14 Matching Annotations
  1. May 2024
    1. Luddite. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1189255462. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Luddite&oldid=1189255462 (visited on 2023-12-10).

      Eric Hobsbawm's work on the Luddites, particularly his concept of "collective bargaining by riot," offers a nuanced perspective on their actions. He argues that their machine-breaking wasn't simply anti-technology but a strategic attempt to pressure employers and raise awareness of workers' struggles. This challenges the common portrayal of Luddites as solely opposed to progress, highlighting instead their socio-economic motivations and the limitations of traditional bargaining methods. Hobsbawm's insights encourage us to consider the broader context of labor movements and address contemporary technological disruptions with empathy and inclusivity.

    1. In the first chapter of our book we quoted actor Kumail Nanjiani on tech innovators’ lack of consideration of ethical implications of their work. Of course, concerns about the implications of technological advancement are nothing new. In Plato’s Phaedrus [u1] (~370BCE), Socrates tells (or makes up1) a story from Egypt critical of the invention of writing: Now in those days the god Thamus was the king of the whole country of Egypt, […] [then] came Theuth and showed his inventions, desiring that the other Egyptians might be allowed to have the benefit of them; […] [W]hen they came to letters, This, said Theuth, will make the Egyptians wiser and give them better memories; it is a specific both for the memory and for the wit. Thamus replied: […] this discovery of yours will create forgetfulness in the learners’ souls, because they will not use their memories; they will trust to the external written characters and not remember of themselves. The specific which you have discovered is an aid not to memory, but to reminiscence, and you give your disciples not truth, but only the semblance of truth; they will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing; they will appear to be omniscient and will generally know nothing; they will be tiresome company, having the show of wisdom without the reality. In England in the early 1800s, Luddites [u2] were upset that textile factories were using machines to replace them, leaving them unemployed, so they sabotaged the machines. The English government sent soldiers to stop them, killing and executing many. (See also Sci-Fi author Ted Chiang on Luddites and AI [u3])

      The ethical concerns raised by Kumail Nanjiani and Plato's "Phaedrus" show a timeless skepticism towards new technologies. Both suggest that advancements can undermine human qualities—ethics in Nanjiani’s view, memory, and wisdom in Socrates’ story. The Luddites in the 1800s shared similar fears about job loss due to machinery. Modern AI debates echo these concerns, with fears of job displacement and ethical dilemmas. Yet, historical advancements like writing have shown that despite initial resistance, they can ultimately benefit society. AI, too, has potential for positive impact if guided ethically. A question I have is: How can we balance new technologies with ethical standards and human values? This balance is crucial as we advance further into the digital age.

    1. Trauma and Shame. URL: https://www.oohctoolbox.org.au/trauma-and-shame (visited on 2023-12-10).

      One of the sources mentioned is Hughes, D. A. (2007). "Attachment-Focused Family Therapy". This book provides a detailed look at how attachment theory can be applied in family therapy, particularly for children who have experienced trauma and abuse. Hughes emphasizes the importance of creating a safe and empathetic environment for children to express their emotions and experiences. In the context of trauma and shame, Hughes' work highlights the transformative power of empathy in repairing relationships and reducing feelings of shame. This aligns with the chapter’s assertion that when shame is exposed and responded to with empathy, it can lead to a positive and transformative intersubjective experience. Hughes’ focus on creating an attuned and empathetic therapeutic environment underscores the critical role of caregivers and therapists in helping children navigate and heal from traumatic experiences. This source provides a foundational understanding of how attachment-based interventions can be effective in addressing the deep-seated shame that often accompanies trauma.

    1. Before we talk about public criticism and shaming and adults, let’s look at the role of shame in childhood. In at least some views about shame and childhood1, shame and guilt hold different roles in childhood development [r1]: Shame is the feeling that “I am bad,” and the natural response to shame is for the individual to hide, or the community to ostracize the person. Guilt is the feeling that “This specific action I did was bad.” The natural response to feeling guilt is for the guilty person to want to repair the harm of their action. In this view [r1], a good parent might see their child doing something bad or dangerous, and tell them to stop. The child may feel shame (they might not be developmentally able to separate their identity from the momentary rejection). The parent may then comfort the child to let the child know that they are not being rejected as a person, it was just their action that was a problem. The child’s relationship with the parent is repaired, and over time the child will learn to feel guilt instead of shame and seek to repair harm instead of hide.

      The distinction between shame and guilt in childhood development is a crucial one, and it reminds me of my own experiences growing up. I distinctly remember instances where I felt deep shame, believing I was inherently bad because of a mistake or wrongdoing. These moments often led to feelings of isolation and a desire to hide from others, which aligns with the idea that shame causes a person to want to hide or be ostracized. On the other hand, when I understood that my actions, not my identity, were the problem, I felt guilt and a strong urge to make amends. This distinction in emotional responses highlights the importance of how parents and caregivers address children’s misbehavior. By focusing on the action rather than the child's identity, parents can help foster a healthier development of guilt over shame. This can lead to children growing up with a better capacity for empathy and responsibility, as they learn to rectify their mistakes rather than internalize them as flaws in their character. I wonder how different parenting styles across cultures impact the balance between teaching shame and guilt, and what long-term effects this might have on children's development into adulthood.

