36 Matching Annotations
  1. Dec 2023
    1. As a social media user, we hope you are informed about things like: how social media works, how they influence your emotions and mental state, how your data gets used or abused, strategies in how people use social media, and how harassment and spam bots operate.

      This statement emphasizes the importance of social media users being aware of the platform's mechanics, its impact on mental health, data privacy concerns, usage strategies, and challenges like harassment and spam bots, advocating for informed and responsible online engagement.

    1. Many people like to believe (or at least convince others) that they are doing something to make the world a better place, as in this parody clip from the Silicon Valley show (the one Kumail Nanjiani was on, though not in this clip):

      This comment reflects on the common tendency, humorously depicted in the Silicon Valley TV show, where individuals or companies claim to be making the world a better place, often as a self-promotional or idealistic stance, sometimes without substantial impact or evidence.

  2. Nov 2023
    1. As most social media platforms are headquartered in a very set of locations (e.g., Silicon Valley in the US, and Beijing China), but used all over the world, it is important for us to look at the concepts and history of colonialism to understand what it means for social media to be controlled in these few places. So let’s start by defining colonialism and some related concepts.

      The concentration of social media giants in specific locations like Silicon Valley and Beijing, while serving a global audience, raises concerns reminiscent of colonialism. It reflects a centralization of power and cultural influence, potentially leading to a digital form of cultural imperialism.

    1. Why do social media platforms make decisions that harm users? And why do social media platforms sometimes go down paths of self-destruction and alienating their users? Sometimes these questions can be answered by looking at the economic forces that drive decision-making on social media platforms, in particular with capitalism.

      Social media platforms, driven by capitalist goals, often prioritize profit, leading to user harm and alienation. This focus on revenue can result in compromising user privacy, promoting divisive content, and neglecting mental health, thereby putting business objectives over user experience and welfare.

    1. Another way of considering public shaming is as schadenfreude, meaning the enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others.

      Public shaming as a form of schadenfreude highlights a darker aspect of human nature, where people derive pleasure from others' misfortunes. This phenomenon raises ethical concerns about empathy and the societal impact of finding entertainment in the distress or humiliation of others.

    1. For an example of public shaming, we can look at late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel’s annual Halloween prank, where he has parents film their children as they tell the parents tell the children that the parents ate all the kids’ Halloween candy. Parents post these videos online, where viewers are intended to laugh at the distress, despair, and sense of betrayal the children express. I will not link to these videos which I find horrible, but instead link you to these articles:

      Jimmy Kimmel's annual Halloween prank, where parents pretend to have eaten their children's candy, is a notable example of public shaming. While intended as humor, this practice raises ethical questions about the impact on the children's emotions. Broadcasting their distress and sense of betrayal for entertainment can be seen as a form of mockery, potentially causing psychological harm. It reflects a broader societal tendency to overlook the consequences of such actions in the pursuit of amusement.

    1. While anyone is vulnerable to harassment online (and offline as well), some people and groups are much more prone to harassment, particularly marginalized and oppressed people in a society.

      Online harassment disproportionately affects marginalized and oppressed groups, highlighting systemic inequities. This reality underscores the need for more inclusive and safe digital spaces, emphasizing respect and empathy towards all individuals, especially the most vulnerable.

    1. Harassment can also be done through crowds. Crowd harassment has also always been a part of culture, such as riots, mob violence, revolts, revolution, government persecution, etc.

      Crowd harassment, manifesting in various forms like riots, mob violence, and revolutions, has been an integral yet troubling aspect of human culture. It reflects the complex dynamics of group psychology and social unrest, often influenced by deeper socio-political issues.

    1. Sometimes even well-intentioned efforts can do significant harm.

      The statement poignantly reminds us that good intentions aren't always enough; they can lead to unintended harm. It underscores the importance of careful planning and consideration of potential consequences in any well-meaning endeavor.

    1. ssarily tied

      This commentary insightfully acknowledges the limitations and unique advantages of computer-mediated communication. While efforts like video chats and telepresence robots strive to mimic in-person interactions, they often fall short of replicating the full experience. However, this perspective invites us to shift focus and recognize areas where digital communication excels, offering distinct benefits beyond physical presence. Emphasizing the concept of "Beyond Being There," it suggests that instead of merely trying to replicate face-to-face interactions, we should explore and leverage the unique capabilities and advantages that computer systems offer in communication.

