Blog Post #11 Final Post

 My Relationship with Technology

Technology is such an important thing to know about these days. Everything is online now and it has made life easier and more difficult at times. There are so many different effects of technology and media. Parents are giving their children more and more access to the internet at such young ages. It is really affecting how kids grow up, an example is the term "iPad Kid," it is showing how kids are becoming so addicted to their electronics so early in their lives. Everyone is a little addicted to their phones, me included, but when you are growing up with it, then you start to rely on it as you get older. I wish my parents didn't allow me to get a phone so early on. It is affecting students in school because they can't go without their phones for more than 10 minutes. Technology has made a big impact on everybody. 

I could argue both sides as to whether my relationship with technology is healthy or not. I would say I am addicted to my phone like most people my age, but I also understand the dangers and risks of technology. A lot of my job is online and uses technology and the media everyday. But I do think it takes up too much of my time. I wish my parents waited longer to expose me to technology so I could grow up without it and not rely on it so much now. 

I think technology is definitely teaching me a lot more than it is misleading me. It has shown me the opportunities I can have in my dream career and it lets me learn more from others on how to improve my work. But I do think about the misinformation that gets spread online and how it spreads like a wildfire. There are many different sources online that release information that don't know the truth and then they continue to spread what they thought they knew to others. There are so many things to worry about when it comes to technology but in the end, it is a part of society and it will continue to grow and potentially get more dangerous. Especially with the new developments in AI. 

I think for my friends and family, technology has really helped connections. It is easy to connect with family or friends that are in a different state or country. It also helps to just keep up with everyone's lives even if you aren't in constant communication. But while technology has definitely helped improve different relationships, it can also cause issues. For example, texts can be easily misinterpreted because you cannot hear their tone of voice which can cause fights or disagreements for a lot of people. 

My relationship with technology and media has expanded a lot over the last few years. Being a social media major, majority of the work I do is online. I am constantly on my phone and different apps I need for work. It has made a big impact on my life because media and technology has provided me with the opportunity to pursue my dream career as a social media manager. Without the media, I would not be able to continue into this field. 

I've learned a lot about how the internet really works and how everything you do leaves a "digital footprint." Which means that once something is posted, it is out there forever even if you delete it. People have lost job opportunities because they have failed to remember that their footprint is out there forever and their potential employers have been able to find it. When you look for my digital footprint, you will find photos and videos of me playing softball. There is not much about me specifically online because there are so many people with the same name as me but in a different variation. 

Blog #9 EOTO Reaction

One topic I was very interested in was agenda setting and gatekeeping. It talks about how the media can really affect the society's mind and what it limits the public from seeing. 

Agenda setting is when the media focuses on a topic, the more likely the public is to see the topic as important. It applies largely in social media because it shows how much power the media has over society. The media has a big influence on how the public views a topic because of the presentation of a report or issue. An example would be the extensive media coverage given to the withdrawal of American troops in Afghanistan in 2021.

Gatekeeping is withholding information and access to something. Lots of people choose to gate-keep different things, it is very popular on social media. It is controlling access to resources, information or opportunities. 

They relate because gatekeeping is usually the start of agenda setting. When selecting what information gets shared, gatekeepers get the option to withhold which topics they want for themselves. A good example would be if the media is focused on vaccine distribution, and it is viewed positively and safe, gatekeepers can amplify the possible negative effects, which changes the public's perception.

I think this interested me a lot because it is crazy to see how the public can change society's mind and how much information is withheld from the public. Gatekeeping is such a popular term nowadays especially with influencers. You never really think that it could be anything extreme because it is typically gatekeeping a makeup product or a type of shirt. But it could get really serious when it comes to society and the public. Gatekeeping is in all different worlds, like in business, or relationships, and even in healthcare, which is scary to think about. Some cases of gatekeeping can be very serious, when a primary care doctor limit's a patient's ability to seek a specialist's care.