’” (Duffy et al. 2022) and as we learned from the YouTube video in class about the influencer quitting social media, they don’t have it all and their lives are full of fake things. It leaves me wondering if the influencer lifestyle is truly worth it, especially when so many influencers face such harsh backlash over nothing.
Link: https://hackmd.io/PRVJ-x8aSISxYx-VlPoPIA
“You post something on social media, you don’t get enough likes, then you don’t feel good about yourself. That shouldn’t have to happen to anyone” stated Logan, the founder of the Luddite Club. Created during lockdown, the club emerges as a response to dissatisfaction with technology, particularly social media and promotes a lifestyle of self-liberation from the widespread influence of smartphones. Vadukul highlights that Logan’s personal journey of experiencing life in the city without an iPhone sparked the creation of the club. Her father expresses pride but also acknowledges the challenges of being a “helicopter parent” without the tracking capabilities of a smartphone.
Reflecting on this, I’m reminded of a time before smartphones dominated our lives. I recall the simplicity of a flip phone, where communication was limited to calls and texts. Life felt more enjoyable, and we were more present in the moment with fewer distractions. The contrast between those days and the current smartphone era is striking and prompts my reflection on pushing back against technology.
Furthermore, Morrison and Gomez elaborates on the concept of “evertime,” referring to the constant connectivity facilitated by smartphones and other devices. The authors introduce the term “connectivity pushback,” describing a growing trend where users resist being always connected and reachable. The motivations for pushback are diverse, ranging from emotional dissatisfaction to concerns about privacy and technology addiction.
The authors identify five solutions for adapting to technology: behavior adaptation (managing time and applications), social agreements (collective restrictions on technology use), technology intervention (using less advanced devices), retreat from technology (going offline or limiting internet usage), and the perspective of “no problem,” where individuals refute the need for pushback.
Growing up in the 2000s, I can relate to the sentiments expressed in both articles. The rise of smartphones has brought undeniable conveniences but also challenges. As technology evolves, the need for balance becomes crucial. The pushback against constant connectivity offers valuable insights into coping strategies and emphasizes the importance of mindful technology use.
https://hackmd.io/@HowardFan20/SJ33_chSa [https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/6d152082b7f18de265c38aefc2cbec5b?s=400]https://hackmd.io/@HowardFan20/SJ33_chSa Howard’s Second Five Reading Responses - HackMDhttps://hackmd.io/@HowardFan20/SJ33_chSa Reading Response 6: Collapsed Context hackmd.io
https://hackmd.io/@lichtenfeldl/HJEsH3ZQa [https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/3e8da31951f4354cb4ab6980ed48c9f4?s=400]https://hackmd.io/@lichtenfeldl/HJEsH3ZQa Reading Responses Set #2 - HackMDhttps://hackmd.io/@lichtenfeldl/HJEsH3ZQa “Today’s daters are looking for nothing less than a human Swiss Army knife of self-actualization,” writes Derek Thompson for The Atlantic. In theory, this doesn’t seem too demanding in today’s world. With dozens of dating apps and millions of users, you’re bound to find The One at some point. Right? hackmd.io
Overload, disillusionment, and dependency. These are just some of the feelings many in the “evertime” experience. Evertime, defined by Morrison and Gomez, is the phenomenon of being continuously connected to the Internet, and the non-stop expectation of availability that comes with it. In their journal, Pushback: Expressions of resistance in to the “evertime” of constant online connectivity, Morrison and Gomez found, through literature review, five primary motivations and five primary behaviors behind pushback to evertime.
Based on the beginning of this response, it’s easy to see how emotional dissatisfaction was one of the most frequent motivations. Another frequent motivation was taking control of one’s time and energy. As someone who has lost hours scrolling on TikTok, I think lots of young people relate to this. The least frequent motivation found was privacy. Accepting terms and conditions has become a force of habit. This didn’t surprise me as it did the authors because I feel many today are coming to expect a lesser standard of privacy on and offline. Other motivations included addiction to technology and external values like religion or politics.
