I feel like the trauma and violence these moderators are exposed to should be accounted for in both their salary and their accessibility to mental health resources as a bare minimum for social media companies to supply.

In this article, Mia Sato explains that YouTube received millions of incorrect copyright claims within a six-month period, showing how automated copyright systems often make mistakes when identifying content. The article highlights concerns about fairness and transparency, since false claims can negatively affect creators by removing videos or limiting their ability to earn revenue.

The article talks about how using selfies, filters, and photo-editing apps can mess with how people see their own appearance, sometimes leading to what’s called “Snapchat dysmorphia.” It also points out that constantly seeing edited, “perfect” images on social media can make people feel worse about their own bodies and set unrealistic beauty standards.

I feel like social media can exacerbate mental issues stemming from mental health problems. However, it can also supply resources through online and easily accessible tools.

The Wikipedia article on “meme” explains that the term was first introduced by Richard Dawkins to describe how ideas and cultural behaviors spread through imitation, kind of like how genes evolve over time. It also goes into the word’s origins from the Greek “mimema,” meaning “something imitated,” and shows how the concept has expanded today to include internet memes as a major way culture spreads online.

For me personally, I think this depends on the kind of content being copied. For example, if this meme is massively widespread and well known, it feels more unstable. However, if this is a meticulous dedicated work that displays artistry, another creator is trying to use it to amass money or attention, or it is less well known yet blatantly copied, I believe the original post should be credited.

This article explains that users can’t fully opt out of the platform’s phone number lookup feature, meaning people can still be found by their phone number even if they provided it for security purposes like two-factor authentication. Additionally, it points out that this raises privacy concerns because Facebook is using that info in ways users don’t really have control over.

Social media platforms should be responsible for making sure their recommendation algorithms don’t actively promote harmful content like misinformation, extreme violence, or content that encourages dangerous behavior. They should also be transparent about how these algorithms work and give users more control over what they see so people aren’t just passively pushed toward whatever maximizes engagement.

The article explains that some women carry a genetic variation that gives them a fourth type of cone cell in their eyes called tetrachromacy. This can potentially allow them to perceive millions more colors than the average person.

With the rise of ADHD diagnosis in the US, many people speculate that the increase in social media use and frequent internet access has led to many more people being diagnosed with adhd. I find it interesting that the potential problem causing these issues also offers solutions, such as providing accessible jobs.

The article explains that Facebook discovered it had been storing millions of Instagram passwords in unencrypted form on its internal servers, where they were accessible to employees, due to a security oversight. It also notes that while Facebook said there’s no evidence the data was misused, the incident added to ongoing concerns about the company’s handling of user privacy and security.

My personal concerns around privacy are about how much information social media can ascertain from me without my permission or knowledge. Additionally, I fear that not only is social media unknowingly taking my information, but it is also sharing that information. I don't find myself fearing the access of relatively basic information such as my interests, likes, and dislikes; however, the easy ability to access my more personal data is what concerns me.

The article explains that Facebook isn’t just tracking people who use it; it’s also gathering information on people who don’t even have accounts, like through friends’ contact lists, and creating these hidden “shadow profiles.” I found this unsettling because most people are unaware of these profiles and have no way to see or control what data the company has on them.

While I understand the fear, I personally am not very concerned about Google having my information. This is because I have been aware of this aspect of the internet for almost as long as I've been using it, and I am accustomed to and sometimes prefer this personalization.

This article discusses a comedian who made fun of Martin Luther King Jr.'s death via Twitter by considering whether this joke is considered funny or offensive. In doing so, the article describes the debate that ensued online and the various opinions that many people had regarding this joke.

It is interesting to see how casually this manipulation of rankings can take place, especially at great magnitudes, as just one person can manipulate about 100 phones. It makes me reflect on how much I can really trust "honest" reviews and ratings.

I find it interesting that the current culture of social media has really normalized the buying of fake followers. In the influencer world, followers have been equated to some form of social currency and validation.

I think because technology was moving at such a fast and uncontrollable rate, such issues became hard to answer. On top of that, these companies operate to make revenue, so the moral implications of their technology were not something they considered to be relevant in their work, and thus did not care about.

I think an important part of nihilism that should be mentioned is Nietzsche's concept that "God is Dead." I think it relates very strongly to alternative religious beliefs, such as Divide Command Theory, by claiming that belief in a divine source of meaning and morality has largely lost its power.