Throughout the semester, I learned many valuable lessons which I can use for my future classes.

The first thing that I learned was how to use databases. To be honest, whenever I had to write research papers, I never used school databases even though my professors recommended doing so because I didn’t know what to do and I felt that it would be more difficult and time-consuming than simply going to Google.  So when I prepared my papers for my previous classes, especially for business and accounting, I had to jump over all different financial websites trying to look for financial ratios and market analysis. Therefore, I was really glad when we observed Thomson One because I was able to find reliable financial information easier and faster. In addition, I learned valuable techniques when searching databases. This was the first time that I learned about how to use “and”, “or”, parenthesis, asterisks, quotation marks and other useful symbols to filter my search results. Also, a thesaurus was very useful. For example, it was quite surprising “e-mail”, a suggested term by a thesaurus generated different search results when I used “email”. I think that I’m well prepared for research projects for further accounting classes and a BPL class. The database techniques which I learned definitely will be a valuable asset for my future classes and career.

The second thing that I learned was how to create and edit wiki. Not only I learned how to gather information for wiki, I also learned about teamwork. It was really great that everyone in our class was able to easily share, edit, and construct personal ideas. I can use wiki for any group works for my future classes. With Wiki, group members will be more engaged to entire projects because everyone will take a part in others’ works while working on their own. It is not like “I’ve done my part, and that’s it”. Also, editing is traceable and it’s really clear to see “who did what”. So I’m expecting that Wiki can minimize free-rider problems.

The third thing that I learned was how to create mind maps. My experience in past English classes would have been a lot better if I had used mind maps for all my readings.  Even though I was told that I should’ve created something like mind maps or spider webs before writing essays, I never had a chance to do so because I underestimated the power of mind maps. This is the first class that I’ve had actual experiences with mind maps and I realized it could be very useful for many other subjects, addition to English. For example, when I took political science classes, I had a hard time studying because there were so many materials to read, memorize and understand.  It would have been a lot easier if I created mind maps and organized important concepts with related chronological historical events and my additional thoughts. Also, a mind map will help me when I take a BPL class next semester because I can easily make good power points slides and give a presentation to my peers with clearer and more structured explanations using mind maps.  I think mind maps will help me when reading any other text books, analyzing information efficiently, preparing for tests and writing constructive essays for my future classes.

The one thing that I had wished to be covered in our class was how to d o low-tech research.  We learned that how our digital generation has become experts on high-tech research, but we are lacking abilities in interpreting search results into meaningful output reports. We tend to do rely only on high-tech research generating instant search results. And a lot of employers were complaining about how we don’t possess enough research skills ready for workplace. Therefore, since I am also one of the high-tech researchers, I was hoping to learn more techniques and methods of low-tech research. For example, it would’ve helped me a lot if we covered interview techniques.

After I looked over everything I learned from the class, I can’t stop thinking that I should have taken this class when I was a freshman or sophomore. If I had taken the class earlier, it would have definitely helped me when I struggled with school work in a variety of subjects. I learned many valuable things that I can use for courses in Baruch, and also for my future careers and personal life.

http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2013/02/26/more-convenience-less-privacy/

Online shopping is easy, fast and convenient. Affirm, a new business launched a few month ago, works as an intermediary between merchants and consumers. And customers can delay their payments when they buy something through Affirm. It works like “buy now, pay later”. However, a problem of Affirm is that they use all sort of customers’ data including phone ID, zip code, Facebook status to predict when the customers will likely pay bills.

Pariser once mentioned that “there’s always a bargain in personalization: In exchange for convenience, you had over some privacy and control to the machine”. Our new technologies provide us so many great things. They are easy, convenient, and less costly. However, we also have to sacrifice so many valuable things in return. One of those things is our privacy. It is almost impossible to stop using Google even though we know that our search history is collected and distributed to unknown third-parties.

The question I want to ask is, to what extent, would you give up your privacy for technology ?

The changes I made:

1. History

• l edited the whole page and organized important historical events chronologically.
• l added information about the approval process, related to Community Board 6 and the Department of Transportation.
• l added pictures and a video for important events.
• l added tags for an easier search including history, Community Board 6, DOT, Department of transportation, approval and ribbon cutting

2. Stakeholders

• l added more related stakeholders.
• l added government and companies section.
• l added more information and related links about existing stakeholders.

3. Newspapers and Magazine Articles

• I added more recent articles related to the Plaza.
• I added tags for an easier search including newspapers, articles, magazine, Tikcer, Times and press.

http://www.wired.com/business/2013/01/index-google-wallet/

Marc Freed-Finnegan and Jonathan, formal Google Wallet team launched a startup called “Index”. The main goal of Index is to help retailers to create a personalized shopping and improved customer service. It collects consumers’ spending habits and shopping preferences so that retailers can provide personalized shopping experience to their customers. Well,  up to this part, nothing is new. Whatever Index does has happened every time I shop online.

But, I started to feel little weird when I read this part. “Thanks to Index, the next time a salesperson greets you when you walk in to a store, they might be able to actually help you find the same pair of jeans you bought six months prior even if they didn’t work there when you bought them.”  If a stranger who knows my shopping history better than me comes up and say that I have to check some new products which perfectly meet my interests, I would feel really creepy and weird rather than welcomed.

I started to wonder what would happen if a web personalization involved more human to human interactions. And I realized that I actually cared less about any problem that the personalization caused when it’s done by computers. So, what if your search history is not handled by computers, but by actual people ? What if there are real people behind search engine system who decide which information will be shown to you ? Would you feel more upset or frightened when a personalization is done by a real person?

