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Short Answer Quiz #3 Due 11/20

1. The type of social media site I plan on creating is a combination of both Twitter and Reddit. I would call it reader but that is not the official name, just an idea. I want to combine the ability to tweet something with a limited character amount. However, I also want to incorporate the ability to join various communities like Reddit does. In twitter there are so many subgroups such as Black Twitter, Gay Twitter, and Undocumented Twitter. These are all subgroups that folks can stumble upon easily if they identify with one of these communities. As a gay man I stumbled upon gay Twitter by following other folks with different identities within the LGBTQIA+ community.

2. I will measure the amount of comments, likes, and retweets. I have chosen comments because it provides the most engagement because folks take the time to leave a comment. Additionally, I will use likes because I will be measuring the amount of people who have actually saw the post and not just scrolled past it. Lastly, I chose retweets in order to measure the amount of people who wanted to share the tweet/post onto their timeline for others to see. This would then lead to more expose of the content overall and be an opportunity for others to either comment, like, or retweet.

3. The most important factor will be comments because as I mentioned this is the most engaging of all of my measurements. Next, I would make retweets the second most important factor because it would be the opportunity for folks to share content with others. Additionally, retweets are harder to gain so it would be something I would want to focus on a bit more. Lastly, would be likes because they are very common but also do not provide the most information about engagement.

4. I will not be measuring things that are bookmarked or saved. Also I will not measure the amount of views something gets. I chose to not measure posts that are bookmarked or saved because these are not common actions performed. Next, I would also not measure the amount of views because someone might just be flipping through posts but not actually viewing it. This would there for be an inaccurate statistic.

5. The model will learn to adapt to new information by having new content being fact checked by a credible team of people of color. Additionally after something is fact checked the resources will be attached to each post.

6. The biases that will be built will be the ability to censor certain content such as the block and mute features. Additionally, other biases such as having to request to follow and comment on someone will be added. This will change the algorithms outcome by removing topics folks do not want to see and removing/ preventing people from their community.

7. The model will live out unethical practices we have discussed by providing credible information. Additionally it gives the user more control of who they want to interact with and prevents hate speech from being used.

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Week 12 Blog Post Due: 11/11/20

1. How does the #GamerGate movement compare to social movements?

In the article “What is Gamergate, and Why? An explainer for Non-Geeks” the author Jay Hathaway provides an insight on the #GamerGate movement. According to the author, #GamerGate “is an online movement ostensibly concerned with ethics in game journalism and with protecting the gamer identity” (pg.2). This movement formed in order to eliminate the negative association with the gamer identity and community. The article describes how assumptions are made that folks in the gamer community are misogynists and angry idiots. Compared to social movements like the Black Lives Matter movement, this movement strives to bring an end to systemic racism and combat the injustice the black community has experienced. This is different from the #GamerGate movement which strives to redefine perceptions of the gamer community. The Black Lives Matter movement strives to amplify the voices within the Black community. Also, The #GamerGate movement has so much hate within itself and personal biases.

2. How important are online communities?

This ongoing pandemic has made our school and work life be reduced to a computer screen and sitting at home all day in our pajamas. Additionally, as humans it is natural to want human connection, and human connection is not the same through a computer screen. I think of the first time freshmen and new transfer students who began their first semester at CSUF virtually. The excitement of coming to campus and finding our community of people through a club, resource center, or even student organization is now found on a computer screen. Finding a community issues a state of belonging. According to the reading “Ethnic Online Communities: Between Profit and Purpose”, the author states how online communities are “spawning new products such as an email newsletter” (pg.234). Newsletters and social media have become how we stay connected to on campus organizations in this virtual setting. Online communities have become so important in this virtual setting we all want to find some similar form of being connected to campus. Building these online communities is important in order to somewhat have a form of a college experience. Additionally, these only communities are important in order to build a support system amongst our peers whether it is through a club or student organization.

3. Why are in person looks viewed so highly when social media profiles exist?

In the reading titled “Virtual Homeplace: (Re)Constructing the Body Through Social Media, the author questions “what makes locs and afros on Black women unacceptable and/or unprofessional hairstyles?”(pg.92). Common advice to prepare for an interview is to hide all revealing tattoos and piercings and to not have any brightly colored hair. These are claimed to be made unprofessional and ruins a candidates credibility. Afros and locs are claimed to be unacceptable and unprofessional hairstyles on Black women but men who have an crooked tie are ignored. Our work attire is just a presentation of how we are within a work environment and while being on the clock. However, social media profiles exist and sometimes people have their accounts on public. Employers should be looking into social media profiles and what their employees endorse or their actions that reflect the company. At my high school we were always reminded that just because we are off school grounds does not mean we no longer represent the reputation of the school. This same mindset should be applied to employees working in big and well known companies instead of a persons looks. Social media indeed should not be controlled by a company but employers should invest into looking into how their employees reflect the image of the company based on their online actions, not their looks.

4. If companies are trying to build a diverse workforce, why are they trying to reconstruct their potential new hires? How can this be considered being a performative ally/activist?

In the reading titled “Virtual Homeplace: (Re)Constructing the Body Through Social Media, the author states there is “policing and enforcing of standards of, not only dominant beauty aesthetics, but also of respectability, professionalism, and womanhood on Black bodies” (pg.92). Companies such as Wells Fargo were recently called out for not having a diverse workforce and claimed there was simply not talented Black candidates to occupy their open positions. However, companies are trying to be more inclusive of women in the work force but they reach out more towards white women. People of color are typically hired to fulfill the diversity specialist role or to be on ads in order to make the company look diverse. However, these companies are trying to reconstruct their employees specifically, Black women in order to make the majority of their white employees feel comfortable. These companies are participating in performative allyship and activism. They claim they are diverse or are looking to make their team more diverse only to want to reconstruct the identity of Black women. Employers should be hiring these candidates as they are and not try and change them once they are given the job.

