12 Matching Annotations
  1. Last 7 days
  2. social-media-ethics-automation.github.io social-media-ethics-automation.github.io
    1. Evolution of cetaceans. November 2023. Page Version ID: 1186568602. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Evolution_of_cetaceans&oldid=1186568602 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l2] Nobu Tamura. Spinops. 2023. URL: http://spinops.blogspot.com/ (visited on 2023-12-13). [l3] The Selfish Gene. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188207750. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Selfish_Gene&oldid=1188207750 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l4] Meme. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1187840093. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meme&oldid=1187840093#Etymology (visited on 2023-12-08). [l5] Oliver Tearle. Who Said, ‘A Lie Is Halfway Round the World Before the Truth Has Got Its Boots On’? June 2021. URL: https://interestingliterature.com/2021/06/lie-halfway-round-world-before-truth-boots-on-quote-origin-meaning/ (visited on 2023-12-08). [l6] Tom Standage. Writing on the Wall: Social Media - The First 2,000 Years. Bloomsbury USA, New York, 1st edition edition, October 2013. ISBN 978-1-62040-283-2. [l7] Chain letter. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188532303. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chain_letter&oldid=1188532303 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l8] Pyramid scheme. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188350070. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&oldid=1188350070 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l9] Chain Letters. November 1999. URL: https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/~mli/chain.html (visited on 2023-12-08). [l10] Janus Sandsgaard. Sourdough starter. April 2014. URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sourdough.jpg (visited on 2023-12-08). [l11] Nutrition Health, Food Safety &. Dutch Oven sourdough bread. September 2020. URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dutch_Oven_Sourdough_Bread_2.jpg (visited on 2023-12-08). [l12] Carl Griffith's sourdough starter. November 2022. Page Version ID: 1120864146. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carl_Griffith%27s_sourdough_starter&oldid=1120864146 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l13] Monica Lewinsky. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1187944516. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Monica_Lewinsky&oldid=1187944516 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l14] Monica Lewinsky (she/her) [@MonicaLewinsky]. 👀. May 2021. URL: https://twitter.com/MonicaLewinsky/status/1395734868407984136 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l15] Clinton–Lewinsky scandal. November 2023. Page Version ID: 1187645037. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clinton%E2%80%93Lewinsky_scandal&oldid=1187645037 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l16] Matt Stopera. Monica Lewinsky Has Been Making Jokes About The Clinton Impeachment For Years, And It Really Is Funny Every Single Time. BuzzFeed, September 2021. URL: https://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/monica-lewinsky-twitter-comebacks (visited on 2023-12-08). [l17] Aja Romano. This is why there are jokes about plums all over your Twitter feed. Vox, December 2017. URL: https://www.vox.com/2017/12/1/16723210/this-is-just-to-say-plums-twitter-baby-shoes (visited on 2023-12-08). [l18] Ecological niche. October 2023. Page Version ID: 1182139023. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ecological_niche&oldid=1182139023 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l19] Tanya Chen. A 27-Year-Old Composer Has Inspired One Of The Most Epic And Delightful Duet Chains On TikTok. BuzzFeed News, October 2020. URL: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tanyachen/epic-tiktok-chain-musical-fighting-in-a-grocery-store (visited on 2023-12-08). [l20] Natalie [@historyadjunct]. Without downloading any new pics, what’s your energy going into 2022? January 2022. URL: https://twitter.com/historyadjunct/status/1477282737430147073 (visited on 2023-12-09). [l21] Star Wars Kid. December 2008. URL: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/star-wars-kid (visited on 2023-12-08). [l22] Rebecca Black - Friday. March 2011. URL: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/rebecca-black-friday (visited on 2023-12-08). [l23] Bean Dad. January 2021. URL: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/bean-dad (visited on 2023-12-08). [l24] Twitter's Main Character. September 2020. URL: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/twitters-main-character (visited on 2023-12-08). [l25] Dennis Lee. I made that viral Spaghettio pie that everyone is crapping themselves over. January 2021. URL: https://foodisstupid.substack.com/p/i-made-that-viral-spaghettio-pie (visited on 2023-12-08). [l26] Gina Vaynshteyn. I Made The Viral SpaghettiO And Milk Pie So That You Don’t Have To. February 2021. URL: https://www.scarymommy.com/spotted/spaghettio-pie (visited on 2023-12-08). [l27] Ryan Broderick. Your Least Favorite Gross Viral Food Videos Are All Connected to This Guy. Eater, May 2021. URL: https://www.eater.com/2021/5/11/22430383/why-are-gross-viral-food-videos-popular-rick-lax-facebook-watch (visited on 2023-12-08). [l28] Rowland Manthorpe. It's the attention economy, stupid: why Trump represents the future whether we like it or not. Wired UK, 2016. URL: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/us-president-donald-trump-attention-economy (visited on 2023-12-08). [l29] Nat King Cole. Nature Boy. March 1948. URL: https://genius.com/Nat-king-cole-nature-boy-lyrics (visited on 2023-12-08). [l30] This Looks Like A Cavalcade Of Beggars Sin And Wine Lyrics. November 2021. URL: https://thegeniuslyrics.com/this-looks-like-a-cavalcade-of-beggars-sin-and-wine-lyrics/ (visited on 2023-12-08). [l31] Morgan Sung. Their children went viral. Now they wish they could wipe them from the internet. NBC News, November 2022. URL: https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/influencers-parents-posting-kids-online-privacy-security-concerns-rcna55318 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l32] The Onion. ‘Do You Mind If I Put You In My TikTok?’ Asks Younger Cousin About To Ruin Your Life. The Onion, November 2019. URL: https://www.theonion.com/do-you-mind-if-i-put-you-in-my-tiktok-asks-younger-c-1840052744 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l33] Central Park birdwatching incident. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188867291. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Central_Park_birdwatching_incident&oldid=1188867291 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l34] Murder of George Floyd. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188546892. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_George_Floyd&oldid=1188546892 (visited on 2023-12-08). [l35] Taylor Lorenz. Elon Musk: Memelord or Meme Lifter? The New York Times, May 2021. URL: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/07/style/elon-musk-memes.html (visited on 2023-12-08). [l36] Miles Klee. Tesla CEO Elon Musk stole my meme. SFGATE, April 2021. URL: https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/2021-04-elon-musk-twitter-covid-19-meme-tesla-ceo-16118139.php (visited on 2023-12-08). [l37] Matt Novak. 18 Jokes Elon Musk Stole From His Fans On Twitter. URL: https://www.forbes.co

