Reflection Tag: My research essay is about privacy in the technology era. It is a definitional research paper and I spend a majority of the paper trying to show the different types of things that all fall under the category of privacy. Ultimately in my paper my opinion is that we need to protect our privacy a lot closer and there needs to be a clear definition made of what is privacy.

Download Link: ERH102-06WhatisPrivacy?

Olivia-Aman Cotton

ERH-102-06

Mrs. Smith

Help Received: The Writing Center

What is Privacy?

            Imagine a restroom in a building that has no walls and no doors. It then just becomes a corner in a room with toilets, completely exposed. The advancement of technology is a big, exposed bathroom when it comes to privacy. Everyone wants privacy, however, without doors, walls and already provided protection no one knows how to get privacy. At the same time if you have to go to the bathroom you have to use the toilet and leave yourself unprotected. Most people use social media and technology that they are aware leave them unprotected, but they make the conscious decision to sacrifice their privacy. On the other hand, there are a lot of privacy concerns that take place behind the scenes that many people do not understand. In order to understand what privacy people are entitled to, there needs to be a broader understanding of what privacy is and what falls under the category of privacy. Privacy needs to be protected because it is a right granted in the amendments to the constitution and information that falls into the wrong hands can be dangerous.

Currently, the laws and regulations do not correspond to the advancement in technology. Many reforms are in the process of being voted on, however, legislation is having trouble defining privacy and what rights to privacy need to be protected. A commonly accepted definition of privacy was created by Justice Brandeis in the Olmstead v. United States case, who states that “‘ Privacy is the right to be left alone – the most comprehensive of rights most valued by free people” (Cady 9). In the Harvard Law Review Brandeis further defines privacy as the “’right to enjoy life – the right to be let alone; the right to liberty [that] secures the exercise of extensive civil privileges: [where] the term ‘property’ has grown to comprise every possession –intangible, as well as tangible‘” (Cady 9). Although this definition was written in 1928 and 1890 it still can be applied to todays society. It is a very general definition, but can apply to everything digital, you should be able to use the device without feeling that your rights are being infringed on and without feeling you are not being left alone. When it comes to the Internet and technology people should have the right to use their technology without having to fear that they are being tracked, spied on, or their data/metadata is being used to compromise their privacy.

Among different age groups there have been differences found in attitudes relating to privacy. A study was done in The Netherlands by Tilburg University that found that “adolescents are less concerned about their privacy than young adults and adults. However, all three age categories reported that privacy was a lesser concern than both freedom and security” (Steijn 299). There is no exact science that can determine why these age groups have different feelings, but as you get older you have more valuable information. In the adolescent age using social media and technology seems harmless. As someone gets older and acquires credit cards, a social security number, and more personal information is being asked for in order to have full access to websites you realize that this information could be used in extremely harmful ways. Part of this is just experience, someone might have experience being hacked online, identity theft, or someone trying to steal their credit information. Witnessing or involvement in these events is going to make someone more cautious and they will begin to understand reliable websites from risk factors. In an interview done with another cadet Jameson Donahue, he states that, “there is no real privacy when it comes to technology. There is always a way for someone to figure who is posting what, so you should always be careful what you are posting” (Donahue). This is an example of a young adult accepting that there is very little privacy when it comes to technology, at the same time they are all still willing to use the technology but they just tell themselves to be careful. Donahue also, states that “[he] believes if someone is using a website where they believe it is private then it should be private. So companies should ensure their clients privacy as long as it does not endanger others” (Donahue). This is an interesting point that Donahue brings up, the difference between what privacy people are getting versus the reality. “In a study done with 60 online social networks (OSNs) it was found that many people acknowledge they are giving up some privacy and forty-five percent do not even take the time to read the privacy policy” (Kuzma 74). According to the study almost half of the users of OSN are not even aware of sites privacy policies. Users information could be shared with third parties or there could be very little policies protecting someone from harmful material, or exposure. Users of the internet and technology need to be aware of how important it is to read the privacy and policy agreements to know how much they are sacrificing by using the website or device.

As it relates to privacy versus security, I think many people do not realize what is the balance between the two. As technology advances so does the ability to keep tabs on people. After the 9/11 attack, the United States passed the Patriot Act, which increased security in the United States and made it legal for the government to do wiretaps, searches business records, and get access to phone record information without a court order if they believed the person was deemed to be a threat. Eventually, President Obama expanded the Patriot Act to include metadata under section 215 of the Patriot Act. Metadata for those that do not know is, “data about data. It is descriptive information about a particular data set, object, or resource, including how it is formatted, and when and by whom it was collected” (What is metadata?). According to the Harvard Law Review “Congress intended there to be a broad standard in section 215”, but at the same time it also “[acknowledges] that the metadata program is more expansive than existing precedent has permitted“ (National Security 1874). Many people believe that metadata is harmless, but in the hands of the right person it is extremely dangerous. Metadata can track what websites you visit, what you are buying, where you are location wise. Although the government can use this to closely track people and eliminate threats, it can also be used to interfere with people’s lives. Cookies is an example of metadata that affects everyone. “Cookies is a data collecting mechanism that is constantly tracking the number of times someone visits a website, what websites they are visiting, noting any patterns, and recording what they are buying. This information then can be sent to third parties where they can gain access of your information and it can be used for targeted advertisement or the information could just be shared” (Kuzma 76). Targeted advertisements seem harmless, but if someone knows how they could develop software that is tracking credit cards or social security numbers and this runs into a much bigger issue. Recently there was a breech in the IRS. A cyber attack occurred where many people’s information was obtained. The IRS, who has stronger protection than these OSNs, is not immune so OSN’s with weak privacy policies are definitely not immune.

People are free to say whatever they want on social media and use technology as they please. That is one of the benefits of social media and technology. It is often an outlet for people to be creative, express their feelings, have fun, or communicate. The only catch us it cannot be harmful, or hurt to anyone else. There are some steps towards protection of privacy that have been taken. A very interesting aspect of privacy mentioned by Richards in Compulsory Process in Cyberspace: Rethinking Privacy in the Social Networking Age is that people’s privacy in terms of the first amendment and freedom of speech needs to be protected. The article gave two examples that stood out. The first was someone had posted a twitter post that the police considered a direct threat towards them when they subpoena twitter, twitter reviewed the tweet and then denied the police the twitter account because they believed it went against their privacy policy and the tweet was not a direct threat towards the government, police, or anyone, but an act of free speech. The second situation was the case with Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin. They tried to use his twitter account to prove that he was capable of putting the officer in harms way based on previous actions or words. Trayvon Martin who no longer could defend himself in court or explain himself was going to be defamed by the government based off of his social media profile. By many this was considered a violation of his privacy, even after death. And there actually laws that protect people’s privacy after death.