Hathaway, J. (2014). What is gamergate and why? An explainer for non-geeks. Gawker.

Lee, L. (2015). Virtual homeplace: (re)constructing the body through social media. 91-111.

McLaine, S. (2003). Ethnic online communities: between profit and purpose. 233-254.

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Week 11 Blog Post: Due 11/4/2020

1. How groups on Twitter such as Black Twitter an opportunity to advocate for change?

According to the reading “Black Twitter: A response to Bias in Mainstream Media” the author defines how Black Twitter formed. The author states how Black Twitter is “a subculture within the Twitter platform, and materializes through the creation of hashtags” (pg. 2). Social networks are a great way for people to connect with other whether it is through Instagram  sharing photos, or Twitter sharing memes and opinions. Additionally, Twitter is also a way where folks get there news because of how easy it is to get real time information from people across the world. Twitter also has different subgroups such as undocumented Twitter and gay Twitter, each of these having their own cultures. These subcultures such as Black Twitter have the opportunity to spread awareness on certain issues within different parts of the country through sharing Tweets and retweeting onto their timeline. An example is bringing to light candidates running for public office such as Stacy Abrams running to be the Governor of Georgia in 2018. This spreads the word about her campaign and exposes folks to the opportunity to become involved in her campaign even if they do not live in that state. A recent example is the current Senate race for Raphael Warnock in Georgia, who I did not know about until I saw it retweeted on my timeline. I was able to learn about his campaign and he is now going into a run off election for the Senate seat. If I did not hear about his campaign I would not know about how I can help get him elected even though I live in California.

2. How can online activism evolve to reach different populations of people?

In the reading “Classifying Forms of Online Activism: The case of Cyberprotests against the Word bank” the author defines online activism as “a politically motivated movement relying on the Internet” (pg.1). Many people have become more aware of performative activism where people share an awareness post but do not do anything more than that such as signing a petition. Living in California every time I share resources I have noticed I am sharing these resources to a like minded audience on Instagram. I feel sharing these resources is not as beneficial because I am not impacting an audience who may be unaware about certain issues. I think online activism can evolve to reach different populations of people by connecting with different people on different social media platforms from different states. On Twitter I follow people from different states across the country. I have even communicated with these people who are called mutuals and we connect about the different things going on in our communities. Together we have been able to share different resources with each other that can impact other folks. I have learned so much about local elections within states like Arizona and Georgia and how I can still help even though I live in California. Online activism can evolve by connecting with different folks on the Internet and getting to know them and about the issues they are passionate about within their community. Every state is at a different pace when it comes to making progress on certain issues such as California already having a plan about how to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine.

3. If social media has proven to be impactful in movements why is it still under minded?

In the reading “Communication Power in the Arab Spring and the Occupy Movement” the author states “the Internet were activists most important means of obtaining information about the Occupy Movement”(pg.85). Social Media such as Twitter has become more popular because of how so many people can not only get real time news updates but also because of the opportunity to learn about movements across the world. Social Media has made it easy to share resources to non profit organizations, places to donate, and to share stories of communities being impacted. However, I believe the power of social media is still under minded because of how social media originally was to be connected with family and friends and share selfies, our nice dinner, or our trip to Disneyland. I believe people feel social media is only a place to find a new dance that is trending when it is also a place to find a trending topic such as election results. Also, considering social media is used a lot by younger folks people like to assume the younger generation does not care about pressing issues such as climate change and are only focused on doing Tiktok dances. Tiktok just like Twitter has many different subgroups such as fandom Tiktok and DIY Tiktok. Social media has evolved from its original purpose and people should look into the balance social media has from being fun but also an outlet for social movements.

4. How can ads be redesigned to hit a target audience instead of being ignored?

In the reading “Classifying Forms of Online Activism: The case of Cyberprotests against the Word bank the author states defines how the internet is used for mobilization (pg.4). Campaign ads are used during election season and air on TV and now have made their way to social media. Also, automated text messages are used to encourage people to vote a certain way whether it be yes or no on a state proposition. However, at many times people mute these ads or unsubscribe from these automated text messages. The target audience has the power to silence these ads that are meant for them. I believe ads can be redesigned to be shorter in order to accompany the short form of interest people have especially on social media. Most people stop watching a Instagram story if it is longer than two posts because they lose interest so quickly. This also applies to videos that are longer than a minute. Ads should be redefined to be condensed to a shorter time frame in order to not lose their target audience. Also, in terms of automated text messages I think campaigns should work on updating the amount of times they contact their target audience in order to avoid irritating the person and pushing them to not vote at all.

Fuchs, C. (2014). Social media and communication power. In Social media: A critical introduction (pp. 69-94). London: SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781446270066.n4

Lee, L. (2017). Black Twitter: A Response to Bias in Mainstream Media. Social Sciences, 6(1), 26. doi:10.3390/socsci6010026

Vegh, S. (2003). Classifying Forms of Online Activism The Case of Cyberprotests against the World Bank.

