Online Privacy Unit

Privacy is sacred and intimate, giving each human the right to keep personal information to ourselves and choose who we share it with. Throughout listening to the Ted Talks, I learned about multiple issues that limit our rights as Americans and dehumanize our abilities to make decisions based on what we choose to share with others. Various concerns arise when acknowledging violations of privacy, such as giving the government access to not only our location, cell phone line, contacts, and communications, but also our travel, personal pictures, and more. 

Issues of personal privacy have emerged rapidly due to advances in technology over the past decade. A surprising insight I have gained about privacy is that American citizens have multiple pieces of information under surveillance that we don’t acknowledge or are unaware of. A fascinating website, Face.com is an online resource that converts a person's picture into a summary of information, revealing details about their personal life. A TED Talk reports that millions of faces are available on this website, without the person behind the face even recognizing them. 

The issue that consumed my thoughts the most is the exposure of personal privacy and the threat of blackmail. Having an intimate connection and sending personal pictures to another truly made me understand the violation of rights that many victims have struggled with . It is extremely alarming to American society that there are no bills or acts to protect the privacy of victims of cyber abuse and the exposure of their private images on public websites. It was also extremely concerning to learn that every 1 in 25 women is subject to  revenge porn. 

This allows me to think about myself, my family, and my friends, and to wonder who has access to our private information and data. It concerns me that the people close to me, including me, are subject to privacy breaches and are not even aware of them. Through educating myself on a few matters involving privacy I was able to gauge logical solutions to enhance the American policies and views on security and privacy. In order to prevent these issues, the government could allow local police departments to be overseen by city councils, which would enable the government to monitor criminals, hackers, and other threats while eliminating the data of innocent people. Another suggestion would be to keep networks as secure as possible, which would make wiretapping more difficult but would also reduce the number of people who can access the data of any innocent individual.  Lastly, I believe that the government needs to acknowledge victims of cyber assault and revenge porn and strengthen our policies in the United States to create a safer, more respectful environment. Other countries have acts, bills, and policies in place to deal with this situation, and the United States Government must take action. I believe the government needs to focus on accessing data and building a stronger database to protect and eliminate the information that is being collected from innocent citizens, so they do not fall victim to threats or hacking. I firmly believe that there should have already been and needs to be an act in place to defend the victims of revenge porn. To protect ourselves from becoming victims of privacy invasions, American citizens need to advocate for themselves and understand exactly where our information is going and how the government is receiving it. I believe transparency and advocacy are the first steps to making an impact. As American citizens, we have the right to speak up and make changes where we see fit. It is not only a priority but a duty to defend ourselves and our privacy. 

Protect Dissent :

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Freedom of Speech is a concept outlined in the United States' First Amendment, a term often used in American Society. This amendment protects American Citizens against the government violating personal constitutional rights. The First Amendment of the Constitution protects the citizens of America, regardless of background, knowledge, culture, or lifestyle.  

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The eight theories of free speech focus on the core values of the United States First Amendment and highlight the importance of advocacy, government support, and protection. The theory that resonated with me is Protect Dissent, which emphasizes the importance of advocacy in light of government and or political injustice. This theory is necessary to the culture of the United States because it gives citizens a voice to use their moral knowledge and skills to examine whether the United States' Governing system is ethical and inclusive.  

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Steve Shiffrin, a professor of law at Cornell University, novel "Dissent, Injustice, and the Meanings of America”, building on the First Amendment right to freedom of speech, Shiffrin encourages dissent opposed to tolerating the theory for American Citizens. Shiffron argues toward unconventional and controversial approaches such as “ flag burning, cigarette advertising, racist speech, and subsidizing the arts…” as core protests that would protect American Speech. He proposes open opportunities for Americans to challenge the imperfect political system and provide support for citizens who fight for an equal government in which justice is attained. Shiffrin's approach is to create more accessible and efficient defamation laws to protect the voices and opinions of American Citizens. By providing a safe, reform-based approach to the First Amendment, it highlights the key value of free speech.  

