36 Matching Annotations
  1. May 2024
    1. Rafi Letzter. A teenager on TikTok disrupted thousands of scientific studies with a single video. September 2021. URL: https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/24/22688278/tiktok-science-study-survey-prolific (visited on 2023-12-10).

      This bibliography mentions how one video had a significant impact on scientific research. In my view, incidents like this remind us that while technological advances bring convenience, they are also accompanied by new challenges and risks. We must be more careful handling technology's impact, especially in social and scientific fields. At the same time, we also need to recognize that the influence of young people on social media cannot be ignored, and their actions may have far-reaching effects on society as a whole. Therefore, we need to pay more attention to and understand these influences and take appropriate measures to deal with the problems that may arise.

    1. 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.

      The passage mentions that while technology can provide convenience, over-reliance can weaken our intellectual and memory abilities. I believe that we need to use technology while maintaining confidence in our abilities and strive to maintain and improve our memory and thinking skills so that we do not become overly dependent on external tools. Therefore, we need to maintain confidence in our abilities and strive to maintain and improve our thinking and memory skills so as not to fall into the bondage of technology. Technology should be our tool, not a factor that dominates our lives.

    1. Craig Silverman, Craig Timberg, Jeff Kao, and Jeremy Merrill. Facebook Hosted Surge of Misinformation and Insurrection Threats in Months Leading Up to Jan. 6 Attack, Records Show. ProPublica, January 2022. URL: https://www.propublica.org/article/facebook-hosted-surge-of-misinformation-and-insurrection-threats-in-months-leading-up-to-jan-6-attack-records-show (visited on 2023-12-10).

      This bibliography mentions that the team at Facebook disbanded their Civic Integrity team on the eve of the 2020 election and halted some of the emergency measures, which resulted in the team's inability to effectively respond to the growing amount of offensive speech in the nine weeks following the election. I believe that this relaxation of decision-making may have exacerbated the team's failure to control violence and disinformation and ultimately failed to prevent the January 6th incident. Although Facebook later took action, these actions were ramped up only after the violence had occurred. This reactive approach exposed Facebook's shortcomings in preventing the problem.

    1. 19.2.1. Surveillance Capitalism# Meta’s way of making profits fits in a category called Surveillance Capitalism [s34]. Surveillance capitalism began when internet companies started tracking user behavior data to make their sites more personally tailored to users. These companies realized that this data was something that they could profit from, so they began to collect more data than strictly necessary (“behavioral surplus”) and see what more they could predict about users. Companies could then sell this data about users directly, or (more commonly), they could keep their data hidden, but use it to sell targeted advertisements. So, for example, Meta might let an advertiser say they want an ad to only go to people likely to be pregnant. Or they might let advertizes make ads go only to “Jew Haters” [s35] (which is ethically very bad, and something Meta allowed).

      I argue that surveillance capitalism demonstrates how corporations use technology to collect and analyze user data to drive their profit growth. This practice raises a wide range of privacy and ethical concerns. In this model, personal data is seen as a commodity and a tool for corporate profitability. This trend requires us to revisit the issue of privacy boundaries and transparency, as well as how corporate use of data should be appropriately regulated and limited. Such practices should be regulated to ensure that users can have more control over their personal information and the right to know.

    1. Zoë Corbyn. Jennifer Jacquet: ‘The power of shame is that it can be used by the weak against the strong’. The Observer, March 2015. URL: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/06/is-shame-necessary-review (visited on 2023-12-10).

      This bibliography mentions that Jennifer Jacquet explores shame as a tool for solving large-scale social problems. I argue that while shame can contribute to social change to a certain extent, especially when vulnerable groups are confronted with more powerful groups, it also poses ethical and human rights risks. Proper use of shame requires a delicate balance to ensure that it does not violate individual dignity or cause disproportionate harm. For example, shaming of individuals should be avoided in favor of appropriate public criticism of behaviors or collectives that have a significant negative impact on society. Such measures should be fair and measured to protect individual rights while promoting social justice.

