TikTok Downloads Spread Faster Than COVID-19 - Diffusion Theory

    Having the ability to adapt, introduce and learn new technology is an important part of making progress in society, technology, science, and anything really. The continuity of adapting to an intellectually progressive era comes in waves. To laggards, innovation is the probable cause for every problem in society right now. In the eyes of the early to late majority, it is a blessing disused as change. To early adaptors, it is the gift of a lifetime. I believe it is just that; a gift that we are so commonly given. We forget how often innovation unfolds right before us. And maybe you feel neutral accepting innovation is a necessary evil, we simply have to have it. Adopting new ideas all settles differently from person to person. American sociologist, Everett Rogers, conceptualizes the thinking behind why some are eager to accept change and others hesitate to ever make the shift. He wanted to unmask why people adapt the way they do. Rogers' curiosity theorized what is known today as Diffusion of Innovation, the answer to why your venturous brother might have downloaded TikTok four years ago but your traditional parents vow to never. Or why all you have ever known is an iPhone and your grandparents still use a landline! Timing matters with the law of diffusion of innovation. 

    The Diffusion of Innovation theory focused more on the fundamentals of behavior change. This requires looking at innovation as a product that is trying to be sold almost. How would you make the advertisement reach the maximum amount of the public? In terms of innovation, deconstructing and understanding why a change is going to be appealing to everyone helps with adoption later on. 

    Take 2019 when COVID-19 was thriving and the lockdown was the new normal, there is one social media app that gained popularity exponentially fast. Take a guess...if you thought TikTok then I know we are on the same page. This app became the place for people to connect and bond when the options were limited. Would TikTok have diffused as widespread if it weren't in the midst of quarantine? Probably not. This is the acme of the Diffusion of Innovation Theory. 

    Before TikTok, there was Musically the same app that reached about as far as the early adopters (younger generations) before it merged with TikTok in 2018. Up until pre-pandemic it coasted to the late adopters. The introduction of COVID-19 allowed the app to diffuse without question for the late adopters and even coerced some laggards! It is hard to resist an arguable good laugh or an irresistible new fad to try! Especially when it's one of the few ways to get some human interaction. A great example is my mother who said to me today as I was cutting the skin off a kiwi, "Oh you're supposed to scoop it out with a spoon that's how they do it". I say "Mom who?" and without hesitation, she responds "The people on TikTok". Okay, so this is what happens when TikTok diffuses to my typically laggard mother.  

    It is hard to say with a successful app formulated to hypnotize users and steal their attention for as long as possible how many people would argue the bad outweighs the good. Users are eating the TikTok algorithm UP! Myself included, I am on it more than I ever thought I would be. Every day I have a condescending voice in my head reminding me I am glued to the most mundane app out there. 

    Though the app is not all bad, it informs me with real-time news updates and is a great place to learn the kind of hack that only a stranger's mom's best friend's grandmother knew! Either way, it is a place for someone with a sponge brain like myself to absorb and absorb and absorb. The cost outweighs the benefits when the information users choose to absorb is mindless entertainment and clickbait. Creators feed into the negative frame when they make videos with the intent to leave viewers at a cliffhanger for "part 2". This incentive to reach for more views and steal users' time to go viral and earn a desperate dollar is poison on the app.  

   The trajectory for TikTok is promising as it can serve as a new marketing tool, a fast track to being an A-lister if you're lucky or a place for never ending information. However it is key to remember that with any new communication technology, it is easy to get carried away and become addicted. A little thing called instant gratification has been a rising concern as communication technology advances. It comes down to the user knowing their limits and being mindful and self-aware when the line between positive and negative becomes washed. 

Is There A War On Our Voice?

   I have been alive for 22 years more than half of them being in the digital media age. So tell me how the only war-related news I remember hearing on the media was about a year ago when Russia declared war on Ukraine. Social media, in fact, all mainstream media FLOODED with posts swarming to protect and instill hope in the Ukraine community. For the first time, I saw a glimpse of the fear and fright that was taking over another country. It is because of the antiwar messages everywhere I was given an unusual perspective to empathize with what I had seen. The people had an opportunity to advocate for antiwar when it did not involve our country directly. It became a glimmer of hope during a dark and sad situation. In my adolescents, I can recall conversations about Afganastian and Iraq wars sparking up often. To my surprise I never paid much attention, I never understood what was going on, I only knew WAR WAS BAD! 