An aspect of privacy that many people neglect to think about it is the self right to privacy. In order to prevent self-inflicted harm the unwritten rule on OSN is: do not post anything that you would not want your mom to see. “Many people are not aware of the digital footprint we leave and once something is posted online it can never truly be erased. Once it is posted a user loses a large portion of control of what happens to it. The posting is then shared with not just your friends, but your friend’s followers as well” (YÜKSEL 768). Someone can screenshot the posting and send it to whomever they like. In extreme cases someone will steal someone’s pictures and identity to catfish someone else, which is identity theft and a huge invasion of privacy. “People seeing information that you did not intend for them to see, because a user thought it was a private or secure conversation, or website can potentially ruin someone’s reputation” (YÜKSEL 768). Depending on the degree that someone’s reputation is harmed and if it was self-inflicted or the results of cyber bullying, harassment, or weak privacy policies it can be considered defamation of character and the matter could be taken to court. “Unless it is a case of self-exposure anytime that someone else posts an unauthorized picture, video, or word posting about you that is harmful is considered a violation of privacy and can be evaluated legally” (Greenberg 696). However, in most cases it is not taken to court or legal matters because, “people follow an unspoken code of managing privacy. If you don’t want to be associated with something you can un-tag yourself, remove a post from your page, un-follow, or block someone. And there are settings as a user that can be set that can limit who can see posts and if one’s profile is public or private” (Greenberg 694). It is important to use proper digital etiquette when using the Internet in order to keep social media and online friendly and keep everyone’s business as private as they want it to be kept. Also, because privacy is not guaranteed when it comes to anything posted online or done with technology it is important to be cautious with everything that is done.

With the job market so tight, it allows for employers to be extremely selective with whom they employ and social media is starting to play a key factor in their decisions. As an employee, you are a reflection of your company and so it is fair that they would want to see what there employees are doing and that they are an asset to their company versus harming their image. However, when employees have privacy settings that do not allow their employers too see everything employers are digging deeper. They are requesting username and passwords, friend requesting, or finding another way to view more information. Because this is a new issue, there are no laws or regulations against it: however, it raises a giant red flag of protecting employee’s right to privacy (Baumhart). To many this is a very clear invasion of privacy, however, the companies can get away with because of the pressure of finding a job. This places a lot of pressure on employees because they are being forced to give up their right to privacy, if they want a job. Although someone’s online profile is not a direct reflection of their ability to do a job, employers should only have access to what anyone in the public has access to.

Privacy is a very complicated topic, especially when discussing social networks and technologies. Part of the reason why it is so difficult is because there is not clear definition of what privacy is in relation to digital technologies and OSNs. Very simply put though privacy should allow you to live your life without fear and without being bothered. Because privacy is not the top concern, but safety and freedom that probably contributes to why there are no laws and regulations set in stone about privacy. Just to reiterate as technology advances so does the need for privacy. Currently there are few laws that protect privacy, but more that grant the government a way to invade privacy. The Patriot Act and the addition of metadata to section 215 is a huge matter of legislation that needs to be revised. Metadata if in the wrong hands can be extremely dangerous and harmful. Other aspects of privacy also include the right to freedom of speech and a networks responsibility to protect that, the right to privacy after death, the right to privacy from harmful and hurtful material, and the right to the privacy of your username and password. These are all different aspects of privacy that help to outline the need for more laws and regulations and a clear definition of privacy.

Works Cited

Baumhart, Peter B. “Social Media and the Job Market: How to Reconcile Applicant Privacy with Employer Needs.” University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform 48.2 (2015): 503-33. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

Cady, Glee H, and Pat McGregor. Protect Your Digital Privacy!: Survival Skills for the Information Age. Indianapolis, Ind.: Que, 2002. Internet resource.

Donahue, Jameson. Personal Interview. 10 April 2016.

Greenberg, Joshua M. “The Privacy-proof Plaintiff: But First, Let Me Share Your #selfie.” Journal of Law & Policy 23.2 (2015): 689-740. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

Kuzma, Joanne. “Empirical Study of Privacy Issues among Social Networking Sites.” Journal of International Commercial Law & Technology 6.2 (2011): 74-85. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

“National Security — Telephony Metadata Collection — White Paper Argues Metadata Collection Is Legal under the Usa Patriot Act.” Harvard Law Review 127.6 (2014): 1871-878. Academic Search Complete. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.

Richards, Robert D. “Compulsory Process in Cyberspace: Rethinking Privacy in the Social Networking Age.” Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy 36.2 (2013): 519-48. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.

Steijn, Wouter M. P., and Anton Vedder. “Privacy Concerns, Dead or Misunderstood? The Perceptions of Privacy amongst the Young and Old.” Information Polity: The International Journal of Government & Democracy in the Information Age 20.4 (2015): 299-311. Academic Search Complete. Web. 12 Apr. 2016.

“What Is Metadata?” Indiana University: Knowledge Base. 24 Aug. 2014. Web. 10 Apr. 2016.

YÜKSEL, Mehmet Erkan, Asİm Sinan YÜKSEL, and Abdül Halim ZAİM. “A Reputation-based Privacy Management System for Social Networking Sites.” Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences 21.3 (2013): 766-84. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

Reflection Tag: The Exploratory essay was very similar to the Annotated Bibliography. It was a very personal essay that you reflected on the sources, why you chose them, how they changed your thinking towards your  topic, and  if  it made you want to explore any topics further. This essay was another step towards setting us  up for our research essay’s.

Download Link: ExploritoryEssayRevision

Olivia-Aman Cotton

ERH-102-06

Mrs. Smith

Help Received: None

Exploratory Essay: Privacy

            Do you ever feel like you are being watched? I would tell someone who does they are paranoid, but they just might be on to something. With technology advancing, so is the ability to spy on people, or invade people’s privacy. Being college students, I am sure that most of us have laptops and probably most have laptops with cameras already built in. How would it make you feel if I said the government has the knowledge to hack into your operating system and turn on your camera and watch you, without your knowledge? It seems like an invasion of privacy to me, but some people do not see it that way. I planned on writing my exploratory essay on why we need more laws protecting people’s privacy, but as I started doing more research it occurred to me that it would be difficult for laws to be made about privacy when no one has defined what privacy is in the digital age. The question I am exploring in this essay is, what is privacy?