    1. 18.3.2. Schadenfreude# Another way of considering public shaming is as schadenfreude, meaning the enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others [r8]. A 2009 satirical article from the parody news site The Onion satirizes public shaming as being for objectifying celebrities and being entertained by their misfortune: Media experts have been warning for months that American consumers will face starvation if Hollywood does not provide someone for them to put on a pedestal, worship, envy, download sex tapes of, and then topple and completely destroy. Nation Demands Fresh Celebrity Meat - The Onion [r9]

      I argue that viewing public shaming as a form of schadenfreude reflects the mentality of people who seek pleasure in the misfortunes of others. This mentality is prominent in celebrity culture and permeates everyday social interactions. Such behavior is not only harmful to the individual but also reflects broader social and cultural issues of neglecting human dignity and seeking satisfaction in the suffering of others. So, we should revisit this mindset.

    1. Ellen Ioanes. An atmosphere of violence: Stochastic terror in American politics. Vox, November 2022. URL: https://www.vox.com/2022/11/5/23441858/violence-stochastic-terror-american-politics-trump-pelosi (visited on 2023-12-10).

      This bibliography touches on the relationship between the political environment and random terrorism and how rhetorical strategies can inspire violent behavior. I argue that the concept of random terrorism reveals the potential dangers of the language of public figures, especially when the rhetoric does not explicitly incite violence but can inspire specific individuals to act violently. The effectiveness of this strategy lies in the fact that it provides a possible deniability for the speaker, in that they can claim that they are not directly directing any violent action. However, it is this type of rhetoric that creates an environment of fear and paranoia that increases the risk of political violence. We, therefore, need to be vigilant against such implicitly inflammatory speech.

    1. As we look at the above examples we can see examples of intersectionality [q13], which means that not only are people treated differently based on their identities (e.g., race, gender, class, disability, weight, height, etc.), but combinations of those identities can compound unfair treatment in complicated ways. For example, you can test a resume filter and find that it isn’t biased against Black people, and it isn’t biased against women. But it might turn out that it is still biased against Black women. This could happen because the filter “fixed” the gender and race bias by over-selecting white women and Black men while under-selecting Black women.

      I think intersectionality is essential because it helps us understand how different identity traits can intersect to affect an individual's experience. For example, an Asian pansexual male may face discrimination based on both race and sexual orientation, and the impact of such compounded discrimination may be much more complex than discrimination based on a single identity. This situation shows that we cannot consider only one factor when addressing discrimination and inequality; we must consider how multiple identity factors interact and may lead to more complex injustices. Such insights are critical to developing more effective equality policies and interventions.

    1. Jeremy Gray. Missing hiker rescued after Twitter user tracks him down using his last-sent photo. DPReview, April 2021. URL: https://www.dpreview.com/news/0703531833/missing-hiker-rescued-after-twitter-user-tracks-him-down-using-a-photo (visited on 2023-12-08).

      This bibliography mentions that a missing hiker was rescued with the help of the last photo he sent. I think this incident very much highlights the potential of social media and modern technology in emergency rescue operations. Benjamin Kuo's ability to pinpoint the hiker's location by analyzing the photo and using 3D terrain information is a triumph of technology and a demonstration of the positive impact that active participation by members of the online community can have. However, this incident also serves as a reminder of the importance of taking appropriate safety measures when engaging in outdoor activities such as hiking, such as carrying satellite beacons and making sure your phone's location function is turned on, just in case.

    1. When looking at who contributes in crowdsourcing systems, or with social media in generally, we almost always find that we can split the users into a small group of power users who do the majority of the contributions, and a very large group of lurkers who contribute little to nothing. For example, Nearly All of Wikipedia Is Written By Just 1 Percent of Its Editors [p33], and on StackOverflow “A 2013 study has found that 75% of users only ask one question, 65% only answer one question, and only 8% of users answer more than 5 questions.” [p34]. We see the same phenomenon on Twitter:

      I think it is very revealing to look at the contribution patterns of users in crowdsourcing systems or social media. It is often the case that the vast majority of contributions are made by a small group of so-called "power users," while most users contribute almost nothing. This phenomenon exists on many platforms. For example, nearly all of Wikipedia's content is written by 1% of its editors, while on StackOverflow, 75% of its users have asked just one question. This distribution suggests that while social media and crowdsourcing platforms offer a wide range of opportunities for participation, the highly engaged users are in the minority. This pattern has important implications for understanding and designing more effective user engagement strategies.

