A detail from this source that I had taken away was the accuracy of the portrayal of larger tech companies were in the tv show. They were written as tech giants in the software field where they relied on buying out companies and legal action instead of innovation to take some of the market space. For the time that this show came out, its content is really accurate to how it is today since this mentioned issue is still very prevalent today.

This statement made me think about how this applies to many recently added features on the internet. For example, we have allowed companies to create face tracking software that can search you by simply adding a picture of your face. While it is impressive that it exists, it is a major concern regarding the ethics of people getting your information through something as personal as your own face.

A detail from this source that I've wanted to share is the frequency that bigger companies buy smaller companies in the same tech space. Over the past few years, we seen the decline of competition between companies rather we started to see companies owning most of the open market. I feel that in the future, this will start to become out of hand since eventually, for each tech space only a single company will own it.

Reflecting on this excerpt made me think about how the process of obtaining the technology we use is normally disregarded. For example, every year people get the new iPhone while also being aware of the child lithium mines used to create the batteries. We also see this in tesla while materials like cobalt are unethically mined but are forced to continue through demand.

My personal opinion on Cancel culture is that it has produced instances where through group effort, rightful actions were taken but I believe its potency has dropped. I have been embedded in several online spaces where I've seen the dropoff in what canceling does. For example, in 2020 it would mean your career is over but it is no more than a week or 2 of harassment or call to justice. That was just a pattern I noticed especially in today's world.

This source made me think about the social context needed for this source to seem comprehensible. The original poster of this source made the statement that people who read at the bar are unlikable. This isn't due to the fact that they are reading but they are showing that they read in a setting where isn't necessary . They feel the need to be perceived as someone who reads which ties into the idea of people conforming their public perception.

The term intersectionality was something I'm familiar with, but the idea stated in the textbook doesn't fully capture all aspects of it. For example, not only are gender and race potentially biased against, but age and religion are also common filters that are not always mentioned.

A detail that this source made me think about was how invasive this whole trend felt. This whole trend is centered around countering a statement made by a user by finding a user's hypocritical statement and posting screenshots saying, "This You?" I distinctly remember online users would dig through all sorts of data of another user's history to find something to post to the massive audiences on the internet, which is something I'm a little concerned about.

This idea of Crowd Harassment is something I see often in the sports space, especially after players produce unsatisfactory results. Most recently, I can think NBA playoffs as an example where groups of people are quick to bully players who make early exits or do not deliver in important games.

Reading more about GoFundMe had me reflect on how a system like this is good for humanity overall. In a lot of places, many struggle with finding the support they need to help sustain their life, but with something like GoFundMe, others come together and help make a difference. Over the years, especially through social media like TikTok, I've seen all of the good that comes from it.

This chapter highlighted a lot of activities that I was familiar with, but I noticed a couple that were not mentioned. The main one I wanted to talk about would be para-social relationships through social media. This is when online users are deluding themselves into thinking they have personal relationships with their favorite creator due to how embedded their person is on the internet. This blurs the line between interactions behind the screen and in person, which has led to issues like breaches of personal boundaries because of how they mistake their relationship with said creator.

After reading through this article in its entirety, I realised how much it resonated with me. I feel that this is something I unconsciously engaged in often, especially during quarantine. That was a time when I was secluded in my home and found myself scrolling endlessly in a near-trance for days on end.

These different forms of duplication made me think about the social media landscape before TikTok exploded in popularity. For example, the feature of 'stitching', where you could merge a fellow creator's video with yours, was something that no other app was doing. I believe that as social media becomes more widely used, more features and innovations will start to be invented.

I found this source referring to pyramid schemes to be very interesting to read about. I noticed how often I see it in my everyday life, especially in workspaces. For example, I noticed things like forex and working for Cutco are by definition considered pyramid schemes, but not much information is shared for people to know better.

Recommendations for me are a love-hate relationship since I find myself stuck in between being for and against it. For example, on apps like TikTok, where I want to be anonymous and not have to interact with people I know, they automatically recommend your account to people in your phone contacts. This setting is something that is on until it is switched off, I feel that this is a pattern in multiple other social media platforms.