      I looked at [l48] “We Need to Talk About Digital Blackface in GIFs” from Teen Vogue (2017). This article really stood out to me because it explains how using GIFs of Black people to express exaggerated emotions can unintentionally repeat old stereotypes — similar to how blackface mocked Black expression in the past. What I found powerful was how it connected something as casual as sending a reaction GIF to deeper issues of race and representation online.

      This source made me think about how easy it is to participate in cultural appropriation without realizing it. It also connects to the chapter’s point about “copying” — that not all copying is harmless or funny; sometimes it carries history and meaning that needs to be respected. I think this article pushes readers to be more self-aware and ethical about what we share, even in small everyday actions on social media.

    1. Much of the internet has developed a culture of copying without necessarily giving attribution to where it came from. Often, unlike with Elon Musk, this copying also involves modifying the content, recontextualizing the content to give it new meaning, or combining it with other content

      Reading this section made me think about how normalized copying has become online. Platforms like TikTok, Twitter, and even meme pages thrive on remixing and reposting, but most people never think about who originally made something. Personally, I’ve shared memes and gifs without even realizing they came from artists who might want credit. I think Confucius’s idea of “li”—doing what’s proper and respectful—applies here: giving credit isn’t just a rule, it’s a way of showing respect for the creator and the community.

      At the same time, I agree with Michael Wesch’s point that remixing can be a form of cultural expression and creativity, not just theft. It’s tricky, though, when remixing turns into cultural appropriation—like when certain slang or imagery from Black culture is taken and used for jokes by people outside the culture. I think the line between cultural exchange and appropriation comes down to intent and respect. If you’re sharing something to appreciate and understand, that’s exchange. But if it’s just for clout or laughs, it’s exploitation.

      This section really made me rethink how I use memes and social media. I’m going to start paying more attention to where things come from—and maybe even give credit when I can, even if it’s just a tag or mention.

  3. Oct 2025
  4. social-media-ethics-automation.github.io social-media-ethics-automation.github.io
    1. 10.6. Bibliography# [j1] Social model of disability. November 2023. Page Version ID: 1184222120. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Social_model_of_disability&oldid=1184222120#Social_construction_of_disability (visited on 2023-12-07). [j2] Color blindness. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188749829. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Color_blindness&oldid=1188749829 (visited on 2023-12-07). [j3] David Robson. The women with superhuman vision. BBC, February 2022. URL: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140905-the-women-with-super-human-vision (visited on 2023-12-07). [j4] Mayo Clinic Staff. Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) - Symptoms and causes. 2023. URL: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20360490 (visited on 2023-12-07). [j5] Ableism. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188412565. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ableism&oldid=1188412565 (visited on 2023-12-07). [j6] Ash. Autism is NOT A Disability. July 2022. URL: https://www.autism360.com/autism-is-not-a-disability/ (visited on 2023-12-07). [j7] Neurodiversity. November 2023. Page Version ID: 1187185735. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neurodiversity&oldid=1187185735#Neurotypical (visited on 2023-12-07). [j8] Mayo Clinic Staff. Generalized anxiety disorder - Symptoms and causes. 2017. URL: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/generalized-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20360803 (visited on 2023-12-07). [j9] Mayo Clinic Staff. Depression (major depressive disorder) - Symptoms and causes. 2022. URL: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007 (visited on 2023-12-07). [j10] Myopia. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188263181. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Myopia&oldid=1188263181 (visited on 2023-12-07). [j11] How to ADHD. What is ADHD? July 2020. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMWtGozn5jU (visited on 2023-12-07). [j12] How to ADHD. What is Executive Function and Why Do We Need it? March 2021. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4YIHrEu-TU (visited on 2023-12-07). [j13] Assistive technology. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188353371. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Assistive_technology&oldid=1188353371 (visited on 2023-12-07). [j14] Liftware - Eat with confidence. URL: https://www.liftware.com/ (visited on 2023-12-07). [j15] C. L. Lynch. Invisible Abuse: ABA and the things only autistic people can see. NeuroClastic, March 2019. URL: https://neuroclastic.com/invisible-abuse-aba-and-the-things-only-autistic-people-can-see/ (visited on 2023-12-07). [j16] The Lies and Dangers of "Conversion Therapy". URL: https://www.hrc.org/resources/the-lies-and-dangers-of-reparative-therapy (visited on 2023-12-07). [j17] Universal design. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188054790. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Universal_design&oldid=1188054790 (visited on 2023-12-07). [j18] Jacob O. Wobbrock, Shaun K. Kane, Krzysztof Z. Gajos, Susumu Harada, and Jon Froehlich. Ability-Based Design: Concept, Principles and Examples. ACM Trans. Access. Comput., 3(3):9:1–9:27, April 2011. URL: https://doi.org/10.1145/1952383.1952384 (visited on 2023-12-07), doi:10.1145/1952383.1952384. [j19] Inclusive design. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188074097. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Inclusive_design&oldid=1188074097 (visited on 2023-12-07). [j20] Rumman Chowdhury. Sharing learnings about our image cropping algorithm. May 2021. URL: https://blog.twitter.com/engineering/en_us/topics/insights/2021/sharing-learnings-about-our-image-cropping-algorithm (visited on 2023-12-07). [j21] Cynthia Bennett. Cynthia Bennett – Human-Computer Interaction Researcher. 2022. URL: https://www.bennettc.com/ (visited on 2023-12-07). [j22] Sasha Costanza-Chock. Design Justice : Community-Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need. The MIT Press, 2020. ISBN 978-0-262-35686-2 978-0-262-04345-8. URL: https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/78577 (visited on 2023-12-15), doi:10.7551/mitpress/12255.001.0001. [j23] Meg Miller and Ilaria Parogni. The Hidden Image Descriptions Making the Internet Accessible. The New York Times, February 2022. URL: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/02/18/arts/alt-text-images-descriptions.html (visited on 2023-12-07). [j24] Alannah Oleson. Beyond “Average” Users: Building Inclusive Design Skills with the CIDER Technique. Bits and Behavior, October 2022. URL: https://medium.com/bits-and-behavior/beyond-average-users-building-inclusive-design-skills-with-the-cider-technique-413969544e6d (visited on 2023-12-07).