    1. Maggie Fick and Paresh Dave. Facebook's flood of languages leaves it struggling to monitor content. Reuters, April 2019. URL: https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1RZ0DL/ (visited on 2023-12-08).

      This bibliography mentions the obvious challenges Facebook faces in managing multilingual content, which significantly impacts its content monitoring capabilities. I think that while Facebook has been trying to address this issue through a combination of automated tools and manual review, it's clear that more is needed. This lack of language support limits users' understanding of community standards and hinders effective content monitoring, which may contribute to the spread of misinformation and hate speech. Given Facebook's significant position in the global social media market, it is incumbent upon the company to strengthen its language support and content review capabilities to ensure that all users can communicate in a safe and responsible environment.

    1. One concept that comes up in a lot of different ethical frameworks is moderation. Famously, Confucian thinkers prized moderation as a sound principle for living, or as a virtue, and taught the value of the ‘golden mean’, or finding a balanced, moderate state between extremes. This golden mean idea got picked up by Aristotle—we might even say ripped off by Aristotle—as he framed each virtue as a medial state between two extremes. You could be cowardly at one extreme, or brash and reckless at the other; in the golden middle is courage. You could be miserly and penny-pinching, or you could be a reckless spender, but the aim is to find a healthy balance between those two. Moderation, or being moderate, is something that is valued in many ethical frameworks, not because it comes naturally to us, per se, but because it is an important part of how we form groups and come to trust each other for our shared survival and flourishing.

      I do not think it is a coincidence that the middle ground is an essential concept in various ethical frameworks. Both Confucius and Aristotle highly valued the wisdom of finding a balance between extremes. This idea emphasizes finding a healthy midpoint between excess and insufficiency, such as courage, as an intermediate state between timidity and recklessness. This value of seeking balance is the basis for forming social groups and mutual trust and is essential for everyday survival and prosperity. We should cultivate our ability to maintain the middle ground in all situations, which is not only a virtue but also an expression of wisdom.

    1. Merriam-Webster. On ‘Doomsurfing’ and ‘Doomscrolling’. 2023. URL: https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/doomsurfing-doomscrolling-words-were-watching (visited on 2023-12-08).

      This bibliography refers to "doomsurfing" and "doomscrolling", which reflect an unhealthy information consumption pattern in contemporary society. In times of crisis, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, people are over-indulged in constantly refreshing and browsing through negative news, which not only exacerbates psychological stress but may also lead to insomnia and anxiety. I believe that while this behavior may satisfy the desire for information in the short term, it is detrimental to an individual's mental health in the long term. Therefore, we need to be aware of this and learn to take a break from negative news at the right time to relieve our psyche and maintain our mental health.

    1. 13.2.3. Munchausen by Internet# Munchausen Syndrome (or Factitious disorder imposed on self [m13]) is when someone pretends to have a disease, like cancer, to get sympathy or attention. People with various illnesses often find support online, and even form online communities. It is often easier to fake an illness in an online community than in an in-person community, so many have done so [m14] (like the fake @Sciencing_Bi fake dying of covid in the authenticity chapter). People who fake these illnesses often do so as a result of their own mental illness, so, in fact, “they are sick, albeit […] in a very different way than claimed” [m15].

      I believe that Munchausen on the Internet is a complex and troubling phenomenon. While this behavior may appear on the surface to be an attempt to get attention, usually, behind it is a reflection of the sufferer's mental health issues. Not only does this behavior mislead support groups, but it may also take resources away from those who genuinely need help. Therefore, online communities must identify and understand the psychological roots of this phenomenon, as well as provide appropriate mental health support and interventions.

