Blog 12: Final Blog Post

 

    Technology has come a long way over the years. Depending on peoples' perspectives and technology use, it can be beneficial or harmful.

    The first video we watched in class of the Futurama ride showed a positive perspective of technology. It predicted many beneficial uses of technology that have advanced the USA. For example, it predicted that technology would be
able to get a man on the moon, submarines, filtered ocean water, movable walkways, better highways and electric vehicles as well as many other advancements. These advancements helped
America greatly and made life easier.

   However, there is a downside to technology. The Mad World video takes a different approach and shows how much of a distraction technology is and prevents us from viewing the world around us.

     This video also shows people acting happy for their phones but actually sad in real life and I believe that a lot of influencers or even everyday people that post do this. My generation wants to look happy even though we are all dealing with stuff behind closed doors. If I scroll on Instagram, everyone looks their best and happy. 

  

 However, there are some influencers that do talk about the hard times and mental health openly, which is good because then my generation can relate to them and connect with them. For example, Tiktoker Nessa Barrett is very open about her borderline personality disorder and her eating disorder along with the struggles that come with it. This allows other people
with similar conditions to feel heard and normal.  

     The Mad World video also portrays people as zombies and not caring about others around them. I sadly can relate to this because whenever I walk around campus I'm almost always on my phone texting or Snapchatting. To our generation, it fills the void of having to walk without entertainment and prevents us from having to have awkward eye contact with people walking by. 

    I also believe that Generation Z spends way too much time on our phones and other technologies. For example, I do all of my homework and most of my notes on my laptop. This means that my laptop is always open for every class and I am always looking at the screen. I also use my laptop to watch videos, which takes up some more hours of the day. My laptop screen time averages about 5 hours a day. 

     Additionally, I am always scrolling on my phone when there is nothing else to do. It has become a habit that whenever I stop doing something, I immediately pick up my phone and start watching TikTok. So, my screen time on my phone is averaged at 5 hours a day. 

    This means that I spend about 10 hours of my day looking at technology, which is insane. I am on technology more than I sleep and it is not okay, but it is how my generation functions. 

     Digital footprint is the trail of data that you leave behind when using the internet. I believe that my
digital footprint is okay compared to many others. A digital footprint is super important because if you want to get a serious job then the employers will look at what you have posted and judge if it is how they want to be represented. If you use explicit language in your posts or post with alcohol while underaged or even drugs then the company will most likely not hire you. 

    You may think that you can just take down the posts, however, once your digital footprint is online, it can't be deleted. When Generation Z went to school we were never taught about a digital footprint and so many people posted things that they would probably regret in the future. 

    An easy example of digital footprints having consequences is influencers getting canceled for things that they posted in the past. For example, Shane Dawson was canceled because he posted blackface and other offensive things in his old videos. This led to him apologizing and leaving the internet for a while.

    

Blog 11: EOTO Presentations Reflection

    Today I learned a lot from many of the other groups that presented their EOTO presentations.

    One topic that specifically caught my attention was the social credit score presentation by my fellow classmate. It is crazy to me that China is actually using the social credit score method. I had heard some things about the social credit score in China prior to listening to her presentation, but part of me wanted to believe that it wasn't true. 

    The Chinese government is literally using the social credit score to control its population and no one can stop them. There is so much lack of privacy because the Chinese people are under constant surveillance according to the classmate that presented this topic. 

    According to Wired, you achieve a low credit score for things like getting caught jaywalking, not paying a court bill, and playing music too loudly on a train. In America, jaywalking is not even a very relevant crime. In North Carolina specifically, it is not illegal to jaywalk. 

    The presenter gave an example of how if you have a low credit score then they can prevent you from traveling and how if you have a high credit score you get perks like being able to get priority choice for your children's schooling. This shows that if you have low social credit you lose certain rights, which is unfair to people. 

As the presenter talked about, this would be terrible if someone had a sick family member that lived far away and they would not be able to see them because their social credits are too low. 

    The way that China is doing this reminds me of Big Brother from the book 1984. Big Brother was a "government" that would have telescreens that were always watching the citizens. No one was safe and if they ever thought about doubting Big Brother then they would be convicted of "thoughtcrime". Both the Chinese and Big Brother system limits the privacy and freedom of the citizens. This is scary because 1984 is supposed to just be a dystopian novel, but China is making it real life.

