The Data Brokers

The Data Brokers

After watching these 60 minutes videos, discuss how you feel about the business of selling private information:

1. Should it be legal? People willingly put there information into questionnaires and online surveys, so marketers or "data brokers" are just using information that people have put out on the internet.

2. What, if anything, should be done about the practice? 

3. If you've filled out a survey or shared personal information with a company, did you have any idea that they'd be able to sell your information?

4. From the second video, what do you think about the steps the woman takes to protect her privacy?

CLICK HERE for the "Data Brokers..." story.

CLICK HERE for "How to Defend Your Privacy Online".

Humans Need Not Apply

Humans Need Not Apply

After watching the attached video, think about the effects of technology on our society, and specifically about how it affects the jobs that will be available in the future.

This isn't just about robots replacing people. This is also about the fact that, when that happens, it will eliminate the "smaller" or "fall back" jobs that are available to people. 

It will also create more jobs, because people will be needed to program or write the code for the systems that will do the more menial jobs, the service jobs - the lifting.

What effect will this have on your schooling and/or your career path? If you've been putting thought into what you're going to DO with your life - how does this change that idea?

Geeky question: How is this society and economy of the future demonstrated in Star Trek?

Humans Need Not Apply

This is some commentary by a guy who supports the ideas behind "Humans Need Not Apply". It's just for some additional info...

In Response to Humans Need Not Apply - "The whole idea of having to work for money, in order to live, will have to be thrown out of the window."

The Internet of Things

The "Internet of Things" (IoT)

- The screen on you refrigerator tells you that your blood sugar is running low, so you grab some fruit. 

- While flying to your vacation destination, you realize that you forgot to turn the thermostat down at home, so you do it from your smart phone.

- Your car is about due for an oil change (using that fancy synthetic oil you like), and your mechanic is ready for you, because he monitors your engine, as well as his supply of synthetics.

This might sound like the future, or maybe you've heard of one of these things already happening - both are true. They're examples of what things might be like with the "Internet of Things".

In the IoT, EVERYTHING is connected via the internet (cloud): cars, appliances, planes, security, hospitals, animals and.....yes, you. The idea is that everything will communicate, and, in the end, this communication will help us to lead better lives.

"The Internet of Things is the next generation of personal computing, whereby objects interact, potentially independently, with each other and with their environment,”

"The Internet of Things is the combination of sensors, actuators, distributed computing power..."

"Tiny detectors that can gather and relay data about location, activity, and health...", "The IoT makes it possible to monitor and control the location, condition, and behavior of objects, machinery and devices through networks."

Here are some resources to look at that will help you understand the IoT. Take a look at them, and talk about what you think about the idea. Pros and cons.

Diagram: What kind of things are/will be connected?

We Need To Get The IoT Right

A Hacker's-eye View of the Internet of Things

The Making of a Vine Celebrity

The Making of a Vine Celebrity

There has NEVER been a time in the history of the planet when people had the ability to become instant "celebrities" as you can today. Think about it: Philip DeFranco, Rhett and Link, Justin Bieber - a person can be "discovered" instantly, just by posting a video - even a SIX SECOND video.

Read this article about a current Vine "celebrity", named Jerome Jarre. Take a look at the videos that are linked in the article also:

"Jerome Jarre: The Making of a Vine Celebrity"

Not only has this guy become famous in an instant, it looks like he's not just a "flash in the pan" because is seems as though he understands how to use social media apps to promote himself and other things around him. [Update: He and everyone else IS a "flash in the pan" as far as Vine is concerned - since they're pulling the plug on Vine!]

Had you heard of Jerome before reading the article? What do you think of what he's done on Vine?  What do you think about this kind of opportunity with mobile apps, such as Snapchat? Can anybody do it? Will such fame last, and is it something that can be made into a legitimate business?

HERE is his YouTube channel.

The Right To Be Forgotten

The Right To Be Forgotten

A couple of years ago, the European Union Court of Justice said that citizens have the right to ask that links be removed if they contain information that is "inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant." (They determined this following a court case where a Spanish man won the right to have negative information about him removed from Google search results. SEE LINK BELOW) There are efforts to make this the law outside of Europe, including in the U.S.

We've talked about the fact that information you post online is essentially permanent. Should it be, in all cases? Should someone have the right to have old, irrelevant information expunged from the Web?

Read this article, and also the arguments that follow it, ("The Arguments"), to help you form your opinion.

Should There Be A "Right to Be Forgotten"?

Further reading:

Link to Court Ruling

Wikipedia

Your Online Image #2

Your Online Image #2

You are the young manager of a local ice cream parlor that is beloved by local families. You are looking to hire some teens for the summer, when the shop is open late every evening. You require an application and at least one reference. It occurs to you that you could look on Facebook to find out a bit more about the applicants.

What might you find that would make you not hire someone?

Is there anything wrong with using Facebook in this way?

Your Online Image #1

Your Online Image #1

You've discussed in your Keynote presentations about how important it is for you to be very careful when you're online.

- be careful with your personal information

- be careful about what you say about others

- be careful about language, images, etc

- be careful about secrets, embarrassing or other personal info about others

Things that you post on line can also be damaging to your reputation - now, or in the future.

We're going to handle the blog differently the next couple of weeks.  You will be presented with different scenarios, that involve online social networking.  Respond to the question(s) asked. Give your answer some thought. 

First Scenario:

You are finally old enough to join a social networking site and set up your own profile. You spend a lot of time making the profile look cool and you have links to many friends. Your mom makes her own profile and asks you to be her “friend.” Is that fair? Explain your thinking.