# Reading Responses Set #1

## #1- Mary Chayko, *Superconnected*, 2017 (Tuesday Sept. 13th)

Are mobile cell phones the new “passport”? The new “lifeline”? The new companion to “sleep” with? Mary Chayko claims so, as she argues that positively and negatively, keeping our phones closeby provides us a feeling of constant companionship (1). Opening her argument with pre-industrialization contextualization, Chayko illustrates how cell phones reinvented the concept of “tribes” by keeping social support networks literally in users’ pockets (1). Today, cell phones inhabit a double reality, the “convenience of connecting digitally” paired with feeling “anxious, lost, and unmoored” (3). Chayko’s analysis of cell phones in the digital age proposes a controversial question, have cell phones become “domesticated”?

“Domestication” refers to the concept of technology, once immersed into society with shock and amazement, becomes normalized and integrated into everyday life with time. It transitions from shocking, to mundane. What troubles me about Chayko’s analysis is its overwhelming focus on the reality of the developed world, without addressing the lack of cell phone accessibility in the developing world. Sociologist George Ritzer coined the term “McDonalized” (4) to describe societies that have focused solely on efficiency, predictability, caluculability, and control. The juxtaposition of this scary reality with societies in other parts of the world that still lack access to basic necessities such as clean water amazes me. Here we are in the developed world focusing so solely on how we can constantly improve, at such an exponential speed compared to other parts of the world.

It’s clear that Chayko believes cell phones have become domesticated in our everyday life as she discusses our reliance on them in almost all aspects of our lives. However, this is not the case worldwide, owning a cell phone is still a rarity for a majority of the developing world. This is a dilemma I find in many academics related to digital technology. There is a severe technological inequality crisis happening worldwide and it is rarely addressed in the developed world.

## #2- *How does the web really work?* (Monday, Sept. 19th)
I find it shockingly hilarious that I’ve inserted my credit card information hundreds of times online, for all kinds of purchases, without ever understanding just *how* secure my information really is, or *what* makes the process sure. Anyone else guilty? The (not so) simple answer…HTTPS, and all of its added security layers. Web developer Hartley Brody answers the question of “how does HTTPS actually work?” and “what precautions are necessary to protect confidential information?” in his explanatory article.
In my scenario, I can view the web as a road straight to the store I’d like to make a purchase at (MDN). HTTP is then viewed as the “language” used to make that purchase because it facilitates the “communication” between the client (me) and the server (the website). Then, when my credit card information is inserted to make my purchase, TLS (an added security level) is used to ensure safe HTTP connections (Brody).

As a right-side dominant brainer, infographics make way more sense to me than numbers. The visual graphic of the “mixing paint” analogy to illustrate the Diffie-Hellman key exchange solidified my understanding of how a secret (like my credit card) can be transmissioned through the web privately and securely through shared secret keys (Brody). Ironically, just as we discussed attention tests in class, I found myself struggling to read about the Diffie-Hellman key exchange (the mathematics part of it). While I recognize that numbers aren’t my strong suit (or preferred topic of reading), I can instill methods like the Pomodoro technique into my routine to better discipline myself, and further solidify my understanding of the readings.

## 3: *Make It Stick*, Brown (2014)
I’ve probably wasted a thousand index cards since middle school. Flashcards were always my go to study method, and now I’m being told it’s a load of bull. Guilty, I’m a poor judge of when I’m learning well (Brown, 4). Turns out, repetitive exposure building memory is a fallacy that’s been long believed (Brown, 14). Instead, retrieval practices are favored as they strengthen memory (Brown, 4). Brown claims that our memory response following immediate exposure to material is stronger than our retention after viewing notes for hours. If this is true, why do we still spend hours studying?
Perhaps we become too familiar with what we are re-reading over and over (Brown, 5), to the point where our brain resents processing it into memory. Perhaps we need to focus more closely at first exposure, rather than picking up pieces of the puzzle later. In doing so, we are essentially solving a problem before being taught the solution (Brown, 5) as we are striving to learn at first exposure rather than later.
What I appreciate about Brown’s philosophy is it values time. Reviewing notes takes hours, whereas trying to solve (or remember) something on the first try saves time. Trying to solve a problem before being taught the solution leads to better learning because the errors are greatly remembered, and the successes are highly valued. I think back to our in class exercise of using Imgur to embed an image, and through trial and error I learned how to do it. While there was an easy way to do it on HackMD itself, the satisfaction I felt after succeeding felt rewarding, and the next time I went to imbed an image I remembered exactly how to do it. This proves that Brown’s take on learning is successful, when learning is done in the right frame of mind.

## #4 Haters (10/11/22)
If you’re ever bored, just read comments on controversial posts online. The best comments come from usernames that, ironically, have no name at all, usually consisting of random letters and numbers. Why is this the case? In 1969, psychologist Phil Zimbardo found that participants identified by name followed rules, while those anonymous cheated most of the time (Reagle, 5). This concept of deindividuation coupled with online anonymity has created a toxic online battleground for people to violate self and social norms by participating in hate speech.

“Hate” can be a very broad term, which is why I find Meta’s approach to reducing hate speech on its platforms to be problematic. Meta’s Vice President of Integrity, Guy Rosen, says that hate speech is challenging to identify by the company’s automated filtering processes. While the company has released somewhat statistical data about hate speech frequency on its platforms, very little information as to what type of content is being categorized as “hate speech” has been shared (Bond, 2021). What does the content have to have in order to be labeled as hate speech?

As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches (Godwin, 1990). I recall a discussion thread in the “Dix Hills Moms” Facebook group (my hometown) where parents were debating on petitioning to ban books read by students. Somehow, the discussion of the book Kite Runner led to Hitler being brought up. I’ll save the discussion of censoring literature for another reflection, but platforms that almost encourage heated exchanges by selectively choosing what we view feeds into the issue even more. Even well-meaning people can get engulfed in heated exchanges via online platforms, on the edge of saying something offensive (Reagle, 5) also known as “good people acting badly” (Reagle, 5). Yet these companies are responsible for choosing what content we view. In my analysis, I believe that social media platforms create a toxic environment for users to engage in (honestly meaningless) discourse about very polarizing issues. It is psychologically true that humans crave gossip (as discussed in last class’ readings), yet I find it troubling that the crave is so intense that it leads to hate speech being left on public platforms. In today’s age, it’s concerning that so much hate speech is published online.

## #5 Test Review (10/14/22)
1) BLANK are used by HTTPs, and replace SSL:
a) DNS
b) TCP
c) TSL
d) IP

2) Which is the correct definition of disinformation?
a) Intentionally false and designed to cause harm
b) false but believed to be true by the person(s)
c) true of false, designed to cause harm
d) Intentionally false and designed to not cause harm

3) List three ways you can spot fake news and suggest one possible outlet of fake news.
4) How can we avoid filter bubbles?

Answers
1) C- Transport Security Layer (also linked to Certificates)
2) A- Disinformation is intentionally false and designed to cause harm, an example being politicans saying all Muslims are extremist terrorists
3) There are several ways that you can spot fake news. One is to research the author and confirm that they are credible and reputable. Secondly, you can check the supporting sources to confirm that they are also credible. Thirdly, you should check the publication date. A possible outlet of fake news would be from hyper-partisan websites and campaigns that aim to spread misleading propoganda.
4) We can avoid filter bubbles by managing cookies and ads via web blockers, and browsing on Incognito mode. We can also read news sites and blogs that provide wide ranges of perspectives rather than focusing on just one. Lastly, we can switch our focus from entertainment to education, and recognize when news sources are prioritizing entertainment over communicating accurate information.