Among pushback behaviors, the most frequent was behavior adaptation which can involve managing time and applications like allowing yourself only “ten more minutes” or “one more episode”. The least frequent was “back to the woods” behavior, or dropping out from technology altogether. Morrison and Gomez describe this as an “extreme reaction,” which is understandable due to how difficult it is to do today, especially post-pandemic. Another behavior is social agreement to not use technology at, say, a restaurant or wedding reception so you can “live in the moment”. It’s become increasingly less of a norm, usually requiring a verbal agreement. Tech solution, while ironic, is a behavior I think should be used more. Common practices include parental controls and downgrading to flip phones. I see it as working with technology instead of against it. In his article about Luddite anti-technology teens for The New York Times, Alex Vadukul spoke to concerned parents who use technology to monitor their children’s safety and location. For the newest generation, there was no world without smartphones. Is pushback possible for them if they can’t long for a simpler time?
Home Page: https://hackmd.io/@tbmanulkin/SyReYTiRn
Reading Responses: https://hackmd.io/@tbmanulkin/HkmvaDb76
Thanks, Tiffany
Hi Dr. Reagle,
Here is the link to my HackMD page with my second set of reading responses: https://hackmd.io/8H7gZ_0nR-Cf6A-5sUjX-Q?both
And here is my markdown for my reading response on the topic “Pushback:”
“You post something on social media, you don’t get enough likes, then you don’t feel good about yourself. That shouldn’t have to happen to anyone. Being in this club reminds me we’re all living on a floating rock and that it’s all going to be OK” (Vadukul, 2023). As described by Vee De La Cruz of the Prospect Park Luddite Club, social media use is built around a never-ending cycle of a desire for validation, often followed by disappointment, and then an even greater desire for validation. This desire for connection is what drives people to remain tethered to their devices (Morrison & Gomez, 2014). This cycle is one that almost all social media users can find themselves stuck in. Instagram has attempted to combat this issue by introducing an option to hide one’s like count from their posts, yet, the issue still remains. In lieu of regular like counts, social media users still base their self-work off of comments, story likes, and one’s number of followers. While there have been honorable attempts to make social media less toxic and less taxing on one’s mental health, there are still inherent issues with social media and with technology in general that make it impossible to thrive in these online communities.
The Luddite Club’s solution to this problem is to rid oneself of social media and technology. Many members of this club have ditched their smartphones for a flip phone in order to self-liberate themselves from social media and technology (Vadukul, 2023). Rather than fulfilling a desire for human connection online, this club resorts back to traditional ways and finds connection in the other members of the community, through nature, and through a life without technology. Within the past several years with the rise of technology, there have been countless studies done on the negative effects of the internet. Internet usage is often tied to depression, difficulty paying attention in school, worsened sleep, and overall mental health issues. While people have attempted treating this with medications, adjusted lighting on one’s devices, and small lifestyle changes, the treatment is very rarely focused on the root of the issue. So, why not just rid oneself of technology as a whole? There are obvious difficulties that come with such an extreme lifestyle change. It is difficult to be a functioning member in society without internet access. However, if people gradually start limiting device usage, I believe that a real change will come. People will once again be able to appreciate face-to-face interaction and will be able to pay attention to and value the little things in life, which I believe is one of the best ways to live. The Luddite Club is showing others that it is possible to live in a world without technology. It requires a certain type of motivation and dedication, but it allows people to understand and see the beauty of the natural world again, which is one of the true keys to happiness in life.
Best, Lily
Lily McDonald Northeastern University Undergraduate Student Communications Major | Psychology and French Minors College of Arts, Media, and Design Boston, MA
Home Page: https://hackmd.io/@tabbyrandlett/H1vXozo7a Reading Response: https://hackmd.io/@tabbyrandlett/HJBE-Oirp Markdown:
I have had an iPhone since I was 13, and truly I cannot remember what life was like before that. I sometimes joke with my grandmother, teasing by saying that I simply wouldn’t know how to navigate a new airport and scan my boarding pass without my phone. Though an exaggeration, I believe there is an element of truth to it- I cannot for the life of me remember what I did in my free time before Netflix, texting, and Tiktok were at my fingertips.