My first source is by Joanne Kuzma and is titled “Empirical Study of Privacy Issues among Social Networking Sites”. I started with this source because I think it talks about two of the most important issues of privacy: the fact that no one pays attention to privacy policies and how our privacy is always being invaded without people’s knowledge. This source is a study that was done with 60 online social networks (OSNs). The results of this study found that many people know they are giving up some privacy and forty-five percent do not even take the time to read the policy. Different Social Networks offer different types of privacy, but people don’t take advantage of this privacy was also mentioned. Something very important that was discussed was metadata collection. It referred specifically to cookies, which is a software that is tracking the number of times someone visits a website, what websites they are visiting, noting any patterns, and recording what they are buying. This information can then be sent to third parties and it can be used for targeted advertisement, or if it falls in the wrong hands can lead to things like credit card theft and identity theft. This source was extremely enlightening to how many people do not even pay attention to privacy policies. If people aren’t concerned about their own privacy, how can anyone expect the government to be worried about making changes to protect people’s privacy? I think that I need to look more into the metadata issue and cookies to really understand it. It seems like a very scary concept that someone is literally tracking our every move even if it is just little things, such as how many times I check my E-mail a day.

My second source is by Mehmet Erkan YUKSEL, Asim Sinan YUKSEL, and Abdul Halim ZAIM. The article is titled “A Reputation-based Privacy Management System for Social Networking Sites. I picked this source because it discusses the digital footprint we leave anytime something enters the Internet and people loosing control over something once they post it. The source discusses how once you post something online it can never truly be deleted. Also, once you post you lose a lot of control over what happens to it, people will share your posts with their friends, people might screenshot it, and in the most extreme cases it could be used for identity theft. In many cases people’s reputations are hurt when they post or say something online that they expect to be private and it ends up being publicized. I agree with everything in this source. It makes me realize two things: because you can never erase something put on the Internet it is important to be cautious with everything that is posted. Also, I think it is a huge invasion of privacy if you send someone a private message and they end up publicizing it, or someone in an authoritative position gets control of it. Something I might want to look into is what are the laws and regulations when it comes to government figures acquiring people’s online material. Also, what are the cyber bullying policies when it comes to privacy.

My third source is by Robert Richards and is titled “Compulsory Process in Cyberspace: Rethinking Privacy in the Social Networking Age”. I picked this article because it brings the constitution into the picture. This article mentions privacy in terms of the first amendment and freedom of speech and how it needs to be protected. It discusses how people are free to say whatever they want as long as it is not harmful to anyone. The government also, is not the deterrent of what is a threat, or harmful and social networks need to protect users privacy in that way. Two important examples this article gives is Twitter denying the police the right to access one of its users profile because they believe they guy was threatening the police, when he was just exercising his right to freedom of speech. The second example was regarding the Trayvon Martin and Zimmerman case and brought to light the huge concern for privacy even after death and how that should be respected. I am really glad that Twitter denied the Police the right to look through the person’s profile. I think it is a good example of privacy being protected, however, I know this is often not the case. I think I might want to look into cases where the government harassed someone via social media to prove why this form of privacy is so important.

My fourth source is by Joshua Greenberg and is titled, “The privacy-proof Plaintiff: But First, Let Me Share Your #selfie”. I picked this article because it discusses how you can sacrifice your own right to privacy. This article discusses self-exposure and anytime you post something of yourself that is harmful, or used against you, you sacrificed your right to privacy when posting it. However, if someone else post something unauthorized picture, video, or word posting and it is harmful this is an invasion of privacy and can be a legal matter. In many cases, people just follow an unspoken code of privacy and just un-tag themselves from something or remove a post from their page if they do not want it there. I would have to disagree that there is really a code. People post things without permission on the daily, and some sights it is not that easy to un-tag or remove something that you didn’t post, because it almost there right to have it on their page. I think self-exposure is an interesting concept I never thought that anytime I post something I am sacrificing my right to privacy. I think that for my research essay I could explore the idea of self-exposure and privacy more because this is a very different aspect of maintaining one’s privacy.

My fifth source is Peter Baumhart and is titled, “ Social Media and the Job Market: How to reconcile Applicant Privacy with Employer Needs”. I picked this article because it present a new privacy issues that has not even been legally discussed yet. This article discusses how the job market is so tight that employers can be picky. Now employers are using social media as a deciding factor for their employees and requesting usernames and passwords from their potential and current employees. Because there are no laws against it, companies are allowed to do this, however, everyone is aware it raises a big red flag for invasion of privacy. I think this is insane. I do not think that I would want to work for a boss that was requesting such info, so I would not give it to my employer. I am hoping that this issue is evaluated right away, because it is a huge invasion of privacy and everyone should have the right to security of his or her own username and password information. I could investigate this case further, or I could look at more issues that have been brought to surface with the advancement of technology for my research paper.

Currently, I am thinking that I don’t know nearly enough about privacy. I feel like it is hard to take a stance on the issue because it is so complex. There are many different forms of privacy so I am not sure that one definition of privacy will ever suffice. I think that there might need to be multiple definitions for different solutions. Originally, I wanted to find a solution to the privacy problem, but it is far more complex then I thought and I don’t think that I am going to be able to come up with a solution. I think I am going to have to do more research about privacy before I can really come up with a thesis for my research paper. I do know for a fact that I believe we need more acts toward preserving privacy.

Works Cited

Baumhart, Peter B. “Social Media and the Job Market: How to Reconcile Applicant Privacy with Employer Needs.” University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform 48.2 (2015): 503-33. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

Greenberg, Joshua M. “The Privacy-proof Plaintiff: But First, Let Me Share Your #selfie.” Journal of Law & Policy 23.2 (2015): 689-740. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

Kuzma, Joanne. “Empirical Study of Privacy Issues among Social Networking Sites.” Journal of International Commercial Law & Technology 6.2 (2011): 74-85. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

Richards, Robert D. “Compulsory Process in Cyberspace: Rethinking Privacy in the Social Networking Age.” Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy 36.2 (2013): 519-48. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.

YÜKSEL, Mehmet Erkan, Asİm Sinan YÜKSEL, and Abdül Halim ZAİM. “A Reputation-based Privacy Management System for Social Networking Sites.” Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences 21.3 (2013): 766-84. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

Reflection Tag: This annotated Bibliography was a starting point for the research required for the exploratory and research essay. It allowed you to really evaluate your sources and develop opinions about them, which in turn would develop your thesis. This was very helpful in helping  to organize my thoughts about technology and privacy.