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Week 10 Blog Post due 10/28/20

1. Is the creation and use of memes always harmful?

According to the reading titled “The Origins of Trolling” the author describes memes as “a group of digital items sharing common characteristics of content from and/or a substance that were created with awareness of each other, circulated and transformed via Internet users” (pg.74).  The author associates the creation of memes with internet trolls who are trying to cause harm on the cyber world. However, memes are not always harmful they can be used in different contexts. I personally use memes when I am conversing with my friends, typically Spongebob and Kermit the Frog memes are my favorite. The use of memes can add humor to a conversation. Additionally, memes also can be relatable to folks based on different identities, examples are college student memes centering on things such as procrastinating. Also, memes can be used to flirt with someone using romantic memes! I can see how memes can be harmful if they are of a specific person and it can be considered either disrespectful or cyber bullying. An example is when Mike Pence had a fly land on him during the VP debate he became a meme and some people considered it to be disrespectful. However, memes of celebrities such as Wendy Williams or Nicki Minaj are not always considered offensive as sometimes these celebrities even laugh about their own memes! Overall memes can be considered both harmful and can lead to cyber bullying but if they are used properly they can also add more humor to a conversation. Considering the topic of memes I wanted to include a meme illustrating how I feel I look before writing a paper, hope you enjoy!

2. In the story of Grandpa Wiggly, how can we eliminate the stigma of the internet only being for young people?

In the reading “Don’t Feed the Troll: Shutting Down debate about community expectations on Reddit.com” the author discusses the story of Grandpa Wiggly. According to the reading “Grandpa Wiggly described himself as a former English teacher living in the United States with his wife and seven cats” (pg.4). Folks discovered of Grandpa Wiggly and believed he was a troll with harmful intentions to scam folks on the Internet. However, folks also thought he was genuinely an older man using the Internet like everyone else. The article reveals Grandpa Wiggly was a character and the creator made the identity as a form of entertainment. Internet and technology are associated with a younger audience and it seems older folks could never be on the internet. However, lots of older folks have actually taken a part of the internet in the sense they are on social networks like Facebook. I think we should eliminate the idea that the internet and technology is only for the younger generation, we should be inclusive and invite older folks to explore the internet learn about everything it has to offer. Also, we should not assume everyone is a troll on the internet! We should be cautious of who we encounter but also look into proving someone’s identity with a video saying hi or a video chat call. However if someone seems suspicious we can also report their account and allow the platform to take further action and investigate the person.

3. How should celebrities or public figures manage their social network accounts due to their being so many risks like encountering trolls?

In the reading “A Timeline of Leslie Jones’s horrific Online Abuse” the author Anna Silman describes a brief history of Leslie Jones’s experiences with online abuse. The author states how “the comedian’s Twitter account was inundated with racist and sexist hate speech” (pg.2). Celebrities just like everyone else in the current era of technology have a social media profile on either Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, or TikTok. Many times their comment or reply section is filled with many positive comments from fans showing their love and support. However, at times there is very hateful comments and replies found in these posts. I think celebrities should allow their publicist to run their social media account in order to avoid trolls and hateful comments from folks. I’m sure celebrities do not have their notifications on in order to avoid being swarmed with so many comments and liked or retweets on a post. I believe sometimes people forget celebrities are also human and have a personal life outside of their roles in entertainment. Fans can sometimes go over board and try to invade these celebrities privacy. Some politicians have a personal and official account on social media such as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). I think this is a great start in order to separate the pool of trolls who are interesting in filling up the comments about their negative intentions. I also think celebrities should turn off the comments and ability to receive messages on their social networks in order to avoid coming in contact with trolls and receive hateful language and threats. Indeed this would lead to not being able to interact with fans but I believe their own safety should be a bigger concern.

4. If online harassment is so dangerous why are we so invested in social networks?

In the reading “Online Harassment” the author Maeve Duggan states how “73% of adult internet users have seen someone been harassed in some way online and 40% have personally experienced it” (pg. 1). Also, the author breakdown the statistics of what forms of harassment folks have experienced online. Some examples of harassment are being called offensive names, purposefully embarrassing someone, physically threatened, sexually harassed, and being stalked. These forms of harassment can occur on various social networks like Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Tiktok. However, these forms of harassment can even be extended to dating apps where people can be catfished or a match on Tinder can lead to being stalked. We are so invested into our social networks and taking a funny boomerang for Instagram or creating a funny tweet for Twitter, we forget about all the dangerous of harassment that can occur online. I believe we are so invested in social media because of the different things they provide. Twitter provides live time news and it is more accessible for folks to report what is going on through a tweet instead of calling a news station. Although, these forms of online harassment can happen to anyone, I think it should be encouraged for folks to be aware of how to report and account or the use of blocking and muting a specific profile they are being targeted by. Also, younger kids are creating social media accounts which puts them at risk of being stalked or targeted by adults. Kids are creating social media accounts before they even enter high school, I personally was not able to have Instagram until I was a junior in high school. I think parents who allow their children to have social media at such a young age should enforce their kids having a private account in order to approve their followers. Social Media does have its risks just like almost everything else in life but I believe we just need to be more cautious of how to navigate the Internet safely.

Bergstrom, K. (2011). “Don’t feed the troll”: Shutting down debate about community expectations on Reddit.com. First Monday

Duggan, M. (2014), “Online Harassment” Pew Research Center, pp. 1-11.

Phillips, W. (2015), "Defining Terms: The Origins and Evolution of Subcultural Trolling”. This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things: Mapping the Relationship between Online Trolling and Mainstream Culture.

Silman, A. (2016). A Timeline of Leslie Jones's Horrific Online Abuse.