    1. Some systems have no moderators. For example, a personal website that can only be edited by the owner of the website doesn’t need any moderator set up (besides the person who makes their website). If a website does let others contribute in some way, and is small, no one may be checking and moderating it. But as soon as the wrong people (or spam bots) discover it, it can get flooded with spam, or have illegal content put up (which could put the owner of the site in legal jeopardy).

      The comment aptly underscores a significant challenge in digital content management. While personal websites with a single editor may not require moderation, the scenario changes drastically when external contributions are involved, even on smaller sites. The risk of spam or illegal content, especially when unnoticed, can escalate quickly, potentially leading to legal issues for the site owner. This observation highlights the necessity for at least a basic level of monitoring and moderation in platforms that allow user contributions, to safeguard against harmful content and protect the integrity and legal standing of the site.

    1. Without quality control moderation, the social media site will likely fill up with content that the target users of the site don’t want, and those users will leave. What content is considered “quality” content will vary by site, with 4chan considering a lot of offensive and trolling content to be “quality” but still banning spam (because it would make the site repetitive in a boring way), while most sites would ban some offensive content.

      The statement insightfully underscores the importance of quality control in social media, emphasizing that content standards vary significantly across platforms. It highlights that without effective moderation, platforms risk alienating their target audience. The example of 4chan, where offensive or trolling content is often deemed as "quality" in contrast to more mainstream sites that ban such content, illustrates the diverse nature of online communities and their differing values. This contrast underscores a fundamental challenge for social media platforms: balancing open expression with maintaining a user-friendly environment that aligns with their community's expectations and values.

    1. Munchausen Syndrome (or Factitious disorder imposed on self) is when someone pretends to have a disease, like cancer, to get sympathy or attention. People with various illnesses often find support online, and even form online communities. It is often easier to fake an illness in an online community than in an in-person community, so many have done so (like the fake @Sciencing_Bi fake dying of covid in the authenticity chapter). People who fake these illnesses often do so as a result of their own mental illness, so, in fact, “they are sick, albeit […] in a very different way than claimed.”

      The phenomenon of Munchausen Syndrome within online communities reflects the dark side of the digital era's influence on mental health. The ease of faking illnesses online, as with the @Sciencing_Bi incident, demonstrates how some individuals with underlying mental health challenges seek attention or empathy. While their deception can undermine the trust essential to online support networks, it also signals their own psychological distress. It's a reminder that behind each act of deception may lie a complex, unaddressed mental health issue.

    1. Many have anecdotal experiences with their own mental health and those they talk to. For example, cosmetic surgeons have seen how photo manipulation on social media has influenced people’s views of their appearance: People historically came to cosmetic surgeons with photos of celebrities whose features they hoped to emulate. Now, they’re coming with edited selfies. They want to bring to life the version of themselves that they curate through apps like FaceTune and Snapchat.

      The anecdote from cosmetic surgeons reflects a profound shift in self-perception, fueled by photo manipulation apps like FaceTune and Snapchat. These digital tools have moved the goalposts of beauty from celebrity emulation to personalized, often unattainable, digital self-enhancement. This trend points to a blurring line between virtual edits and physical reality, potentially warping self-image and expectations. The implications for mental health are significant, raising concerns about increasing body dysmorphia and the reshaping of beauty standards.

    1. When someone creates content that goes viral, they didn’t necessarily intend it to go viral, or viral in the way that it does. If a user posts a joke, and people share it because they think it is funny, then their intention and the way the content goes viral is at least somewhat aligned. If a user tries to say something serious, but it goes viral for being funny, then their intention and the virality are not aligned.

      The virality of online content often has a tenuous relationship with the creator's intent. A joke that goes viral maintains this alignment, reflecting successful audience resonance. In contrast, serious content that gains traction because it is perceived as humorous illustrates the unpredictability of digital sharing. This divergence highlights how audience perception can transform the intended message, and once content is released into the digital ecosystem, its trajectory is subject to the whims of collective interpretation and sharing dynamics. For creators, this unpredictability can lead to unexpected outcomes, whether beneficial in terms of visibility or detrimental through misrepresentation.