    I understand that they want to make sure their citizens are doing the right thing but these measures are way too extreme. 

Blog 9: EOTO Alternative Media

    Many rely on Fox, CNN, or other prominent news sources, however, there are alternative media to find news that the mainstream media does not provide. Alternative media is not owned by a business operation, syndicate, or government agency. Alternative media could include news sources like small websites, movies, e-magazines, social media, citizen journalism, etc. Something unique to alternative media is that it provides "underground" information. The mainstream media often avoid certain topics and the alternative media shines a light on them. 

    For example, in class, we had an assignment where we looked at anti-war websites. I had never previously heard a voice on anti-war because the mainstream media rarely (if ever) mentions an anti-war perspective. An alternative media, Liberation News states that the mainstream media is silencing anti-war voices. Why is this? The most probable reason is capitalism and the fact that the government wants the people to agree with and support their choices. The government only cares about money and status when it comes down to it. Alternative media exposes the government for this and shares anti-war voices. 

    A big subcategory of alternative media is citizen journalism. Citizen journalists are those that are not professional journalists but they use social media, blogs, and websites to spread information. So, writing this blog about alternative media could be considered an example of citizen journalism. As someone in Generation Z, I rely heavily on citizen journalism on social media for learning about what is going on in the world. 

      There are pros and cons to alternative media. One pro is that alternative media provides the opportunity for people to have freedom of speech. This is good because everyone can share their own perspectives without censorship or being controlled. Alternative media is also a positive because it allows people to be creative and express themselves. 

    However, there are some cons to alternative media. One con is that there is a bias and misinformation because alternative media does not have checks and balances the way that mainstream media does. This can lead to fake news and conspiracy theories which can harm the public. For example, the alternative media spread information that the 2020 election was rigged and that Trump should've won. This led a group of rioters to storm the capitol building, which lead to a lot of damage and multiple deaths. 

    Alternative media also has questionable sources so it is not very reliable for information. People can say whatever they want without regulation so it is difficult to decide if the information is true or not. 

 

   For example, I watched a YouTuber called Shane Dawson who could be considered a source of alternative media. He spreads conspiracy theories through his videos that can be very logical, however, he is not a reliable source because he does not have any credentials. 

    The most recent video I watched by him was mind-blowing. He claimed that the off-brand products are manufactured by the same people that create the on-brand products. He backed up his conclusion by stating that when the on-brand product gets recalled so does the off-brand product. One example he provided was that when the Jif peanut butter got recalled for salmonella so did the Peter Pan peanut butter.  He also bought off-brand and on-brand products and said that they tasted and looked the same even though one is much cheaper than the other. He claimed that companies do this to prevent competition with other companies. 

    Another claim he made in his video is that chain restaurants like Red Robin create fake local restaurants on Doordash and Postmates so that consumer is convinced that they are trying a new place. Dawson tested this theory by mobile ordering the same thing from three restaurants named "Red Robin," "Chicken Sammy's" and "Fresh Set." They all shared the same address and were delivered by the same guy. All the food looked the exact same and came in the same packaging. He also claimed that Chuck E. Cheese does this so that adults think they are ordering from a fancy pizza place, however, they receive Chuck E. Cheese pizza.

    Shane Dawson spreads new information to many people, but like all alternative media, it is difficult to know what is real and what is misinformation. 

Blog 8: Diffusion Theory

    Rogers' Diffusion Theory is used for inventions and ideas. The process starts with the pioneers or the people that start the idea or invention. Then there are early adopters that test the product. Next is the early majority that gets won over by the product or idea. Then there are the late adopters that find a use for the invention or idea late. Lastly, there are the laggards that come to the idea or invention after avoiding it or not knowing about it for a long amount of time. For example, Professor Smith would be a laggard if he joined Facebook because he has avoided it for a long period of time. Then the product or idea becomes "dead" but is still in use by few, which is called the long tail. 

    The invention I researched, the iPod was a great hit pioneered by Tony Fadell. It was early adopted by Apple because they saw potential in the invention. The iPod became a huge success for Apple. Tons of people started using the iPod because it was a new and improved MP3 player. iTunes provided an abundance of music to choose from and the iPod contained a lot of storage space. The iPod itself upgraded over the years, which would restart the diffusion theory. Restarting the diffusion theory makes a business successful because it captures the attention of people over and over again. People always want what is new and upgraded.