Download Link: ERH102-06AnnotatedBibliography

Olivia-Aman Cotton

ERH-102-06

Mrs. Smith

Help Received: None

Annotated Bibliography

1. Kuzma, Joanne. “Empirical Study of Privacy Issues among Social Networking Sites.” Journal of International Commercial Law & Technology2 (2011): 74-85. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

This article is the result of a study done with sixty online social networking sights (OSNs). These OSNs are evaluated based on different privacy factors. A study done in 2009 found that forty-five percent of people do not even read the privacy policies. Many people accept that they are giving up some of their privacy when signing up for these sights, but are not fully aware of what privacy they are sacrificing. Data collecting mechanisms is discussed in this article because software, such as cookies, is constantly tracking the number of times a user is visiting a website, what website they are visiting, and what they are buying. Third Parties can gain access to this information and it can be used for targeted advertisement or private information can be shared this way.

Most people claim that they are concerned with privacy, but almost half the population does not read their rights to privacy when signing up for these social networking sights. Which I think highlight the point that people a re not really concerned about the weak privacy, because they know they give up privacy when creating an account. However, I think it is the unknown software and beacons that people don’t know about that are extremely harmful, because it is tracking your information and can release secure to an unwanted party without your knowledge.

I will use the data provided about the percentage of people who do not actually read the privacy policy as a counter argument \ to raise the issue that many people are not as concerned as with privacy as they claim. I also want to use the information about cookies and beacons as a support to my argument that many people do not truly understand the power of the Internet and software and many people might feel protected with the privacy policies provided, but it might not be the social networking sight that is the problem.

2. YÜKSEL, Mehmet Erkan, Asİm Sinan YÜKSEL, and Abdül Halim ZAİM. “A Reputation-based Privacy Management System for Social Networking Sites.” Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences3 (2013): 766-84. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

This article states the well-known problem that, once one puts something on the Internet it is on there forever. With social networking expanding many people are taking advantage of the ability to share anything online, however, information that is not meant for the public often can be found or seen online if someone knows how to find it. People seeing information that you do not want them to can hurt your reputation, or worse it could be dangerous if in the wrong hands. This article has a solution which is an algorithm that can be installed into these programs which creates like circles of friends that you are apart of that only allows certain groups to see certain information. It also would increase the amount of privacy because you would have more control over who exactly can see what on your profile.

I think that people believe that once you delete something it is gone and do not understand the concept of a digital footprint. It is cool that technology has increased communication and allows new people to meet but this also means people you don’t want to see can view your profile. We can post and share whatever online, but at the same time it is important to be careful what is posted because our social media profiles will follow us in the real world. Especially, with employers checking on potential employees or their current employees social medias. I think that there algorithm has a lot of potential but it also leaves it up to the user to take advantage of this privacy feature, which many people do not use the current ones there are.

The information about sharing data online and how it can be viewed by anyone is useful. It brings up a good point that people often forget if it was posted online it will never truly disappear and that is why it is so important to be careful what we post because that is our reputations. If I wanted to provide a possible solution to some of these privacy issues I could bring up the algorithm and details regarding how it works.

3. Baumhart, Peter B. “Social Media and the Job Market: How to Reconcile Applicant Privacy with Employer Needs.” University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform 48.2 (2015): 503-33. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

Employers are starting to check social media of their employees and potential employees. Many people don’t worry because they have settings that they think protect them, only allowing employers to see what they want them to see, however, employers are digging deeper and requesting usernames and passwords, friend requesting, or finding a way to view the complete profile. The job market being so small employees are able to be picky about whom they hire and your social media profile could be the difference between getting a job and not getting a job. This issue raises another concern in terms of privacy, should employees be allowed to request your information, or should they only have access to what the public has access to.

I understand that employees are a reflection of the company; I do not think that employers should be allowed to dig deeper than whatever the employees allows them to see. Your personal life and right to privacy I think includes your social media and I do not think that that should be held against someone. At the same time, if an employer is able to find information in a legal manner when the person posted it on the web it no longer became private and they have to understand that. This I think brings up a new aspect of privacy. Not just privacy settings, but applying social media to real life.

I think this article is beneficial to my argument because it brings up another side of privacy. With technology advancing so quickly there are very few laws or rules about what is acceptable and what is an invasion of privacy. This brings up a good point also, that people forget that what they do on social media can have a real impact on someone lives and that things that are meant to stay private should not be placed on social media period. Part of the privacy aspect of social media is just about being smart and that is what employers are searching for.

4. Greenberg, Joshua M. “The Privacy-proof Plaintiff: But First, Let Me Share Your #selfie.” Journal of Law & Policy 23.2 (2015): 689-740. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.

This article discusses more the litigation side of privacy and how violation of privacy can be viewed under the law. There is an unspoken code of managing privacy among social media users. If you don’t want to be associated with something you can un-tag yourself, remove posts of your page, follow, un-follow, or block another user as well. It states how posting something of yourself that somehow spreads or becomes public is not a violation of privacy. We share things with the intent that all our followers, and followers of our followers are going to see it; it is called self-exposure and eliminates your right to privacy. However, if someone else posts harmful or hurtful material of another person without his or her consent that then can become a violation of privacy.

I agree that generally you post something on social media to get as many likes or people to see it as you can, so it would make sense that in this sense you give up privacy. It also makes sense that anything that you post without privacy settings would be self-exposure and in a sense marketing yourself and your own image. The part that gets cloudy is when someone else posts something of you without consent, or someone is harming or hurting your image. What measures then can be taken because violating someone else’s privacy so that information they did not intend for everyone else can be considered bullying, or can easily turn into a life threatening situation.

I think this article would be useful for my essay because of the idea of self-exposure and understanding that if you get yourself into trouble there is very little the law can help you with, but there are measures that can be taken when someone else invades your privacy. If I want to take the law aspect from the article it does have very specific detail relating to the law and what is acceptable and inacceptable. This provides another example of another version of privacy in a sense and how you can rid the right to your own privacy.

5. Richards, Robert D. “Compulsory Process in Cyberspace: Rethinking Privacy in the Social Networking Age.” Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy 36.2 (2013): 519-48. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Feb. 2016.

This article also talks about privacy from a law standpoint and what action can be taken. It mentions that the current laws and regulations we have might be outdated considering the pace technology is moving at. It talks about the dangers of invading people’s privacy by not holding to the first amendment, which is freedom of speech. It gives two examples that stand out to me an example on twitter where the police tried to subpoena twitter to find out who made a certain comment. Twitter denied to allow them access because upon review did not find it to be a threatening situation and believed they had the freedom to say what they did. The second one was the case with Zimmerman they wanted to use his twitter and social media’s to make it appear that he was capable of threatening the officer. Essentially, they wanted to use the dead child’s social media to defame his character and use his freedom of speech against him.