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Plessy vs. Ferguson, a popular Supreme Court case, is a prime example of protective dissent. This case occurred in 1892, when Louisiana enacted the Separate Car Act. Plessy was arrested after refusing to leave the “white only” section on the train. Plessy argued that the Separate Car Act was a violation of his Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The case was a 7-1 opinion in favor of Furguson and convinced Plessy. 

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The court affirmed the common misconception underlying the Separate Car Act and the meaning of “separate but equal.” The Court ruled in favor of Plessy, but the one Supreme Court justice who argued for Plessy, John Harlan, said,“Our Constitution is colorblind.” This statement is a direct example of protective dissent, highlighting the Supreme Court justices' statement in defense of Plessy, a marginalized voice who was convicted due to his race. Harlan opposed the injustice inflicted on Plessy, challenging a failure in the government’s system. 

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The case Plessy v. Ferguson and Harlan's dissenting argument outline the key idea of Protective Dissent and further emphasize it. Shiffrin’s novel connects not only this example but a plethora of cases to recognize the citizens who have fallen victim to the failures of the legislation. This theory provides context for American advocacy and efforts to protect the rights promised by the First Amendment for the greater good of an equal society that challenges the imperfections of the American Court System, Constitution, and Legislature. 

Top Five Sources of News

My Top Five News Sources: 

Medical News Today: 

Medical News Today is an online news outlet known for publishing research and analysis on human health and wellness. The health journal sources all its information from medical experts, scientists, peer-reviewed articles, and research to provide informative content on human health. The source provides multiple blogs pertaining to individual mental and physical health struggles. I use this outlet to learn more about my physical, mental, and emotional health, research supplements and vitamins that interest me, and explore specific aspects of my health. 

 

Instagram: 

Instagram, a popular and in-demand social media platform, presents images, videos, commentary, and story posts to engage users. Today
This platform is considered a news source for publishing local news and community information.  I use this source to communicate with my friends and to view their accomplishments, travels, and day-to-day lives. This source allows me to stay in touch with my friends and family who may not be close by. It also encourages me to post and use my creative skillset and mind to share my thoughts, memories, travels, and more.  It is also a new way to discover current events in my hometown and college town, High Point. @HighPointDiscovered is one of my favorite accounts to visit, as it keeps me up to date on current events, new restaurants, and community engagements in High Point, NC, which helps me connect with the local community I belong to during the school year. 

Flare: 

Flare is an online app designed to provide a space for organizations and groups to make announcements, use a calendar, post images, and create an attendance platform. Kappa Delta Sorority uses this platform specifically to share news reports and announcements with the entire chapter, similar to an online blog with eight hosts for each of our council members. I use this source specifically to create organized posts and announcements, and to view important content from other members of the chapter.

TikTok: 

TikTok is a very popular social media platform that has gained widespread attention in the past few years for being a place where people can create and upload videos. These videos can contain any and all sources, posted at any time. This source also allows for personal connection through news, since each influencer online has a platform to create, speak, and inform as they choose. This allows me to use the platform as an instant outlet to learn about recent social news, media updates, new products, and much more. With the live feature, people can produce real content in the moment for all their viewers to access. This source provides current information on new hygiene, fashion, wellness, health, and general products, making it easily accessible. 

Gmail: 

Although not a traditional news source, Gmail is extremely crucial to the day-to-day lives of many college students. I view Gmail as a channel for receiving important updates on internship training. Especially as a college student, having access to updates on campus, in the High Point community, and about campus engagement is super beneficial and helpful to my learning experience. Being part of Greek life, student government, and campus clubs, I use Gmail to communicate and receive updates about times, dates, events, and other information. It also gives me insight into weather updates and local activity, so I can easily prepare for any weather conditions or local emergencies and always be ready for what's ahead in my day.