    Ready for things to get convoluted, if an antiwar conversation is constructive, then why do we not see more about the voices that fight for antiwar? Is it because the ulterior views are so systemically contained and oppressed, almost like being locked away and hidden from the public eye? I imagine it's like trying to talk to a customer service representative for USPS by phone, you have to know the precise keywords to say to get somewhere remotely close to your goal! Similarly to how I feel about antiwar websites, I never even knew they existed. Quite frankly, I wish more people knew if you want to know more click here. 

 

  The government has a reputation for making obscure efforts to eradicate the voices of the people for speaking out against them. Take the Sedition Act of 1798 and yet again in 1918. The 14th Amendment is conceptualized as laws giving people the freedom to petition. Why would the government despise being disputed so immensely? To be anti-war does not necessarily mean to be an anti-American disgrace. It means receiving the freedom to speak for what you believe in, our God-given right! Why make a God-given right so political? After all, the government can't take those rights away from us. Still, they try to find loopholes to intervene. The government went as far as passing the Espionage Act to jail anyone who undermined the war efforts. This induced fear and it allowed them to have control over voicing opinions. Antiwar voices have been punished for decades. Yes, it is a hard pill to swallow because America's Founding Fathers worked diligently to promise a land of life, liberty, and freedom! Freedom from religion, of religion; of speech, of the press; of assembly, to petition. Without the freedom to petition the country depreciates those checks and balances. It is the people's responsibility to find the land of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, even if it means dissenting from the typical view! 

   A question I ask myself; why silence the people who aren't a threat to anyone, who have no incitement in their words? Instead, the mainstream media almost highlights the lawless protests, and the angry and violent people. That seems beyond backward, I would want to live in a country knowing the government is doing everything in its power to silence the infectious violence that spreads with incitement, wouldn't you? Why is there a war on the antiwar voices? The people have every right to discuss and access both extremes of war talk. We should be promoting peace and putting an end to war. Instead, the U.S. media is focusing on it more. The balance should sway towards antiwar talk yet the mainstream media chooses otherwise and honestly brings hate and fear into the country. The media should not be framing things for the worse. The only way to stop the war on our voices is to find a way to promote peace rather than oppress it. 

EOTO Ballpoint Pen Findings

 

    When we think of modern-day pen and paper there's a handful of pens I think we all would imagine. A highly saturated consistent ink flow Pilot Ink rollerball pen; the one with ink practically pouring out for "clean and elegant" writing as described by writers at your best dig a review website. Or think of the classic BIC Pen; an inexpensive ballpoint pen everyone loves. Then there's the designer of pens the Mont Blanc fountain pen; a pen brand well known for meticulously crafted fine material pens "Our pieces are crafted to perform superbly and symbolize elegance for many lifetimes"(montblanc.com). Regardless of brand, we know the pen was revolutionary. Think before the invention of the ballpoint pen. The invention of the ballpoint pen welcomed a new era of innovation for writing and communicating.

 

    I like to play a game with myself when I think of an invention, I call it the million-dollar idea of the day. Prior to Apple announcing the update with Facetime video voicemails, it was one of my million-dollar ideas! Now there serval ideas that come to me because I genuinely am thinking about how to make something better or fix a current system, true. However, most of them come to me because of how inconvenienced I am, when something agitates me so much so that even I could make it better. That was the thought behind the Ballpoint pen. 

    In 1938, after working on it for a decade prior, brothers László and Györy Brió invented the ink made from paste for the functionality of a ballpoint pen. László was a journalist and his brother was a chemist. László was aggravated with how slow drying and easy to smudge-ink was and sought out to fix it.

     However, the original patented ballpoint pen was by John J. Loud in 1888 after a frustrating battle to mark tanning leather. Loud created the technology that had a small rotating metal ball clutched in a socket with the ability to cycle ink from the reservoir to the surface. After a few prototypes and trial and error, he realized the technology behind a ballpoint pen allows for deeper penetration of the ink, enough to write on elements other than paper. Loud described his invention as "Consists of an improved reservoir or fountain pen, especially useful, among other purposes, for marking on rough surfaces such as wood, coarse wrapping paper, and other articles where an ordinary pen could not be used"(dayspringpens.com). 

    It becomes so effortless and unintentional to fall into a loop of dissatisfaction, nothing is ever enough. That feeling of chasing something for the adrenaline and dopamine rush that comes with the next new thing! Sort of what I would imagine being shopping addicts rush. Thinking back to a time before there was writing I can barely find the imagery to explain what I see. A world with no print would appear minimal. Nevertheless, humans evolved and found new technology. What I am trying to say is that the invention of the ballpoint pen had a significant impact on the communication we use today in 2023. The ballpoint pen has such an ordinary impression in our eyes except we fail to remind ourselves what a world without writing would be. 