  2. Apr 2024
    1. Pyramid scheme. December 2023. Page Version ID: 1188350070. URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pyramid_scheme&oldid=1188350070 (visited on 2023-12-08).

      This bibliography mentions pyramid schemes, which have severe ethical and legal problems by recruiting members as their primary means of operation rather than selling products or providing a return on investment. Because this model leads to an unsustainable pyramid, it can ultimately lead to most participants needing help to profit. Meanwhile, those at the top stand to make huge profits while those at the bottom face losses. I believe that pyramid schemes not only destabilize the participants' financial stability but also negatively impact society and indirectly trigger distrust in the investment market. Therefore, I think legislation should be enacted to prohibit such behavior.

    1. Elon Musk, who purchased Twitter in 2022 has long been known to copy others’ images and jokes and post them as his own without attribution (often specifically cropping images to hide any attribution) (source [l35], source [l36], source [l37]). So let’s consider ethical issues and complications around how content is copied on the internet.

      I think some ethical and complex issues exist with content being copied online. In the case of Elon Musk, he has been known to copy other people's pictures and jokes without attribution and publish them as his own. I believe that this behavior not only violates the rights of the original author but also violates the principle of integrity. Because this is not just a matter of portraits and creative rights, he considered his massive group of followers if the person concerned just entered his private information into the picture for fun. Then, what Elon Musk did would have significantly exposed the person's privacy, caused distress to that person, and even triggered cyber violence against that person.

    1. Jeremy B. Merrill and Will Oremus. Five points for anger, one for a ‘like’: How Facebook’s formula fostered rage and misinformation. Washington Post, October 2021. URL: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/10/26/facebook-angry-emoji-algorithm/ (visited on 2023-12-07).

      This bibliography mentions that Facebook's over-emphasis on angry emoji reactions may have led to more controversial content appearing in users' dynamics when dealing with their emotional responses. While this practice may have inspired more user engagement and interaction, it also exacerbated the spread of disinformation and harmful content on the platform. As a result, I think Facebook should be more careful in adjusting its algorithm to ensure that the user experience and the quality of the platform's content are not negatively impacted while avoiding the vicious cycle of users directly falling into anger towards each other.

    1. Ads:# Advertisements shown to users can go well for users when the users find products they are genuinely interested in, and for making the social media site free to use (since the site makes its money from ads). Advertisements can go poorly if they become part of discrimination (like only showing housing ads to certain demographics of people [k9]), or reveal private information (like revealing to a family that someone is pregnant [k10])

      I think ads with recommendation algorithms applied could be a win-win situation for users. However, ads that are over-delivered or irrelevant to the user's interests may cause dissatisfaction and affect their experience. However, compared to wasting users' time by forcing them to watch ads they are not interested in, when users are shown genuinely interesting products, ads not only fulfill their needs but also provide valuable information. After all, most websites would only be able to maintain and operate with advertising. Therefore, balancing the relationship between ad content and user needs is crucial, and I believe that using recommendation algorithms ensures that ads are effective and the user experience is good.

    1. Mayo Clinic Staff. Generalized anxiety disorder - Symptoms and causes. 2017. URL: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/generalized-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20360803 (visited on 2023-12-07).

      This bibliography focuses on Generalized Anxiety Disorder, revealing the tremendous impact this condition can have on a sufferer's daily life. While anxiety is an occasional emotional response for some people, for people with generalized anxiety disorder, persistent, uncontrollable feelings of anxiety can seriously disrupt their work and social lives. I believe it is critical to understand and recognize these symptoms, which are often overlooked because they are not severe enough. Also, seeking professional help promptly can provide intervention before symptoms worsen, thus improving the patient's quality of life.

    1. 10.3.1. Who gets designed for# When designers and programmers don’t think to take into account different groups of people, then they might make designs that don’t work for everyone. This problem often shows up in how designs do or do not work for people with disabilities. But it also shows up in other areas as well.

