Digital Culture

Identity Tracking Controversy

Which specific part of Schneier’s argument is the most persuasive? Why?

I found the information provided on other forms of identification astounding. Explaining how heartbeat and gait are used to identify people from a distance was effective in getting his point across. Along with the tracking of IP and MAC addresses, credit cards, license plates, phone numbers, and more, identification technology is impossible to escape from.

Which part(s) do you find least persuasive? Why?

Although the knowledge of alternative identification technology is informative, I wish the author went into more detail about them. Providing examples or cases of when and how these tracking systems are used. This would have made his argument more credible.

Facial Recognition in Law Enforcement

Facial Recognition System at the Airport. People carrying luggage.

Based on the case details in this article, in what ways has the use of facial recognition by Florida law enforcement shown promising success?

In a 2017 armed robbery case, facial recognition was used to identify a suspect. Surveillance footage was shown to the suspect’s girlfriend, who confirmed it was him. In 20 separate cases, facial recognition was able to help identify individuals who could not identify themselves, including murder victims and Alzheimer patients.

What are some concerns that it raises?

One concern that facial recognition software in police cases raises is accuracy. There is plenty of room for error when dealing with digital software to identify human beings. Reports have shown that there are more false positive reports when evaluating images of black women. Another concern is privacy. Some people feel that facial recognition is intrusive or breeches some form of trust with the government and law enforcement.

Do you think universities should use facial recognition systems?

I personally do not think facial recognition should be used in universities. Perhaps if I was in a situation where my safety was at risk I would feel differently, but I think privacy is more important and outweighs the benefits of facial recognition systems.

Robots in the Workforce

In what industries will robots replace human workers? How should workers and their families and communities handle this transition, especially if they are over the age of 50 or so?

With advances in technology, many jobs have and will continue to become obsolete. ATMs and online banking have already replaced bank tellers. Companies like Amazon and online shopping can quite possibly replace physical stores, which already use self checkout systems instead of cashiers. Netflix ad online streaming services have put stores like Blockbuster out of business and movie theaters are often empty nowadays. From factory workers, to clerks, to even teachers, technology is dominating industries where real people were once needed.

Although the demand for less skilled labor is decreasing, the demand for skilled digital labor is increasing. Graphic designers, engineers, and programmers are all becoming more necessary in the digital age. Although younger generations are drawn to tech, this labor shift puts older people at risk of unemployment. My advice would be to take classes on digital literacy and immerse yourself in technology as much as possible to become comfortable with computer programs and systems that are being widely used.

Online Chemistry

The chances of two people feeling a special attraction and an interpersonal spark (i.e. “chemistry”), are comparatively greater in a digital environment than offline. Do you agree or disagree, and why?

In a digital environment, it is easier to feel “chemistry” with others than it is offline, despite physical barriers. In fact, the lack of physical intimacy and immediate response is a large part in why it is so easy to feel attraction online. Sociologist Mary Chayko believes online relationships are more “durable” due to an emphasis on shared interests and character qualities rather than physical qualities.

As deeper connections form, we tend to project onto one another. Chayko says it is common to project onto individuals the qualities we want them to have. The “absence of visual cues” enhances this process and accelerates the progression of a relationship. In other words, we create an image of someone and fall in love with the idea of them, rather than who they really are. We do this both online and offline, but in a digital environment, people have the ability to shape themselves into something that they are not. People have the ability to edit aspects of themselves to appear how they would like to be perceived, further enforcing the characteristic we project onto them.

In a way, dating online is like stepping into a virtual reality. The chemistry can be too good to be true. It’s important to remember that what we see online is only one face of a three dimensional thing.

How can you tell when information or websites on the internet are fake or credible?

In today’s society, it’s hard to identify real news from “fake.” With platforms like Facebook, Youtube, and the ability to create your own website, it’s easier than ever to build a false news outlet. Misinformation is often shared on Twitter and Fakebook. Even trusted news outlets share false stories by accident. One way to tell if information on a website is real is to check credibility. This includes researching citations and the authors of articles (if there are no sources cited, something might be fishy). To combat this, sites like Facebook have employed “human fact-checkers” to make sure bots are not spreading false information on their platforms. As “citizen journalists,” it is also our duty to assess the validity of the information we consume before sharing it with others.