Idea 1:
1.Misinformation(false advertisement)/Transparency-
Misinformation can be an extremely harmful act to coarse and manipulate those around you, but do I have the ability to force you to remove this? On one hand it’s free speech/press and who are you to tell me what to do, but on the other hand this spreads toxicity into our community. Where do we draw the line?
Start essay with false advertisement then lean into misinformation regarding pictures, articles and more
OSCE article
Quote 1:
“The human right to impart information and ideas is not limited to statements deemed “correct” by authorities but extends to information and ideas that may shock, offend and disturb.”
Brookings article
Quote 2:
“without undermining the benefits of digital media”
OSCE article-https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/319286
Freedom of expression is a right that everyone has. The article says it is the Government’s job to make sure it is safe and for people to speak freely. It also says that people have the right to share whatever they want although it may be offensive. This is proven when the article says “The human right to impart information and ideas is not limited to statements deemed “correct” by authorities but extends to information and ideas that may shock, offend and disturb.” Also it says that “states may only impose restrictions on the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the media in accordance with international law”. The government can only take charge when this violates international law. One of the laws states that one may not publish propaganda for war and hatred. Although there is propaganda that does necessarily go against international law. The OSCE Representative says that we should not shut down media outlets because “it leads to arbitrary and politically motivated actions”.
This article speaks about a study made by USC speaking about why misinformation spreads. They said that people who lack critical thinking are typically the spreaders. They also derived from their study that “Our findings show that misinformation isn’t spread through a deficit of users. It’s really a function of the structure of the social media sites themselves”.
This article talks about the ways in which we must combat the issue of disinformation. The article says one option is that “Governments should promote news literacy and strong professional journalism in their societies.”. Another option is that “Technology companies should invest in tools that identify fake news, reduce financial incentives for those who profit from disinformation, and improve online accountability”. The last option it introduces is that “Educational institutions should make informing people about news literacy a high priority”. These are ways to uproot the issue of disinformation but the article also goes on to say we must do this “without undermining the benefits of digital media”.
At what point does the government and companies have to be transparent with its citizens and employees? Too much information can cause chaos and panic, but a lack of information can cause confusion and distrust.
Idea 2:
2.Phones in schools- Should Phones be banned in schools? Some New York schools have already taken action and banned them, but the parent bodies are scared in case of an emergency such as a school shooting. Also some teachers incorporate phone usage during class time for educational purposes.
The Nation
Quote 1:
“Of course, past generations of teenagers survived without devices and parents never worried, but they also did not grow up in a world where frequent school shootings were a reality.”
Bloomberg
Quote 2:
“students even covertly thanked her for instituting the ban, which made it easier for them to focus.”
The Nation-https://www.thenation.com/article/society/public-school-cell-phone-ban-new-york
This article argues that a phone ban should not be placed in schools. The author reflects back at her own school experience dealing with cell phones. For her they were a tool used for education purposes, rather now they are viewed as disruptive. She further explains later in the article other reasons for her support and points out their importance.
Unlike the first article, the author describes the productive outcomes which occurred when the ban was placed. “At KIPP NYC College Prep high school, AP test scores increased and grades bounced back to pre-pandemic averages”. Also “Attendance at sporting events and other activities jumped by 50%” and “The lunchroom got a lot noisier as the kids switched to playing card games instead of watching TikTok videos.”. These are just a few examples of the benefits of banning phones.
Idea 3:
3.Education- The typical classroom setting has not changed in over 100 years. Is this because of our learning styles? Over covid we experienced a different type of classroom, one over zoom. Generally speaking it accomplished its goal, but has not become a long term solution. Our education system is lacking due to the issue of static lectured classrooms with high student to teacher ratio, but is this even an issue?
