The Great Divide

Though it is called the Digital Divide, it's such an large gap between those with internet access and those without that the gap seems exaggerated. There's a "spectrum" that everyone in the world falls on. At one end are the people who have the money and the access to good, fast internet. At the other end of the spectrum are the people that perhaps live in third world countries where it's nearly impossible to get access to the internet, and maybe some of these people don't even know what the internet is.


As citizens of the United States, allegedly "the greatest country" in the world, the majority of us have some access to the internet and it's use is so widespread that we hardly even think about it. Most of the students here have an internet-accessible phone and overtime we've become so used to immediate interact access that we're reaching the point of invisible privilege.


Two weeks ago, my family and I visited our cabin in the Poconos for the weekend. And when I say cabin, I mean cabin, not a house. It is an authentic cabin built in the 70's featuring bright orange shag carpet, no lie on that one. Unfortunately for us, that weekend was bitter cold, around 10 degrees Fahrenheit and the water pipes had frozen and burst, leaving us without running water. And because the cabin doesn't have central heating, we had to use a coal burning stove. We went to the store to buy 9 gallons of water to use as efficiently as we could. We even had to "ration" our toilet flushes because we didn't have enough water to flush it every time. (TMI, whatever)


Anyways, my dad knows a lot about plumbing and he works around the house a lot so over the course of the weekend he would tell my sister and I tips and facts about how the water travels through the pipes, and so on and so forth. And once, while we were talking about saving our water for toilet flushes, my dad told us that toilets use about five gallons of water every time it's flushed. Some of the newer toilets, he went on to tell us, are using less than two gallons now, which is much more efficient, obviously.


Then my sister chimed in and remarked how there are people living in poorer countries that are surviving on one gallon of water a day, while over here in the US we're using five gallons just to flush a toilet. And of course, immediately after she said that, all of us felt really shitty about it, but that's the thing about privilege - you don't really know what you have until you learn that something you've taken for granted could very possibly be an inaccessible luxury for others.


I saw a post online that really kind of puts things in perspective and it said something along the lines of, "In the US, we have huge fountains full of running water that we literally throw money into and all the while there are people in other countries dying of things like dehydration and malnourishment."


Bringing this back to CMC, we talk about 2014, and the 21st century in general, as an era of the internet and unsurpassed technology. We have eyeglasses that can connect to the internet and we even have wireless internet in our cars. As a country, we are so technologically and industrially advanced that it's baffling, and almost unbelievable that there people who can't afford to put a meal on the table, yet alone having internet access.


The fact that it's baffling alone is another shining example of the privilege that we have. The US as a country is only going to continue making advances in technology, and the digital disparity is only going to keep growing. And as we advance, by comparison, third world countries seem to regress. I don't think there's one simple solution to bridge such a large gap, but with all the advancements we're making, hopefully we can one day do so.

Dopplegänger 2.0

One of the worst feelings is noticing purchases on your card account that you have not made recently and unable to find your credit card. Identity theft is one of the most common forms of theft and deception across the nation. This crime has increased over the years and continues to happen as more people gain access to the internet or credit cards. There are 6 types of identity theft, being medical, criminal, identity cloning, synthetic, ghosting, and financial.

Financial is the most common form of identity theft which is when another person's identity is used to obtain money, services, or goods. People often drop their credit cards or throw away personal information without properly or safely disposing it. Another way financial identity theft occurs is by pick-pocketers or when someone drops their wallet with all of their cards are in it. Although these thefts frequently occur, the perpetrators are easily caught through locating where cards or accounts are last used and through surveilance cameras.

An incident recently occured in Pueblo, Colorado around the beginning of October. The victim dropped their card at Dollar General and the two suspects, male and female, and began using it. The accusation is on a woman and her partner in crime stole the debit card and began making purchases on gift cards and cigarettes. This is a perfect example of how easy it is to steal identity through a financial situation. It is often for people to drop their credit cards when paying for an item and dropping it when they try to place it in their pockets.

Although the suspects have not been caught yet, they will be shortly since tracking information to locate suspects is becoming accomplished quickly. It may be a nightmare when identity theft occurs, but it is a very common occurrence so people should not fret too much. The average to repair the damage done from any sort of identity theft when discovered is about 21 hours which further clarifies how quickly and efficiently this issue can be solved. We all just need to be careful with what information we present to the world and be cautious of where we place our financial information to help avoid identity theft.