      I looked at Sasha Costanza-Chock’s Design Justice book [j22], and I really liked how it focuses on who actually gets to be part of the design process. The author talks about how design should be led by the people who are most affected by it, instead of just big companies or tech experts. That connects really well to what the chapter said about “who gets to be designers.” It made me think that if more people from different backgrounds helped design technology, things like the soap dispenser problem probably wouldn’t happen.

    1. 10.3. Why It Matters Who Designs# 10.3.1. Who gets designed for# 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 following tweet has a video of a soap dispenser that apparently was only designed to work for people with light-colored skin.[1] If you have ever had a problem grasping the importance of diversity in tech and its impact on society, watch this video pic.twitter.com/ZJ1Je1C4NW— Chukwuemeka Afigbo (@nke_ise) August 16, 2017 Similarly, Twitter looked into bias in how their automatic image cropping algorithm worked [j20]. 10.3.2. Who gets to be designers# In how we’ve been talking about accessible design, the way we’ve been phrasing things has implied a separation between designers who make things, and the disabled people who things are made for. And unfortunately, as researcher Dr. Cynthia Bennett [j21] points out, disabled people are often excluded from designing for themselves, or even when they do participate in the design, they aren’t considered to be the “real designers.” You can see Dr. Bennet’s research talk on this in the following Youtube Video: 10.3.3. Design Justice# We mentioned Design Justice [j22] earlier, but it is worth reiterating again here that design justice includes considering which groups get to be part of the design process itself. [1] If you can’t see the video, it shows someone with light skin putting their hand under a soap dispenser, and soap comes out. Then a person with dark skin puts their hand under a soap dispenser, and nothing happens. The person with dark skin then puts a white paper towel on their hand and then when they put their hand under the soap dispenser, soap comes out. When the person with dark skin takes off the white paper towel, the soap dispenser won’t work for them anymore.

      This part made me realize how a lot of designs are made without thinking about everyone who’ll use them. That soap dispenser example was crazy — I never knew something so small could show such a big problem. It really shows why diversity in tech matters. I also thought it was interesting when Dr. Cynthia Bennett talked about how people with disabilities aren’t seen as “real designers,” even when they help create things. That’s messed up. It made me think that tech should include more voices from different people so things work better for everyone.