   

    However, Apple contributed to the "death" of the iPod. They came out with the new iPhone and it had iTunes as well as other improvements like a touch screen and front-facing camera. Many people replaced their iPods with an iPhone and iPod sales declined. 

  

    This chart shows that iPod sales peaked in 2008 but then slowly declined. The iPod would never be fully replaced because there is someone out there that still owns an iPod and is passionate about it. This is similar to an example I learned in class where not everyone will believe that women have the right to vote so the long tail would never hit 0. There is always an outlier that doesn't go with the majority when it comes to the diffusion theory graph.  

Blog 10: AI

     Artificial intelligence has taken over the United States. Firstly, many people have lost jobs to artificial intelligence. For example, factory workers have been replaced by automation. People that get their income from working in a factory are getting booted out and left with nothing because artificial intelligence is taking their place. Artificial intelligence is good for companies because it is a one-time investment (unless it breaks and needs to be fixed) and more efficient, however, this leaves people jobless.         

    Another example is that cashiers are being replaced by AI. Instead of ordering from a human, people can now order on a device themselves. This leaves even more people without income. AI is a driver for increased inequality because there are fewer labor jobs due to artificial intelligence replacing them. Women are especially replaced by automation. Women already have inequality when it comes to jobs so it is sad that even more jobs are being taken away from them



.

     As a criminal justice major, I am very familiar with the intergenerational theory that states that the generations in a family are a cycle. It is very difficult for people to get out of poverty once born into it. America is supposed to be a place of opportunity, however, it is hard to advance in this country because it is hard to pay for education and have time for it when constantly working.

    Something that is terrifying in this country is that large companies care more about money than citizens' well-being. Everything you do is being tracked and you are flowing out data for the large companies. For example, the companies know that I am writing this post and it shows them that I am against AI. Have you ever been talking to your friend about something specific and then you get an ad for it on Facebook? This is not a coincidence, the company just took that data to recommend you an ad that you would be interested in. This is good that the ads are personalized to you specifically, however, this means that nothing is ever truly private. 

    I found this specific video interesting because someone said that instead of us using social media, it is using us and instead of us searching on Google, Google is searching us. These words brought me chills. Whenever I use Google or social media, I don't think much about it. I am never aware that they are watching my every move, but this video made me more aware. These large companies are power-hungry and they are succeeding. 

    

Blog 7: EOTO Technology presentations

     In class today, everyone presented the history of different technologies and their impact on society. One thing that I found especially fascinating is how each individual technology progressed within itself. For example, the television went from being big and boxy to now being flat-screened. It's also crazy to think about how much technology has progressed. Seeing the presentation of the light bulb reminded me that the invention meant so much back then but now we barely think about turning on a light, it is just part of our everyday lives. This is true for many other technologies like paper or printing. 

    One presentation that caught my eye was the one on Netflix. I learned that Netflix wasn't always a streaming service. The presenter, Abby Holmes, described how Netflix used to sell and rent DVDs by mail. This was very interesting to me because as long as I can remember Netflix has been a streaming service and so I assumed that it always has been, however, the streaming service didn't come out until 2007 and Netflix was founded in 1997 according to Holmes. Netflix's streaming service really has changed the world as Holmes said. In today's society, hardly anyone buys DVDs or watches TV on cable. Everyone I know uses Disney+, Netflix, Paramount, Hulu, and HBO max to watch movies and television shows. 

    Another presentation that resonated with me was the one on YouTube created by my group member Amaris. I personally use YouTube every day. It is so easy to get lost in videos of other people in order to forget about the world and life around you. It is also much shorter to watch a YouTube video than to watch a movie or episodes of a show. This makes it easier to catch the attention span of people in this generation because it has gotten shorter and shorter over the years due to technology. Something new I learned because of Amaris' presentation is that YouTube was originally created for people to introduce themselves and share what they are interested in. YouTube has evolved so much since that original concept because there are many videos out there for so many different audiences. It is crazy that people can make a career out of recording what they enjoy doing whether it's their daily lives, playing video games, trying new food, exploring, etc. 

Technology has truly changed the world. 

