Week 12: Diffusion of Innovations

Technology: Snapchat 

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat is a "multimedia messaging app used globally" where one can send videos, photos, and chats that disappear after viewing them. 

According to the main website of Snapchat, is it described as "a new kind of camera that's connected to your friends and the world"

How Snapchat became so popular

I would say one of the main reasons that Snapchat became so popular was because you were able to edit your photos in the app, add geofilters to show your location in a creative way, or filters to your face. While Snapchat is most commonly used by younger generations as a way of communication, as it continues to evolve it finds new uses. It can also be utilized by companies to market their products, show behind the scenes footage of their employees or their workplace, and even gives celebrities a platform to follow in order to stay updated on what is going on in their life.

Snapchat's Early Adopters

Snapchat has been successful since day 1. Ultimately, the early adopters of Snapchat were younger kids. between the ages of 13-20. Snapchat is popular amongst young teenagers because of its ability to allow users to begin what is known as "snap streaks". Each day your streak will increase by 1 and represents the number of days you and a Snapchat friend have snapchatted back and forth (by picture or video, not chat). Snapchat streaks don't start until day 3 of sending consecutive snaps.

Negative Consequences in the Use of Snapchat

People often post stuff on Snapchat that they don't feel is serious enough to post on their other social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) Sharing videos through Snapchat and uploading the videos on to what is known as your "My Story" is also becoming more and more popular. With the popularity of posting on Snapchat, also comes consequences. Often times teens think that since the Snapchats disappear after a certain amount of time, they can post whatever they want. This, however, is not the case. When you sign up for Snapchat you sign a license agreement, which states that anyone, typically companies, though can purchase all the Snapchat that you have posted. If someone is posting negative information about someone else, or them partaking in illegal activities this can create issues for the snapchatter.  Snapchatters now can create a private story which is a completely separate story from their "My Story" and only those they select can see it. However, snapchatters are warned about what they post as people can take screenshots as well as spread them between one another.  Unless you turn Snapchat on "ghost mode", all of your friends can see your location on what is known as "snap maps". 

The blue chat icon in the bottom left indicates that the snapchatter has a snapchat(s) to open from friends. Below where it says "My Story" are subscriptions you can subscribe to for free to get your news from your favorite news outlets. Below those, are where the stories that you post to snapchat show up for you to see.

Major Takeaway from using Snapchat

There are always going to be consequences for what you post on social media, no matter what platform you post it on, so always think twice about what you post before posting.

https://www.mic.com/articles/157607/snapchat-ipo-snap-inc-women-early-adopters

https://whatis.snapchat.com/

https://dailydolphin.hbcsd.org/5115/science-and-technology/why-is-snapchat-so-popular/

Week 11: The Eight Values of Free Expression

The Value of Protecting Dissent

There are 8 values that we consider to be a part of the values of free expression. Amongst the 8 values are:

•  Marketplace of Ideas
• Participation in Self-Government 
• Stable Change
• Individual Self-Fulfillment 
• Check on Governmental Power
• Promote Tolerance
• Promote Innovation
• Protect Dissent: The value I personally deem the most important, inspiring, and most meaningful. 

The values of Free Speech fall under the First Amendment of the Constitution, and to this day remains one of the most popular rights in the Constitution

To me, the value of protecting dissent is the freedom of all U.S. citizens to have the right to express their opinions without being held back or restrained by the government. The right to dissent ultimately means freedom of speech, which as you can see above, falls under the first amendment.

I feel that one of the reasons America is so special when being compared to other nations is that U.S. citizens are given the opportunity for freedom regarding all topics and they are also encouraged to have their own viewpoints and thoughts. To me, this is one of the many reasons America is so powerful.  I feel that U.S. citizens' right to dissent is a right that will continue to be "crucial" to our American Democracy. 

Our right to freedom of expression goes hand in hand with our right to dissent. The right to dissent is not only one of the most important values of free expression, but it is also a "fundamental human right". Some important examples of people who are now considered to be American heroes and activists based on their beliefs and opinions are Galileo Galilei, Charles Darwin, and Matin Luther King. Based on these few examples of people, it is clear that the right to dissent paves the pathway for those who become and those who are already famous activists.

"The ability to express our opinion and speak freely is essential to bring about change in society."

The right to dissent is inspiring because it allows for some of the most important events in history to be talked about by those whom we consider American heroes. A human rights activist named Peter 

Tatchell feels that one of the best ways we can move forward is by people with different views challenging their opposing views. 

“Free speech does not mean giving bigots a free pass. It includes the right and moral imperative to challenge, oppose and protest bigoted views. Bad ideas are most effectively defeated by good ideas – backed up by ethics, reason – rather than by bans and censorship.”

https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2016/04/free-speech-important/

https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/the-right-to-dissent-crucial-to-american-democracy