My best friend sent me a video once about the beauty of throwing one’s phone away and moving to a flip phone. Ironically, the video she sent was a Tiktok, but the sentiment really did appeal to me. Like Gomez discusses, there are five main “motivations for pushing back against technology and the technology user behaviors that we found emerging from the literature” (Gomez). The one that resonates the most with me was “taking back control: users pushing back to regain control of their time and energy” (Gomez). I hope one day to recover the hobbies I had as a child, to remember what it was like to choose to engage with my imagination rather than doom-scroll.
The New York Times article on the Luddite club was truly a beautiful story. I so strongly admire the highschoolers in that club. I do my best to choose to read, write, and play my guitar in my free time but I don’t think I have the backbone to make as drastic a jump as they did.
The question about classism in reclaiming flip phones and rejecting media is an interesting one. I would agree that it is certainly privileged in the sense that some teenagers do not have the means to reject their peers and wander around New York City as a means of entertainment. However, classism seems like a bit of a stretch to me. This seems like a conundrum with no correct solution. I am of the sentiment that people can do what they like as long as it is not negatively affecting others, and the Luddite club is simply enjoying their young lives unconventionally. I think that is a beautiful thing.
Dear Prof. Reagle,
Here is my reading response set 2.
Reading Response: https://hackmd.io/@helytsang/SJwUvR_fp
Thank you.
Best, Hely
I apologize for the email this late at night. I just got back from my game at Syracuse and the Wifi on the bus was spotty. See you in the morning!
Link: https://hackmd.io/odNvH41sSoeyFKDmPBFE_w [https://hackmd.io/images/media/HackMD-og.jpg]https://hackmd.io/odNvH41sSoeyFKDmPBFE_w Reading Response Set 2 - HackMDhttps://hackmd.io/odNvH41sSoeyFKDmPBFE_w hackmd.io Markdown:
Despite the favorite stereotype the older generation likes to put on teenagers, a group of New York City highschoolers have gone against the grain and the phone. The Luddite club have given up the phones for a life of disconnection. After realizing how much social media and smart phones ran their lives, these highschoolers compromised with modern society and currently use flip phones. While not all twenty-five members are completely disconnected, it gives everyone the chance to stay off technology for the hour-long meeting. Lola Shub, a member of the club even stated that when she stopped using her phone her brain immediately started working in ways that it hadn’t before.
The question that needs to asked is are we progressing too rapidly in the technology aspect? There are three mentalities when it came to technology users, and they all have an opinion on how technology affects our lives. Never- betters praise the positive contributions that technology has brought to our lives. Knowledge is a click away and so is a chat with a friend who lives in a different state. Next come the Ever-wasers who see innovation as nothing new and not having any drastic effects on our lives. The luddite club fits into the third category of Better-nevers. This group sees the negative impact of technology and long for the ways of the past before the internet was created.
There is an overload of information and with all the innovation the sense of constant availability has turned many off. This new attitude towards technology, is being referred to as “pushback”. Much like the Luddites, people are taking a step back from phones and the internet to search for a sense of the world without all of the devices.
Subject: HackMD- Final Reading Response: Pushback
Homepage: https://hackmd.io/@azhang03/SJ-cQFY0h Reading Response: https://hackmd.io/@azhang03/SkD2wj2z6
Markdown:
Amid the constant hum of innovation and technology, there emerges a quiet rebellion— the movement against the takeover of technology. How do you determine the right time to resist the overwhelming influence of technology? In today’s society, individuals are virtually connected 24/7 through an array of devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The constant accessibility can be both a convenience and a challenge. In a world that demands perpetual connection, how does one recognize the need to step back?
The societal norm advocates for constant connectivity, providing a sense that instant communication is just a few taps away. However, moderation is key, and an excessive reliance on technology can have negative consequences. Pushing back against this incessant use becomes a strategy for regaining balance.
Ricardo Gomez and Stacy Morgan (2014) identify five main motivations for this pushback: emotional dissatisfaction, external values, reclaiming control, addiction, and safeguarding privacy. Each motivation sheds light on why an individual might resist constant technological engagement, offering valuable insights into when the timing is appropriate to initiate this resistance. Initiating a pushback against technology usage can be challenging, especially for those whose lives are surrounded by technology. However, by attentively gauging technology usage and personal satisfaction, users can discern the opportune moments to ease up on their reliance.
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