Old Dogs and New Tricks: Senior and CMC

The mantra: you can’t teach an old dog new tricks has already been disproven when it comes to computer mediated communication and seniors.  Seniors are more adaptable, and more willing and able to learn than they are given credit for.  This is what the experts and academics say but, in my life I see that yes, old dogs can learn new tricks, however young dogs learn new tricks faster.  Why is it that my 10 year old cousin can use an iPad better and more efficiently than my mother (who is not a senior citizen yet).  No one would say that this child is more intelligent than an adult.  Seniors must be empowered and given space to learn and adapt, but it must be realized that some people may not want to for whatever reason.  I am apprehensive to technology becoming a way of life that symbolizes a “good” or “better” way of life.  People were happy before, so people can be happen without it.  Seniors must be encouraged, but not forced to adapt.  Adaptation happens naturally over time.  My grandparents don’t need me getting sassy with them because they don’t know how to work their smart tv.

Given all that I think it’s great to see that number of seniors using Facebook on the rise- up 150% since 2009- and the number of people over age 65 using the internet at 53% in 2012.  The number of seniors with gadgets like cell phones and e-readers has risen since 2012 and 2010 respectively.  If these numbers mean people are trying new things and having their golden years enriched then these rising numbers are very promising.  I have grandparents with cell phones, but they won’t text.  I have grandparents with desktops or laptops, but they won’t email or Facebook.  That is to say there is progress to be seen and it should be appreciated accordingly.  I wouldn’t think to expect to see every 70 year with a smartphone and a tablet by 2020, I think that will be not the seniors of today but the 40 year olds of today maybe. 

            I think I like to see seniors engaged with technology so much is fear of what my older years will look like.  Technology moves tons faster than I’ll be aging. Will I be able to cope with how technologically advanced of a society we will become.  To some extent I think I will be able to cope better than my parents and their parents because I got a younger start.  I appreciate the fact that my generation was the last of American kids who lived with and without all the gadgets and fancy things kids are born into today.  I think it fosters a different mindset when you are basically coming up at the same time as internet based technology, as opposed to being born into a world and culture where the technology is already there.  Obviously there will be new technology that I won’t be able to understand but I don’t want that to be a result of apprehension, or think the old way is always going to be better.  

IT'S CALLED FACEBOOK NOT HATEBOOK!

I mean is it FACEBOOK or HATEBOOK? This is a question that several others are also likely to be asking themselves, as they sit back and reflect on some of the recent responses to the discussions and controversies that are taking place on the web. In the US, the right to practice your freedom of speech is held at a particularly high status, and social networking sites such as Facebook have only made it easier.  Due to a number of conveniences that technology produces such as anonymity, widespread audiences, and time handiness; users have been able to exploit the internet, using it to promote their hatred and racially prejudiced agendas.  Radical users are the individuals who have been primarily taking advantage of the opportunity to get their messages out on a mass scale without having to protesting funerals, meetings, and stand on street corners screaming their ideology into the public ears that just happen to be passing by. From 2005 to 2008, researchers have discovered that white supremacist preferred to manifest their groups by way of recruiting other members through various conventional sites. All though it is unfortunate, it is not a shock and continues to be true as of 2014.  The real astonishment is the increase in participation by many young higher educated individuals who concur daily with their diverse colleagues. Yes, I am in fact referring to students.