      In my view, this reflects a broader design philosophy deficit that fails to consider inclusivity and accessibility as core considerations. For example, suppose a website uses red and green to differentiate between important information and does not provide sufficient contrast or alternatives. In that case, colorblind users may be unable to use the site effectively. I therefore believe that designers and programmers should adopt a more holistic view to ensure that their innovations benefit all users, not just mainstream users.

    1. Jacob Kastrenakes. Facebook stored millions of Instagram passwords in plain text. The Verge, April 2019. URL: https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/18/18485599/facebook-instagram-passwords-plain-text-millions-users (visited on 2023-12-06).

      This bibliography mentions Facebook's recent admission that millions of Instagram users' passwords were stored in plaintext, making them visible to certain people in the internal system. In my opinion, this incident reflects Facebook's gross negligence in protecting user data and highlights the company's ongoing problems with information security management. Although Facebook claims to have found no evidence of password misuse, this major security breach is enough to erode the public's trust in its platform, especially in the wake of successive security incidents. Therefore, Facebook needs to strengthen its protection of user privacy, and as a vast social software company, it needs to set an excellent example in the industry.

    1. Deanonymizing Data: Sometimes companies or researchers release datasets that have been “anonymized,” meaning that things like names have been removed, so you can’t directly see who the data is about. But sometimes people can still deduce who the anonymized data is about. This happened when Netflix released anonymized movie ratings data sets, but at least some users’ data could be traced back to them [i24].

      I think Deanonymizing Data is a worrying phenomenon, especially when seemingly anonymous data sets are proven to be traceable to individuals. Netflix, in particular, has been able to identify and trace certain users' information. In my view, this exposes the data protection challenges even large companies face and shows that anonymization technologies still have limitations. Therefore, I believe that Internet companies nowadays need stricter and more advanced privacy protection measures to truly protect their users' personal information from being compromised.

    1. h8 Jordan Pearson. Your Friends’ Online Connections Can Reveal Your Sexual Orientation. Vice, September 2014. URL: https://www.vice.com/en/article/gvydky/your-friends-online-connections-can-reveal-your-sexual-orientation (visited on 2023-12-05).

      This bibliography exposes the horrors of social networks in terms of user privacy. In my opinion, this is a grave violation of users' privacy, mainly since information such as the sexual orientation of even non-users can be deduced through the creation of "shadow profiles." It's scary to think that even if you don't subjectively leak a lot of information online, it could be amplified by this kind of vulnerability. Therefore, the risk of privacy leakage is one of the significant tests of today's social networks.

    1. Datasets can be poisoned unintentionally. For example, many scientists posted online surveys that people can get paid to take. Getting useful results depended on a wide range of people taking them. But when one TikToker’s video about taking them went viral, the surveys got filled out with mostly one narrow demographic, preventing many of the datasets from being used as intended.

      I think unintentional contamination of datasets is a severe problem, which leads to many datasets not being used as intended. Our high school once launched a questionnaire about outings, and the results showed that most people were happy to support them. However, only those who supported it filled out that questionnaire. So I think the data quality needs to be greater than the quantity of the data to avoid unintentional data poisoning.

    1. Nidhi Subbaraman. Meet Dr. Troll. Fast Company, May 2012. URL: https://www.fastcompany.com/1838743/meet-dr-troll (visited on 2023-12-05).

      In this bibliography, Dr. Whitney Phillips looks at Internet trolls and finds specific patterns and motivations behind these behaviors. Through her article, I could better understand the social motivations behind these behaviors, especially the gloating mindset of trolls. It also made me realize that the fight against internet trolls needs to go beyond simple legal sanctions and go deeper to understand and address the root causes.

    1. RIP trolling is where trolls find a memorial page and then all work together to mock the dead person and the people mourning them. Here’s one example from 2013: A Facebook memorial page dedicated to Matthew Kocher, who drowned July 27 in Lake Michigan, had attracted a group of Internet vandals who mocked the Tinley Park couple’s only child, posting photos of people drowning with taunting comments superimposed over the images. One photo showed a submerged person’s hand breaking through the water with text reading “LOL u drowned you fail at being a fish,” according to a screen grab of the page shared with the Tribune after the post was removed.