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HCOM 305 Participatory Power Skill Post

Nathen Ortiz Participation Power Skill Post

           We are now only 13 days away from election day and what is at stake this election is much higher than previous years. In 2016 Hillary Clinton was leading Trump in the polls, and she even won the popular vote however she still lost the election. We learned there was a significant amount of eligible and first time voters in America who did not vote in the 2016 election. This year there is an increase in first time voters and a lot of politicians have been working endlessly to make sure folks are voting this year. Politicians have specifically emphasized creating a voting plan. This plan consists registering to vote, when to vote, and how to vote. Making a plan to vote has become more important in this election because of how much is at stake. Also, another reason making a plan to vote has become so important is because politicians want to make sure voters use their voice and participate in democracy. Another reason politicians are emphasizing the importance of making a plan to vote is because they do not want a repeat of 2016 where many undecided voters sit out on the election. To continue, this year sources such as NPR have reported the acts of voter suppression that have occurred with only 13 days away from election day. These acts include tricking voters and creating unofficial ballot boxes in various counties, this leads to votes not being counted. Recently congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) promoted iwillvote.com as a source for folks to start making a plan a vote. Using this website eliminates the judgement first time voters fear they will experience for not knowing how to being the voting process. The website is user friendly in order to not drive away voters for it being to difficult to use. Additionally, this website breaks down the voting plan by each step for each state. Using AOC to promote the website also calls to attention young and first time voters who support her political beliefs. Lastly, the website is a resource in helping folks still participate in democracy despite the acts of voter suppression that are occurring.

           Rheingold’s definition of connective blogging is “going beyond telling your public why it should click on this link” (pg.124). Also, Rheingold states how connective blogging is done for “a massive audience and links sources of an idea expressed” (pg. 124). My post reflects definition of connective blogging because it does explain why folks should click on the link but also provides a broader context of the overall theme of voting. Another reason my post reflects Rheingold’s definition is because it takes the idea of making a plan to vote and links it to a source such as iwillvote.com. I chose voting as my content because of how relevant it is considering we are 13 days away from election day. Also, I chose this content because I wanted to highlight a little bit of how this election is different than 2016 because of how much folks are emphasizing creating a voting plan. My imagined public is first time voters who have turned 18 and can finally vote in such an important election like this one. However, my imagined public is also folks who did not vote in 2016 but were eligible to. I chose this as my imagined public because I feel it would be very important for them to learn about what specifically a voting plan. Additionally, I also wanted to highlight a certain resource like iwillvote.com which I just discovered yesterday watching AOC’s live twitch steam where she promoted the website and played Among Us. In the supplemental video focusing on Henry Jenkins and participatory culture he begins by stating how young people learned a lot of things they were interest in outside of school. In the context of voting turning 18 and being able to vote is something some people look forward to, however they are not taught within high school how to go about that process. Twitch being a streaming platform, Among Us being a popular video game at the moment, and AOC being a politician lots of young people believe in, her live stream yesterday came in perfect timing with being 13 days away from the election. Her livestream caught a lot of attention and the iwillvote.com website caught a lot of attention. Young folks tuning into her live stream are supporting Jenkins statement of how young folks learn about what they are interested in outside of school in other platforms, Twitch being a current example. In “Mashable’s Guide to Twitter”, the article creates a step by step process on how to set up a Twitter account and how this is a social media app that allows folks to demonstrate participatory culture. Twitter allows you to follow hashtags and be a part of certain lists based on interests such as memes and voting. This connects to how folks can discover links to blog posts like mine which are examples of connective blogging. Additionally, I chose Tumblr because I have experience using this cite to create blogs however I enjoyed the challenge of having to create a connective blog.

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Week 8 Post due (10/14/20)

1.  How are fractured identities present in our current world, even though we live without cyborgs?

In the reading “A Cyborg Manifesto; Science, Technology, and Socialist-Feminism in the Late Twentieth Century” the author Donna Haraway states how identities can be based on “gender, race, and class” (pg.356). Additionally the author makes a great point of how “there is nothing about being female that naturally binds women” (pg.356). This represents the idea of the fractured identity being present in our current world. Women are not binded naturally in various different aspects. An example is Donald Trump, there are women who are voting for him even though he has said many controversial things about women. Also with the idea of feminism not every woman identifies as a feminist therefore there is not unity among all women. In a world of cyborgs I would believe there would be a fractured identity because cyborgs differ from humans. The experiences of the cyborg would not be natural like a human, they would instead be artificial.

2.  What are some examples of how technology has been feminized/gendered?

In the reading “Gender, Technology, and Visual Cyberculture” the author Kate O’ Riordan discusses how “simulations of femininity are found through commercial digital media products” (pg.243). Personal assistants such as Siri and Alexa have been embedded into technology such as iPhones and the Amazon fire stick. These personal assistants use a female voice in order to communicate with you. It enforces the gender role of women being responsible for multiple tasks such as providing for children, their partner, and taking care of the home. This is because the personal assistants are created to be responsible for reminding you of an event, adding an item to your grocery list, and informing you of notifications. Also, these personal assistants enforce the occupation of a secretary being a woman because of the female voice Siri and Alexa use but also because of the tasks they can help you with. This also reminds me of the film HER in which the main character fell in love with a program using a female voice. It enforces how the feminine voice is considered seductive which leads to men in power not taking women seriously when they should in fact take them seriously.