On November 24, 2014 the decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the fatal shooting of Mike Brown divided the country instantaneously. The case became particularly high profile, gaining the interest of the media, the government, the police force, the justice system, and the American people of various communities. The shooting that transpired happened to be between a Caucasian police officer, and an African American adolescent.  While many believe that the court’s decision was fair and the shooting was just, millions are protesting otherwise. The African American community has the highest number of supporters for Mike Brown, and are protesting that the incident was racially motivated. They claim to be tired of the unjust killings of their “Black men,” especially after the ruling in the Trayvon Martin case. The protest has become so immense with the help of hashtag activism or hashtagism and social media that is has spread to countless college campuses. Students have been actively participating in demonstrations to communicate their frustrations while demanding the changes they see as necessary to be made. They can simply be seen as groups of people looking to exercise the same freedom of speech discussed earlier in this blog.  Shockingly many of their fellow students that disagreed with their views and choice to protest quickly targeted them on various social networking sites. There were also several supporters outside of the Black community, and they were targeted as well. Yik Yak was amongst the most popular choice for hate slingers to offend and criticize all African Americans using racial slurs, insults, and bigoted imaging. Unlike Facebook, Yik Yak enables users to remain completely anonymous as they openly vocalized their feelings. Certainly you have to question if that has anything to do with their recent preferences of Yik Yak over Hatebook, I mean Facebook. I’d say OFCOURSE it does. Yik Yak is said to be “taking U.S. college campuses by storm.” The majority of the racial commentary on The Pennsylvania State University campus derives from such. The anonymity that the site provides gives users the confidence to openly express themselves as they freely attack others. This has become a major concern for college boards and students. Schools in Chicago, New Mexico, and Vermont have banned Yik Yak to prevent such activities. Computer mediated communication has yet again created a barrier between the senders and the receivers. At this point there is an advantage for them. Although there was a major shift from Facebook to Yik Yak for the users in question, it remains among some of the top sites of choice for people to share.  Comments that can be considered racial slander are being viewed by a world audience. Facebook can be anonymous as the user has complete control over self-disclosure. While some are wise and implement strict privacy settings to their pages, others are stress-free. The willingly leave their pages unprotected, and open for anyone to view, which has resulted in lost jobs, school expulsion, and removal from these websites as a result of someone reporting their malpractices. The president of Penn State Eric Barron did make a statement on behalf of the university venting their dismay in some of the practices of the students, while also offering support to those who need it.   The online actions that some students are undertaking is provoking fear amongst the community. As I have learned many things over the course of CAS 283, I was hopeful that we would have touched on the concepts I have provided in this blog a little deeper; racial commentary and threats online that is. The dehumanizing and devaluing acts that all types of groups and people have chosen to make public with internet use is, increasing as technology progresses. Despite the touchiness of the subject matter, I find that it is vital to address these issues. This would also provide an opportunity to come up with some effective solutions to put a stop to the war on hate, as students are often the ones in the midst of the online encounters.

P.s. It’s called Facebook so get a profile picture, then you can say it to my profiles pictures face!

By: Normani Marbury

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You got any games on your phone?"

The use of the internet and gadgets are being used more frequently in today’s world. It still amazes me that my 4 year old cousin knows how to use Iphones and tablets better than her own parents. Once the saying among kids was “do you have any games on your phone?” Making the adult with the phone be able to access the games and show the kid how to use your phone. Now children just ask t see you phone and ask for the password, with little to no guidance to find games or use apps. The amount of TV is still steadily increasing for kids. Studies have shown that 64% of babies between 1 and 2 watch TV and videos for an average of slightly over 2 hours; that in 2011 there were 3 million downloads just of Fisher Price apps for infants and toddlers; that estimates of how much time preschoolers spend on average with screen media range from at least 2.2 hours to as much as 4.6 hours per day? Children and teens between ages eight and 18 spend an average of seven hours and 38 minutes daily playing video games, going online and watching TV, and most have no household rules governing how much time they’re allowed to spend doing these things, according to the 2010 study.

It also tells us that developing children thrive when they are talked to, read to, and played with and given time for creative play, physically active play, and interactions with other children and adults. And there’s no research showing the benefits of introducing children to new technologies in the first years of life. Yet educators face increasing pressure to increase the amount of time children spend with digital technologies in early childhood settings, taking valuable time and resources away from activities proven to benefit learning and development. Although it can be a positive feature for kids at school and learn subjects in a fun and creative way but they have no real childhood.

Although I grew up in the technology era it was a very slow progression. I still played outside and rode my bikes with friends. Now it’s odd to see kid playing outside. I strongly encourage parents and adults to closely monitor children’s media technology habits and the time they spend with media, beginning at an early age and continuing through adolescence and the teen years. It’s important to help children to create a balance between their relationship with technology and activities that nurture their social, emotional and physical skills.

CMC as a Resource and Tool

I found the lesson on women and computer mediated communication to be especially interesting. When I took a Women’s Studies Course, we learned about the traditional three female archetypes: the Virgin, the Madonna and the Whore. Throughout literature and even much documented history, women have been portrayed within these archetypes and not necessarily as entire people. I was intrigued by the female archetypes we learned about in class that have become popular media. One that hit close to home for me is the “manic pixie dream girl,” as exemplified by Zooey Deschanel in 500 Days of Summer, Natalie Portman in Garden State and various others. Since this character usually isn’t sexualized (at least at first), I didn’t recognize it to be an issue. However, depicting women that only exist to help men, even in ways that are not sexual, is extremely problematic.

These archetypes are dangerous because they teach young women that their options are limited with regard to personality type and goals. Be it through entertaining, saving, needing or having sex with men, women exist for purposes that do not lie in their wellbeing and success as individuals. Sending this message has many negative impacts, including worsened mental health, perpetuation of rape culture, an large scale devaluation of women.  

