Works Cited

“Beware the Privacy Violations in Artificial Intelligence Applications.” ISACA, 2021, www.isaca.org/resources/news-and-trends/isaca-now-blog/2021/beware-the-privacy-violations-in-artificial-intelligence-applications. Accessed 15 Dec. 2022.

“Cambridge Analytica and Facebook: The Scandal and the Fallout so Far (Published 2018).” The New York Times, 2022, www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/us/politics/cambridge-analytica-scandal-fallout.html. Accessed 15 Dec. 2022.

Kalev Leetaru. “Social Media Companies Collect so Much Data Even They Can’t Remember All the Ways They Surveil Us.” Forbes, 25 Oct. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/kalevleetaru/2018/10/25/social-media-companies-collect-so-much-data-even-they-cant-remember-all-the-ways-they-surveil-us/?sh=318c24b47d0b. Accessed 15 Dec. 2022.

Kerry, Cameron F. “Protecting Privacy in an AI-Driven World.” Brookings, Brookings, 10 Feb. 2020, www.brookings.edu/research/protecting-privacy-in-an-ai-driven-world/. Accessed 15 Dec. 2022.

AI-driven consumer products and autonomous systems are often equipped with sensors that generate and collect large amounts of data, without the consent of those they are taking the data from (Artifical Intelligence). These AI methods are being used to identify individuals who wish to remain anonymous, infer sensitive (personal) information about people from non-sensitive (more general) data, and to create profiles based on populations - scale data. These datasets are then used to make important decisions, which can potentially be life-changing. Although the this unconsented data is made anonymous regularly, AI can be used to reidentify these individuals. 

Overall the implications of AI suggest that it cannot be trusted when it comes to retaining sensitive information and/or obtaining it ethically - not only pushing the foundries on or society yet moreover breaking them (El Khatib, et al). 

Works Cited

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Privacy for Companies.” Consent Management Platform (CMP) Usercentrics, usercentrics.com/knowledge-hub/data-privacy-artificial-intelligence/.

 

“Artificial Intelligence | Privacy International.” Privacyinternational.org, 2021, privacyinternational.org/learn/artificial-intelligence. Accessed 15 Dec. 2022.

Curzon, James, et al. “Privacy and Artificial Intelligence.” IEEE Transactions on Artificial Intelligence, 2021, pp. 1–1, 10.1109/tai.2021.3088084.

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Vincent, James. “UK Plans to Make the Sharing of Non-Consensual Deepfake 🤬 Illegal.” The Verge, The Verge, 25 Nov. 2022, www.theverge.com/2022/11/25/23477548/uk-deepfake-🤬-illegal-offence-online-safety-bill-proposal. Accessed 15 Dec. 2022.

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Works Cited

Mitchell, Amy, et al. “Americans Who Mainly Get Their News on Social Media Are Less Engaged, Less Knowledgeable.” Pew Research Center’s Journalism Project, Pew Research Center’s Journalism Project, 30 July 2020, www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2020/07/30/americans-who-mainly-get-their-news-on-social-media-are-less-engaged-less-knowledgeable/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.

Simplilearn. “Top 7 Impacts of Social Media: Advantages and Disadvantages.” Simplilearn.com, Simplilearn, 23 Feb. 2016, www.simplilearn.com/real-impact-social-media-article. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.

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Google is currently the most visited website in the world, with an average of 8.5 billion searches daily (Shaw, 2016). That being said, Google has a great impact on our knowledge today, as its convenience and speed provides a fast source of information for its users. In fact, Google can deliver millions of results within 0.19 seconds (Windsor, 2013). However this search engine can have both positive and negative effects. 

Google offers various services. One of the best services that Google provides is Google maps. Google maps provide all the information needed to go to a destination, including the time consumed, possible transportation, and finding several different routes (Francis, 2015). Although google maps come in very handy when we are lost, it is changing the way people approach a problem (McMullan, 2014). As the directions come up automatically, people rarely think about finding their own way, limiting their ability to think and explore the city (McMullan, 2014). Because of this routine, users become more and more reliant on the map services, restricting their own process of thinking. 

In the past people used to “work harder” in order to access the knowledge that we can now obtain in a matter of seconds. This can have a negative effect on our ability to retain information. Because the information is received so automatically and without any effort, we are more likely to forget the information (“Google”, 2018). The convenience involved with using Google discourages its users to actively learn and memorize the information, because they can simply search it up again (“Google”, 2018). 

