Blog Responses

Lolo's World - Christopher C.

https://thepalaceforlolo.blogspot.ca/2017/06/twitter-beef.html?showComment=1497015032881#c5580062027018965313

jessy takes on media arts - Jessalyn G.

https://jgeorgeofthejungle.blogspot.ca/2017/06/re-vrai-ou-faux.html?showComment=1497015553491#c4174419068075092512

CODY - Cody M.

https://cdymcsa.blogspot.ca/2017/06/blocked.html?showComment=1497016118853#c1669384591471281492

Atheenamazing - Athena B.

https://afgeebee.blogspot.ca/2017/06/kids-and-video-games.html?showComment=1497016449392#c8053509379884041709

Dan's Intriguing Blog - Dan V.

https://dansinterestingblog.blogspot.ca/2016/11/parents-using-social-media.html?showComment=1497018786051#c3663526224533102187

hi - Luis N.

https://brokeboyluis.blogspot.ca/2017/06/hey-dont-meme-me.html

Fake News in the World

After completing the article quiz, I ended up doing poorly, scoring only 5.  I found the first few articles to be easy to classify, but as I moved on, it was extremely difficult to tell real, fake, and satire. Especially in a day of age when people are willing to do whatever for views, it is hard to differentiate trustable and fake sources.

     I, myself do not read news articles often (a habit I should change ASAP).  I'm sure my lack of experience reading online news is a main factor in me having difficulty telling if an article is real, fake or satire.  I admit that I am susceptible to being fooled by fake articles.  The skill of being able to recognize an article's legitimacy is important not only online but even in the real world, especially at the rate fake news articles are trending.

     Through the article, I've learned the different ways to spot the three types of articles.  First, all articles from reliable sources have no spelling and grammar errors.  This includes typos, capitalizations and grammar.  Second, an article is more than likely fake if the source reports big news you are seeing only for the first time such as deaths of popular persons and international affairs. Big news spread like wildfire in today's world, and first hearing about it in an article you've never heard is only trying to get your attention.   Lastly, if the article reports news that seems too extreme to be true, it probably isn't true. Would you really believe an article with the headline "Donald Trump sends troops to execute Russian leader Vladimir Putin"?

     Fake news has been on the rise, and it is important for everyone to be able to recognize what is real and what is not.  In a world where it is acceptable to put out deceiving news for profit, we must do all we can to avoid this and know who and what we could trust. 

Blocked!

     For years, I've used the school board wifi for recreational use, whether it be watching movies on Netflix or scrolling through my Instagram timeline.  I've used it mostly during my free time, very rarely during classes.  I saw it as a type of reward for the hard work I've put for several straight hours.  Understandably, this type of freedom can be the root cause of procrastinating for many students.  Should something be done about it?  Definitely, but the many different factors should be weighed in before making a final decision.  Everyone in school should be granted access to sites that are non-educational.  It is up to the student and their mindset to control their use of these sites.  When students use most of their time using these apps in school, it is most likely that their grades will suffer.  No one but them is to blame.  I believe that this is an important lesson to learn not only in school but also for the remainder of everyone's life.  When facing the real world, only you are there to take care of yourself.  Your actions will be the reason whether you are happy and successful or doing poorly.
     If the TCDSB does ban the access to these sites completely, I truly believe that this will create more of a distraction to students.  Students will not stop because they are told so.  Most teens will only learn when they see its consequences. Students will try to overcome these barriers through some other way, including the use of site-unblockers and alternative apps.
     Looking at the article's comments, it seems as if everyone commenting are traditionalists.  They all believe in the strict classroom environment, which to me takes the positive vibes away from the school.  Students are expected to learn and pay full attention in class, but expecting kids to do work for 6 straight hours is unreasonable.  Having these sites accessible to students transforms the students into hardworking people that take breaks from time to time instead of a robots designed to process information and leave the building on a daily basis.

Twitter Wars

Guthrie vs. Elliot

  As the popularity of social media continues to rise, the interactions between users continue to create bigger impacts: some positive such as hashtag movements that spread awareness for different causes, others not too good.  In this case, Gregory Elliot, a father, and a freelance editor was sent to jail for several charges of criminal harassment all from tweets against a group of feminism advocates. Although Elliot's charges against him were dropped months later, the fight between different users continues to occur on a regular basis.

     Personally, I believe the persecutors accused Guthrie of harassment to show their strength with the law and ultimately. that they were right.  Situations often escalate especially when at the heat of the moment.  During arguments like these, both sides want to prove their dominance over the other.  Although I'm not fully against debates and arguments over social media platforms,  I believe that heated arguments should be recognized by the users and should be stopped immediately, whether it means the two settling their differences or each user avoiding a bigger argument by letting it go.
     Both parties had valid points in their cases, but were in the wrong for each of their actions.  Guthrie, the main prosecutor, rightfully felt uncomfortable after all Elliot had done for her, and Elliot wasn't wrong in believing he hadn't done anything lawfully wrong to her.  In this situation, the legal court should have never been involved, but the two are to blame for the hassle of the whole process.  I believe no one was right, but one should have stepped up and created peace.
      Some actions, posts, or tweets should be punishable by the law, depending on the severity of the situation.  Banter over users should be kept online.  Some controversial posts could stay online, but some should definitely be punished by the law.  Since the internet allows anyone to connect to other people in seconds around the world, users can communicate with anyone with ease.  With this comes users who use the internet to carry out criminal activities.  Some online activities that should concern the police include threats, hacking scandals, and harassment.