  5. social-media-ethics-automation.github.io social-media-ethics-automation.github.io
    1. 8.9. Bibliography# [h1] Web tracking. October 2023. Page Version ID: 1181294364. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Web_tracking&oldid=1181294364 (visited on 2023-12-05). [h2] Kurt Wagner. This is how Facebook collects data on you even if you don’t have an account. Vox, April 2018. URL: https://www.vox.com/2018/4/20/17254312/facebook-shadow-profiles-data-collection-non-users-mark-zuckerberg (visited on 2023-12-05). [h3] API. November 2023. Page Version ID: 1187436026. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=API&oldid=1187436026 (visited on 2023-12-05). [h4] Ilya (Marshal) Siamionau. Getting Started: The AT Protocol SDK. 2024. URL: https://atproto.blue/readme.html (visited on 2025-04-03). [h5] Ilya (Marshal) Siamionau. Client - atproto. 2024. URL: https://atproto.blue/atproto_client/client.html (visited on 2025-04-03). [h6] Atproto/examples at main · MarshalX/atproto. 2025. URL: MarshalX/atproto (visited on 2025-04-03). [h7] AT Protocol. 2025. URL: https://atproto.com/ (visited on 2025-04-03). [h8] Everything Everywhere All at Once. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188074672. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Everything_Everywhere_All_at_Once&oldid=1188074672 (visited on 2023-12-05). [h9] Jordan Pearson. Your Friends’ Online Connections Can Reveal Your Sexual Orientation. Vice, September 2014. URL: https://www.vice.com/en/article/gvydky/your-friends-online-connections-can-reveal-your-sexual-orientation (visited on 2023-12-05). [h10] Catherine Stinson. The Dark Past of Algorithms That Associate Appearance and Criminality. American Scientist, January 2021. URL: https://www.americanscientist.org/article/the-dark-past-of-algorithms-that-associate-appearance-and-criminality (visited on 2023-12-05). [h11] Greg Miller. Researchers are tracking another pandemic, too—of coronavirus misinformation. Science, March 2020. URL: https://www.science.org/content/article/researchers-are-tracking-another-epidemic-too-misinformation (visited on 2023-12-05). [h12] eleanor [@zornsllama]. Blue line: daily COVID cases in the USA red line: bad reviews of Yankee Candles on Amazon saying "they don't have any scent" sources: google and https://t.co/oZm6ro0E1S. December 2021. URL: https://twitter.com/zornsllama/status/1473575508784955394 (visited on 2023-12-05). [h13] Spurious relationship. November 2023. Page Version ID: 1184161183. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spurious_relationship&oldid=1184161183 (visited on 2023-12-05). [h14] Tyler Vigen. Spurious correlations. November 2023. URL: http://tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations (visited on 2023-12-05). [h15] ABC News: 538. 2023. URL: https://abcnews.go.com/538 (visited on 2023-12-05). [h16] FiveThirtyEight. 2023. URL: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/p-hacking/ (visited on 2023-12-05). [h17] Christie Aschwanden. Science Isn’t Broken. FiveThirtyEight, August 2015. URL: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/science-isnt-broken/ (visited on 2023-12-05). [h18] Dan Sabbagh. Trump 2016 campaign 'targeted 3.5m black Americans to deter them from voting'. The Guardian, September 2020. URL: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/28/trump-2016-campaign-targeted-35m-black-americans-to-deter-them-from-voting (visited on 2023-12-05). [h19] Marie C. Baca. Housing companies used Facebook’s ad system to discriminate against older people, according to new human rights complaints. Washington Post, September 2020. URL: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/09/18/housing-companies-used-facebooks-ad-system-discriminate-against-older-people-according-new-human-rights-charges/ (visited on 2023-12-05). [h20] Nicole Nguyen. Here's Who Facebook Thinks You Really Are. September 2016. Section: Tech. URL: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nicolenguyen/facebook-ad-preferences-pretty-accurate-tbh (visited on 2024-01-30). [h21] Lindsey Murray. Here's How to Find Out Everything Facebook Knows About You. May 2017. Section: Life. URL: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/news/a44016/facebook-privacy-ad-settings/ (visited on 2024-01-30). [h22] Rafi Letzter. A teenager on TikTok disrupted thousands of scientific studies with a single video. The Verge, September 2021. URL: https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/24/22688278/tiktok-science-study-survey-prolific (visited on 2023-12-05). [h23] Lauren Leffer. CNET Is Reviewing the Accuracy of All Its AI-Written Articles After Multiple Major Corrections. Gizmodo, January 2023. URL: https://gizmodo.com/cnet-ai-chatgpt-news-robot-1849996151 (visited on 2023-12-05). [h24] Why can't I use Artificial Intelligence tools to generate answers? - Help Center. 2023. URL: https://stackoverflow.com/help/ai-policy (visited on 2023-12-08). [h25] Samantha Cole. People Are Spamming Kellogg’s Job Applications in Solidarity with Striking Workers. Vice, December 2021. URL: https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7dvy9/spamming-kelloggs-job-applications-strike (visited on 2023-12-05). [h26] Antiwork: Unemployment for all, not just the rich! 2023. URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/ (visited on 2023-12-05). [h27] Karen Hao. How to poison the data that Big Tech uses to surveil you. MIT Technology Review, March 2021. URL: https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/03/05/1020376/resist-big-tech-surveillance-data/ (visited on 2023-12-05).