This article brings up a problem that is very commonly struggled with, when is it okay to invade someone’s privacy, when is a threat considered dangerous enough that the someone’s private information should be released. Should someone’s freedom of speech on social media then be allowed to be used against them in a court, or to build a profile? The case with Zimmerman brings up a point of privacy after someone is dead should someone’s social media be allowed to be used in courts or against them when they cannot defend themselves. And should these websites be allowed to tell police and government agencies no if they believe it is a violation of privacy. I am personally on the side of privacy so I think that people’s protection of their freedom of speech and right to post on social media should be protected.

This article can be used in my research as another vantage point of what is privacy and what do we need to do to protect it. It brings up the first amendment and how freedom of speech also applies to social media. This is important when analyzing what kinds of things are considered hurtful, harmful, or a threat. And when is a threat so dangerous that a privacy policy needs to be violated versus the police believing there is a threat and using it as an opportunity to invade someone’s privacy.

Reflection Tag: This was the final essay that we wrote in ERH101. It reflected on what we had wrote about, learned, and what we still needed to improve on. I said one of the biggest things I eed to work on is not rushing when picking  me  evidence for my papers. I think this is so important  because surface level evidence can only provide surface level analysis and I think this is a problem I often had. The text I picked did not allow for me to go deeper  into analysis.

Download Link: ERH101Essay4

Olivia-Aman Cotton

ERH101-07

Essay 4

December 4, 2015

Help Received: None Olivia-Aman Cotton

Analysis of my Analysis

            As a student in the academic writing setting I know that I am writing for a grade and the confirmation that I am learning. I know I am learning, when I receive my grade and it is higher then my grade I received on my previous writing. In ERH101 this year we have been exploring within the genres of writing, while trying to explore more about our majors and understanding the VMI system better. I often write my essay’s to get it done and to receive what I hope is a good grade. The problem with this is, I know that I don’t take the time to truly read my source to understand what the writer’s message is for his audience and I don’t take the time to properly pick evidence that allows for deeper analysis in my essay. Pretty ironic that while writing an essay about not taking the time to pick proper evidence that allows for analysis in my raft draft I do exactly that, not take the time to organize and pick evidence in a way that will support my essay best. Essentially, in my first two essays, my analysis was just paraphrasing what the author was already telling its audience, and I did not provide much insight; it was surface just level analysis. ERH101 with MAJ Heard has taught me that in order to meet the college level writing standards I must organize my essay in a manner that allows me to pick evidence that I can create an original argument in my analysis. In order to find this evidence it requires that I read my sources with a careful analytical eye versus a factual one.

Often, half the battle for writing my essays is finding evidence that supports my thesis. Usually, I know what I want my evidence to say, but have trouble finding it within the source and so I pick something similar that is somewhat on target with the thesis, but in doing this I believe the quality of my essay decreases. In my paper two, titled “Social Norms” I used a quote that was a paragraph long in itself, it basically acted as word filler instead of enhancing my essay. The evidence that I wanted was said somewhere within the paragraph, however, I didn’t know which part I wanted to use, because I didn’t know which part best fit what I was trying to prove, I used the whole thing. Then, because I did not understand my own quote, my analysis was not related to my topic, but almost created a topic for a whole new essay on its own. Knowing now that it is as much about the analysis as it is the quote I would have shortened the quote to, “Our ‘normal’ is based on assumptions that we have made through observations, but what is acceptable in one culture might not be acceptable in another culture. Considering social norms is very important, because when we write we are not writing for ourselves, but our audience’” (Lunsford). Then my analysis of this quote would have been… If a writer is able to understand a cultures rules and restrictions, or social norms, they can write for almost any culture. A writer does not have to be apart of a community to necessarily understand it and be a credible writer within the discourse community. For example, a scientist who is doing a cultural study after understanding the culture in its full will write a book, or some form of writing on their findings. They are not someone that is apart of a culture, but an observer on the outside looking in trying to understand and allow an audience who is not apart of the culture to also understand. If they conduct their study in a manner to truly understand the culture, they are able to relay information to their audience that is reliable, which makes them a credible source. I believe that this would be a better analysis of the modified quote because I create an original argument with my analysis, but it is not to far off from the thesis of my essay and it does a better job matching the quote, while allowing the audience to think and form an opinion agreeing or disagreeing.

Diving into deeper detail of analysis I think it is important to look at my analysis of the paragraph long quote in essay two. I reflected on the quote by saying, “In this example, Lunsford allows us students to clearly see the difference between different writing structures among cultures. Although he does not compare the American versus the Japanese systems in a manner of comparing a good versus a bad system, I believe the American system allows for more freedom.” This is my analysis that I previously stated should be another essay in itself. First off it lacks any insight to the actual quote. Then it brings up a topic unrelated to my thesis and an argument that the audience cannot clearly understand nor follow. Lastly, it fails to enhance my essay in any way. It is important as writers when analyzing to remember the purpose and audience that you are writing for. Using Penrose and Geislers’ ideas about claims, within the context that I maid my claim they would have counted my analysis as an opinion, because I did not use my evidence to support what I was saying, and what I was saying did not support any evidence stated. Although it is not bad for an essay to contain an opinion it is bad if your essay contains an opinion with nothing to support it and no background. Analysis is opinions, but they are paired with evidence from a source that is supposed to make readers understand your point of view or argument. When your analysis is written with proper support your audience is more likely to accept your information. When an audience accepts your information or agrees with you it means that your audience essentially accepts your claim as a fact. Your analysis might not be correct, and might not actually be a fact however, if your audience is willing to accept it as true, so you are seen as a credible writer to your audience.

I think that I currently still struggle to find quotes that allow for a deeper level of analysis and I think this is something I need to work on in my future writing. Because I am able to recognize the problem now, I think it is something that I can work on to improve at. I look at Kantz’s writing when I think of how I am going to accomplish my goal of finding better quotes, because Kantz suggests to “find a technique for reading texts in ways that give me something more to say, which leaves room for more sophisticated writing goals and allows me to build an original argument ” (Kantz). The reason I find this advice to be so essential to my writing is, because I think that I currently read my sources like I would read a news article. I read the article with goal of finding the facts to evaluate the situation, or the news piece being read. This is a very naïve way of evaluating a source for writing an essay, because you read with a very objective lens. When reading with an objective lens in this discourse community you close the door to many options for original arguments. In order to read with sophistication, I need to be creating arguments in my head as I read, that way my thesis almost writes itself based off of evidence that I have read. I believe that reading with this more advanced method would help to sophisticate my writing as well, because I am not searching for what to say in my thesis and I am not searching to find evidence to fit the thesis but will already have it written essentially.

