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Technology Time Warp

For the past year or so, I have grown more resistant and less eager to scroll through the laundry list of different apps that haunt my phone. I am definitely more aware and conservative with my screen time. Whether I am feeling bored, looking for something to do, or trying to pass the time, my brain immediately thinks it would be a good idea to unlock my phone and fall into the rabbit hole of information. In general, it seems impossible to unlock your phone without becoming distracted by the numerous notifications that take over your home and lock screen. Screen time has become such a normal activity, that we do not even realize the daily toll it takes on our psychological well-being. In a research article published by the US National Library of Medicine , the association between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and young adults was examined. After collecting information from the parents of 44,734 children, researchers concluded that children who are high
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Recent posts

Divergent Thinking

As we enter May, the current pandemic that we are fighting has started to become even more bizarre and surreal. Colleges and universities are closed and conducting online classes, curfews and lockdowns have been put into place and our favorite restaurants and stores are no longer safe. While we sit comfortable and safe at home, healthcare workers are continuing to battle this invisible opponent every day, on the front lines of the medical field. Although, this time is marked by closures and isolation, many stores and restaurants in local communities are finding ways to scaffold support for our nation’s essential workers. Through the use of technology, creativity, and kindness these supports are thriving. In my small town of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, folks in the community have been busy thinking outside the box on how we can be most helpful to essential workers. A local restaurant , "The Rising Sun Inn", has decided to give back to our essential workers and families in nee
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What The Heck is an Echo Chamber?

An echo chamber describes "an environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect or reinforce their own." Echo chambers are responsible for creating misinformation, which can overshadow someones ability to accept new ideas or information. These environments can be dangerous and extremely difficult to break away from, especially with having the internet so easily accessible. With a few clicks, people have access to endless information solidifying their values and beliefs. People that seek out echo chambers are blinding themselves to other opinions and are subconsciously using this as a method for themselves to feel more secure about their stance on a certain topic. With the rise in popularity and usage of social media platforms, echo chambers have EVEN MORE of an online presence. In an draft paper written by Walter Quattrociocchi, Antonio Scala, and Cass Sunstein, these social scientists collected substantial evidence proving that Facebook tend
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Are Our Lives ACTUALLY Private?

Wow, just wow! I have often thought about what I publish as public information and what I keep private, but I never thought that people would have access to what I am doing behind closed doors. After listening to multiple Ted Talks about privacy on and offline, I have started to feel a little less safe in my own skin and quite concerned about where my information is being stored and for what REAL purpose? What concerned me the most is how people could potentially be listening in on my phone conversations with friends, family, etc. What a concerning thought, to think that my personal phone calls are being violated by an outsider. An outsider who now probably knows my habits, catches glimpses of my relationships and hears about my day to day routine. These Ted Talks reminded me of a privacy concern that I often think about when I am online, whether it be on my laptop, phone, or other devices. Why do I find that after talking aloud about a certain subject, it then appears on my intern
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My Online Footprint

As a rising senior in college, I am often quite concerned and focused on how my online presence appears to my friends, family, and especially future employers. As an avid user of social media platforms, I make sure that the content I post is age appropriate and nothing that could possibly get me in trouble or risk future opportunities. Conveniently enough, the sorority that I am a member of at High Point University has rules that we must follow when posting on social media. Having this rule in place has definitely made me more aware of the type of pictures I post. When searching for myself online, the first result that comes up is the link to my Facebook Page. My Facebook page is private, so those who follow the link can only see a brief portion of my profile. Therefore, those searching for me online would only be able to see my Facebook profile picture. Other things that I found when I was searching for myself on the internet was my name on some lacrosse rosters from freshman year o
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Diffusion of Innovation

Using the Com Tech Timeline was an innovative and interactive way to understand and further discuss the evolution of communication technology. Though, we covered technology dating back to 3500 BC, we stopped once we touched on inventions from 2007. With the rapid advancement of technology in the past 15 years, we could easily develop an entire timeline dedicated to communication technology from 2007-2020. One of the most popular forms of communication technology that has emerged in the past ten years are social media platforms. With a few clicks, social media platforms have made it remarkably easy to share photos, videos, "tweets", and endless information with people across the world. I think the use of social media has caught on as a commonly used form of communication technology, because it allows people to connect effortlessly, no matter the time or the place. I would say that in the past ten years, Instagram has gained an enormous amount of popularity amongst all gene
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Eight Values of Free Expression: Individual Self-Fulfillment

After becoming more familiar with the eight values of free expression, I felt a genuine connection with the value of individual self-fulfillment. It is strange to think about how our country and its people would function without the right to express themselves and be their own individual. It is a part of our nature to fulfill our hopes and desires. “In this way, self-fulfillment betokens a life well lived, a life that is deeply satisfying, fruitful, and worthwhile.” (Gewirth, Alan.) I believe that this is one of the most important values of free expression, because without it we would not hear opinions, provoking thoughts, or raise questions that make ourselves and others truly think. I have the ability to explain my ideas to you, because free speech and self-fulfillment allow me to. Free speech grants us the capability to share our thoughts and beliefs with the world around us. Although, with the rise in use of social media platforms and online interfaces, people may feel less in
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