I was also moved by the notion of women using the internet as a source of strength and support in places or situations where they may not have much freedom. Previously, we learned that women and people of color are more likely to use Twitter and other social media sites. I think that this is possibly because the internet can provide a voice to those who are less rarely heard and respected. Online, we can access information, build communities and create safe spaces that often times real life does not allow for. It’s harder to oppress people online, and for that reason it becomes a breeding ground for social movements representing minorities.

Women’s health issues are a frequently discussed health issue, but women still are not receiving the care and often the information that they need. The internet provides information on safe sex, abortions, menstruation, LGBT identities, etc. Many women are not taught this information either at home or in school, and therefore the internet plays a large role in education. Many women do not have access to feminist thought or taught that their life matters. The internet can be a great source of strength for women in traditional and conservative societies who wish for something greater. On that note, they can contact people who may help them get out of dangerous situations like domestic abuse, etc.  

In the US, it’s obvious that we’ve in the midst of some revolutionary social change, as we should be. Race issues need to be resolved, and each step toward equality and respect is a step in the right direction for everyone. Hopefully, just as the Civil Rights Movement has been revitalized, we can revitalize the Women’s Rights Movement with full force. Just because laws were made to install equality does not mean that equality exists. I wonder what role CMC will have in our future pursuits of change.

Can we really keep kids safe from online predators?

Kids and teenagers are in danger of many things online including predators. People pose as teenagers in chat rooms and various forms of social media and because you can't always see who is on the other end of the conversation, it is easy for people to pretend to be someone they're not. How can we protect teens and children from the people who use deceit with the intent to harm?

Well, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri believes that kids should not have access to the internet without supervision. Setting boundaries for what kids can do online, in his opinion, is the only way to protect them. His advice to parents and grandparents is to use parental controls to block inappropriate content, monitor every activity that a child is doing online such as who they're communicating with and what content they're looking at, and he also says it's important to be able to see your kids while they're on the internet at all times so it's easier for you to check up on them.

This seems like sound advice and I could imagine that monitoring a child's online activity would lower the chances of them being targeted by an online predator but what about other kinds of media?
In February of this year, a fourteen year old boy named Breck was stabbed to death by Lewis Daynes, a guy he played games with online. The incident occurred when the two decided to meet in person for the first time. This article doesn't say much about why Daynes killed Breck but it shines a light on the advice that Sheriff Gualtieri gave.

Breck's mother used those same tactics to protect her son after she became suspicious of the person he was communicating with on the game. She limited her son's usage of electronics and made use of parental controls. If she had set boundaries for her son, why wasn't it enough to keep him safe?
I think it's important to have tactics to keep kids safe when they are online but since parents can't keep them off the internet completely, there should be a better way to crack down on people with bad intentions not just online but in other communication mediums as well.

Parents should also teach their kids how to be more aware of people instead of just telling them not to talk to strangers. If they know more about what could happen, I think that they will begin to understand the importance of being safe online or anywhere where they can come into contact with strangers.

I think that if kids understand the consequences of talking to people they don't know, regardless of how friendly they seem, they'll hesitate to go out and meet with their online 'friend' in person or share information with them that would lead the predator to their house or to wherever they go to school.

Kids who are old enough to use the internet are old enough to be told the realities of not using it wisely. It's better to be completely honest with your kids about the possible dangers they could face online than to simply just set boundaries and set up parental controls.

http://clearwatergazette.com/cg/opinion/internet-predators-how-to-protect-your-children-from-online-dangers-20141113/

http://abcnews.go.com/International/mom-sons-murder-online-gaming-partner/story?id=27309290

The impact of the internet

            A recent topic which we’ve covered in class which caught my attention is what can happen to teenagers and other young people online. As the statistic suggests, I am part of the 63 % who prefer texting over sending emails or making phone calls. I find it generally easier and more convenient to send out quick and simple messages along with a greatly increased chance for a quicker response.

            With using technology, there will always be a risk for hackers and cybercriminals to steal personal information. This brings up the issue of safety online for children. They are a prime target for adware, cybercriminals and hackers because they are not always aware of the risks associated with using the internet on a regular basis. Online safety strikes me as both a complicated and important issue. Growing up, I have never been educated about the risks that come with internet usage. For instance, if a website asked me to provide personal information, I would seldom be concerned, often providing the information without hesitation. I believed that regardless of what I said, I would remain completely anonymous and that others would not that I was the person who actually wrote the online post.

            When it comes to downloading and shopping online, this issue is brought to even greater light. Since I am in the age group which statistically has the highest rate of internet usage, online safety is most important to me and others in my age group. Information is so widely available and it is even easier for people in my age group to end up viewing inappropriate online content because we have already reached the minimum age required by law.

