I always knew the digital space wasn’t always safe or true, but I didn’t think it was awful. It took Kim and Burtis to help me figure out what’s underneath the daily posts and academic platforms. I really enjoy the Pariser example Kim provides in her article because it lines up with her explanation about platforms/programs creating this illusion that stops users from seeing different perspectives. Plus, Pariser’s situation is relatable, everyone deals with it every day when they log into their favorite social media. It’s no wonder why people see similar content repeatedly. This Ghostery browser sounds like a way to get out of the bubble. Mozilla was another program that Kim mentioned, and it was kind of surprising to know that Mozilla is part of Firefox. Never really used a lot of Firefox, but I do know what it is.
Now Let’s talk about Schools
That’s all fine and dandy, but what about schools and the community within? How are academic platforms and programs impacting the academic environment? Burtis here explains the similar ideas that Kim provides but in a ‘school version’. While reading Burtis’ article, there was this big word that seemed vital to her purpose of the article- “Pedagogy”. It’s pretty much when the person isn’t given much administrative and management freedom and in turn must utilize the features or resources they were given. But users are under the impression that they do have control, which is far from the truth. Kind of like how codes inside these academic programs function as predetermined rules that students (and sometimes the professor) must abide by (i.e.: google forms, slides, canvas, etc.). It’s just bizarre that not everyone realizes it but I mean I just found out today so I can’t say anything. After finishing this post, I’m definitely turning of the personalized ads on Google.
Leave a Reply