    1. Doxing. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1189390304. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Doxing&oldid=1189390304 (visited on 2023-12-10).

      One particularly striking detail from the article is its exploration of the historical context and evolution of doxing. Originally a tactic used within hacker communities to expose rival hackers, doxing has since evolved into a widespread tool for harassment and intimidation, often with devastating consequences for its victims. The article also delves into notable cases of doxing, illustrating the real-world impacts and the diverse motivations behind these attacks, from personal vendettas to political activism. This historical and case-study approach provides a well-rounded view of the phenomenon, complementing the chapter's discussion on the public forms of individual harassment and reinforcing the need for a multi-faceted approach to combating online harassment that includes legal, technical, and educational strategies.

    1. Individual harassment (one individual harassing another individual) has always been part of human cultures, bur social media provides new methods of doing so. There are many methods by which through social media. This can be done privately through things like: Bullying: like sending mean messages through DMs Cyberstalking: Continually finding the account of someone, and creating new accounts to continue following them. Or possibly researching the person’s physical location. Hacking: Hacking into an account or device to discover secrets, or make threats. Tracking: An abuser might track the social media use of their partner or child to prevent them from making outside friends. They may even install spy software on their victim’s phone. Death threats / rape threats Etc. Individual harassment can also be done publicly before an audience (such as classmates or family). For example: Bullying: like posting public mean messages Impersonation: Making an account that appears to be from someone and having that account say things to embarrass or endanger the victim. Doxing [q1]: Publicly posting identifying information about someone (e.g., full name, address, phone number, etc.). Revenge porn / deep-fake porn Etc.

      The exploration of individual harassment via social media vividly highlights the diverse and pernicious ways in which technology can be exploited to harm others. It strikes me how the anonymity and reach of social media platforms can amplify the impact of traditional forms of harassment, making them more pervasive and harder to escape. I am particularly alarmed by the concept of cyberstalking, as it illustrates a relentless invasion of privacy that can extend beyond the digital realm to the physical world, heightening the victim's sense of vulnerability. This chapter resonates with the broader discussion about digital ethics in our course, emphasizing the urgent need for robust legal frameworks and ethical guidelines to combat online harassment effectively. One question that arises for me is: What are the most effective strategies that social media platforms can implement to prevent such harassment while balancing the need for free expression?

    1. WIRED. How to Not Embarrass Yourself in Front of the Robot at Work. September 2015. URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho1RDiZ5Xew (visited on 2023-12-08).

      This is a very new concept, but the development in this area may increase in the future. For example, during times of pandemic, people can only work and open accounts online. If some people cannot be present for some reason, then robot coworkers will facilitate the progress of many work matters. However, people also need to learn how to interact with robot coworkers, which is also very interesting.

    1. When tasks are done through large groups of people making relatively small contributions, this is called crowdsourcing. The people making the contributions generally come from a crowd of people that aren’t necessarily tied to the task (e.g., all internet users can edit Wikipedia), but then people from the crowd either get chosen to participate, or volunteer themselves. When a crowd is providing financial contributions, that is called crowdfunding (e.g., patreon [p1], kickstarter [p2], gofundme [p3]). Humans have always collaborated on tasks, and crowds have been enlisted in performing tasks long before the internet existed [p4]. What social media (and other internet systems) have done is expand the options for how people can collaborate on tasks.

      Reading about crowdsourcing and crowdfunding in this chapter reminds me of how technology has truly revolutionized collaboration. It's fascinating to see how platforms like Patreon, Kickstarter, and GoFundMe have democratized funding for creative projects and charitable causes, allowing individuals to directly support initiatives they believe in. However, I wonder about the potential drawbacks of relying too heavily on these platforms. While they offer unprecedented access to resources and support, there's also the risk of oversaturation and the challenge of standing out among countless other projects vying for attention. How can creators navigate this landscape effectively to ensure their endeavors are successful?

  2. Apr 2024
    1. Elon Musk [@elonmusk]. @Andst7 I hereby challenge @paraga to a public debate about the Twitter bot percentage. Let him prove to the public that Twitter has \textless 5% fake or spam daily users! August 2022. URL: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1555950698252181507 (visited on 2023-11-24). d19 Elon Musk [@elonmusk]. @PPathole Exactly. I have yet to see *any* analysis that has fake/spam/duplicates at \textless 5%. May 2022. URL: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1525723506805288962 (visited on 2023-11-24).

