I decided to take this class because digital culture and information represents an sizable portion of my daily life. I use the Internet and technology to complete academic assignments, view posts on social media from my friends, communicate with my family, and so much more. Consequently, I believe that understanding how this technology influences modern culture is critical to my success in my personal and professional life.
There are many interesting issues that concern DCI. I believe the most prominent issue is the invasion of consumer data privacy. Companies like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram abuse their ability to gleen data from users’ lives, manipulating them into their own silos of social media posts, news networks, etc. This trend has polarized people’s opinions and minimized their willingness to understand others’ view points. Second, there are many access issues to technology that exist. Residents of first-world countries have the advantage of high-speed Internet and interconnectedness with the rest of the world, while many third-world countries lack this capability. This reality created unequal access to information in the modern world.
Other interesting topics I would like to explore include DeepFake, ChatGPT, and other AI/machine learning related topics. I believe these topics will only increase in relevance as the Internet continues to evolve. While DeepFakes often communicate a negative connotation, there are various untapped commercial opportunities for its use. It is also worth exploring ChatGPT, as it could replace Google as the efficiency and accuracy of its search results increase.
Personally, I hope to develop my skills in HTML, WordPress, and other technologies. I also hope to understand the perspectives of my peers, as everyone has different viewpoints based on their previous experiences with technology. Discussing these viewpoints will make me a more well-rounded person.
I believe I have a unique perspective in this class. Since I took DCI180 back in 2019, I can reflect on what I learned then and how the same topics have evolved as we discuss them in DCI101. I am looking forward to the semester ahead!