            Amid the risks of using the internet, it provides a lot of beneficial information to the public. Furthermore, the things I’ve learned during recent years has shown to me that contrary to what you may believe, information which is posted online can be viewed by many more people than you believe. I almost forced myself to think about the implications of what I say on sites such as Facebook, twitter and commenting on YouTube videos. The consequences from my previous habits have caused me to have much more strict standards regarding downloading and buying software online. Following recommendations from my parents, I decided that I would only download software if I was absolutely familiar with the source.

            This type of behavior is essential in order to avoid being deceived by hackers and cybercriminals. Rather than let the previous bad habits control myself, I was able to channel all the negative events together and learn from my mistakes. This is what taught me how to avoid situations such as that of the Catfish episode we viewed in class.

            Such guidelines have also carried over towards building up my trust in others. Trust is the foundation of close relationships. With trust, one knows that they can count on the other person to perform tasks and get things done for them even when they may not know for sure whether it is getting done. I have this kind of trust in my Church friends here at Penn State. They make me very comfortable and I can always be certain that they will include me when I ask if I can hang out with them via Facebook.

             

Find Friends? More like Stalk

In class we learned about parents who want to keep their children safe by monitoring their children through the use of apps.  My mom does this to my brother and I so it's a situation I can personally understand.  She uses the app Find Friends, where with the use of your email and adding people as friends, the app tracks you on a map with a little dot.  Freshman year, I remember getting texts from her saying, "Hope you're having fun at the library" because she looked at the app and saw my location.

Sometimes she gets angry when she notices I have turned off her ability to see my location, but after getting a new phone, I just don't have the space for the app.  She has resorted to using the information tab in messages when you click on the persons name.  Here is shows my current location.

In class when we watched the video of the two women voicing their opinions of monitoring their children, I texted her and said that the consensus about monitoring was negative.  She replied by saying, "I don't think so.  Your parents opinion trumps a class discussion" and then added a little threat, "Bye bye car next year."

I think it is important for parents who have young children in Middle School or younger with smartphones to be monitored, but not people my age.  If you want to know what's up just shoot me a text or call me.  Don't spy on me.  I definitely plan on monitoring my kids but I'km not really sure how.  At some point I'll stop but I think they need to be given their space.  Before technology, kids just went off with their friends and their parents had to be and were understanding of that - they knew nothing else.  If they knew where you were they could call the landline, but I feel like it is unacceptable for smartphones to have become little tracking devices for parents to use.

It will be interesting to see how this issue progresses in the future as technology gets more and more intrusive on our lives.

Natives vs. Immigrants

I wish I had a dollar for the number of times I've heard "Doesn't your neck hurt from looking down so much?" or "You're on the road to carpal tunnel at this rate" comments from my parents and grandparents about me and my brother on our phones. I can't count how many times I've heard my friends talking about getting the lecture from their parents or remarks from professors. The older generation literally thinks our phones are glued to our hand and they're pretty much right, but how can we help it? This is what we've grown up with. Cell phones started as a luxury right around when our parents started having children and it was rare to own one. Now, however, cell phones have gone from being a rare to a need, now rare to pick up an actual land line telephone. If someone doesn't have a cell phone, well, they're kind of cut off from the world. As technology has become smarter and smarter and given to us to hold, the feeling of needing to communicate has also increased. If we have the opportunity to be in contact with friends, family, and the rest of the world 24/7, why wouldn't we take advantage of that? 

We were born into a world where constant communication and constant use of digital things is normal-as digital natives, it's pretty much all we know. So how can our elders criticize and blame us? They always say something like "back in my day, we didn't have all these fancy devices" and go on about doing math in their heads, talking in person, reading books to find information, etc. Sometimes they ask "Would you even be able to survive back then?" Well, yeah, I would. Because having to talk to someone in person and writing papers from information found in books would be the norm. No one had cell phones, no one had computers-it would feel nothing like being without a phone or a computer today, because there was nothing to be cut off from. They used what they had and that was normal. To my parents, I always try to use the comeback "So you're trying to tell me that if all these digital devices were around when you were a kid, you wouldn't act the same way we do with them?" They usually never have anything to say to that one-it just makes sense. Yes, I'll admit our generation is addicted to technology, but our parents and grandparents would be the exact same way if they had these opportunities growing up.