      I am very interested in this event and tried to search for more relevant information. Eventually, I found the follow-up information on this event at https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/21/23803632/elon-musk-spam-twitter-blue-dms. Even though Twitter failed to provide more evidence in a timely manner regarding this less than 5% verification, the acquisition still proceeded. After the acquisition, Elon Musk focused on addressing the issue of spam. The newly added DM feature directs messages from unverified users to a separate inbox. However, this setting is only applicable to Twitter Blue subscribers, further incentivizing users to opt for the paid service. In fact, I understand this behavior very well. Combating spam while promoting subscriptions is a great marketing tactic. Similarly, some video websites offer an option to remove ads after subscription, which I think is a similar approach.

    1. Metadata is information about some data. So we often think about a dataset as consisting of the main pieces of data (whatever those are in a specific situation), and whatever other information we have about that data (metadata). For example: If we think of a tweet’s contents (text and photos) as the main data of a tweet, then additional information such as the user, time, and responses would be considered metadata. If we download information about a set of tweets (text, user, time, etc.) to analyze later, we might consider that set of information as the main data, and our metadata might be information about our download process, such as when we collected the tweet information, which search term we used to find it, etc. Now that we’ve looked some at the data in a tweet, let’s look next at how different pieces of this information are saved.

      My understanding of metadata has been limited, but in this chapter, I've gained insight into its fundamental definition and operational mechanisms. I've begun exploring its practical applications, such as its role in digital libraries and archives where it's used for cataloging and indexing documents, facilitating retrieval and preservation. Additionally, in web development, metadata embedded within web pages enhances search engine visibility and promotes content discovery.

    1. Steven Tweedie. This disturbing image of a Chinese worker with close to 100 iPhones reveals how App Store rankings can be manipulated. February 2015. URL: https://www.businessinsider.com/photo-shows-how-fake-app-store-rankings-are-made-2015-2 (visited on 2024-03-07).

      Regarding this phenomenon, I'm actually not surprised at all. Nowadays, the authenticity of many things on the internet cannot be verified. The purchase volume and positive reviews on shopping websites can be deceptive, as well as various rankings, which can all be manipulated. I previously learned about a method called "chart manipulation" in the entertainment industry, where fans create multiple accounts to artificially boost the data for their favorite celebrities, keeping them at the top of various charts, sometimes surpassing genuinely talented stars. I believe such behavior is difficult to prevent. Even if official platforms like Apple attempt to prevent it, people will always find loopholes. It's good to take preventive measures, but individuals also need to be vigilant and carefully discern information on the internet.

    1. On the other hand, some bots are made with the intention of harming, countering, or deceiving others. For example, people use bots to spam advertisements at people. You can use bots as a way of buying fake followers [c8], or making fake crowds that appear to support a cause (called Astroturfing [c9]). As one example, in 2016, Rian Johnson, who was in the middle of directing Star Wars: The Last Jedi, got bombarded by tweets that all originated in Russia (likely making at least some use of bots).

      This shocked me quite a bit because I thought bots were mainly used to assist people in various tasks, such as generating text outputs, and so on. But I never thought they could also be used as tools for fraud and harming others. Regarding tweet bombardment, I know there's a specific profession called "water army”(This term just directly translated from Chinese, but it means ghostwriters) where you pay them to post tweets on the internet, spreading misinformation and influencing public opinion, even resorting to cyberbullying others. However, I always considered this a human-driven behavior, never realizing that bots could also be involved.

  3. Mar 2024
    1. Being and becoming an exemplary person (e.g., benevolent; sincere; honoring and sacrificing to ancestors; respectful to parents, elders and authorities, taking care of children and the young; generous to family and others). These traits are often performed and achieved through ceremonies and rituals (including sacrificing to ancestors, music, and tea drinking), resulting in a harmonious society. Key figures: Confucius [b12]~500, China

      The teachings of Confucius have had a profound impact on China, directly forming some of the traditional virtues and mainstream thoughts in Chinese society today. Many of Confucius' sayings are included in our textbooks, and most people receive Confucian education from a young age. Although the core of Confucianism guides people towards benevolence, propriety, wisdom, and integrity, there are also some flaws, after all, it is a thought from thousands of years ago. With the development and changes in society, some of its content is no longer applicable to today's society. We should take the essence, discard the dross, and apply it to our lives accordingly.

    1. What changes to Twitter could have changed how this story went?

      Regarding this issue, it reminds me of another app, Weibo, which is a social media platform similar to Twitter. People can post here to express their opinions, but unlike Twitter, its censorship system is stricter. Some content that is offensive or harmful cannot be published, and even if someone manages to post it due to a loophole, it will quickly be noticed and removed by the authorities because of its rising popularity. I think if Twitter adopts a similar censorship system, it might have prevented this post from gaining traction in the first place, and none of this would have happened. But Weibo's censorship system actually to some extent affects freedom of speech. Behind this, the censorship system has gradually evolved into a means that can be controlled with money, gradually becoming a part of this company's revenue, which is very ironic.