3. Has the internet made it more possible for hate crimes to occur?

In the reading “Gender, White Supremacy, and the Internet” the author describes how Bonnie Jouhari “is the white mother of a biracial child who was harassed, forced from her home, stalked, and terrorized by a white supremacist” (pg.61). Currently there is a saying going around of how babies are now born with an iPhone. This saying means how children are now given an electronic device at such as young age in order to keep them entertained versus putting them in front of a tv screen. Young children are curious and having the internet literally in their hand which leads them possible tamper with specific settings. White supremacists are able to target people of color through stalking a social media profile in order to pin point where a specific person is. Also, they can hack or track a person’s phone in order to perform a hate crime. Folks sometimes neglect how accessible it is for people to look at a public social media profile and from there pin point a location. People undermine the harm of having a public social media profile however the risk of having a public profile and being a part of a marginalized community is massive.

4. How has the internet allowed identities to be expressed but as well as harmed?

In the reading “Gender, White Supremacy, and the Internet” the author states how “white supremacy online is a male-dominated racial project as it is offline” (pg.63). The internet has allowed us to express our identity through our social media profiles. Things like adding your preferred gender pronouns in your social media bio allows you to express your gender identity. Now when you create an account for an app or store website it allows you to now identify as male, female, and now non-binary! However, the internet also allows you to portray yourself as somebody else. In video games we are able to create our own avatars and have a new identity, we are even able to play as certain characters who have their own identity. Additionally, the internet can be harmful to the idea of identity because folks can catfish, in which they claim to be somebody they are not. Catfishing can be used to mock identities of marginalized communities but also to target marginalized communities. White supremacists for example can catfish on something such as a dating app and then target a hate crime against a person of color.

Daniels, J. (2009). Gender, white supremacy, and the internet. Cyber Racism: White Supremacy Online and the New Attack on Civil Rights (61-86). Rowman & Littlefield.

Haraway, D. (1991). A cyborg manifesto: Science, technology, and socialist-feminism in the late twentieth century. Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature (149-181). Routledge.

O’Riordan, K. (2006). Gender, technology, and visual cyberculture.Critical Cyberculture Studies (243-252). New York University Press.  

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Week 7 Blog Post Due 10/7/20

1. What are some examples of how companies use diversity in order to attract people?

Companies such as Disney+ created a section titled “Celebrating Black Stories” later this year. In the article “Race After Technology” the author states how “Netflix movie recommendations pop up on your screen can entice Black viewers” (pg.42). This shows how companies are trying to be inclusive but not in the proper way. Disney+ should have included their “Celebrating Black Stories” category from the start of their streaming platform. Their decision to include this section later in the year seemed suspicious and it makes Disney look like they are doing performative activism. Also, partnering with iconic black artists such as Beyoncé to stream her newest film Black is King is their attempt to attract people to subscribe to their streaming service. The article also mentions how the Oscars are mostly dominated by white folks, which explains why the film Moonlight winning best picture was so historic.

2. How can major technology companies meet the demand of products while improving the working conditions for people of color? Should these same people be only limited to making the electronics?

The article titled “Race After Technology” describes how electronic sweatshops have “Chinese workers to complete tasks every three seconds over a 12-hours period” (pg.73). These companies can invest in hiring more people of color in order to meet their demand. They can also ensue they are enforcing labor laws and giving proper breaks to all of their employees. However, in terms of companies most people of color are subjected to working in the blue-collar jobs of the company. These same people should be able to have the white-collar jobs within the company. Recently, Wells Fargo announced they believe there is no black talent to hire in their company. This comment shows how they are not being open-minded into making their company diverse. To continue, this shows how they believe talent is required in order to hold white collar jobs within the company.

3. How can social media apps be monitored to ensure allow things like cultural appropriation do not become a trend?

In the article “Race and Social Media” the article features a segment titled “Sh*it White Girls Say to Black Girls” which highlights the need for “academic calls to correct the demeaning portrayals of non-White women on social media platforms” (pg.115). Social media apps can enforce algorithms or guidelines that need to be met by a post before it can be published by a user. Recently I saw a video on Twitter of a white man impersonating a black woman and the way she speaks. This video should have not be published because he is portraying black women to have a specific vocabulary, whereas black women who speak are categorized as “ghetto” because of their vocabulary. Also, considering Halloween is coming up social media apps should be monitoring posts that may include costumes of people dressing like an Indian and thinking a person’s identity is a costume.

4. How should white privilege be discussed within social media?

White privilege on social media should be discussed as an educational opportunity for people who do not understand the many privileges we have. However, privilege does not always need to be on race, it can be based on social class and gender. In the article “Race and Social Media” the author states how “social media needs to project to combat racist behaviors” (pg.119). Social media should combat racist behaviors especially towards movements such as Black Lives Matter who are trying to amplify the voices of black Americans who are the targets of systematic racism. White privilege should be discussed as an educational opportunity on social media in which folks should be encouraged to join a community conversation in order to gain a better understanding of the various privileges we have.

Benjamin, R. (2019). Race after technology: Abolitionist tools for the new Jim code. Cambridge: Polity, 41-88.

Senft, T., Noble, U. N. (2014). Race and Social Media. The Social Media Handbook, 107-125.

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Week 6 Blog Post Due 9/30/20

How do our social media profiles define our identity?