When telephones were first invented, everyone was probably blown away by this grand new convenient invention. In no time, everyone had a phone in their household and instantly made it the new norm of communication. It's natural for people to flock to bigger and better things, and our parents did just the same by getting cell phones and computers themselves. Just because our generation uses technology more doesn't mean anything but that we understand it better. They understand and are more drawn to things they grew up with or have been around for most of their lives, simply because it's comfortable and it's native to them. Have they ever considered that they're so opposed to all this constant use of technology because it's just foreign to them? Nothing is different in our brains that makes us addicted to technology, nothing changed between generations that makes us "go crazy" without constant communication. Digitalization is native to our generation and we're just doing what feels normal to us. It's nothing to be penalized for-as the world around us changes, humans do too.

Digital Natives

 

We talked about digital natives in today’s class, which means people who born into digital age. In China, we usually called this cohort “after 00s”, children who born after 2000 are around with technology since they were born. Compared to our 90s, those digital natives have a better ability to accept new technologies. It is not rare anymore to see a primary school students own a cellphone or Ipad, and active in the social network sites. I began to realize the huge gap between 90s and 00s when I was first fall behind my 5-year-old cousin in Plants Vs Zombies.

Although overall teachers say CMC brings more positive effect more than negative effect to children on academic, the CMC definitely changed the way they growing up. When I was small, children in my age are supposed to be sweet and please elder people in a dinner party, the elder will then give some gifts or pocket money in return. However, children today don’t do this anymore, they always sit there quietly and play games in their Ipad or ask the elder to show them some new digital devices. This may makes them lack of social skills, and decrease the interaction with other same age children. When they enter school, since the searching engine made everything quick and easy, some children even use the internet to find the answer to their homework. During the long summer vacation, they can even find someone else to do the homework for them via internet. As for the composition homework, some children just search the title on the searching engine and copy and paste from the first page, it is easy for teacher to find it out because the compositions from different students look so similar that they all come from a very smaller range of sources.

Except the negative impact on children’s academic and daily life, the internet safety is the most concerned aspect by the whole society, since teens from 12 to 17 has a close second rates of internet use more than other age groups. We mentioned that 53% of parents concern most on the interaction with strangers on the internet. That is true, children and teens are still too young to find what is right and wrong, and they are easily to be deceived by strangers. In the social network sites, games, and other media, teens are usually be a target for criminal. Take video games as an example, since women are start getting into games today, young girl users are also become a big group active in games. Almost in every game, women figures are often sexulization and associated with violence. Some male player will be attracted by the sexy figures and it is common to see the male player harass the female player in the game. They will keep asking for the contact information and say dirty words to the female. This will play a really bad impact to the young girl players. When I was 11 years old I played the first online games, many male players asked about my age and other personal information, some even said they fall in love with me. I was lucky that I didn’t believe them, but some young girls are unfortunately deceived by those bad guys and lost their money or other reputation, some even put themselves in danger because they met in real life. Boys are usually better when playing games, because the male players are too much in the world of game. But boys are easily to get into troubles if they get conflicts with other players. They are also easily to be bullied if the conflict cannot be solved.

CMC Health Support Groups: Advantages and Disadvantages

At some point in our lives we all visit a doctor, specialist, or some kind of professional to help diagnose and treat whatever we are going through.  For some of us, its more frequent then others and the visits become routine and these professionals say the same things over and over again.  After awhile we become hesitant to even go to the doctors or specialist. The emergence of CMC health forums and websites has given people an extra outlet to go to for all types of support and suggestions on dealing with illnesses and special needs.

There are several advantages and disadvantages of these forums and websites. (http://her.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/6/693.full) outlines a few of each and gives us an inside look as to what to expect and what to look for if we ever find ourselves in need:

Advantages

The biggest advantage these forums/sites give us is that they accessible 24/7.  There is no waiting in line, trying to confirm appointments around busy schedules, and almost absolute certainty that you can find an answer you are looking for.  This also eliminates problems with people who are not mobile anymore or a too sick to leave a bed.  It provides hope an and outlet for these people. Another benefit that comes with these outlets are the anonymity and the fact they are much more welcoming.  People find that Problems that are more embarrassing or sensitive are easier to talk about online rather then in a public place.  This avoids the weird looks and judgement from people around you and also provides support and suggestions from those who are dealing with similar problems.  These outlets also negate demographics such as gender, age, weight, and physical appearance in general.  This provides a judgement free zone and avoids scaring away help from people who see you face to face.  These outlets offer an unlimited amount of participants and contributors, which can provide an unlimited amount of different and similar opinions that can help individuals deal with whatever they
 are going through.