Another problem that could arise is the unreliability of resources: when students had to gather information for a research in the past they’d have to go all the way to a library and look for the book or encyclopedia that could provide the information they needed. Library books and encyclopedias are reliable sources, they’ve been written by professionals and real authors, many people have read them and benefitted from their knowledge. When we look up something online we can never be sure about who wrote what we are reading, whether he was an expert or not and whether we can trust him.

Works Cited

“Google Effect - the Decision Lab.” The Decision Lab, 2018, thedecisionlab.com/biases/google-effect. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.

“Knowledge and Technology.” TOK 2022: THEORY of KNOWLEDGE WEBSITE for the IBDP, 2022, www.tok2022.net/knowledge-and-technology.html. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.

McMullan, Thomas. “How Digital Maps Are Changing the Way We Understand Our World.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 2 Dec. 2014, www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/02/how-digital-maps-changing-the-way-we-understand-world. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.

---. “How Digital Maps Are Changing the Way We Understand Our World.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 2 Dec. 2014, www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/02/how-digital-maps-changing-the-way-we-understand-world. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.

Shaw, Mike. “Why Google Is the Best Search Engine (and Why Businesses Should Care).” Tower Marketing, Tower Marketing, 30 Sept. 2016, www.towermarketing.net/blog/google-best-search-engine/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.

Wexelbaum, Rachel. “Is the Encyclopedia Dead? Evaluating the Usefulness of a Traditional Reference Resource.” Reference Reviews, vol. 26, no. 7, 14 Sept. 2012, pp. 7–11, 10.1108/09504121211270780. Accessed 30 Sept. 2020.

Windsor, Danny. “Why Is Google the Most Popular Search Engine? 7 Reasons Why.” Sleeping Giant Media, 11 June 2013, www.sleepinggiantmedia.co.uk/7-reasons-why-google-is-the-search-engine-of-choice/#:~:text=Speed,better%20than%20the%20other%20engines.. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.

Francis, H. (2015, February 13). 10 years of google maps: 10 ways it changed the world. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved January 10, 2023, from https://www.smh.com.au/technology/10-years-of-google-maps-10-ways-it-changed-the-world-20150212-13d7wq.html#:~:text=With%20Google%20Maps'%20Street%20View,instantly%20and%20with%20relative%20accuracy. 

Social media has had a significant impact on the way we access and share knowledge. On one hand, it has made information more readily available and accessible to a wider audience. On the other hand, it has also raised concerns about the reliability and accuracy of the information that is shared, in particular there is a greater potential for misinformation to spread.

In terms of access to information, social media has made it easier for people to consume content that is of interest to them. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit provide users with personalized feeds that are tailored to their interests and preferences, making it easy to discover new information and perspectives. However, this could cause significant biases as people tend to seek information that abides by their morals, and values. As a result, people are now exposed to a wider range of information and perspectives than ever before. It has also affected the way people are employed, employers are now easily able to access websites like Linkedln in order to employ new people to partake in important roles within an organization (University Canada West).

In terms of sharing knowledge, social media has made it easy for individuals to share information with a large audience quickly and easily. Users can share articles, videos, and other forms of content with a single click, making it easy to disseminate information to a large group of people. Additionally, social media platforms provide users with the ability to add their own commentary and perspective to the information they share, making it easy for others to engage with and learn from their knowledge.

However, social media also has its downside when it comes to access and sharing knowledge. Social media platforms are vulnerable to misinformation and fake news spreading in their platforms, due to the speed of information dissemination and ease of sharing, which can make it difficult for users to verify the accuracy of the information they are consuming. Moreover, it is also possible for individuals to spread misinformation deliberately with the purpose of manipulating public opinion. For an example, during the United States 2016 election, numerous news sources spread misinformation “consisting of written pieces and recorded segments promoting false information or perpetuating conspiracy theories” (Ordway).

In conclusion, social media has had a significant impact on the way we access and share knowledge. On one hand, it has made information more readily available and accessible to a wider audience than ever before. On the other hand, it has also raised concerns about the reliability and accuracy of the information that is shared, as well as the potential for the spread of misinformation.