The Meme

     

     The internet.  The only place where people from different parts of the world can connect within seconds.  Because of the internet, people are able to connect without having to engage in physical talks.  As a result of this, many are more willing to make fun of others.  As we've all heard before, what goes on the internet stays on the internet.  Unfortunately for an Australian teen, his unique hairstyle has been the centre of many jokes by the internet. He knew for a fact that doing nothing about the situation wouldn't stop the memes from coming in.  In an attempt to stop the hate against his hair, he decided to sue three companies that lightly made fun of his hair.  

     Ali Mosslmani, the Australian teen suing the media outlets clearly isn't a fan of the memes created that take jabs at his hairstyle.  As a teen myself, I'm well aware that posting on the internet comes with the risk that anyone from anywhere in the world can view it and comment on it.  I'm sure that Ali has also used the internet before and is aware of the endless possibilities by the users.  In today's culture, mullets like his are very rare, and I'm sure he's aware of that.  Although it isn't morally right to make fun of people, it's the internet. When they see a funky hairstyle such as Ali's mullet from someone across the world, they are quick to make the memes.  If Ali thought that we would be welcomed and complimented by the internet after seeing his mullet, he is wrong.

     I think that although it is legally possible, Ali shouldn't sue the outlets.  First of all, the outlets live to report any news stories that might entertain their viewers.  They aren't out to ruin the lives of many by making fun of them.  Instead, they are reporting different events and stating their own opinion.  Also, I'm sure that Ali himself knows that his hair is ridiculous. He knows that rarely anyone has that hairstyle anymore and with the millions of people able to see the message, there are bound to be memes created on his name.

     If I were in his shoes, the first thing I would do is go to a barber and ditch the mullet.  But in all seriousness, after finding out about all the memes that have been created, I'd accept the fact that I'm a meme and nothing can be done to stop them.  Instead, try to ignore all the noise and focus on your own life.  If you are genuinely enjoying something but others disagree, who cares what they think?  It's your life and not anyone else's.

Kids and Video Games

Seriously?

   Although most readers' first thoughts probably went along the lines of "What a terrible and dangerous stunt by such a young man," I was simply amazed by the kid's natural skill to drive a vehicle out of a driveway, find his way to a highway and drive over 120km/hour without crashing into anything.

      In a situation like this, I find it hard to put all the blame on the kid nor the parents. You could say that the kid did drive the car without his parents' permission, though you could also say that the parents did not look over their kid enough. Personally, I believe that it is the parents to blame for the event. Having played Grand Theft Auto myself, it is nowhere close to being appropriate for an 11-year-old. The latest installment of the series, GTA 5 is rated M for mature, over 18 years of age in North America. The game itself revolves around the life of a nobody trying to be a somebody through getting paid by committing crimes under cover. For an 11-year-old who is too young to realize what is right or wrong to be introduced to criminal activities, I'd say the parents caught a break that driving was all the kid picked up from the game.

      Years ago, my daily routine consisted of going to school, hating every second of it, and going home to play video games. Thankfully, I was able to quit my "addiction," especially in my high school years when learning can really affect the future of my life. Unfortunately, I know many that are playing too much video games to the point where it is affecting their grades. I find that once you get deep into a game, turning around and quitting is much tougher. Video games are fun to play, no doubt. Although I focus on my studies much more, I still play video games occasionally. I don't find it to be a negative influence at all. It only turns into something bad when it is used incorrectly, whether it be playing games rated for an older age range, or prioritizing games over other things in life. Self-control will always prevail.

Parents vs. Children: Social Media

     All parents are rightfully proud of the children they’ve raised. After years of sacrifices and hard work logged in to helping their child maximize their potential, parents are eager to show off the pieces of art they’ve created in this world. In the past years, the openness of social media has allowed everyone, including parents, to freely interact with the world. As a result, they feel the need to share all moments and accomplishments with their circle of friends on the given platform. Unfortunately, the center of attention on most posts is their children. Parents often believe that because their child is their child, it is their decision to post whatever without their child’s consent.
      I strongly disagree with the mentality of getting to choose for your child because you’re the parent. Most children and teenagers such as myself prefer to live a private life. Having a sense of privacy is important to self-confidence in the growth of children. When every moment in your life is presented to the world, anyone with an internet connection can access that profile with a few clicks. Teens are embarrassed and insecure about many things in life. When parents post everything about their children, we as teens feel exposed to the world. Having personal social media accounts act as a platform for us to feature what we want and choose to. To parents, having a digital track record of their child as a young baby is fine. With your whole life documented to the public, the uniqueness of each person is lost as everyone’s backstory is different. The pride of each and every parent is understandable, but perhaps keeping most pictures private is more suitable for the privacy of the whole family. Having a special bond you share with your family is irreplaceable and although friends are an important aspect of everyone’s life, family will always come first.