In the reading “Race in Cyberspace” the authors describes cyberspace as “an environment comprised entirely of 0’s and 1’s; simple binary switches” (pg.1) The process of creating a social media profile typically includes creating a username, password, and attaching an email address with the account for security reasons. However, sometimes these accounts ask for our gender identity, as well as our phone number. Social networks have slowly evolved to include non-binary in the selections of gender identity when you create an account. In social networks such as LinkedIn it is now encouraged to include your preferred gender pronouns as well as in your bio on other social networks. Next, the authors also state how “identity and personality are communicated via language, and demonstrates how race and identity are concretely tied to language” (pg. 6). If you speak a language other then English you are assumed to be of a specific race. An example is if you speak Spanish you are assumed to be Mexican, when that is not always the case because in Spain Spanish is also used but it just has a few differences. Speaking a language such as Spanish leads to the assumption of someone being a specific race and then their personality is then assumed shortly after those connections. However, social media profiles are able to define our gender identity with the use of including our pronouns somewhere on our page. Also, twitter has the option where you can pin a tweet to your profile and you could include the identities you hold! Another example would be to include it in your other social media profiles.

How would you argue video games are contributing towards sexism?

In the reading “Revenge of the Yellow-Faced Cyborg Terminator” the author Jeffery A Ow introduces the audience into cyborgs, and mentions the idea of cyber feminism. However, he states how “the male cyborg continues to march on preestablished pathways of colonization, domination, and destruction through his militarized versions of video games and Nintendo wars” (pg.54). Video games such as Call of Duty are said to be violent because it is categorized as a shooting game. Folks also express how these shooting games contribute to the mass school shootings that have occurred in America. However, these games contribute to sexism in the sense players sometimes do not use the female characters because they believe they are weak. Also, sometimes video game creators purposely make the female characters weaker compared to the male ones. Additionally, video games contribute towards sexism because most young boys who play them do not invite a girl to join them as they believe they are not good to play. This then creates the idea in young boys mind that women should be looked down upon and not included in things. Lastly, the author mentioned how the male cyborg follows the pathway of domination which leads to male users to have the urge to assert their dominance towards women.

If cyber racism exists, why do we continue to push for the advancement of technology?

In the reading “White Supremacy in the Digital Era” the term cyber racism “refers to the range of white supremacist movements in Europe and North America and to the new horizons the Internet and digital media have opened for expression of whiteness across national boundaries” (pg. 4). In terms of technology, we are always looking for something more efficient in order to help us with our everyday tasks. Apple typically releases a new product every year whether it be the iPhone, iPad, or a new macbook. Many people look forward to the release of these products every year and then anxiously wait online to order the new product. Also, even advancements in the way we use social networks is anticipated by frequent users. The rise of new apps like Tiktok or even new updates to popular apps like Twitter which included audio tweets earlier this summer! We continue to push for technology to become more advanced in order to make our user experience more interactive. Also, another reason we push for the advancement of technology is to make our life easier, we want to reduce the amount of time it takes to produce something. It explains why companies want to invest in more machines and less people in order to produce more and at a faster way, also to not worry about spending money on labor. Advancing technology only allows cyber racism to go as we will be even more consumed by technology. The more technology will also lead to even more of a challenge for marginalized communities to gain access to technology. Also, the more technology means more algorithms can be used to target black, indigenous, people of color in various aspects.

How does the advancement of technology redefine gender norms? Or does it enforce them?

The STEM field (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is still predominately made up of males. However, over time women have made progress in becoming more involved in the STEM field. According to the reading “Race in Cyberspace” the author states “technology provokes us to carry new gender formations into our daily life” (pg.7). An example is Apple updating the personal assistant “Siri” to have the option between the program being male or female. It broke the stereotype of women being assistants to men. However, Amazon making the smart assistant named Alexa, does enforce the idea that women are to be assistants. Also, in media such as the tv show Good Trouble the character Marina is one of the two women in the entire tech company after graduating from MIT she struggles to be taken seriously by her male co-workers. The advancement of technology enforces the gender norms by not including more women. Also by assuming that women are in the “wrong” place if they are working with technology.

Kolko, B. E., Nakamura, L., & Rodman, G. B. (2000). Race in Cyberspace: An Introduction. Race in Cyberspace (pp. 1-13). Routledge.

Ow, J. A. (2000). The Revenge of the Yellowfaced Cyborg Terminator: The Rape of Digital Geishas and the Colonization of Cyber-Coolies in 3D Realms’ Shadow Warrior. Race in Cyberspace(pp. 51-68). Routledge.

Daniels, J. (2009). White Supremacy in the Digital Era. Cyber Racism: White Supremacy Online and the New Attack on Civil Rights(pp. 3-16). Rowman & Littlefield.

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Week 4 Blog Post Due 9/16/20

1. How would folks argue about Afrocentric content? Would they consider it segregation or inclusivity?

In the reading “The Revolution will be Digitalized: Afrocentricity and the Digital Public Sphere” the author states how “in 1995 the Yahoo search engine initiated a separate category for Afrocentric content on the World Wide Web” (pg.127). White folks were typically the first to have a computer and access to the internet because they were typically rich. Therefore, most of the internet users consisted of white folks and very little people of color. In our current society many marginalized groups struggled gaining access to the internet when we transitioned to virtual learning. The decision of including Afrocentric content onto the internet can be argued to be segregation because they are not including these users into the mainstream group of white internet users. This would be excluding them and directing them or encouraging and forcing them to only use the Afrocentric search engine However, this could also be argued as being inclusive and giving black folks their own space on the internet to socialize and meet other folks in their community. In our current society many people of various identities are now internet users and we even find different communities on the internet without a search engine. An example is Tik tok where your feed may consist of a community of DIY creators, a community of folks who sing covers of songs, and even a community of pet owners.