Disadvantages
Along with everything else in this world, there are also some disadvantages.  The biggest problem these outlets face is the fact that even though they are accessible 24/7, not everyone is able to access them or do not know about them enough to access.  Although, the internet is overwhelmingly popular and is used everyday; not everyone uses it or knows how to use it.  Also, the population of people who have serious problems are generally older and are not used to the CMC evolution.  Another disadvantage is the fact that it takes away the emotional aspect of face to face communication.  Although, individuals may find better answers or an abundance of help; they still want to feel like people care about them and feel what they are going through.  This can be obtained through CMC but it takes a much longer time to develop then in an instant like face to face would.  Problems with the amount of information and the inaccuracy of it also play a big factor.  Since these outlets are available to anyone; the amount of information posted can be very time consuming and frustrating to go through.  Since the information given is almost never posted by proffesionals in the respective field, it can be very inaccurate and can cause more problems then help if the advice is taken.






There are several advantages and disadvantages to CMC health support groups, forums, and websites.  There are very strong arguments on either side by healthcare professionals and by those who participate in these outlets.  The one thing that cannot be  argued is the fact that there are options.  Whether your preference is to rely on the proffessionals or to engage with those who have gone through the same problems; the option is yours.  Neither of these outlets rae forced on anyone and both of them can, have, and will continue to provide help and support for those in need.

Virtual Worlds

With the increase in smart phones and internet so prevalent in everyone’s lives, kids are increasingly online. They are on social media and more of their friends are online than ever before, it’s easy to get lost in the online world. The concern of parents with the safety of their children is become a concern. The constant threat of online chat rooms with predators, online bullying, and exposing sensitive information there can be great concerns. Is there an immediate danger for kids online? Are online strangers a concern to parents? According to Pew Internet & American Life Project, 53% of parents are “very worried/concerned” about their children meeting strangers online. Online predators are not something to loosely be concerned about; especially when a minor is talking to people they do not know. When kids met people online, they believe that they are going to all be nice people who care about them, when in reality many kids have been subjected to bad situations. In an article released by ABC news, “In a recent survey of young Internet users aged 10 to 17; one in five reported they had received unwanted sexual solicitations online, ranging from sexually suggestive comments to strangers asking them to meet them in the real world for sex”. This type of statistic is a scary and very real situation, when parents aren’t constantly watching over their teens; they don’t know exactly who they are talking to.

Some teenagers feel as though they can trust these online personas and give them information about themselves once they are comfortable with the people they are talking to. Information can range from where they live, how old they are, and some even exploit themselves in nude pictures. When a teen is feeling insecure, sometimes talking to someone that “feels the same way they do” can help them open up and express themselves to this person. The situation that a young teenager Katy Glover put herself in could have ended very badly for her. She talked to a boy over the internet for over a year and they decided they wanted to be in a relationship, eventually he asked her for nude pictures of herself, and she sent them to him. Her mom happened to find out about these pictures and told him to never speak to her again. Thankfully Katy had a parent who stood in the way of them ever meeting because this man who claimed to be 16 was actually an online predator who was middle aged. This man was eventually found and now is in convicted; he reportedly had been talking to a dozen young teens online, along with Katy. This type of situation can become a nightmare for parents, worrying about their children’s online activities but there are prevention methods that parents can follow.

There are ways to see who teens are talking to online, some are easier than others, but for a concerned parent, it can extremely important. One tip is: “Never post your personal information, such as a cell phone number, home number, home address, or your location on any social networking site or through mobile apps like Snapchat or Instagram.” By following this rule, you can prevent people from knowing exactly where you are and where you have been, this is important in some ways. Even when people go away for vacation, by posting that you are leaving your house with your family that tells people that a home is being vacant for an extended period of time. Another important rule, “If you wouldn’t say something to another person’s face, don’t text it or post it online”, this can help your child avoid hurtful situations. Parents will always be concerned with their child’s online safety, but parents can follow simple sets to help them feel better about their teens online activity. 

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=130735

http://marketingland.com/majority-of-parents-concerned-about-kids-online-privacy-data-mining-26914

http://www.nationalcac.org/prevention/internet-safety-kids.html

Why you rubbin on your phone so much?

Computers and telephones have become a household staple in today’s society. Just about everyone has some sort of computer and telephone in their homes and when I say everyone that includes seniors as well. In accordance with the assumptions found by Baltes and Baltes, the differences between how people age definitely has a factor in what kinds of technology seniors are utilizing. When it comes to aging, there is normal aging where everything ages, body and mind, at a fairly uniform rate; then there’s optimal aging where aging is mostly physical and the mind is still firing on all cylinders; and then there’s pathological aging which is usually induced by some sort of disability or deficiency due to age. Every individual ages at a different rate, enabling some older individuals to adapt to this technological world more easily than others. Many of these elderly individuals have accepted the challenge and are now active members of the technological community. Due to these differences in aging and abilities, we see a fairly predictable trend in the kinds of gadgets these individuals are using. It was found that as of April 2012, about 53% of people over 65 years old use the internet, and 70% of them use it daily. It was also found that of these elderly individuals 69% of them have a cellphone and 48% of them have a desktop and with that desktop one in three seniors use Facebook. These trends are very believable to me because I have personally witnessed these trends in action.