I believe that within the genre of educational writing it is really important to focus on the analysis portion of the essay, because you are not writing an original source, such as a book and its not personal things such as am E-mail which are your original thoughts. This means that the content of the paper is based on your analysis of someone else’s writing. So, set aside grammar and organization, essentially the quality of your paper is based on how well you can analyze your supporting evidence of your thesis. However, in order to have good analysis it is important that you pick evidence that can be analyzed with not only detail, but has the potential for an original argument. These are things that I have learned this year in my writing and I believe have improved on, however, I think that I need to continue to work on them in the future to be an even more effective writer within the educational writing discourse community.

Bibliography

Kantz, Margaret. “Helping Students Use Textual Sources Persuasively.” College English 52.1 (1990): 74-91 Print.

Lunsford, Andrea A. “Language: Writing to the World.” The Everyday Writer: Includes 2009 MLA & 2010 APA Updates. 5th ed. Xxx: Bedford, 2010. 231-36. Print.

Penrose, Ann M., and Cheryl Geisler. “Reading and Writing Without Authority.” College Composition and Communication. Vol. 45. N.p.: National Counsel of Teachers of English, 1994. 505-20. Ser. 5. JSTOR [JSTOR]. Web.

Reflection Tag: This essay we focuses on writing on different discourse communities. I picked to write within the law  discourse community and  picked an appellate brief to analyze. I picked the law discourse community, because becoming a lawyer interests me and is something I want to do in the future.

Downloadlink: ERH101Essay3.2

Olivia-Aman Cotton

ERH-101-07

Essay Prompt 3

Help Received: The Writing Center

Appellate Brief

            Many people when they think of law and lawyers think of shows such as, Law and Order and Criminal Intent. They solve every case in these television shows; take the criminals to court, and reach the verdict all in a forty-five minute episode, but they fail to show all the paper work and writing involved. Within the discourse community of law, there are many different genres of writing the one I want to focus on is appellate briefs. An appellate brief is the official write up of the appeal. An appellate brief is the written document that goes strait to the judges when the defense believes the trial court made an error. These briefs are written with very clear guidelines on the content of the appellate brief, lawyers write briefs for the intent of the judicial system to read and review, the goal of the appeal is for a lawyer to have a decision reversed, or have a lessor punishment.

Most important when writing an appellate brief it is important to consider the audience, or judge that you are writing for. You want to use language about your topic that the judge will easily understand, because the judges wont spend a lot of time on reading the case. “Many appellate judges were practitioners once, but many were not; and even those who were are unlikely to have been experts in the particular area of law in which a case arises, unlike (in all likelihood) the appellate brief writer” (Posner). This means that although it is important to use the language appropriate to lawyers it is also important to use simple language that a judge will understand. So referencing a law book and citing directly from this source might not be the best for an appeal, because the judge might not be able to relate, or understand your point on a deeper level.

Besides for just the language you want to make sure that you are following a proper format. First, you will have a title page that states the name of the case with the case number, who is working on the case, and contact information, or law firm. Then there is a title page listing the following contents: the preface, issue being presented, statements of the case and facts, summary of the argument, argument, conclusion, certificate of service, certificate of compliance with requirements of the brief, and there will be a table of citation more then likely after the table of contents. The format of the appeal can vary slightly, some appellate briefs might have less contents, but the concept and this format is fairly basic and can be used to understand the basics of an appellate brief.

Now to go into greater detail of these sections: the table of the citation will list other cases used as references, statues, and other legal documents. This is equivalent to a bibliography, which I believe we all understand the importance of siting our sources. Aside for the purpose of t he bibliography it is important to use other cases and such as references, because if it is a similar case and it received a favorable result, the judges might look at that and agree that it is not just that the law is not being upheld equivalently. The preface states what the case is and might have any acronyms used in the brief. Although, it is nice to use acronyms to shorten the brief it is also important to explain what the acronyms are for clarity throughout the writing. Then, in the issue presented for review it states the reason why this case needs to be reviewed. The next section is pretty self-explanatory a statement of the case and facts, it uses and sites the actual case as evidence. The summary of the argument is a general over view of the offense is and the main points for appeal. In this section the author will generally bring to attention both sides of the argument. Generally, if you do not address both sides judges will not take your case seriously, so it is crucial to address the concerns of the judge. Also, the judges will not spend a lot of time on a appellate, so a persuasive summary will make the judge want to continue to finish the brief versus, just put it down and now decide in your favor. Then, there is a very detailed synopsis of the argument with both sides of the argument recognized and generally very clearly broken up sections on the main points of the argument. The conclusion will be very short and then the document will be signed, the document is also signed twice more for the certification by the author or writer.

This document is going to be very formal in terms of it should follow guidelines very similar to these, maybe with a different order. The language is going to be a very serious tone. This being said, “Avoid jargon: business jargon, industry jargon, computerese and other technical jargon” (Posner). When writing, just remember that the judge is not an expert on your topic and is not going to take the time to become an expert to understand what you are trying to say. If your report is too long, or your appellate is not easy to follow the judge is not going to want to review your case, or look to reverse any decisions made. Some might say “first impressions aren’t everything”, but in this situation it is, as a lawyer it is your job to get others out of trouble, which put others lives in your hands, this means you are going to want to do your best work to make the judge on your side. Essentially, by following the guidelines and writing the appellate report as it should be written you are establishing your credibility. Credibility when it comes to law is very important, it is important for your audience to not just listen to what you are saying, but believe it. If someone writes a report wrong, they are going to appear amateur, which not only looks bad on their part, but also gives their clients less of a fighting chance.

The main goal of an appellate brief is to persuade the audience a mistake was made. “Briefs also referred to as legal memoranda’s are persuasive documents” (Briefs). Although, you want to address both sides and make sure no white elephants are left in the argument, you also want to pull your strongest evidence and present information in a way that persuades the audience you are more then likely right and the case is worth reviewing. This involves understanding your audience to use the proper language, using the proper format, and presenting the content in a persuasive manner that also has the right information. A very effective lawyer will not only know how to argue their case in a courtroom, but also know to use the proper facts and write in a manner that will also get the point across to the audience.

Works Cited

“Briefs, Legal Memoranda and Legal Writing.” National Paralegal. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.

