Final Blog Post

    

    My relationship with technology is healthy for the most part. Although I check my cellphone's screen time, it is higher than I would like it to be. My screen time average is roughly 6 hours per day, but most of that time is spent on iMessage. I did not realize the amount of time that texting consumes because of how quick sending a text is. Therefore those hours are small moments added up together. 

    Additionally, Instagram is another app I use a lot. I primarily use Instagram for entertainment, such as watching funny videos or keeping up with pop culture. Overall, I believe technology takes up too much of my life, but I don't know how to cut down texting time. I mainly text with my friends and family back home because I am prone to getting homesick, so texting is a convenient way to stay in touch. A feature on the iPhone can limit the amount of time you spend on an app and I do have that set up for Instagram because I realized I was spending too much time on it. 

    I believe technology informs and makes me more intelligent because of how I utilize it for news sources. Technology is a great way to receive news promptly. Additionally, I use technology every day to help me study and do schoolwork. For example, I use platforms such as Quizlet and Grammarly to aid me. However, it is easy to get misled by unreliable information on social media if you do not fact-check your sources. Often, news articles are biased or do not cite their sources, making you question their credibility. The amount of bogus information does worry me due to people believing in false information, which could be harmful. However, those aspects come with technology and must be accepted. 

    Another part of technology that must be accepted is how powerful it is becoming and how it will become integrated into our daily lives. An example of technology appearing in daily lives would be the A.I. facial recognition in China. The Chinese government has built a database with a reward/punishment system. The system rewards people with high social credit numbers by providing discounts on bus fares, while punishing people with low social credit numbers by applying a travel ban. Personally, I believe this system is powerful and could potentially be good or bad depending on how it is used. Furthermore, it seems unfair that the citizens of China are forced to accept this new way of life and if America adopts this system, we will have to as well. Furthermore, the video mentions that A.I. algorithms are ushering in a new age of great potential and prosperity, but an age that will deepen inequality, divide the world into two A.I. superpowers, and challenge democracy. I agree with this statement to a certain extent, and I believe it will depend on how the government uses this powerful technology. 

    As for my family, technology plays a different role in each of their lives. For example, my grandmother uses Facebook daily to keep in touch with our family outside of the country. My aunts and uncles use Facebook and Whatsapp for similar reasons. My parents are not on social media, which is rare to encounter nowadays. Overall, I believe they have a healthy and positive relationship with technology. However, I cannot say the same about my 18-year-old cousin. After watching the Mad World Remix of Moby Video, I would describe my cousin as the people who were glued to their phones and ignored the world around them. She has an unhealthy obsession with technology to the point where she cannot focus on anything else that isn't her phone or laptop. She is an example of the downside of technology and how it can turn into an addiction if not self-monitored.

    Furthermore, social media adds a powerful grasp onto the younger generations. Using my cousin as an example again, she is constantly on social media and tends to get FOMO as she sees other people's posts. According to the Oxford Language Dictionary, FOMO stands for "fear of missing out" which is defined as "anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media." FOMO contributes to self-esteem issues and can be dangerous if not reigned in. Social media creates self-esteem issues because most people make their online presence seem happy and perfect, which implies their real life is as well. Therefore, teens and young adults struggling in real-life may become frustrated and depressed when seeing others have a perfect life.

    Additionally, posting images of your body is widely accepted now and it is the norm to post comments that compliment that person's body. So, for example, if you post an image of yourself at the beach and do not receive compliments about your body, it will most likely lead to insecurities. Furthermore, the situation may spiral, leading to people comparing themselves to others. As a result, self-esteem issues arise, causing anxiety and depression because you do not look a certain way. 

    Online, or digital, footprint is defined as "a trail of data you create while using the internet." My online footprint is relatively small. When I Google my name, only my LinkedIn profile and Instagram appear. On Google images, nothing comes up of me, which I am glad about. Therefore, I would be fine with a prospective employer seeing my online footprint. I would edit nothing of my online presence, and I hope to maintain it. However, I do use other social media platforms including Facebook which does not appear when you search my name.