After reading more into the term 'Echo Chamber', I realized how prevalent it is, especially in online spaces. I noticed social media websites like Twitter are the main ecosystem for this to take place. Echo Chambers can be recognized in spaces used for many things, like politics, sports, and other polarizing topics.

This sentence stuck out to me since I never realized the lack of perspective designers might have when they are making designs for 'everyone'. For example, if someone is tasked with making a video, if the editor is able-bodied, they might not have the urgency to create captions, which is something that essential for someone who is deaf.

A detail that this source made me think about was how far inclusivity has come in designs at this point in time. There were timespans where products and features were made me a very specific demographic in mind, that being a white male, making it potentially harder for others to be accommodated.

This made me think about what happens to all the private data when companies go bankrupt or shut down. The overall accumulation of data would be at risk of falling into the hands of third-party companies. While 23andMe isn't tech-based, they are an example since, in their contract stipulations, should they go under, they have the right to your DNA and the ability to do anything with it.

This citation made me think about how it would be impossible for this movie to take place in today's world. With how much security there is, along with how technology is used as a barrier in many facets of life. For example, when you are boarding a plane, you have to use your phone to provide a barcode to scan, or you can't board.

To add on to this observation of the correlation between candle scents and COVID, I wonder if this is the same for recipe changes. I think in the early stages of COVID, when it wasn't well known that it could affect your sense, people would probably complain about food companies changing their recipes as a result of a lack of taste.

I remember reading this article in quarantine, and I was baffled about how people were so quick to spread misinformation on such a deadly disease. Something I specifically remember was how people claimed that once you get COVID once, you can't get it again.

To add to this statement, another activity that can be considered trolling would be blatant misinformation. I've noticed in online gaming communities, more experienced players tend to mislead newer players as a form of entertainment.

The term 'Trolling' has been prevalent in social media spaces ever since it was coined. Now, we see it through different variants like 'Rage-Baiting', which is the action of intentionally provoking people through ignorant words or phrases. I wonder if the future will see trolling take on a new form, or will it stay unchanging as it is today.

While I have heard of this term before, I've begun to notice this has become more of a common experience in online spaces. I see this especially on apps like TikTok or Reddit, where users become so immersed in creators' content that they begin to think their connection is genuine.

I found this definition of code-switching to be very resonating since, as a black man, I find myself often doing it. With the different environments I found myself in, I see myself changing my vernacular whether I am in a professional or academic settings.

Before reading this chapter, I had not heard of this term, but I realize how often I see it. For example, on TikTok, if you search for something, it will load all similar results, and then it shows something related to what you searched for after it ends.

While I haven't been on the internet since the inception of the Rick Roll, I have seen the multiple resurgences of the meme. The most common rendition we see is people sharing links of it labeled as something else, but my personal favorite is the opening sequence getting edited into random videos.

This source mentions the phrase 'All models are wrong' and I've heard a continuance of this phrase with 'some are useful'. This connects with how data is used in websites and apps. The average person probably does not know how Twitter uses data to recommend posts you might like. Models online can used to help bridge the gap, while it is not 'correct', it is accurate.

I find it interesting to think about how data affects our daily lives. We are so deeply embedded in both the use of data and the collection of it. Personally, I can say that data and its simplifications have worked well with me, considering how it intersects with a lot of facets of my life.

After reading through this part of the chapter, I realized how quick internet users are to say very bigoted statements. I believe that it stems from the overall sense of protection that users feel through their online status. I can make this connection often, especially when considering how the internet landscape is today.

When I was reading through this subsection, I had a feeling that this article title looked familiar. I remembered back to when the movie came out, how big of a story this was. I believe that the backlash came from a sexist standpoint since many of the movie viewers were quick to anger after a female protagonist was deemed 'The Last Jedi'.

I personally think about the relationship between social media and "real life" as I compare a screen and a mirror. Social media tends to portray an image or an idea exactly how the users want to, while real life is a mirror where it portrays what is exactly there.

I feel that in addition to focusing on relationships and their ethics, there should be additional thought put into nurturing new connections. I think that keeping relationships healthy should be as important as creating new ones.