Posner, Hon. Richard A. “Effective Appellate Brief Writing.” American Bar Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.

“Study in Appellate Advocacy: Guide To Appellate Briefs.” Duke Law. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.

Walbolt, Sylvia H., and Mathew D. Allen. “The Ten Commandments of Writing.” An Effective Appellate Brief (n.d.): 1-9. Web. 30 Nov. 2015.

Reflection Tag: In this essay we were evaluating pieces we had read in the handbook and  textbook and coming to a conclusion based on what we had picked to write about. I picked to write about meeting the social “Norms” of an audience in order for them to agree with the tone of your paper best, organization of the paper, and determining facts from opinion when evaluation sources.

Download Link: ERH101Prompt2FinalDraft

Olivia-Aman Cotton

ERH101-07

Analysis 2:Handbook/Textbook

October 12, 2015

Social “Norms”

            Our world is highly dependent on our ability to communicate. Our methods of communication vary from things such as: e-mails, blogs, lab reports, or essays. Within every genre of writing there are rules to follow. For example, the casual language you might use in an e-mail would not be the same as the language used in an essay. Even when writing an e-mail there are unwritten rules to follow and an e-mail to a teacher would appear very different then one to a friend. Your awareness, or lack of awareness of these rules you follow are based on social norms. Social norms are based on the values taught within a culture, or a smaller setting, such as a community. Lunsford teaches us that in order to meet your audiences expectations you must address the relationship in a tone that provides credibility for the culture, organize your writing according to standards established by the culture, and provide persuasive evidence by determining the difference between facts and opinions.

In order to establish credibility with your audience, you must determine your relationship and choose the right tone. Determining your relationship and the right tone is based on your social norms. “Our ‘normal’ is based on assumptions that we have made through observations, but what is acceptable in one culture might not be acceptable in another culture. Considering social norms is very important, because when we write we are not writing for ourselves, but our audience…In the United States students are often asked to establish authority in their writing – by drawing on certain kinds of personal experience, by reporting on research they or others have conducted, or by taking a position for which they can offer strong evidence and support…some cultures view student writers as novices whose job is to reflect what they learn from their teachers. One Japanese student, for example, said he was taught that it is rude to challenge a teacher ‘Are you ever so smart that you should challenge the wisdom of ages’” (Lunsford). In this example Lunsford allows us students to clearly see the difference between different writing structures among cultures. Although he does not compare the American versus the Japanese systems in a manner of comparing a good versus a bad system, I believe the American system allows for more freedom. In our culture we are taught that we have freedom of speech and that our opinions are valuable. So challenging a teacher is not looked at disrespectful, or questioning your teachers wisdom as it would be in Japan. When assessing your audience, you must take into account the culture and audience, but also what genre you are writing for. Within every genre there is typification, which is defined as “the process of moving standardized forms of utterances that are recognized as carrying out certain actions in certain circumstances and to standard understanding of situations” (Bazerman). If this were to be true it would mean that if my genre was biology and I was writing a lab report, I should have an established format with rules and restrictions that should apply no matter the culture. Applying both these writer’s evaluations of how to write for an audience, we must write within the standards for a given genre and use the appropriate voice according to the values of the culture. By doing this we should establish a relationship with the audience that establishes credibility. Our audience is willing to listen because it sounds like we are knowledgeable of our topic and we are using the appropriate tones that are not considered disrespectful to a culture.

The organization of an essay is key to effectively get your point across to your audience. Not every culture has the same organization, “in the United States, many audiences (especially those in academic and business worlds) expect a writer to get to the point as directly as possible and to take on the major responsibility of articulating that point efficiently and unambiguously…[whereas] teachers in China prize…indirectness, expecting audiences to read between the lines” (Lunsford). Americans’ style of writing is similar to its fast food system, for example, McDonalds. When we go to McDonalds we know the quality of food we are going to receive, what is going to be on the menu, the set-up of the restaurant will similar, their colors will be red and yellow, and that it will be quick. McDonalds has a system of standards that provides comfort to its customers that they will know exactly what to expect. This is similar to our writing because we have a nationwide expectation that a paper should have some sort of introduction with a thesis, body paragraphs, evidence, or support of some sort, and then a conclusion. With these components we know we are looking at paper with some sort of organization and in the eyes of American this would establish a credibility that would make the audience more willing to read our work and see our message. However, if a Chinese teacher graded the paper they might not see the same organization, but a lack of creativity. They might feel as if though we are giving all the answers to the audience and not allowing them have any thought for themselves. The audience would ultimately decide if our writing is organized, or not, so it is important to always pay attention the writing structures within a community.

Evidence supporting the essay should be dependent on the audience and what they would find credible information to support the ideas. Lunsford states that it might require many different types of evidence, however once one is picked then you must evaluate your audience and their culture and determine if they too would find it credible. A general rule of thumb when deciding if an audience would find the information credible or not is determining if the evidence is fact or opinion. “…Students often do not use evidence properly, they assume everything they read as facts. We don’t evaluate the source, or what perspective it was written from, but just assume it to be true. She said that both facts and opinions are claims the only difference is how your audience perceives it. If your audience accepts it as true without any question it is a fact, but if your audience questions it as true, then it is an opinion”(Kantz). Although this concept is generally right in regards to how we perceive claims, it seems as though every piece of writing is written for a certain group of people who are going to agree that the content is true, therefore they are facts. Regardless it is very important to evaluate the evidence in relation to the culture/ community to truly decide if the claims will be taken as facts, or opinions.

Across the world, many countries have different standards and styles for their writing. However, as writers we are always writing for the audience and so when writing it is important to always think how would my audience take this information, format, or tone. Insure that you are not offending your audience, because you will lose all credibility as a writer if you are and they will not accept your ideas or claims as facts, but unimportant opinions.

Work Cited

Bazerman, Charles. “Speech Acts, Genres, and Activity Systems: How Texts Organize Activity and People.” What Writing Does and How it Does It: An Introduction to Analyzing Texts and Textual Practices. Ed. Charles Bazerman and Paul Prior. London: Routledge, 2004. 309-39. Print.

Kantz, Margaret. “Helping Students Use Textual Sources Persuasively.”College English 52.1 (1990): 74-91 Print.

Lunsford, Andrea A. “Language: Writing to the World.” The Everyday Writer: Includes 2009 MLA & 2010 APA Updates. 5th ed. Xxx: Bedford, 2010. 231-36. Print.

