Wesley Guo Week 12: Controlling the Narrative
The power of a narrative is one relegated to the background, partially because reminding people of its power actively weakens its power. But just like in outer periods of history, in the current world of the world wide web the power of information is equally critical in its ability to affect people and their decisions.
In many ways the internet has democratized the spread of information more than ever before, with people having access to stories from every corner of the globe, and able to spread their stories with a broader reach than they could ever imagine without the internet. An army of a million could conquer the world in previous centuries and now many people can build a following of that size purely over the web.
But with this unprecedented access to information also comes with unprecedented power in the ones behind the spread of information, no matter if it's those you can see or those beyond our eyes. After all, all information that passes through the web can be seen, and as such can be monitored and changed to tell a story.
In this new age, the control of information is the ultimate form of power, as with it, can you control what others think. And as such, it is important to make sure you do everything in your power to have diverse access to information, and to demand that everyone has access to all information.
Pose the question, from where do you get your information? How much of the information that is shown to you is dependent on your interests and biases? Many modern AI programs only suggest to you news that follow your biases, and so you never get access to diverse information. It is extremely easy to get stuck in a bubble where you are only fed information that you believe in, while leaving out other important information that you dismiss as biased.
When you stop questioning the narrative fed to you, then “they” have already won.
Leo), Mark Jacobs (Team, et al. “What’s the Difference between the Web and the Internet?” Ask Leo!, 17 Oct. 2018, askleo.com/whats-the-difference-between-the-web-and-the-internet/.
Hey Wesley! With the spread of misinformation on social media and the internet, it is crucial to talk about the power the internet and the sources we choose to listen to have over us. When people stop checking their sources, they start believing lies. That is the power of the internet and the interconnected nature of our lives today is. So, I definitely agree that before coming to a conclusion, we have to not only check that we are using reliable sources but also that we are taking into account every point of view. I am sure you remember from AP Computer Science Principles that Ms. Dsouza had explained the bias we have as we access information on the internet because of our past history (due to cookies) and the geographic place we live in. With that in mind, I can see what you mean when you say that we need to get out of the “bubble” we are in on the internet due to technological biases. I particularly love your ending sentence about never to stop questioning because I love to ask questions about everything and your statement resonates with me.
ReplyDeleteHi Wesley! I definitely agree how, with social media now, power lies in what people see and believe as false information can spread easily or can be misinterpreted. The power is in the hands of the people who control, distribute, and spread this information. Many people in society do not recognize how the information that they are selectively shown and believe is heavily influenced by governments, social media, and the environment around them. I definitely agree with you when you state how individuals in society should continue to ask questions about the information given to them and recognize the influence that may be persuading their opinions on societal matters as well as if people are giving up their ability to freely think. It is important to gather evidence from various sources that expand your knowledge to stay away from the dangers of an information "bubble" in order to form your own opinion, not influenced by anyone else.
ReplyDeleteHi Wesley!
ReplyDeleteYour blog actually reminded me of a quote that I saw recently that deeply resonated with me, that being, "You're afraid to turn the page of your life until you realize you're your own author." It also reminds me of elements of 1984 by George Orwell, where the spread of information is heavily controlled by the government, and the protagonist's role is to sort through said information to approve or censor it. This certainly could become the dystopian-style future of society with the technologies available at this time. How will such a vast network of information be managed, much less verified?
A concept in psychology is known as confirmation bias, where individuals are more prone to honing in on information that verifies their own beliefs, even when there is clear evidence against it. With AI technology coordinating to your biases, I wonder how this will affect how information will be exchanged.