Dangers of the Internet

In the TED speech, Eli Pariser warn us about how the Internet search engines control us. He explains what Google does to personalize our search results. Who knows that the search results are actually very controlled by Google (and probably by other search engines too)? If you think about it, it is pretty scary because today, people believe in Google like a god, and they instantly believe pretty much whatever Google says. So like Pariser says, it is very easy to control people, because the only thing Google need to is to give them "sweets."
In the article "Mind Control and the Internet," Sue Halpern brings the problem of possible near future technologies, which we may only have seen in science fiction movies. According to Halpern, human already have some sort of technologies, specifically chip implanted devices that can control our mind, which is of course scary to think about because if it become very real technology, who knows who controls who. But at the same time, it could be a very useful technology if we use it right. Every technology can be either good or bad depending on how people use them.
In contrast, in "High-Bandwidth Buddies," Clive Thompson raises the topic of "echo chamber" effect. I think this is the most fundamental and most fatal problem that is very hard to get out because basically "echo chamber" effect is created by the natural habit of human beings. Even they search on the Internet search engines, they tend to trust what they already believe. So, no matter what they believe is right or wrong, they tend to believe the information that has advantages to them. Like I said, this problem is way harder to solve because it is not about who controls who, but it is more about people's natural behavior that controls themselves.

MyBO

In the article, David Talbot describes how Barack Obama's team used social networking website to win the vote. In my opinion, especially nowadays, promoting something (not only for president votes) by using the Internet, specifically social networking website is essential and very efficient. Today, most companies, Nike to small private business, and even governmental institutions have some form of social networking website to promote themselves. I even have an account of facebook, twitter, and instagram, (which I hate them all) so that I can promote my own brand and even myself. But I actually found this reading very interesting because Talbot states some strategies and methods of promoting by using the Internet, which you can actually convert and use for yourself. I was surprised how much they raised by the Internet promotion because I always though the Internet promotion only brings indirect benefits. Overall I learned a lot from this reading and enjoyed this article.

Response to PBS "Growing Up Online"

In the program "Growing Up Online," they first describe how the Internet has became the essential of children's lives. Some kid says that if he is disconnected at night, he does not know what to do rest of the night because the Internet is the only way to connect with his friends, and if he does not use the internet, he will be lost. It is just sad for a high school kid. Apparently, there is no more good old night time chatting with their siblings or their parents, who they can learn something from, and instead kids are just chatting online with other kids from school, who they will see each other next morning. Next problem they pick up is, how children uses the Internet for school work and society. Some students never read books and they only goes to the online sources and look up for the summary of the books to do their work. And their teacher actually know that students are "cheating" but today, the time when the Internet is the essential of our lives, some teachers think that using the Internet sources and build up the work is the part of their responsibilities. For this part, I have to agree with the teachers because the more it gets convenient, the more task you will get. So if you cannot handle the online source very well, you will not be able to live through today's society. The third problem is that some children find "new them" by using the Internet. Jessica, a shy girl in a real life, finds the new identity online as Autumn Edows who is a goth artist and model. I personally think this is pretty normal thing only it is not private. Everyone has a perfect picture of themselves, and some people used to write in their journal or something before the Internet is around. Then the video goes into the problem of online sexual predators, and the world their parents cannot reach. Of course the problem related to sex in tender age is very important. But I feel the parents nowadays become more and more over protective. Some parents need to learn how to step back and watch them without saying anything. They next go over cyberbullying, which, in my opinion, is normal human behavior. Human tend to bully someone in any situation and especially online, where you can say things anonymously, why not? Through the entire video they point out the problems of the Internet, but in my opinion, in each era on the globe had its own problem and it will be alright after a while. The Internet has so many wonderful side other than these problems they listed, and some can use them efficiently, and some don't. The first thing people should do is to educate their children the great side of the internet and how to use them properly.