    1. In the 1976 book The Selfish Gene, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins1 said rather than looking at the evolution of organisms, it made even more sense to look at the evolution of the genes of those organisms (sections of DNA that perform some functions and are inherited). For example, if a bee protects its nest by stinging an attacking animal and dying, then it can’t reproduce and it might look like a failure of evolution. But if the gene that told the bee to die protecting the nest was shared by the other bees in the nest, then that one bee dying allows the gene to keep being replicated, so the gene is successful evolutionarily.

      Richard Dawkins' "selfish gene" theory redefines evolution as the survival and replication of genes rather than individual organisms. The example of a bee dying to protect its colony exemplifies this: the bee's gene promoting nest defense is propagated because it resides in its relatives. This reframes altruistic behaviors as genetic strategies for replication, with organisms as vehicles for their genes. Dawkins’ idea has revolutionized evolutionary biology, shifting the emphasis from individual survival to the perpetuation of genes, thereby explaining the evolution of complex social behaviors and traits within the framework of gene-centered selection.

    1. Knowing that there is a recommendation algorithm, users of the platform will try to do things to make the recommendation algorithm amplify their content. This is particularly important for people who make their money from social media content.

      Content creators, aware of the recommendation algorithms on social media, strategically optimize their posts to enhance visibility, crucial for those relying on these platforms for income. Utilizing trending hashtags, clickbait titles, and collaborations are common tactics. While these strategies can boost engagement and earnings, they also raise concerns about content authenticity and the pressure to prioritize algorithmic appeal over quality. This environment can lead to a diluted user experience, as creators focus more on gaming the system than on genuine content creation.

    1. What experiences do you have of social media sites making particularly bad recommendations for you?

      Sometimes I face frustrating experiences when social media platforms provide inaccurate or irrelevant recommendations. On YouTube, a single view of an unusual video might lead to a flood of similar content, ignoring the user’s typical preferences. Instagram might recommend accounts or posts that are completely misaligned with a user's interests, potentially based on minimal or misunderstood interactions. Facebook, striving to create engaging feeds, might mistakenly prioritize content from distant connections over closer friends. These missteps in the algorithms can lead to user dissatisfaction, as the platforms seem to misunderstand their preferences, resulting in a disjointed and less enjoyable online experience.

  3. Oct 2023
    1. When designers and programmers don’t think to take into account different groups of people, then they might make designs that don’t work for everyone. This problem often shows up in how designs do or do not work for people with disabilities. But it also shows up in other areas as well.

      The graph emphasizes the paramount importance of inclusive design, highlighting the potential pitfalls when designers and programmers fail to consider the diversity of user groups. This lack of consideration can lead to designs that are not universally accessible, disproportionately affecting people with disabilities. The statement underscores that this issue extends beyond disability, permeating various areas and impacting different demographic groups. It serves as a call to action for professionals in the field to adopt a more empathetic and holistic approach, ensuring their designs are accommodating and user-friendly for all, ultimately fostering an inclusive digital environment and enhancing the overall user experience.

    1. Most humans are trichromats, meaning they can see three base colors (red, green, and blue), along with all combinations of those three colors. Human societies often assume that people will be trichromats. So people who can’t see as many colors are considered to be color blind, a disability. But there are also a small number of people who are tetrachromats and can see four base colors

      This statement highlights the variance in human color perception, categorizing most people as trichromats who can discern three base colors. It underscores how societal norms are based on this majority, labeling those with diminished color perception as color-blind and considering it a disability. However, the mention of tetrachromats introduces an interesting twist, acknowledging that there are individuals with an enhanced ability to see an additional base color. This adds complexity to our understanding of color vision and challenges the standard classifications, urging a broader perspective on visual perception. Overall, this highlights the diversity in human sensory experiences and calls for more inclusive considerations in design and communication.

    1. While we have our concerns about the privacy of our information, we often share it with social media platforms under the understanding that they will hold that information securely. But social media companies often fail at keeping our information secure. For example, the proper security practice for storing user passwords is to use a special individual encryption process for each individual password. This way the database can only confirm that a password was the right one, but it can’t independently look up what the password is or even tell if two people used the same password. Therefore if someone had access to the database, the only way to figure out the right password is to use “brute force,” that is, keep guessing passwords until they guess the right one (and each guess takes a lot of time).