My grandmother recently moved to an assisted living retirement community about two years ago. My father and I visit her on holidays and whenever we have a long weekend to spare. Whenever we visit her, I find that the most entertaining moments are meal times. We get to meet all of her friends and many of them surprise me. People often expect slow and fragile individuals when thinking of elderly people but due to these differences in aging you never know what you’ll get. Last time we visited, we met a women who was a high school principle for thirty years and she was quicker and brighter than many of my friends currently. Along with her friends, my grandma is fairly all there mentally as well but unfortunately she is still catching up with the technology. She’s had a desktop for as long as I can remember and she’s definitely utilizing it more than expected. One of the main things she uses her computer for is to look up birthdays on Facebook and then she designs a birthday card on a program she downloaded. My grandma’s technology expertise ends there though, she has a cellphone but barely knows how to use it. She has a very basic flip phone that has that weird blue screen and actual buttons. The first time she saw my IPhone she looked at it as though it wasn’t real. She asked to hold it, looks at it, hands it back and just says “I don’t like it.” She expressed that she likes her buttons and that a touch screen was too fancy for her.

I got a second look at the differences in gadgets used by seniors in varying stages of aging whenever my grandma volunteered me to help out a few of her neighbors. Due to the fact that I was the youngest person in the building, my grandma figured I could help a few of her friends and neighbors move some stuff around. While helping these folks, I would notice different things these people use and differences in how they lived. I remember one women had one of those dial wheel phones and no computer in sight, which I respect but I couldn’t legitimately live that way. On the other end of the spectrum, I helped move a box for a women who was reading the New York Times on her MacBook laptop. With regards to these experiences it’s interesting to see how some seniors are able to accept and adapt to the changing future while others are unable to adapt and move on to the rising trends. 

Grandma's and iPhones: The Bane of My Existence

So in my family, I’m considered the “techy.” Don’t ask why; I think it’s because I own a tablet, phone, and laptop. Apparently, this means that I should know how to create websites and generate stock market values. Not really (but kind of). However, the absolute worst thing about being the family techy is when anything with a plug goes awry at my grandparents’ house, guess who they call? That’s right: me. Having to explain to your grandmother what the Passport app on her phone is and why “You will never, ever use it grandma. Just ignore it,” is enough to make anyone go insane.

            It can be so frustrating to deal with someone who just doesn’t seem to understand technology. But then, you have to remember the difference between digital natives and digital immigrants. A digital native is someone who has grown up in the “technology era.” Their familiarity with technology gives them the ability to understand and adapt to technology quite quickly. The general age to be considered a technology native is someone is was born in 1985 or later. However, for all those born before that, they could arguably be considered a digital immigrant.

            A digital immigrant is someone who was born before our technology-dependent society. They had to adapt and change in order to learn to use technology, thusly making them not quite as skillful when doing so. Most now-parents and grandparents are considered digital immigrants. However, being a digital immigrant doesn’t mean that one is not good at using technology. It does mean, however, that it might take someone a little bit longer to learn how to use the technology.

            Being a digital immigrant also might contribute to the hysteria in technological hype vs. hysteria. My grandmother still turns off her cellphone when she goes into a doctor’s office because she doesn’t want the government to learn her medical information. As if there weren’t better ways of finding it than listening through a cellphone? Does she not realize that everything is documented on the computer anyway? Either way, this is just the type of hysteria that seems pretty common for digital immigrants.

            My grandfather, on the other hand, is definitely one who agrees with the technological hype. When the iPhone 5 came out, he was the oldest person standing in line at our local Apple store. My grandfather is of the view that technology is something the world should be excited about and want to integrate into our daily lives. Ultimately, neither hype nor hysteria is an inappropriate view, but some views might be a bit more rational than others.

            Once again, neither view in the everlasting debate of hype vs. hysteria is wrong. Technology is a very new thing and thusly can sometimes lack regulation and be a scary aspect. On the other hand, technology has made the lives of humans so much easier and carefree. We can now access information with the click of a button, we can let our mothers know where we are at all times, and we can even tweet from our refrigerators! Whether you’re a digital native or a digital immigrant, whether you bow to the hype of the hysteria, technology is definitely something that is evolving our ways of life.