EDLD 5316 - The Impact, Week 2

Journal Reflection - Week 2

Technology has simplified many facets of life. It has afforded us the ability to make online transactions, access hundreds of thousands of websites, reduce paper printing and consumption, access various user-friendly sites offering helpful services, for instance Google maps and so many more. This week has really caused me to reflect on the digital trail I have left and is currently leaving for third parties to gather information about me based on my digital behavior. From the reading I understand, information is collected through a mechanism called an antenna and metal chips, that sorts the data into different categories which indicate interests and most frequently visited websites. An article I read this week, suggested the possibility of healthcare information being accessible through skin markings?

The overall goal of medical technology is to measure health parameters, record measurements and provide interpretations. I’ve also seen movies where locked entrances are accessed with fingerprints and/or voice control, but I never considered where was the information being stored and what it will be used for. I can only imagine how much more information can be traced from various social forums such as Facebook, Linked In, Instagram, and Twitter.

Awareness is everything. Last week, digital citizenship broached accessibility, law, and ethics which are very important considering this week I learned just how much information is gathered and sold from my technology usage. This forces me to flirt with so many what if statements. What if colleges and employers will not only look at one’s social media but also use its content as a preliminary measure to deny acceptance or employment? What if health status and deficiencies are detected through digital markings or footprints? What if the government mandates everyone to be microchipped alleviating debit cards, keys, identification badges, etc? At this point, nothing is to outlandish and out of reach. On one hand, I felt the technological advances violated one’s privacy and on the other hand I feel since the information was put on the world wide web, how can you keep it secure and safe when anyone can access it?

It seems like technology and what people are able to access and do with someone’s information is a blessing and a curse. I have grown to love and appreciate its many benefits but I also dread the hypotheticals going bad. Information at the fingertips of third parties and anyone else for that matter frightens me because in my opinion, no matter how much I employ digital citizenship, there seems to be a work around where information could fall into anyone’s hands.

It is disheartening to think of how unsafe the digital world when almost everything today requires a person to be online. From banking to job interviews there is some component of life that requires you to be online. Just today I saw my sisters doctor visit with her from an iphone. The doctor went through all of the nuances of her brain surgery, lab results, medicines, etc. in a matter of minutes. Immediately wondered didn’t that violate some type of hippa law and shouldn’t that be against the law. I suppose if it's locked by thumb print then it must be safe, right?

Resources:

Bailey, S. (2013, October 7). The difference between copyright infringement and plagiarism. Retrieved from https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2013/10/07/difference-copyright-infringement-plagiarism/

Creative Commons. (n.d.). Licenses and examples. Retrieved from https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/licensing-types-examples/licensing-examples/#by

Stim, R. (2015, July 30). Fair use: What is transformative? Retrieved from https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/fair-use-what-transformative.html