    Serving as a catalyst for sending letters, sharing ideas, and more, writing was more accessible than ever. People could share a rapid flow of ideas thanks to a pen so portable. It was easy to use, and maintain and smudge-free!! The ballpoint pen changed the ability to communicate. It solved the crisis of distance blocking the ability to communicate. Instant messaging was not introduced for another 33 years! So try to imagine the rush of excitement people had to be able to share ideas so easily! The ballpoint pen became vital transportation for any and all ideas to end up in writing. Sometimes a tiny introduction can lead to a profound technological advancement. 

    Unfortunately, as with any good piece of technology, the ballpoint pen created some dilemmas, some we still face today. Many series and varieties of this pen are crafted with heavy metals and lead, both materials that do not contribute to the bettering of our environment. According to AKTIV TRADING "Worldwide 130 billion are used per year. This results in 20,000 tons of highly toxic heavy metals".  This is where humans excel in other routes to try and do better, the invention of digital type is an example of how the crisis has been helped. Aside from the negative impact on the environment and 1940s gossip that might have conversed the ballpoint pen was a positively complex yet simple, standard invention. 

Interpreting the Eight Values of Free Expression

    The U.S. society and government are built on the right to expression of free speech. During the early formation of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson, and Madison emphasized and fought for the citizens to have freedom of speech by eradicating the Sedation Act which limited the peoples right to criticize the government. With the fear of totalitarianism returning, they believed without this freedom the democratic approach would crash and burn. This is why the First Amendment was established as the acting rule in the American government; which states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abiding the freedom of speech, of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances". A society that works together sharing the voice of many will accomplish far more than a society with one voice to lead the decision-making for all. 

    The First Amendment initiated the protection of the people meaning: freedom from religion, of religion; of speech, of the press; of assembly, to petition. Thus various theories based on the merit of eight key values of free expression came to fruition those being; 

    1. Marketplace of Ideas
    2. Participation in Self-Government
    3. Stable Change 
    4. Individual Self-Fulfillment
    5. Check on Governmental Power
    6. Promote Tolerance 
    7. Promote Innovation 
    8. Protect Dissent 

    When analyzing and reflecting on why freedom of speech is of the utmost importance I believe these four values are worth highlighting in depth: John Milton's Marketplace of Ideas, Benedict Spinozas Stable Change, Jack Balkins Promote Tolerance, and Steve Shriffins Protect Dissent. 

Most Important: Promote Tolerance 

    In a country where freedom of speech is happening daily people need to understand the importance of disagreement in discussion. Bollinger's value in Promote Tolerance is the most important value in my opinion. Yet, I see this value to be fading as the world becomes more sensitive to contradicting ideals. Anger and fear are the two leading emotions to ignite change in a person and though I am not encouraging people to get angry, I believe it is crucial to find people with different beliefs in order to tolerate all ideas. The protection of hate speech in the First Amendment is a deliberate attempt to welcome all ideas and all shortcomings in order to spread the norms and teach right from wrong. This is thought it was Bollinger suggested in the value to Promote Tolerance. We should not live in a society that fears hearing or saying personally upsetting, or hateful speech; for it will only bring about proactive thinking and productive change for all. 

Most Personal: Marketplace of Ideas

    When I ask myself which one of the eight values is most personal to me I choose the Marketplace of Ideas, also known as the Discovery of Truth suggested by Milton, arguing truth and falsehood can not co-exist. This value reminds me of the Cognitive Dissonance Theory molded by Leon Festinger an American psychologist discussed in a persuasion class I recently completed. Festinger's theory teaches that you can not have beliefs and behavior in contrast for too long before guilt wins. This compares to Milton's value because it is believed truth will always win out in grappling with falsehood, in fact, falsehood builds on the strength of truth. I feel this value paved the way for freedom of the press.

    Furthermore, this value is personal to me because it allows me to have access to write this blog with my truths without a license required. Similar to the voice social media today gives people. In a world where the line between truth and falsehood is beyond washed out, having the freedom to write and read others' truth gives me hope for an honest future because once the fact is written in ink it can not be erased.