Reflection Tag: This second essay that we wrote is an argumentative essay. You had to pick a side on the digital era is a positive or negative thing and then back it up with some research, or evidence. I wrote about how technology benefits us and can be  used as learning aids, improve people’s  ability to communicate, and it can help to urbanize society.

Download Link: ERH102UrbanTrechnologEra

Olivia-Aman Cotton

ERH 102-06

February 5, 2016

Mrs. Smith

The Urban Technology Era

To ignore that we are living in a new technological era and that the current and future generations are growing up in a digital age would just be ignorant. There are people that try and run from technology, for example elders believing that they are too old to own a cell phone, or teachers thinking that they cannot use a projector because it is too complicated. There are many speculations about whether our technological advancements are a positive or negative impact to today’s society. Although there might be some downsides to the new digital age it has its benefits; benefits such as technology can be a tool that can aid in learning for all ages, can help build peoples communication skills and there ability to communicate, and can help to urbanize society.

Many people argue that technology is only used for games, texting, and essentially fooling around; however, technology can also be used to aid in learning. Many students have already witnessed the affects of the digital era. Math classes are now doing there homework online, science teachers are using interactive labs to help teach their students, and English teachers are able to get more sources and reading material to their students by having online resources. These are just examples within the classroom, but there are examples that extend beyond that. “ Allstate Insurance Company studied 85,000 drivers older then 50 and found that they could reduce the risk factors of elders driving with a computer based program” (Herther 423). Just as scientists are always looking for cures to diseases, we could think of computer programs that improve driving as a cure as well. Car crashes, which is grouped in accidents according to the centers for disease control and prevention is the number four leading cause for death. These statistics are significantly high enough that it would be beneficial to society that they start creating programs that could improve driving for all ages and the government should make these programs mandatory to in turn save lives. “It has even been found that increasing your involvement in activities such as, computer software aimed towards cognitive skills can help with memory, concentration, processing speed, organizing, reasoning, impulse control and executive function skills” (424). Working your brain in these areas can help with diseases like dementia and Alzheimer. Alzheimer’s is also on the list for leading deaths in the United States, so encouraging people to use these software’s could help to decrease the rate of Alzheimer or at least delay the affects so people can live longer, while still being elf-sufficient. Parents can now buy computerized, baby toys allowing infants to start learning at a very young age. These toys are interactive and fun so the babies are increasing their intelligence without even knowing that they are learning. If a child starts to develop cognitive skills at a young age they have a higher potential for their level of intelligence in the future.

Cell phones, computers, tablets, watches and etc. are devices that have made it a very efficient and accessible to get into contact with other people. “Technology has given us ’just in time’ learning and information, [that] has made communication truly mobile…we can now share information, stimulate options, and have real-time, web-based interactions across the globe” (424). Instant connections have become as simple as, if your mom is at the store and you forgot you wanted applesauce you can just shoot her a text as a reminder. Watches have become so advanced that people can now send texts, emotions, or make calls. Some, especially lazy people, might argue this is even more convenient then having to pullout a cell phone because that is a waste of time and energy. Internet has allowed for the across the globe connection that makes following the news across the world easy. Not only do online news sources allow for people to easily follow the news, but social media, like Facebook can also allow for people from other countries, or across the country to communicate. Now days Facebook is often just used as a connection tool for family and friends to view photos and be aware of what is going on with other people. If you are having trouble meeting someone in person there are sights such as eHarmony or Tinder that can help you try and meet your significant other using on-line resources. Some people that struggle with making friends or communicating in person have video games, or online games that they can use to play and communicate with other people that share the same hobby. In the business world “technology has helped to urbanize society in more ways then we can even imagine…[technology has mad it so that] physical location [has become] less important and businesses can now operate on a global playing field” (Dearing). What this means is you can work for a company in New York, but you could live in California. This allows the job market to expand and might help to decrease unemployment rates, or people struggling to find work. Or, the technological advances can apply to items such as cars. They have been enhancing cars new technology like: satellite radios, Bluetooth calling, push-to-start cars, rear-view cameras, HD televisions, and many more.. Many of these things just seem like fun little additions to increase the luxury of your car, however, they also have technology that have increased the safety of vehicles and the crash safety awareness. For example, the new sensor technology on cars that activates the breaks before you crash into someone or something. Restaurants, such as Red Robins you no longer need a waiter to order your food or pay for it. There are tablet like devices on the table that allow you to order your food and then at the end you can pay with your card on the device. In large dinner parties that are all paying separately this is extremely helpful ad efficient because it can be difficult having to split a check between many people individually. It has carried over to the food industry as well, we have ovens with technology that rapidly cooks food, or machines that are touch screen and allow you to pick whatever drinks you want essentially. This has allowed for more convenience and more efficient fast foods.

Many people don’t believe that the digital era is positive because it breeds a lot of negativity. Technology such as video games, people argue breed’s negativity and children to act more violent. However, as previously stated there arte many programs that are beneficial to learning; as a parent you could make sure your child is not playing violent video games, but ones that are going to increase their intelligence or cognitive skills. Other people believe that technology does not increase communication but inhibits it because it is creating a new language that is not proper in school and work environments. But you could also argue that writing of any type creative, personal, formal, or informal enhances a person’s ability to write, think, and be creative. In other words it is writing that allows someone to express him or herself freely. While some people think that texting and communicating on-line has reduced kids social skills in person. Truth be told there will always be people that are better at communicating then others, communication is also a skill that can be learned so learning to communicate through technology can act as a starting point for those that are not good at communicating in person.

The digital age is unavoidable and technology is only continuing to advance. Those that are trying to avoid technology and pretend as is if it is only harmful are going to get left behind in society. It is extremely inconvenient to not be able to get in touch with someone because they don’t have a phone, or there is no Internet connection in an area. Although we might deal with these things now in the future you will not be accepted if you are not updated. Someone not having a phone of any sort would be like going to someone’s house without a toilet you probably would never go there again, and they would be considered a social outcast. An argument can be had whether the new technology and internet is positive, or negative, however technology has been found to be used as beneficial learning tools, a means of efficient communication, and helped to urbanize society.

Work Cited

Dearing, Charles. “Technology Will Lead to De-Urbanization | Big Think.” Big Think. N.p., 26 May 2012. Web. 08 Feb. 2016.

Herther, Nancy. Digital Natives and Immigrants: What Brain Researchers Tells US. 2012. Writing Arguments: A Rhetoric with Readings. By John D. Ramage, John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 9th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2001. 419-26. Print.

“Leading Causes of Death.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention, 30 Sept. 2015. Web. 08 Feb. 2016.