      I think RIP trolling is a form of internet behavior that is hugely lacking in compassion. Taking Matthew Kocher's example as an example, this behavior is not only highly disrespectful to the deceased but also incredibly hurtful to his family. This kind of behavior reflects the dark side of the anonymity of the Internet, and I believe that more legal and social mechanisms are needed to stop it.

    1. Jasper Jackson. Donald Trump 'writes angrier and more negative Twitter posts himself'. The Guardian, August 2016. URL: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/aug/10/donald-trump-twitter-republican-candidate-android-iphone (visited on 2023-11-24).

      This bibliography analyzes data to reveal that Donald Trump's angry and hostile tweets on Twitter come primarily from himself, while his team posts more subdued content. I think this demonstrates the difference between personality and team management in social media strategy or a split with a sense of contrast. It's the challenge of balancing the preservation of personal authenticity with a relatively official image in terms of political advocacy. At the same time, it demonstrates that negativity on the internet in the present day brings with it a corresponding level of attention.

    1. Anonymity can also encourage authentic behavior. If there are aspects of yourself that you don’t feel free to share in your normal life (thus making your normal life inauthentic), then anonymity might help you share them without facing negative consequences from people you know.

      While anonymity can encourage authentic behavior because it allows individuals to share their true thoughts and feelings without fear of negative consequences, I hold a different view. Firstly, anonymity may facilitate spreading false information, negatively affecting individuals and society in the long run. Second, an apparent side effect of anonymity in cyberspace is the promotion of cyber violence. When people believe that their true identities will not be discovered, some people may let their behavioral norms slide and engage in verbal abuse, threats, or harassment of others. Overall, I believe that anonymity provides the illusion that one can escape responsibility and consequences, leading to increased harmful behaviors in the online environment.

    1. Mark R. Cheathem. Conspiracy Theories Abounded in 19th-Century American Politics. URL: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/conspiracy-theories-abounded-19th-century-american-politics-180971940/ (visited on 2023-11-24).

      By exploring conspiracy theories in nineteenth-century American politics, this bibliography reveals how these arguments were used as political tools to influence voters and undermine public trust. I argue that conspiracy theories are not a new phenomenon in human history but are deeply embedded in social opinion. Based on this, I say that conspiracy theories can foment unease and divisiveness, challenging the fundamental principle of information symmetry. This prompts us to reflect on the impact of conspiracy theories on social media today and emphasizes the importance of discerning the truth as an Internet user.

    1. In the mid-1990s, some internet users started manually adding regular updates to the top of their personal websites (leaving the old posts below), using their sites as an online diary, or a (web) log of their thoughts. In 1998/1999, several web platforms were launched to make it easy for people to make and run blogs (e.g., LiveJournal and Blogger.com). With these blog hosting sites, it was much simpler to type up and publish a new blog entry, and others visiting your blog could subscribe to get updates whenever you posted a new post, and they could leave a comment on any of the posts.

      I feel that the evolution of blogging is a milestone in the freedom of personal expression in the digital age. It provides a platform for individuals to have a voice and not just send text like its predecessor. Blogs not only document life but also connect with readers across the globe. This technological evolution laid the foundation for social networking and subsequent forms of digital communication.

    1. Matt Binder. The majority of traffic from Elon Musk's X may have been fake during the Super Bowl, report suggests. February 2024. Section: Tech. URL: https://mashable.com/article/x-twitter-elon-musk-bots-fake-traffic (visited on 2024-03-31).

      This bibliography exposes the staggering statistic that a whopping 75.85% of X's (Twitter's) traffic during the Super Bowl may have been fake, a significant concern for advertisers and content creators. I believe this impacts the platform's ad revenue model and negatively affects user experience and brand trust. This data could prompt brands that rely on social media for marketing to reevaluate their advertising strategy on X and question other platforms. Hence, this is a crisis of confidence for the industry.