Ordway, Denise-Marie. “Fake News and the Spread of Misinformation: A Research Roundup.” The Journalist’s Resource, Sept. 2017, journalistsresource.org/politics-and-government/fake-news-conspiracy-theories-journalism-research/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.

University Canada West. “How Has Social Media Emerged as a Powerful Communication Medium?” University Canada West (UCW), University Canada West, 28 Oct. 2021, www.ucanwest.ca/blog/media-communication/how-has-social-media-emerged-as-a-powerful-communication-medium/#:~:text=Social media’s influence has given,important roles within an organization.. Accessed 10 Jan. 2023.

Social media platforms use algorithms that are influenced my the content that users expose themselves to to shape different self perspectives (How To) A series of data points are used: user's browsing history, search queries, and engagement with certain posts to personalize the content that is shown to them makes up much of the algorithms purpose  (How Much). This data is then used in a way that can create a phenomenon known as a filter bubble in such a case the user is only exposed to perspectives on issues that align with not only preexisting beliefs but also values and norms which does not allow growth (How To). The user is exposing themselves to notions and ideas that only conform with theirs will create a system of bias. Moreover, algorithms influence our mental health (How Much). There is heavy emphasis on self-worth this is done through usage of high engagement posts, which have certain trigger factors such as beauty etcc.. Which promotes an idealized perception of reality. It is evident that the impact of algorithms on our world is alarming and incredibly harmful in allowing us to grow our opinions, values and beliefs.

Works Cited

“How Much Do Social Media Algorithms Influence Your Worldview? | KQED Education.” KQED, 8 Apr. 2022, www.kqed.org/education/535751/how-much-do-social-media-algorithms-influence-your-worldview. Accessed 12 Jan. 2023.

Barnhart, Brent. “How to Rise above Social Media Algorithms.” Sprout Social, 26 Mar. 2021, sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-algorithms/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2023.

Filter bubbles create a “unique universe of information for each of us … which fundamentally alters the way we encounter ideas and information” (Street, 2017). Often this results in us only being shown articles and posts that support our current opinions and perspectives, to ensure that we like what we see and keep watching. This can become problematic as it can trick us into thinking that everybody shares our opinion and don’t even acknowledge the others’ perspectives, especially in a political context. For example, in the voting for Brexit, the majority of people who voted to leave the EU were of an older demographic who were not online often (Street, 2017). Those who voted to stay were of a younger demographic, who are more frequently online, which indicates that they had access to specific filtered information that manipulated their view (Street, 2017). This phenomenon can be harmful for the pursuit of knowledge as what we are shown isn’t the full picture of how things really are, like in the context of Brexit, both sides of the argument. This can lead to us becoming biased and also keeps us from expanding our knowledge and making the best decision. Another example is that Google gives individual users different results depending on their search history (Street, 2017). When two users searched for information regarding British Petroleum, one user had results about investing, and the other had results on oil spills (Street, 2017). Again, this prevents us from getting the full picture of a topic.

Filter bubbles can alter our bias and thoughts in ways that are manipulative and against our will. Therefore, it’s important to stay aware when we are online. 

Works Cited

Street, Farnam. “How Filter Bubbles Distort Reality: Everything You Need to Know - Farnam Street.” Farnam Street, 31 July 2017, fs.blog/filter-bubbles/. Accessed 12 Jan. 2023.

‌Meadows, The. “Social Media’s Problem with Predatory Algorithms | the Meadows.” The Meadows of Wickenburg, Arizona, 12 Apr. 2022, www.themeadows.com/blog/social-medias-problems-with-predatory-algorithms/#:~:text=Because%20social%20media%20algorithms%20will,niche%20or%20extreme%20in%20nature.. Accessed 12 Jan. 2023.

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(Bem's Self-Perception Theory | Self-Perception Examples Video. “Bem’s Self-Perception Theory | Self-Perception Examples - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com.” Study.com, 2022, study.com/academy/lesson/self-perception-theory-definition-and-examples.html#:~:text=Self%2Dperspective%20is%20a%20term,mind%20about%20who%20they%20are.. Accessed 12 Jan. 2023.)

DMI, Simon. “20 Surprising Influencer Marketing Statistics.” Digital Marketing Institute, Digital Marketing Institute, 19 Oct. 2021, digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/20-influencer-marketing-statistics-that-will-surprise-you. Accessed 12 Jan. 2023.