      This paragraph highlights a key issue: the gap between user expectations and the actual security practices of social media platforms. While users share personal information, assuming it is secure, these platforms often fail to do so. In particular, vulnerabilities in password security are highlighted, advocating personal encryption to prevent unauthorized access, even if database security is compromised. This highlights the urgent need for social media companies to step up security measures, as well as for users to be more vigilant and demand better protection of their personal data, illustrating the pressing challenges of digital privacy and security management.

    1. When we use social media platforms though, we at least partially give up some of our privacy. For example, a social media application might offer us a way of “Private Messaging” (also called Direct Messaging) with another user. But in most cases those “private” messages are stored in the computers at those companies, and the company might have computer programs that automatically search through the messages, and people with the right permissions might be able to view them directly.

      The texts highlights a privacy paradox in social media's "Private Messaging," revealing that messages are stored and potentially accessible by the platform, thus challenging the notion of true privacy in digital communications.

    1. Datasets can be poisoned unintentionally. For example, many scientists posted online surveys that people can get paid to take. Getting useful results depended on a wide range of people taking them. But when one TikToker’s video about taking them went viral, the surveys got filled out with mostly one narrow demographic, preventing many of the datasets from being used as intended.

      The passage highlighted the risks of unintentional data concentration, when an online survey of different audiences was overwhelmed by responses from a small subset of the population because of a viral TikTok video. This demonstrates the vulnerability of online data collection methods and highlights the need for strategies to ensure diverse and reliable participation.

    1. For example, social media data about who you are friends with might be used to infer your sexual orientation. Social media data might also be used to infer people’s: Race Political leanings Interests Susceptibility to financial scams Being prone to addiction (e.g., gambling) Additionally, groups keep trying to re-invent old debunked pseudo-scientific (and racist) methods of judging people based on facial features (size of nose, chin, forehead, etc.), but now using artificial intelligence.

      The text highlights the invasive potential of social media data analysis, revealing how to infer personal attributes such as race, political views and vulnerability. It raises ethical concerns about reviving discredited pseudoscientific methods through AI, highlighting the need for strict guidelines to prevent abuse and protect privacy. The criticism highlights the urgency of responsible and ethical use of data.

    1. What do you think is the best way to deal with trolling?

      I think ignore Them is the best way. Trolls often seek attention and reactions. By ignoring them, you deny them the satisfaction they're looking for, which might deter them from continuing. Over time, many trolls lose interest if they don't get the response they're seeking.

    1. In the Black Lives Matters protests of 2020, Dallas Police made an app where they asked people to upload videos of protesters doing anything illegal. In support of the protesters, K-pop fans swarmed the app and uploaded as many K-pop videos as they could eventually leading to the app crashing and becoming unusable, and thus protecting the protesters from this attempt at Police surveillance.

      During the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, K-pop fans flooded the Dallas Police app with videos to protect protester privacy. This showcases the power of digital activism, where online communities can unite for a common cause, highlighting the intersection of internet subcultures with larger social movements.

    1. As a rule, humans do not like to be duped. We like to know which kinds of signals to trust, and which to distrust. Being lulled into trusting a signal only to then have it revealed that the signal was untrustworthy is a shock to the system, unnerving and upsetting. People get angry when they find they have been duped. These reactions are even more heightened when we find we have been duped simply for someone else’s amusement at having done so.

      The statement accurately captures the human inclination to trust and rely on signals and cues in our interactions. Deception or being "duped" often disrupts this trust, causing emotional reactions like shock, unease, and anger. The added element of deception for mere amusement intensifies these reactions, as it can be seen as a callous violation of trust, highlighting the importance of transparency and authenticity in human communication and relationships.

    1. Inauthentic behavior is when the reality doesn’t match what is being presented. Inauthenticity has, of course, existed throughout human history, from Ea-nasir complaining in 1750 BCE that the copper he ordered was not the high quality he had been promised, to 1917 CE in England when Arthur Conan Doyle (the author of the Sherlock Holmes stories) was fooled by photographs that appeared to be of a child next to fairies.

      Inauthentic behavior, where reality contradicts presentation, has a long history, from Ea-nasir's 1750 BCE copper complaint to Arthur Conan Doyle's 1917 fairy photograph deception. These examples emphasize the enduring nature of deception, underlining the importance of vigilance in countering it in our modern world.