      I looked at the Vox article by Kurt Wagner, “This is how Facebook collects data on you even if you don’t have an account.” I found it pretty shocking that Facebook can still track people who never even signed up. The article explains that Facebook builds what they call “shadow profiles” using data from other websites and users who do have accounts. It really made me think about how hard it is to stay completely private online — even if you try to avoid social media, your info can still end up being collected. It connects to this chapter’s point about how data gives companies power, because it shows how they can gather information on almost anyone, whether you consented or not.

    1. Social Media platforms use the data they collect on users and infer about users to increase their power and increase their profits. One of the main goals of social media sites is to increase the time users are spending on their social media sites. The more time users spend, the more money the site can get from ads, and also the more power and influence those social media sites have over those users. So social media sites use the data they collect to try and figure out what keeps people using their site, and what can they do to convince those users they need to open it again later. Social media sites then make their money by selling targeted advertising, meaning selling ads to specific groups of people with specific interests. So, for example, if you are selling spider stuffed animal toys, most people might not be interested, but if you could find the people who want those toys and only show your ads to them, your advertising campaign might be successful, and those users might be happy to find out about your stuffed animal toys. But targeting advertising can be used in less ethical ways, such as targeting gambling ads at children, or at users who are addicted to gambling, or the 2016 Trump campaign ‘target[ing] 3.5m black Americans to deter them from voting’ [h18].

      Honestly, it’s kind of wild how social media uses our data to keep us hooked. I get how targeted ads can be helpful sometimes, like showing you stuff you might actually want, but it also feels manipulative. The part that stood out to me most is how they use data to figure out what keeps people on the app longer—it’s like they’re studying us just to make sure we don’t stop scrolling. I’ve definitely noticed that when I like one type of video, suddenly my feed is full of that topic, and it’s super easy to waste time without realizing it. It makes me wonder how much control we really have over what we see online.

  6. social-media-ethics-automation.github.io social-media-ethics-automation.github.io
    1. Sasha Costanza-Chock. Design Justice : Community-Led Practices to Build the Worlds We Need. The MIT Press, 2020. ISBN 978-0-262-35686-2 978-0-262-04345-8. URL: https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/78577 (visited on 2023-12-15), doi:10.7551/mitpress/12255.001.0001.

      This book really made me think about how decisions in urban planning and design—like gentrification in neighborhoods such as Fremont—can unintentionally harm some communities while benefiting others. It connects to what I’m researching because it highlights the importance of including local residents in decisions that affect their daily lives. Personally, it made me wonder: how often do city planners truly consider the voices of long-term residents when approving new developments, and could applying design justice principles help reduce negative population health outcomes like stress and displacement?

    1. Think for a minute about consequentialism. On this view, we should do whatever results in the best outcomes for the most people. One of the classic forms of this approach is utilitarianism, which says we should do whatever maximizes ‘utility’ for most people. Confusingly, ‘utility’ in this case does not refer to usefulness, but to a sort of combo of happiness and wellbeing. When a utilitarian tries to decide how to act, they take stock of all the probable outcomes, and what sort of ‘utility’ or happiness will be brought about for all parties involved. This process is sometimes referred to by philosophers as ‘utility calculus’. When I am trying to calculate the expected net utility gain from a projected set of actions, I am engaging in ‘utility calculus’ (or, in normal words, utility calculations).