2. How can a name be associated with a specific identity if as we grow up we discover new identities of our own?

At birth the doctor is the one who takes charge of assigning our gender based on our sexual organs. Our parents are then the ones responsible for assigning us a name to put on our birth certificate which we will be referred to for the rest of our lives. In the reading “Race After Technology: Abolitionist tools for the New Jim Code” the author asks the question of what’s in a  name. The author questions if  “your family story, your religion, your nationality, your gender identity, your race and ethnicity” is in a name (pg.18). In this reading the author describes how names can be associated with a specific race and fears the stigmas their child will encounter due to their race and name. However, associating names with a specific identity such as race is wrong on many levels. Some folks change their name in order to correlate to their gender identity, regardless if it is the same one assigned at birth. Assuming ones pronouns based on their physical features is wrong just like assuming ones race based on their name. As we grow older we explore our current identities and discover new ones whether they be based on race, ethnicity, sexuality, and gender. Therefore, associating a name with a specific race is wrong because people have various identities but also, folks even have a prefered name.

3. What are other biases technology may have embedded in its algorithms?

In the reading “Race After Technology: Abolitionist tools for the New Jim Code” the author states “tech designers encode judgements into technical systems but claim that the racist results of their designs are entirely exterior” (pg.32). The reading exposes how tech companies try and cover up their racist agendas as a flaw in their algorithms in order to not be attacked my mainstream media. However, algorithms can also be sexist, homophobic, and even ableist. An example is in the tv show How to Get Away With Murder in which the episode follows a man suing the creator of a dating app for him not finding love on the app. He tries to argue it is because the creator used the algorithm to not have anybody match with him because he is disabled. This is an example in mainstream media of how algorithms can harm people with multiple identities.

4. If algorithms are so helpful why do we continue to use them if so many biases are embedded with them?

Having access to technology is a privilege especially in our current virtual setting because some folks only have access to technology within a school environment. In the reading “Algorithms of Oppression: How search engines enforce racism” the author describes how marginalized groups are targeted by algorithms. According to the author “redlining has been used in real estate banking circles, creating and deepening inequalities by race that people of color are more likely to pay higher interest rates” (pg.25).  The reading then describes how people of color such as Blacks and Latinos suffer these injustices in real estate just because of their race. Algorithms are continued to be used because they make jobs easier especially considering how heavily we rely on technology of course we want it to be easy. Also, folks do want to be able to work smarter but not harder at their job. However, these algorithms should be redefined in order to not target marginalized groups. These algorithms should be made by people of color and make sure these algorithms do not associate specific names with a specific race. Additionally, these algorithms should only be made to make jobs easier, faster, and more efficient and not have any form of racial, sexist, or homophobic motive behind them.

Benjamin, R. (2019). Race after technology: Abolitionist tools for the New Jim Code. Cambridge: Polity.

Everett, A. (2002). The Revolution Will Be Digitized: Afrocentricity and the Digital Public Sphere. Social Text, 125-146.

Noble, S. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. New York University Press.

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Week 3 Blog Post Due 9/9/20

If people were aware of digital security guards how do you think people would be more cautious about how they use technology?

In Automating Inequality the author Virginia Eubanks describes digital security guards responsible for “collecting information about us, make inferences about our behavior, and control access to resources” (pg.16). Technology has become a requirement for people especially living in a pandemic where school and work is now done from a computer. However, not everyone has the privilege to have access to technology as much as others. For those who do have that privilege, they are basically glued to their phones even before this pandemic made us do both work and school from home. A phone has evolved from being used to do more than just call others to now doing online shopping, playing video games, watching movies, read the news, and browse social networks and connect with others. However, many users do not think twice about using private browsing when maneuvering through different applications on their phone. Apple collects data from users and even gives them a weekly report on how much screen time they had this week on their device. Also, algorithms on social media networks such as Instagram use the explore page to promote certain posts we have looked at such as fashion accounts, dog accounts, or even travel posts. This is done because they are collecting information about us and our interests but not many people stop to question it. If people were aware of digital security guards they would begin to start using private browsing and incognito features on their preferred browser. Parents would also look into what their kids are doing on their own devices and even limit their device usage.

How is living in a society that relies heavily on technology affecting marginalized communities?

As mentioned due to the current pandemic we are currently having to work from home as well as attend classes from home. In the reading the author introduces how “marginalized groups face higher levels of data collection when they access public benefits, walk through highly policed neighborhoods, and enter the health care system” (pg.18). Marginalized communities sometimes live paycheck to paycheck or in some instances rely on public benefits. Access to technology may have not been seen as essential because schools provided that when children attended. However, we are currently doing virtual learning so now having access to technology has become more essential than ever. In the news two young girls in Northern California were found in the parking lot of a Taco Bell with their laptops trying to do their homework using the wifi and their mother was then portrayed to be a bad mother. Our society functions on technology especially during a pandemic and marginalized communities are being stigmatized for not having access to technology but are also stigmatized for accessing public benefits. Marginalized communities are becoming targets for not having access to technology but also by facing higher levels of data collection.

How is cyberfeminism compared to other forms of feminism? Is it beneficial or harmful?

According to the author Jessie Daniels cyberfeminism “refers to a range of theories, debates, and practices about the relationship between gender and digital culture” (pg.102). Compared to other forms of feminism this one specifically looks into digital culture which is very important in our current society. I personally never thought of looking into a relationship between gender and digital culture. Cyberfeminist writing however can be harmful as it goes back to the early waves of feminism. The early waves of feminism before the movement during the 1970’s and 1980’s for the ratification of the ERA, feminism only included cis white women. Women of color as well as lesbian and transgender women were excluded. The reading refers to “cyberfeminist writing often assumes an educated, white, upper-middle-class, English speaking, culturally sophisticated readership” (pg.104). This demonstrates the harm of cyberfeminism because the writing is going backwards and catering to a specific population of women.

