Privacy: Online and Offline

According to the Center for Online Safety and Liberty, there are numerous ways the government--both local and federal levels--can track information, both online and off. There are data breaches, data brokers, phishing, hacking, and more that are a great threat to the well-being of individuals across the globe.

After watching the TedTalk, the second video was quite striking because of the emphasis on false information and assumptive behavior. The speaker told a story about how a man in the U.K. was flagged for going to multiple political demonstrations, but he was simply attending these events to sit on a bench and sketch the protesters. The U.K. has different speech and security laws than the United States, but it is still concerning that they flagged him for simple daily tasks. 

Tracking people can prove to be assumptive, especially in this U.K. example. Furthermore, in the first TedTalk, the speaker detailed accounts of a father being tracked all over his town; he was simply doing daily tasks. There was even a picture of him in the driveway of his home with his daughters. 

Although I see some of this information being helpful in the instance there was crime, assault, or a crisis, it is disturbing that all of our movements can be tracked at all times. From whether or not people attend a place of worship to what extracurricular clubs they are involved in, the government and local police departments can track it all.

What bothers me is the internal conflict I feel between being relieved and being concerned. If me or someone in my family were to be a victim of a serious incident that required police attention, I would be grateful for technologies that could potentially track the culprit. 

On the other hand, knowing that the government can track my personal information offline is extremely overwhelming. Participating in online activities comes with its own risk acknowledgments; however, I feel that people should absolutely be able to maintain anonymity offline. There is a balance between safety and privacy, and tracking citizen's daily movements is not the balance that society needs. 

To protect ourselves from invasions of privacy, sources recommend strong passwords and VPNs as a baseline. 

Values of Free Expression

When looking at the Eight Values of Free Expression, the categories cover ideas such as protecting dissent, allowing for the promotion or free discovery of ideas, stable change, etc. Although these are all crucial in protecting democracy under the First Amendment, the marketplace of ideas is the most important to me and resonates the most through the turmoil occurring both nationally and abroad. 

A key example of the marketplace of ideas being threatened was the constitutional crisis that occurred under that Biden administration during the pandemic. Although all administrations face criticism--some worse than others--stifling the flow of ideas and using media censorship on doctors and scientists discussing vaccinations and procedures is an acute example of why this value of free expression is indispensable in society. For example, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya faced backlash for many reasons, mainly because he advocated for schools remaining open while protecting older generations. Regardless of his political viewpoints or partisan leanings, he spoke out as he saw fit based on his education and experiences. 

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya was one of many that were silenced on social media during this time, and it violates this freedom because it stifled the dissemination of discussion and the cultivation of potential solutions to Covid-19. I don't feel a certain way about the exact information that Dr. Jay Bhattacharya was trying to share with colleagues and people in general, but the discussions he could have had with other scholars, scientists, and doctors could have saved many lives during the pandemic. 

For example, his research and viewpoints could have been incorrect when discussing how to handle a global pandemic; on the other hand, by sharing his experiences, he could had continued to collaborate with other people in his field and profession to have informed conversations about the subject of Covid-19 and how to handle society. 

John Milton, the author of Areopagitica (written in 1644), spoke out against government censorship in printed works. This is where the idea of the discovery of truth and the marketplace of ideas comes into play; Milton argued that people have the right to spread both truths and falsehoods in soceital conversation. I think that by proposing certain ideas, people have the chance to buttress their existing arguments with new ideas, debate ideas promoted, and disagree. Furthermore, I do not see this only being prevalent in science. 

As a writer, I enjoy reading other people's ideas, stories, viewpoints, diction, and more to learn about the possibilities and parameters of writing while giving a voice to people with unique or compelling backgrounds. Without the marketplace of ideas, I would not be able to read and learn about what other authors and poets are discussing, leading to a lack of diversity, culture, and overall dissemination of potentially groundbreaking ideas. 

Top 5 Sources of News

News found on the internet tend to be exceedingly polarizing, which is why I have accumulated my Top 5 Sources of news that balances both sides of arguments, debates, and overall international news. Some sources are more formal, informal or casual, and more right or left-leaning content to learn what both sides are discussing. 

1. NPR

I use National Public Radio, recommended by one of my professors, as a more nonpartisan source. Although they claim to have a more liberal audience with slightly more progressive views than a true bipartisan media source, they acknowledge themselves to be independent. I also appreciate NPR because they cover a wide range of stories from local to international.

2. TikTok

Although social media has a bad reputation for not providing legitimate, trustworthy information, I use TikTok as a foundation for news, whether they are related to politics, lifestyle, sports, etc. If I come across a person discusses a certain political topic, I do not deem it trustworthy until I fact check it from a confirmed source outside of social media. 

3. My family

In our family group chat, my parents will often share news from articles found online, YouTube, or other media sources. This can be related to pop culture, politics, sports, or anything else that has been discusses in my family. This is often a good conversation starter for when we are together, and because my parents do not exclusively read one singular source, I trust their judgement and opinions enough to have conversations about what is happening in the news.

4. CNN

Although I do not use it often, I like CNN as a factual source, whether it discusses politics, the environment, pop culture, foreign affairs, etc. I think that it holds leaders accountable for actions and speech, and although it is a left-leaning source, I will go to Fox News and view what the opposing view is saying regarding a certain subject.

5. NASA

NASA, or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is an environmental-focused source that explores issues outside of pop culture or politics. I appreciate NASA because aside from reporting about news, they have the tools and resources to collect their own data and help scientists on expeditions. Because I am passionate about the environment, specifically climate change, I appreciate NASA's endeavors to actually make a difference instead of solely reporting on issues and events. Furthermore, instead of promoting polarity, NASA focuses on curiosity and inspiration, which are both topics shadowed by the bitter world of politics.