      Reading about gentrification and changing demographics in Fremont made me think about consequentialism, specifically utilitarianism. Cities often justify redevelopment projects by claiming they create the greatest good for the most people—new businesses, higher tax revenue, and improved infrastructure. But from a utilitarian perspective, is the net happiness really maximized if long-term residents are displaced or priced out? Personally, it makes me question how we measure “well-being” in these situations and whether city planners are truly considering the outcomes for all community members, not just newcomers or investors.

  7. social-media-ethics-automation.github.io social-media-ethics-automation.github.io
    1. Sean Cole. Inside the weird, shady world of click farms. January 2024. URL: https://www.huckmag.com/article/inside-the-weird-shady-world-of-click-farms (visited on 2024-03-07).

      I read Sean Cole's bibliography, Inside the Weird. This article talked about how bots will click on things to give them views to make them more popular. This reminded me of some of my friends because they have bought followers on Instagram to make it seem like they have more followers than they really do. It also made me think about how many TikTok videos are botted and don't actually have the amount of views they say they do. Bots are crazy, and they can do a lot of stuff I didn't even know about.

    1. As a final example, we wanted to tell you about Microsoft Tay a bot that got corrupted. In 2016, Microsft launched a Twitter bot that was intended to learn to speak from other Twitter users and have conversations. Twitter users quickly started tweeting racist comments at Tay, which Tay learned from and started tweeting out within one day. Read more about what went wrong from Vice How to Make a Bot That Isn’t Racist [c14]

      This is crazy to me how the AI genuinely learned from the other racists and hating people on Twitter and started saying the same things. And to think, this was almost 10 years ago, when this happened in 2016, the early days of generative AI, and it had actually become corrupted and was changing into a bad tool. It makes me wonder, how possible is that in today's day and age? Are AIs completely coded not to be able to become evil, or could ChatGPT totally have a switch-up and begin a hate triumph and then have to be shut down? AI is so interesting, and I'm excited to learn more about it.

  8. Sep 2025
  9. social-media-ethics-automation.github.io social-media-ethics-automation.github.io
    1. As a social media user, we hope you learn how social media sites influence you, from how your data gets used or abused, to how harassment and spam bots operate, to how platforms manipulate your emotions and mental state. We hope you could then be a more knowledgeable consumer and participant on social media sites. As a member of a society that is influenced by social media, we hope you learn about the societal impact of automated social media systems, and how those systems are designed under different economic, social, and governmental pressures. We hope you could then be more knowledgeable in what you might advocate for or vote for in how social media sites operate.

      As a finance major, I plan to use marketing, and social media when communicating with clients or advertising my business. I hope this class can help teach me ethical ways to be a part of social media and society, and how to avoid things that may not be true or may be bots and or AI. Learning and being able to manage/navigate social media will be crucial for my line of work, along with being ethical in today's society. As the world is continuously spinning and changing, this class will help me keep up with today's standards so that I can be the best version of myself and make lifelong connections that will influence the future of my career.

    1. Confucianism# Sources [b13] [b14] [b15] [b16] 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. Key figures: Confucius [b13]~500, China Mencius [b17] ~350, China Xunzi [b18] ~300 BCE, China

      I really agree with Confucianism! I think that 1000% we should focus on becoming the best versions of ourselves, as it not only benefits us but our families and peers as well. I personally have a checklist of things to do to be better, and I think everyone should. You should want to be great, you should strive for success and to be the best; Settling for mediocracy is not an option! I think this Confucianism relates to the values set by Aristotle. They both agree that you should train to become more virtuous and a better version of yourself. These two are great core values and ethics that I believe everyone should try their best to follow.