Blog 6: Anti-War

    I had never realized that I have never heard anti-war in the news until writing this blog. The government has been censoring criticisms of the government and war for a long time. The espionage act of 1917 punished government employees that criticized the government because it harmed the war. This should go against the first amendment because we are guaranteed to speak freely against the government. In 1919, four men that were communist/socialist and antiwar were thrown in jail. Instead of the court defending their first amendment, they agreed with the government because they could. How is this fair in America? America is supposed to be the land of the free but innocent people were thrown in jail for speaking against the war. America is supposed to be made by the people for the people but now there is a great boundary between the people of America and the government.

    War and violence are not the answer to compromise, so why not speak out about it? The government does not want to admit that what they are doing is wrong. The government doesn't care about what is right, rather they care about wealth and status among the people. I was unaware that America had troops still in Syria until I read an article on the website "The American Conservative." I don't understand how it is okay to kill people with no justified cause. Also, President Biden shouldn't be able to strike war without it being America defending itself from an attack, but he sent troops to Syria anyways. The government is slowly taking over our rights. 

    I feel like the government puts reasons for war out there but really does it for secret and corrupt causes like gaining power and oil. One website discusses the actual ideas behind the TikTok ban going on right now. We are meant to believe that the banning of TikTok is for our safety to prevent data leaks to China, however, our own government takes and looks at all of our data. We don't even have privacy in our own government, so why does it matter if China has our data too? The article suggests that this is a way for America to start up a Cold War with China. The government just wants to make a wedge between itself and China because they are enemies. The American government should fix its own country's data privacy issues before worrying about another country.

    

Blog 5: EOTO

    Music has been a big part of many people's lives. There are so many options of music genres that people can choose from so it is very personalized. No matter what mood someone is in, there is a music genre for it. This is why the iPod was such a significant invention of its time. People had previously had MP3 players, but the MP3 player did not have nearly as much storage space as the iPod. 

    

    The iPod was released in 2001 and was created by Tony Fadell, however, many give credit to Steve Jobs. Fadell's goal was to create a better version of the MP3 player. He tried to work with RealNetworks but was turned down and that was when he was hired by Apple to work with them on his project. After 8 months he created the first prototype by working with PortalPlayer. The iPod would be easier to carry because people would no longer have to lug CDs around for the MP3 player. 

     The iPod became so successful when it was released that they kept making newer and improved models of the iPod. In 2004, they made an iPod mini, and then in 2005, Apple came out with the iPod shuffle, which was even smaller. Then the iPod mini was replaced with the iPod nano in 2005 which
featured flash memory. In 2007 Apple came out with the iPod classic which was thinner and had better battery life. Then finally Apple came out with the iPod touch which had a touch screen and was similar to the iPhone in 2007.

    The iPod was an introduction to the iPhone. Many people now, including myself, use the iPhone every day. The iPod was also a huge part of my childhood. I used to set up my iPod nano on a speaker and dance with my friends when I was younger. Being able to have core memories of the iPod shows how important it was to people in my generation. The music I remember listening to is old Taylor Swift and it started my love for her music. I also later received an iPod touch. I used to play a variety of games on it and text my friends and family. 

    An iPod was a great way to take a break from the world around you and immerse yourself in the music, however, the invention had its flaws. The iPod created less conversation and human interaction. Instead of conversation on the school buses, children were plugged in and listening to music. It is essential for children to learn how to socialize and iPods were preventing that from happening. iPods were just the start of technology causing bad social habits. In today's society, there is a phrase called "iPad kids." These are children that are always on their technology instead of socializing. For example, at my thanksgiving, there were multiple children ages 5-12 on their iPads the whole time which defeats the purpose of spending time with family. iPods created a chain reaction in technology that harms society. 

    

Blog 4: Speech Theories

     America is very different from most countries because it promotes the freedom of the people. The first amendment resonates with many American citizens. It states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." America was built on the foundation of freedom and new beginnings, so it is no surprise
that the people wanted to guarantee their basic liberties by writing them in the constitution. The eight values of free expression are marketplace of ideas, participation in self government, stable change, individual self-fulfillment, check
on government power, promote tolerance, promote innovation, and protect dissent. 