In Action Today: Stable Change / Protect Dissent 

    Two values that I believe go hand in hand and are commonly seen in society today are Stable Change suggested by Spinoza and Protect Dissent suggested by Shiffrin. The idea of Stable Change not only is a safety valve for our society to prepare for potential threats and uproar but also allows people to speak their minds. We see this today all the time with protests for what people believe is right that contradicts the government. What comes to mind is when the world was in turmoil over police brutality. Spinoza's value allowed for controlled protesting when there could have been a greater threat if people felt the need to act clandestinely. To complement Stable Change is Protect Dissent, the protection of all ideas regardless of popularity. I think of all the minorities that have risen up and spoken up for what they believe in. A prime example would be the LGBTQ+ community, though neighbors, churches, or states might not agree with the values of the LGBTQ+ community. The LGBTQ+ people are allowed to criticize and question the (dare I say) 'norms' without the fear of punishment and that is exactly what the value of Protect Dissent entails. 

The U.S. Supreme Court

According to History.com, the Supreme Court is "the highest federal court in the country and head of the judicial branch of government" (History.com).

    In the past, I never put much effort into learning about the big bad Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). What I did not know was that SCOTUS held the utmost power to evaluate the actions of the executive branch and the legislative branch. After doing research I learned it is vital in upholding the voice of the people which is a substantial part of the first amendment. The video states "Their legitimacy is in the constitution but their power rests on public faith in their independence and impartiality". A rather interesting fact that is new information to me is that Howard Taft was the only person to serve as both President and chief justice! That had me thinking how hard of a role that must have been because it required remaining neutral enough to fulfill the supreme court ruling yet mindfully check the actions of his own executive branch. 

    After watching the videos and reading the overview I learned important fundamentals that go into the SCOTUS. The most important takeaway is understanding the basics of the Supreme Court, learning about when it was established, by who it was established, the way it has changed over the past 200 years, and more. The SCOTUS is indifferent to the executive and legislative branches because they have to wait for the people's concerns to boil over until the 9 justices are needed for review. It is also important to note that the structure of reviewing the weekly cases is entirely individual to each justice. That is until meeting conference style once a week to decide which cases to move further with. Separating the justices allows them to do their own work and make their own sentiment without outside influence. Though some decisions can be swayed into changing after hearing other justices' logical reasonings. 

    Something that is surprising to me is the number of cases the SCOTUS receives a week, let alone the entire year. I find it fascinating that the Supreme Court receives more than 100 new cases every week and around 7,000 a year! For only having 9 justices the fact that they can filter through that many cases in a fair, respectful, and deliberate manner speaks volumes about who we the people, put our biggest dilemmas in the hands of. It is amazing to hear that the justices prioritize respectful mannerisms like shaking hands before a conference or going on the bench to remain cordial if a contentious disagreement of merit results from the discussion. 

    The video captures the SCOTUS in a way that might not be as easily displayed through articles because it shows the justices as humans and less like programmed austere robots with one job to do. Seeing the justices come together, smiling and interacting blissfully for something as common as a group photo helps me to understand they are people who have an immensely important role in the government but they also have personality. "Though trained in the law they deal with human dilemmas. They are people, not disembodied spirits". This is a powerful statement because as a person with my own human dilemmas, it reminds me that they have the people's best interest at heart. The justices know what it means to be human and it helps me believe I can trust them to make the most ethical decisions when deliberating and reviewing a petition. I now think the Supreme Court holds the most important role out of the three branches in respect of the balance of power in the U.S. government. 

Online Privacy? Haven't Heard Of It!

    The lack of privacy in the world today is astonishing because the internet has become a deceptive source for bad people to steal information without the permission of users. After doing research, it is clear these issues can affect me, my friends, and my family because we are all part of an online community. Location tracking is extremely risky and can give the government information that is not necessary knowledge for them. The issue of privacy leaks can happen to anyone that engages in day-to-day activities. Myself, my friends and my family all own cars, does that mean we deserve to be photographed, watched, and have data stored on our behalf without our permission? The answer is NO! Under no circumstance should our information be exposed to a database! As an avid technology user in a personal, educational, and professional setting it raises concerns about how to protect myself and others. 

 

    The government should be monitoring our information and deleting it right away. The government ultimately is in control of the information being stored for unnecessary lengths of time in a database, therefore, the government is responsible for wiping any data that serves no relevance. It is concerning the government has not made stronger efforts to control the surveillance that is going on daily. If outside hackers are getting information then the government should be taking extreme measures to find and punish these hackers through fines or jail time. 

