Final Post: Option #1

 I have been using technology all of my life. From the computers at my elementary school I used to learn to type to my cell phone I have today.  Social media became a part of my life when I was in the 5th grade. I downloaded Instagram for the first time and ever since then I have used instagram everyday. I have other social media networks such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook but Instagram was the platform I use the most. Today, I use snapchat more. I was very exposed to things on the internet at a young age because of Instagram. I got to keep up with new songs that came out, new artists presenting new music, and a new platform because of social media. My time in middle school and high school was a time of growth and realization. I was a very quiet girl during this time. I never spoke in class, kept to myself, and got scared whenever I was called on. Whenever I had to presentation assignment, I would do the minimal vocal parts as possible out of fear of failure and being wrong. However, behind the screen I had all the confidence in the world. Posting filtered pictures of myself on my Instagram feed brought in likes, which boosted my confidence. Getting that type of satisfaction behind the screen was bad for my mental health. I became increasingly more lonely. When the pandemic hit, my "digital footprint" expanded from Instagram to Snapchat and TikTok. These two platforms expanded my exposure to media and communication. TikTok gave me the entertainment I enjoyed during my day-to-day routine and Snapchat let me see what my friends were doing rather then taking their word for it on a text. Despite all the connections I received from social media, it decreased my mental health, lack in confidence, and lose the social aspects of my life. When I got to college I slowly learned that I do not have to be perfect in order to be liked. The reality is, everyone has their flaws and you don't have to be "picture perfect" in order to be liked. I stopped going on social media as much as I used to because I want to go out and be with my friends more and I want to experience the world without looking on a screen. 

Despite all my exposure to technology, I have experienced the horrors of the internet. Some days I will be on my phone talking to my friends about the Corgi I want to get after I graduate. I will go on my social media platforms and ads for Corgis/dog products will pop up out of no where. This Artificial Intelligence is scary because it is listening to what I say while my phone is completely off, violating my privacy. The most A.I. tech is Alexa. My parents got an Alexa for Christmas about 3 years ago. The device knows my parents voices just by them saying "Alexa." Once they tell Alexa their command, the device will follow their command by recording what is being said and searching the internet and telling them what they want to hear. With the Alexa being connected to their phones, "she" goes everywhere with them, learning about them; where they go, what they do, what they like to eat, what music they listen to, etc. This is a violation of privacy by recording conversations. The biggest danger is intruders can access Alexa through your window. The location of the window "could potentially give anyone from the outside access to your other smart home devices." If a hacker potentially gets connected with the Alexa, they have access to everything that you said in the house when you think no one was listening. I think this issue will be presented more in the future. The countries who have access to AI tech are quickly advancing it. In the video, "In The Age of AI" it mentions how China uses AI tech to watch all of the society and "give people a 'social credit' score, punishing some for certain behavior and rewarding other for what the government considers good citizenship." If China can violate their own residents privacy, nothing will stop them from compromising America's technology. If this issue doesn't get presented and stopped soon, then I believe that China will find ways to slowly take over/destroy America from the inside out.