    1. 5.3.1. Weblogs (Blogs)# In the mid-1990s, some internet users started manually adding regular updates to the top of their personal websites (leaving the old posts below), using their sites as an online diary, or a (web) log of their thoughts. In 1998/1999, several web platforms were launched to make it easy for people to make and run blogs (e.g., LiveJournal and Blogger.com). With these blog hosting sites, it was much simpler to type up and publish a new blog entry, and others visiting your blog could subscribe to get updates whenever you posted a new post, and they could leave a comment on any of the posts.

      In China, there is a similar software. Micro blog, people often post all kinds of hot information on it. It doesn't matter what the topic is. It also greatly facilitates people's lives.

    1. The 1980s and 1990s also saw an emergence of more instant forms of communication with chat applications. Internet Relay Chat (IRC) lets people create “rooms” for different topics, and people could join those rooms and participate in real-time text conversations with the others in the room.

      As can be seen from the picture, the chat software in the 80s and 90s was still very simple and could only reflect text. Of course, at that time, this kind of social software was the most advanced. And look at today's social software is already very advanced, you can send pictures and all kinds of things. Can feel the progress of technology.

    1. Data points often give the appearance of being concrete and reliable, especially if they are numerical. So when Twitter initially came out with a claim that less than 5% of users are spam bots, it may have been accepted by most people who heard it. Elon Musk then questioned that figure and attempted to back out of buying Twitter, and Twitter is accusing Musk’s complaint of being an invented excuse to back out of the deal, and the case is now in court.

      This text highlights that the data seems to be reliable, especially when it's in digital form. It tells a story about Twitter's claim that less than 5% of its users are spambots, which most people believe. Elon Musk has questioned this claim and wants to cancel his acquisition of Twitter. Twitter accused Musk of making up the excuse to back out of the deal, which is now a legal case. The main problem is that the data is not always as clear as it appears, and disputes arise when parties interpret the data differently.

    2. So all data that you might find is a simplification. There are many seemingly simple questions that in some situations or for some people, have no simple answers, questions like:There are many seemingly simple questions that in some situations or for some people, have no simple answers, questions like: questions like:

      This passage highlights that all data simplifies reality and that some seemingly simple questions may not have easy answers in certain situations or for some people. It also suggests that answers can vary based on circumstances or individuals. However, it could be clearer with less repetition in the language.

    1. We also would like to point out that there are fake bots as well, that is real people pretending their work is the result of a Bot. For example, TikTok user Curt Skelton posted a video claiming that he was actually an AI-generated / deepfake character:

      Nowadays, AI face building has been very popular, and some apps have the function of changing the head. It generates faces that are completely different or similar to each other. Although this feature is very interesting, some unscrupulous people will use it to commit fraud. Therefore, we need to use it carefully.

    1. where a human computer is paid to do actions through multiple accounts, such as like a post or rate an app. For our purposes here, we consider this a type of automation, but we are not considering this a “bot,” since it is not using (electrical) computer programming.

      It is clear that this person is engaged in fraud work, she is using multiple mobile phones and using virtual social accounts to commit fraud. Such as engaging in online gambling and selling some things online to commit fraud. This is very common all over the world. This is very harmful to us, so we need to resist it.

  4. Sep 2023
    1. How do you think about the relationship between social media and “real life”?

      Nowadays, social media has become so ubiquitous in our lives that we can no longer live without it. This is because it brings us a lot of convenience, such as making us communicate faster and more convenient and bringing us a lot of entertainment. But at the same time, he will also bring us some negative things. The most frequent occurrence is the spread of rumors. Therefore, we still need to use social media reasonably in real life.

    1. Being and becoming an exemplary person (e.g., benevolent; sincere; honoring and sacrificing to ancestors; respectful to parents, elders and authorities, taking care of children and the young; generous to family and others). These traits are often performed and achieved through ceremonies and rituals (including sacrificing to ancestors, music, and tea drinking), resulting in a harmonious society.

      Confucian culture is deeply rooted in people's hearts. Although it is an ancient ethic. Because I am Chinese, I know that there are still many people in modern China who learn and remember this form of cultural morality. For example, respecting teachers and being filial to parents is an idea that everyone needs to learn.