    1. In addition to representing data with different data storage methods, computers can also let you add additional constraints on what can be saved. So, for example, you might limit the length of a tweet to 280 characters, even though the computer can store longer strings. There are many places these constraints might be used such as: for an age (integer), only allow ages between 0 and 120 for a country name (string), have a pre-set list of valid country names for a legal name (string), disallow emojis

      From my experience, this approach is beneficial in real applications and database management. It not only improves the efficiency of data processing but also ensures the efficiency of information. Personally, I hate reading very long articles, but Twitter's character limit can effectively solve this problem from the back end. Also, restrictions on age and other things can prevent a lot of people from filling in their age indiscriminately, such as a 999-year-old college student from Mars.

  3. Mar 2024
    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).

      I think the revelation in the first bibliography of the manipulation of App Store rankings through the manipulation of nearly 100 iPhones highlights the potential problem of unfair competition in the digital marketplace. As such, this article highlights the challenges technology companies face in combating such manipulation to ensure fairness and transparency in the market. This threatens fair competition among app developers and can also mislead consumers, affecting their choices and the overall health of the app market.

    1. 3.4.1. A Protesting Donkey?# To get an idea of the type of complications we run into, let’s look at the use of donkeys in protests in Oman: “public expressions of discontent in the form of occasional student demonstrations, anonymous leaflets, and other rather creative forms of public communication. Only in Oman has the occasional donkey…been used as a mobile billboard to express anti-regime sentiments. There is no way in which police can maintain dignity in seizing and destroying a donkey on whose flank a political message has been inscribed.” From Kings and People: Information and Authority in Oman, Qatar, and the Persian Gulf [c32] by Dale F. Eickelman1 In this example, some clever protesters have made a donkey perform the act of protest: walking through the streets displaying a political message. But, since the donkey does not understand the act of protest it is performing, it can’t be rightly punished for protesting. The protesters have managed to separate the intention of protest (the political message inscribed on the donkey) and the act of protest (the donkey wandering through the streets). This allows the protesters to remain anonymous and the donkey unaware of it’s political mission.

      I think this story about Oman protesters using donkeys as "mobile billboards" to express anti-regime sentiments demonstrates the creative and strategic nature of the protest format. It cleverly separates the intention of the protest from the act, taking advantage of the fact that animals cannot be held accountable for their political messages, thus conveying a solid political message while maintaining anonymity. Not only does this reflect the wisdom of people expressing their grievances in a restricted environment, but it also challenges how authority responds to this type of protest that is both creative and peaceful. The move is not only an act of protest but also an exploration and expansion of the methods and forms of protest.

    1. Confucianism [b12] (another link [b13])# 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.

      Confucian culture has an indispensable role to play in promoting social harmony. In today's fast-paced life, it is easy for people to neglect living in harmony with their families, elders, and society. The Confucian values of filial piety, respect for parents, respect for elders, and courtesy to others are also the basis for building a harmonious society in today's fast-paced society. Therefore, incorporating these ancient Confucian cultures into modern life will improve personal character enhancement and promote social harmony.

    2. Taoism [b16]# Act with unforced actions in harmony with the natural cycles of the universe. Trying to force something to happen will likely backfire. Rejects Confucian focus on ceremonies/rituals. Prefers spontaneity and play. Like how water (soft and yielding), can, over time, cut through rock. Key figures: Lao Tzu [b17] ~500 BCE China Zhuangzi [b18] Zhuangzi ~300 BCE China

      I want to add more information about the Taoist framework, which emphasizes a do-nothing approach to governance that follows nature, believing that a harmonious state of life can be achieved through non-intervention in natural processes. This reflects a profound respect for and understanding of the natural world and advocates a non-interventionist and flexible attitude in human relations and social governance. The concept of "softness overcomes strength" in Taoist thought emphasizes the superiority of softness over strength and soft power. These principles have far-reaching significance in contemporary society, especially in today's strife-ridden world, where Taoist thought can contribute to lasting peace and conflict resolution.