Renaissance is one of the greatest periods in human history. There were countless inventions and technological advancements that allowed further discoveries that are important to this day (“SSD Public Website: Renaissance: Inventions, Discoveries and More”). One of the important discoveries is the microscope. The microscope was invented in 1590, which was invented to magnify what the human eye cannot see (Lesso). After the invention of the microscope, humans were able to explore and understand our world better. Microscopes are a significant tool for humans to understand the existence of cells (“Exploring with Microscopes”). Microscopes weren’t the only tool that was invented for the enhancement of human vision. The telescope was invented in 1608 and allowed people to “see things far away as if they were nearby” (Lesso). This invention derived further important discoveries about the universe, such as Galileo Galilei and Issac Newton’s studies. 

Another great technological advancement was brought by the invention of the printing press. “Johann Gutenberg’s invention of movable-type printing quickened the spread of knowledge, discoveries, and literacy” (Cartwright). With this invention, people could make many more copies of books much more quickly. This not only led to a faster and more efficient spread of knowledge at the time but also allowed modern-day researchers to recover many more written sources from these ages than ever before. Thanks to Gutenberg’s printing press, historians were able to retrieve much of the past, lost knowledge. Furthermore, with the printing press allowing people to better communicate with each other, different people from different states and regions were able to share their ideas and collaborate, and this caused even more inventions to be created in the renaissance.

Scientific and technological advancements from the renaissance like the microscope, telescope, the printing press, and many more, allowed people to acquire important knowledge that is the base of what we know now, the starting point from where modern society was able to develop. Everything we now know was built up starting from these innovations.

Works Cited

“SSD Public Website: Renaissance: Inventions, Discoveries and More.” Salem School District, 6 September 2022, https://sau57.org/c.php?g=332382&p=2231781. Accessed 23 January 2023.

“Exploring with Microscopes – Introduction.” Science Learning Hub, Science Learning Hub, 2021, www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/489-exploring-with-microscopes-introduction#:~:text=Microscopes%20are%20the%20tools%20that,how%20rocks%20change%20over%20time.

Lesso, Rosie. “What Were the Best Inventions of the Renaissance? (Top 5).” TheCollector, TheCollector, 10 Feb. 2022, www.thecollector.com/best-renaissance-inventions/.

Cartwright, Mark. “The Printing Revolution in Renaissance Europe.” World History Encyclopedia, 2 November 2020, https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1632/the-printing-revolution-in-renaissance-europe/. Accessed 23 January 2023.

The Renaissance was a period of significant scientific and technological advancements that laid the foundation for modern science and greatly increased our understanding of the natural world. Firstly, communication has been made easier and more efficient due to the invention of the printing press (“Constitutional Rights Foundation”). Made it possible to produce books and other printed materials more efficiently and at a lower cost. This led to a widespread dissemination of knowledge and ideas, which continues to shape how we communicate and share information today. Secondly, Science and medicine has been able to advance due to the invention of the telescope and microscope. It has enabled scientists and doctors to study the natural world and the human body in new and more detailed ways (“Constitutional Rights Foundation”). These technologies continue to be used today in fields such as astronomy, biology, and medicine, helping us to better understand and treat diseases. Thirdly, advancements in navigation technology, such as the compass, made during the Renaissance played an important role in the Age of Exploration and continues to be important for modern-day transportation and logistics (“Compass | National Geographic Society”). These technological advancements have played a crucial role in modern-day science, enabling us to study and understand the natural world in new and more detailed ways. They have also provided the foundation for many of the technologies that we use today, such as telescopes, microscopes, and GPS. Furthermore, the advancements in printing press made it possible to disseminate scientific knowledge more widely and efficiently. (Nina, Maysa, Serene)

“Compass | National Geographic Society.” Nationalgeographic.org, 2022, education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/compass. Accessed 25 Jan. 2023.

“Constitutional Rights Foundation.” Crf-Usa.org, 2022, www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-24-3-b-gutenberg-and-the-printing-revolution-in-europe#:~:text=Johann Gutenberg’s invention of movable,split apart the Catholic Church.. Accessed 25 Jan. 2023.

Microscope - WH1 Sem1: European Renaissance. “Microscope - WH1 Sem1: European Renaissance.” Google.com, 2023, sites.google.com/a/brvgs.k12.va.us/wh1-sem1-european-renaissance/microscope. Accessed 25 Jan. 2023.