    I understand the need for the government to obtain information that can serve as beneficial, however, the invasion of privacy is nearing a point of no return. Information breaches are out of control and there needs to be privacy acts put in place to protect our personal data. There are countless scams that are sent out with such a realistic look to them that they trick helpless bystanders into giving over information. Do you mean to tell the people of our country there is no way around those? Technology needs to advance for the better, not for the worst. Monitoring these scams, and hackers should not be a farfetched idea with all the power the government has. The government should be prioritizing stronger privacy practices to make the online world a safe place. 

    It is crucial that we start using encryption communication tools to secure the privacy of our information. The world is beyond invasive and the more advanced technology becomes the harder it will be to reserve our information. For the users of technology, it is vital we take the steps to change passwords frequently, be mindful of what we are posting on social media and use every tool to ensure our accounts have two-factor authentication. 

    Growing up in the age of technology the introduction of new apps was happening rapidly and people barely knew what they were signing up for. Is our personal information ever really safe after agreeing to have "read" an unrealistically redundant 20-page terms and conditions document? These apps make it next to impossible to promise the safekeeping of our data and this is really disappointing. 

    In the Ted Talk featuring Juan Enriquez our online footprint was compared to getting a permanent tattoo. The comparison is important because it highlights the decision-making process when choosing a tattoo and later on regretting the same tattoo. This is comparable to what we put on the internet because there will always be a way to dig up what users think is being shared in private. Whatever is put into the world even after being deleted can still be recovered and found again. What we put on the internet never goes away and it will follow us and linger under the surface waiting to destroy us one day. 

Top Five Sources for News and Information

Top 5 Sources of News and Information 

When it comes to news I have always strayed away from political news outlets because I personally can not tolerate hearing about the suffocating information that draws from political opinions. Nevertheless, I still find myself getting a variety of news and information from sources online. It is important to keep up to date with the rapid flow of information to remain aware, present, informed, and safe. Whether it be fashion news, breaking news, or even fitness news, here are five trusted outlets that I choose to get my information. 

News on TikTok 

In the past when I have told people I get news from TikTok I would get a smug reaction followed by a snarky comment about how not everything you see on the internet is true. That is valid since the internet is home to endless conspiracies and falsified information, but with proper research and fact-checking TikTok actually serves as a loaded news outlet right at our fingertips. Today we live in a world where the fastest way to get information that is unfiltered, unbiased, and factual is through social media. More recently, people have shifted from shock to understanding when I say I get news from TikTok. The information on Tiktok is easily accessible, relevant, and communicated in a clear conscience and exciting way. 

News on Snapchat 

Before there was TikTok I found myself interested in the news that Snapchat had to offer. I use Snapchat to get information about anything. If there is a crisis happening in the world I will expect to see it and read about it on Snapchat. An example would be the Daily Mail story that discusses the pertinent events happening daily. If celebrities have the world in shambles about whatever it may be, I predict it will be on the Snapchat E! News Snapchat story within the next 12 hours. Snapchat serves as a rapid, up-to-date place I find news and information.

 

News on Instagram 

When I find myself looking for information that requires a little more research and focus I lean towards Instagram. I am extremely particular with who I follow on Instagram because it ultimately plays a role in my subconscious thoughts throughout the day. I love to use Instagram as a place to get information about living a healthy lifestyle, the up-and-coming in the fitness world and new studies about updated research on diet culture are some examples. I follow a few influencers who I know are reliable and trustworthy when it comes to the information they put out. I prefer to use Instagram for information as I see fit, I appreciate the influence others have on the media through Instagram. The power and impact of information being spread on Instagram make it a great place to find groundbreaking facts and news. Another example is when the Instagram community joins together to share a crisis through stories, this exposes me to worldly concerns that I might not see in other areas of news. 

News on Good Morning America 

Growing up in a traditional household my family religiously had morning news playing. Good Morning America was a staple for background sound while we ate breakfast, got ready for school, or enjoyed the mornings together. The show continues to have a nostalgic place in my heart, when I hear the anchors Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos speaking I know exactly what is on TV. That childhood connection carried over into my adult life as I find myself old enough to understand the events that are being discussed on the show. It is not a key part of my routine to watch the news but my parents still have their routines and I get a great combination of current events, pop culture, and joyful news stories while in the company of my parents. 

News on E! News 

When I am looking for news and information about the latest fashion trends or pop-culture information I turn to E! News. I like the information that is put out and the whitty conversations that can be had about the less serious things happening in the world. When I want to hear news about the latest events in the socialites of America I flip the channel to E! News. The discussions are relevant and up to date and being interested in fashion and style myself I have an easy time getting information without losing interest or getting distracted.