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/12/11/are-all-bloggers-journalists/we-need-a-broader-definition-of-journalist

The filter bubble changes the way we interact with new information. Because of problems of the filter bubble is causing (confirmation bias, stereotyping, and etc.) finding the unbiased and diverse information has become more important in this information society. In other words, having good and reliable news source could be the first step to escape the filter bubble. However, in these days, anyone can publish anything, at any time, thanks to technology. And we are facing numerous information in front of us, trying to figure out which information is reliable and transparent, especially when everyone can be journalists.

The article I linked basically asks “Can anyone be considered a journalist ?”. There are a lot of fascinating and distinguished blog posts or personal websites written by people whose jobs are not “journalists”. On the other hands, we see a lot of trashy and worthless works created by “journalists”. So whom can we call journalists in these days ?

    Web personalization or customizing provides users many benefits and it has become an irreversible trend in information society. However, this trend constrains the scope of personal thinking, and limits users’ exposure to a diversity of information. In chapter 8 of The Filter Bubble, the author, Eli Pariser proposes several solutions for users of the filtering system to escape from the filter bubble. He argues that individuals should try not to confine themselves in personalization algorithms by using the internet autonomously; companies should enhance a transparency in filtering policy and application of personal information; and finally the government should enforce more exhaustive regulation and legislation concerning companies’ use of personal information.

    The weaker counteractions against filter bubble are the companies’ actions including the disclosure of filtering algorithm and of how gathered information is used. Through these solutions, users would have more control and power regarding their personal information and personalization. To be honest, disclosing the filtering algorithm would be the strongest method if there were more realistic possibilities but it is unlikely that companies would change their policies which might risk both social and economic benefits. Pariser states that “Whether or not it makes the filterer’s products more secure of efficient, keeping the code under tight wraps does do one thing: It shields the companies from accountability for the decision they’re making”(230). To make these solutions working, companies should first admit that they are personalizing each user of the filter bubble using personal information without adequate consents from users. However, Pariser says that“There are strong reasons in some cases for businesses not to do so. But they’re mostly commercial reasons, not ethical ones (232)”. He also suggests that company engineers can “solve for serendipity, by designing filtering systems to expose people to topics outside their normal experience”. But, the decision on how new topics are selected is still in the hands of companies. Furthermore, to what extent would personal information be used to decide what is “new” or not? This system would be still lack of transparency on how filtering system works and would not solve privacy issues.

Most importantly, companies’ new policies on filtering system will never happen without users’ or consumers’ demands to make changes. Pariser states that “Corn syrup vendors aren’t likely to change their practices until consumers demonstrate that they’re looking for something else” (222). Therefore, the strongest resistance to the filter bubble could start with individuals’ simple actions. The most effective and strongest method is to educate ourselves by learning basics of programming and how filtering system works. If you know your enemy and yourself, you can win every battle. “Stop being a mouse” (223) by broadening our interests is not enough.  Once we have a better and clear understanding of filtering algorithms, we are more likely to address weaknesses and problems of the system. Also since we have more depth knowledge, we are less vulnerable to “tyranny of defaults” (226). Additionally, as Pariser prefers Twitter over Facebook, we can also choose internet system where provides more apparent and open filtering system. Pariser said that what individuals can do is “limited use unless the companies that are propelling personalization forward change as well” (229). And this is why it is so important that we educate ourselves to raise our voices to let companies acknowledge that their consumers are concerned about the filtering system and demand more transparency. Most importantly, if we want to be out of the bubble, first we should know how the bubble is built up.

McLuhan once said that “We shape our tools then our tools shape us”. However, We don’t want to lose control to what we’ve created for our benefits.  As we live in technology based society, filter bubble is just another huddle we have to overcome. As individuals, we should have stronger and profounder consideration regarding personalization and filtering system, so that we can convince large companies to reveal filtering algorithms, hopefully resulting in legislation regarding companies’ use of personal information of users – and finally, so that we use our technology freely without a fear of the filter bubble.

< What Your Klout Score Really Means >

Klout score basically measures your “social media influence” based on your daily social media activities and depth of involvement. Number of friends you have on Facebook, number of “like” you get, # of tweets and retweets you receive and send, number of followers on Twitter and many other factors are used  to generate your scores. A higher score you have, stronger your voice and presence  on internet.

The interesting part is that this score starts to have a greater impact on your offline life. Marketers and companies will look over your Klout score, and distribute coupons or special discounts based on it. Job recruiters will review your Klout score, and won’t hire you if you have a low score. According to the article, Mr. Fiorella, who has 15 years of working experience in marketing field, didn’t get a job because his score is not high enough.

Honestly,I’m not a big fan of Klout Score for several reasons.I don’t think the score can be reliable because I doubt that “social influence” can be measured numerically. This social media ranking technology didn’t develop any standard mathematical or technological algorithm to rank people using their online activities. Justine Bieber has a higher Klout score than Obama. Also, I don’t want my online activities are monitored. But the scary part of Klout score is that, even though I don’t want to be on their profile, if one of my Facebook friends are using Klout score, I’m automatically on Klout database.

I think our social media system has been developed through our self-motivation. We’ve using social media because we like to create and share things. However, once we know that we will be discriminated, social media becomes an obligation. I believe everyone understands how it feels different when your post birthday pictures for homework and for your friends.

I think <Filter bubble> and Klout score share alot of similar issues on targeted advertising, discrimination based on online activity and privacy issues.

Please share your thoughts on this issue. If you find positive aspects of Klout score, I’d love to hear it !