How does internetworked global feminism relate to intersectionality?

According to Jessie Daniels in the reading “can and does bypass national states, local opposition, mass media indifference, and major national economic actors thus opening a terrain for activism that addresses gender and racial inequality” (pg.106). This relates to intersectionality because regardless of location people are able fight for the injustice against women across all borders. Also, the reading states how now there is no need to worry about “choosing which liberation struggle to fight first, gender or racial oppression” (pg.107). Global feminism allows for social movements to occur across the world. Just like how the UK had protests in support of the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred across the US this year.

Daniels, Jessie. (2009). Rethinking cyberfeminism: race, gender, and embodiment. Women’s Studies Quarterly. 37, 101-124.doi: 10.1353/wsq.0.0158

Eubanks, Virginia. (2018). Automating Inequality Introduction

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Week 2 Blog Post Due 9/2/20

How is slacktivism present in 2020?

According to the reading, slacktivism is “feel-good online activism that has zero political or social impact” (Fuchs 2017). The Black Lives Matter movement has received more attention this year more than ever. So many lives have gone without justice, such as Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. Many people were on social network accounts like Instagram to like posts regarding how to get justice for these individuals. Those likes had no political or social impact. To continue, many people did share petitions on their social network accounts but did not sign them. Folks share these posts for about a day or so and then stopped, which shows they felt this was a trend. Currently, Breonna and George have still not received justice, and more black folks are being killed due to systemic racism within this country. Slacktivism is present in 2020 because folks are only reposting and liking links to political change but are not putting in the effort towards the political change. Many people feel good after reposting or liking a specific post but fail to understand there was no political or social impact. The energy of reposting and liking a post should go into signing petitions and calling representatives and demanding justice for individuals like Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

How do social network sites go hand and hand with resources?

The reading compares frequently accessed websites from the year 2000 to the year 2013 and finds a difference in the list of websites. In the reading, the author found “the difference is that these platforms now include social networking sites” (Fuchs 2017). Social network sites have become even more popular in 2020, such as Instagram and Twitter. Instagram has made it easier to access resources to specific links like petitions by allowing users to attach links in their bio and on their stories. Also, Instagram has even made resources available in their stickers for stories. Currently, Instagram has included a register to vote sticker, which allows people to register to vote by clicking the sticker and following the link. Twitter has also made ads where you can click to access links to COVID-19 websites with test site locations. Social network sites go hand and hand with resources by creating fun ways such as stickers on stories be attached with links to resources such as voter registration.

How are people still unaware and misinformed of current events even though we have so many news outlets?

In “News for all the People” the authors describe how “we are literally drowning in news and information” (Gonzalez and Torres 2012). In 2020 many people get news from so many different sources such as the newspaper, radio, tv stations, magazines, and even social networks. Twitter has become the most popular social network where people get their news from due to topics always trending. People are still unaware of current events due to not using resources like social networks such as Twitter to get their information. Also, people are misinformed about current events because they do not look for reporters, journalists, or news outlets that they like or share a connection with. Many people settle for televised news because it is convenient due to there being hourly reports. However, people instead need to look for news outlets that do not have a particular bias, whether it be racial or political. I have found two news outlets I like, such as NPR and Five-Thirty-Eight.

How have news outlets pulled away from racist views?

Referring to “News for all the People,” the author claim “newspapers, radio, and television played a pivotal role in perpetuating racist views among the general population” (Gonzalez and Torres 2012). News outlets vary across the country, and some are openly racist, especially in certain cities where racism is common. However, news outlets such as NPR are located in Washington, D.C, where they strive to pull away from racist views. NPR reports news from both liberal and conservatives viewpoints in terms of politics. Also, NPR has many BIPOC reporters on their team. Also, in terms of television, more shows are including more BIPOC actors and actresses such as the show POSE. Television has also pulled back from portraying racism to be acceptable and instead challenges racist ideas within tv show characters.

González, J., & Torres, J. (2012). News for all the people: the epic story of race and the American media. Verso.

Fuchs, Christian. 2017. Social Media: A Critical Introduction. 2nd Edition. Los Angeles: Sage  Publications.

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Week 1: Technology did not live up to it’s hype

This experience actually happened to me last night. I was on Facetime with my friend discussing what else I want to add into my room. I work a lot and I normally would just be home to sleep and eat if I was not at school or work. However, with COVID and both school and work being online I decided to invest in my room since I will be in here a lot more. I was looking into finding an artist to paint a Leo themed painting for my zodiac side of it. I was messaging someone on Twitter to see if they would be interested. As I was waiting for a reply on Twitter I was still on Facetime with my friend telling her about my ideas for the painting. I was then sending her some of the artist’s work. A few minutes pass by and she informs me she did not receive my messages on Twitter of the artist’s work. I then look back and discover I was sending the artist their own work! As it is I was waiting for a reply from them and I basically attacked them with multiple notifications from me because I kept sending them their own tweets of their work. I freaked out instantly and even tried to block and unblock the person so the tweets would not go through. However, I did not because then I did not want the person to think I had an issue with them because they were taking a while to reply or anything so I unfollowed them. It was to-late and I just messaged the person again and apologized for sending them so many notifications. I’m sure this has happened to multiple people while texting. I still can’t believe there is not an option to undo sending a message!

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First Day of Classes

I would have never thought I’d miss my commute to campus twice a week and waking up at 4:30am but I do. However, I am still looking forward to taking advantage of being in a virtual setting! 

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