   The values of free expression or speech theories that I find to be most important are individual self-fulfillment and promoting tolerance. Individual self-fulfillment is one of the first concepts I think of when I think of what it is to be an American. In America, everyone is allowed to be who they want to be and promote it. Whether you are trans, gay, non-binary, black, white, Jewish, Christian, etc. you will be accepted in America in today's society. In many other countries, people are punished for their identity and beliefs but Americans are allowed to express themselves freely. For example, if someone wants to speak about how they hate the government, they are allowed to do that in America. However, if someone in North Korea spoke out against their government it could lead to their arrest and force them to join a "re-education" camp. It is unfair that they can't express their views without being punished and "re-educated." I talk freely about my faith and my likes and dislikes about a variety of topics on a day-to-day basis so having the speech theory of individual self-fulfillment is very important to me. 

    Promoting tolerance is also an important speech theory. In today's society, promoting tolerance is very prevalent. The government protecting hate speech allows others to correct people that say hate speech. In social media, if you say something that is against a group of people because of their identities or beliefs then you will be "canceled." Being canceled basically means that everyone on social media hates you and unfollows you if you say or promote hate speech. Your reputation can go from 100 to 0 really quickly if you say something wrong that society disagrees with. For example, if someone finds a video of an online influencer saying the N-word then they will suffer the consequences of their career being ruined. The government does not need to ban hate speech for people to be punished for the consequences because society does it for them. I'm glad that people can't get away with saying hate speech because people need to learn that there are consequences for their actions. I also appreciate when someone corrects me if I say something that is wrong because then I can learn from my mistakes. 

I could not imagine living in a country that didn't promote freedom of expression. 

Blog 3: The Supreme Court

     The Supreme Court has been around since 1789. One power consists of checking the executive and legislative branches. When a case is sent, the job of the supreme court is to see if the lower court applied the law properly and if the law is constitutional. 

    Many things surprised me about the Supreme Court because I have not learned about it in detail prior. I knew the functions of the Supreme Court and the basics of what the powers are from classes I have taken on history and politics. However, I had no idea that the Supreme Court was the most powerful judicial body on earth. I always assumed that there had to be a better judicial body somewhere else. I also thought that the Supreme Court Justices were confident and did not fear anything since they are elected by the president. The video portrayed otherwise because the people in the Supreme Court described joining as overwhelming and like a lightning strike. They also described how it took years to get used to being a Supreme Court justice.

    The part 1 video provided many interesting points about the constitution. The video stated that when the Constitution was written the "we the people" line only consisted of white men when they wrote it. I had never really taken the time to think about this until now. Back in the 1700s, only white men had political power and African Americans were not even considered people. It was also brought up that the Constitution is still used to problem-solve 200 years later. This was mind-blowing for me to think about because so much has changed over the last 200 years. I understand that the Constitution is the foundation of America but I feel like since so much has changed that at some point we might need a new one. 

    The part 2 video mentioned how scary it can be to talk in front of the Supreme Court Justices. That is very understandable because it can be a big deal and can even lead to new laws. The Supreme Court has to draft their opinions and compromise. After they compromise they print the decisions and sometimes the decisions affect America greatly and can cause uproar and/or agreement. I remember that the Roe v Wade case being overturned caused a lot of controversy because abortion is a sensitive topic and it made it so that abortion is not a constitutional right.

I learned a lot about the Supreme Court that I did not know before. 

Blog 2: Digital Dangers

    Technology is the future of the United States of America. It has developed greatly over the past couple of decades. Newer generations will not be able to recall a time without technology. However, is technology really that safe? 

   The government seems to be always listening in. They have access to phone calls and technology like Alexas and Google Homes. This makes me wonder if the book 1984 is becoming real life. For those that don't know, 1984 is a book written about corruption and it takes place in the future (it was written in 1949). In the book, there is no privacy because the government or Big Brother has cameras everywhere and you get tortured or killed if you question the ways of the government. This gives Big Brother complete control over the people. Sadly, the government today in the United States is not far off from Big Brother. 

    For example, the government has surveillance equipment that watches people to gather information. There are no longer closed doors because the government allows no privacy. The surveillance technology can include cameras that take pictures of license plates and it gives the government access to mass data of where everyone has gone. The government can also use cell towers to get the location of people even if they are safely in their homes. It is terrifying knowing that the government can see where we have been at any time. If someone hacked into the system they could easily stalk someone and be a potential threat. Understandably, the government wants to use it to catch criminals but that doesn't mean that the privacy and safety of everyone should be at risk.

