Privacy Online & Off

 

• How do these issues affect you? You friends and family

        

 Technology affects us everyday more than most of us realize. It is our main form of communication so naturally there will be affected one way or another. More specifically it harms people's livelihoods and careers. Everything we say or do can be pulled from our phones and used against us. Growing up my family would always emphasize the importance of what you say online, call or text. These are issues I had to be extremely aware about because of growing up with technology. My parents are very suspicious about technology and our phones, probably even more on the paranoid side. Whereas my friends I would say are pretty careless, they are used to technology and don't think twice about what they post or text. Carelessness has become an increasingly worse problem overtime regarding my generation. Anything that has been recorded or said through a phone and ruins your life in an instance.  

• What should the government be doing about these issues?

       

The government has always wanted control over its citizens. They want power and our privacy is unethical and morally wrong. In a Ted Talk there was the mention of how the British Prime Minister wanted to be able to see everything on peoples phones. The government does not need to see every little thing someone says or does. Humans have a right to privacy and we shouldn't have to fight for our right to be left alone. As long as you are not causing harm to yourself or others then I do not see a reason the government has to listen to any and all conversations. 

• What can we do to protect ourselves from invasions of our privacy?
  
Limit what we say on our phones, especially with social media, and texts. Have all of the tracking features turned off in order to reduce the data the government has on you. Ultimately people cannot protect themselves completely from invasions of privacy and the government. It is our job to make sure we monitor everything we say or do to the best of our abilities with such advanced technology. 

Supreme Court

 

• What did you learn about the Supreme Court that you didn't already know?

•      From reading the SCOTUS article on HISTORY, I had learned the exact dates of when the Supreme Court came to be and the important cases that have happened throughout the courts timeline. I have always had a basic understanding of the Supreme Court's purpose and why it was created, but I was unaware of when the Supreme Court was created along with the major events that have shaped the future of history today. 

  What is the most important take-away point about the Supreme Court?
•   I believe the most important take-away point from the Supreme Court is that the creation of the court is meant for the people. It is to give citizens as stated "ensuring the American people promise of equal justice under law". We have to remember the Supreme Court is here for and only the people to serve justice and give everyone an equal opportunity to fight for themselves and their beliefs. 
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• What was the most surprising thing you learned?

•         The most surprising thing I have learned from this article is the subtle changes to the Supreme Court that have been made throughout history. Originally when the Supreme Court was initially created there were only supposed to be six justice's, but in 1869 Congress altered the seats to nine justice's and it has remained that way ever since. Along with the change in seats I was also surprised when justice's were required to hold circuit twice a year but then that was abolished. 

  How did the video change the way you thought of the Supreme Court?
• I don't think this article made my thoughts change on the Supreme Court that much, but if anything it made me view the court in a more positive light than before. It reminded me of why the Supreme Court was created. It's for the people and to make sure we have equal opportunity. 

Top 5 News Sources

 When it comes to any type of news, I usually do not go out looking for new stories everyday, but instead my parents will tell me any updates they find important and inform me about it. There is an extremely wide variety of news topics that my parents will discuss with me. It ranges from what is going on with my family, to our local news and even most days, global news. I wouldn't say I rely on my parents for my daily dose of everyday news but I find out through simple conversation in passing or dinner table talk. 

Instagram is one of the social media websites that I use everyday and find out updates on my personal interests. My interests mainly include fashion, makeup, and jewelry. I enjoy looking at the new trends, and "what's cool" in today's age, more specifically I see posts from Entertainment Weekly. This company covers stories regarding celebrity's attending crucial fashion events. On my explore page there will always be a dramatic headline describing a certain celebrity with what they're wearing, who they're wearing, what did the do wrong or right, etc. You name it and it is guaranteed that Entertainment weekly has touched on it. 

I have an Apple iPhone, and in my phone it is automatically set up to give apple users news notifications anytime a major event occurs. Most days I see the little red icon pop up on my screen and this tends to spark my curiosity in what is happening in the world. Apple will only give you the first one or two sentences about the story, but by that time I am already invested and have to read more. Then I will click on the app and catch up on any other stories that seem entertaining or important.  

For my go to reliable news source, I go to the New York Times. Throughout my academic career when researching for a presentation or a paper I will always look at the NY Times to see if any of their stories could give me a source that was relevant or needed. Even when I don't have an assignment due, every once in a while I will go to the website and look through their recent stories to try and keep myself updated on U.S. or international news. 

 Growing up my dad would constantly be watching Fox News in the morning and at night like clockwork. On Mornings before school while I would be eating breakfast and following along with the story that was being presented on our TV screen. From the ages of 9 - 16 Fox News is where I would unintentionally go to for news. It was the first thing I heard in the morning and the last thing I heard before I went to bed. Even though I watched Fox News for years, I don't think this news source contributed to my past or current view points.