    Telephones are wired for surveillance because of the government. This allows the government to listen in on any phone call that you have. So every "private" phone call you have is not actually private. It would be reasonable to think that this goes against our constitutional rights but apparently it's allowed because it is happening. Apple is a good advocate for privacy because the company refused to give the government access to the apps that Apple provides. This means that facetime calls and Imessages are private. The thought of the government having access to those apps is scary because they could know every little thing about us. Texts reveal a lot about a person and it would be terrible to have our private information released to the government or even worse, hackers. 

    The government and businesses also have access to social media. It is important to not post anything regrettable because it does not go away even after it is deleted. Social media apps store information and anything posted can easily be accessed again. Apps like Facebook even make money by selling information about their users. Enriquez refers to posting on social media as a "digital tattoo." He refers to them like this because even if you post something you regret it will be stuck with you forever. It is extremely important to have a good digital footprint or it can affect your future. Employers can look up names and gather information about people without even meeting them in person. 

    Chisolm provides another example that the digital world can be dangerous. She talks about the topic of revenge porn. Revenge porn is where typically an ex-lover posts explicit photos or videos of someone without their consent. Chisolm had a personal experience where an ex-boyfriend created a whole website with her name on it of naked pictures of her that he took while she was sleeping. These photos online can be humiliating and ruin someone's reputation. Just by a click of a button, your life can be ruined if someone wants revenge. This is a form of domestic violence, but instead of physical it's technological. Everything is moving toward technology. Even bullying has grown to be online and the repercussions can be detrimental. Many people make comments online without acknowledging that there is a person on the other side of the screen. 

    It seems to be that no one is safe in the digital world. 

    

Blog 1: My Top 5 News Sources!

    News sources have changed greatly over the years. Many people looked at newspapers and listened to radios for news back then. When televisions came out, people started relying on them for news. In modern days, however, many have turned to social media as a source of news. My top five go-to news sources are Tiktok, BFFs Podcast, Instagram, and Snapchat. 

    Tiktok has been on the rise for a few years. It is so easy for people to spend hours on their phone scrolling through short videos. Over 150 countries have TikTok and it has over 1 billion users. I personally learn a lot of news from TikTok because I am always using it and do not take the time to look at "real" news platforms like CNN or FOX. One thing that TikTok brought awareness to was what was going on in Ukraine when Russia began invading. Citizens in Ukraine posted videos of their homes destroyed and it reached the hearts of many people including myself. This video uses a popular TikTok sound that is usually lighthearted but this video shows the horrors of what is happening in Ukraine. It portrays images of abandoned and destroyed apartments and having little food available. I would not know about anything happening in Ukraine if I had not been on TikTok. It also gives a first-hand perspective on the problem. 

    Another source I use for news is the BFFs podcast on youtube. The podcast consists of Josh Richards, Dave Portnoy, and Bri Chickenfry. Dave is much older than the other two hosts but it adds a comedic factor when he does not understand technology or current influencers. They give news about TikTok drama, celebrities, and pop culture. Although they do not write about "real world" news, they do keep their audience up on what is happening currently in the influencer world. Whether it's a celebrity cheating on someone or an influencer making a dramatic post about someone, I can always trust that the BFFs podcast will provide the latest "tea." 

    Instagram is very popular among many people. In fact, there are over 1.28 billion users on Instagram. There are accounts on Instagram that provide daily news so that people can learn more about what is going on in the world while scrolling through their usual Instagram feed. For example, I follow BBC news on Instagram and can see what is going on in the world on an app that I use daily anyways. This Instagram post by BBC news shows that TikTok is going to start setting screen time limits for those under 18. It is useful to not have to have a separate app for news because I would never feel the need to check it. 

    Family plays a big influence in my life. I talk to my family often and they provide a lot of information about the news to me in our discussions. My Grammy is addicted to watching the news on her television so she enjoys filling me in on what she heard. My dad reads the news on online websites and many family members post news on their social media, which shares more news information with me.

    Snapchat stories are a big source of information in today's society. 363 million people around the world use Snapchat. It is so easy to click through stories while waiting for someone to respond to a snap or just out of pure boredom. For example, when I go to recommended stories, I find news stories on crime, sports, and politics. Just by a click of a button I get access to whatever news stories that I would want to learn more about. 

    Although my news sources aren't "traditional," they make news more entertaining to my generation, Gen Z.