Media Ethics: Use of Dark Media
BusinessInsider.com estimates the daily average amount of time we spend with media is 13 hours and 21 minutes. how much of that time do you think we spend in a web of Dark Media? Unfortunately, this estimate is not that easy to calculate.
the media can be described as lots of this, an ideal way to stay informed, a great source of community, a. beneficial way to connect. But, beneficial to who? Dark Patterns, as described in the "How Dark Patterns trick you online video, are features of interface design crafted to trick users into doing things they might not want to do, but which benefit the business in question." Businesses have forced themselves in almost every aspect of digital media. While watching a YouTube video, while surfing the web or mindlessly scrolling through Instagram we are faced with ads all fighting for a space in our heads. With "only the fittest will survive" ideology, companies use dirty tricks to "force" or manipulate us into things we might not agree with or want.
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We see an example of this in the Cambridge Analytica Sandal Video. This video sums up the conspiracy that the company was working with Facebook to promote and help Trumps presidential campaign. But how? Allegedly, Facebook gave its users data over to the data marketing firm, by which the firm was able to fill the Facebook users feed with focused propaganda in hopes of behavioral manipulation. While of course this is Illegal and both Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, denied all claims, this is quite a scary idea. A similar use of Propaganda is discussed in the "How one Man manipulated all of America" video.
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The person referred to as "One Man" is Edward Bernays. In 1929 New York, the times were simply described as "More fish in our sea, but so much harder to stand out" so people like Edward were paid by big companies to help their products sell. Edward describes propaganda in one of his books as" The mechanism by which ideas are disseminated on a large scale is propaganda, in a broad sense of an organized effort to spread a particular belief or doctrine." the video also discussed the idea that a product could become a movement when it represents something greater than its self. Edward had 4 simple steps.
1. Create Symbols
2. Appeal to unconscious desires
3. Normalize Behaviors
4. (Take up) Mental Space
As a consumer this is is something I try to look out for, but this is especially hard when your favorite influencers, that you feel like you can trust, are all raving about a product you absolutely must buy. The felling of wanting to fit in is quite overbearing, but when do we draw a line? When is it too late? We need to remind ourselves most of these celebrity's and influencers get these products for free or/and get paid to promote them. would they actually use there own money on the product? I think the only way to stop ourselves from buying into unnecessary trends is to sit and honestly ask our selves. Do I like it or is everyone talking about it.
Check out my sources here:
https://www.businessinsider.com/us-adults-will-consume-almost-as-much-media-in-2021-2021-6?r=US&IR=T
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxkrdLI6e6M&feature=emb_logo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q91nvbJSmS4&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj_UWbifM2U&t=668s
My favourite part of the blog post:
ReplyDeleteMy favourite part of the blog post is the strong opening that is very valid in every point they make.
It brings “Media Ethics: Use Of Dark Media” to a complete reflection of ourselves as a society of using media and the negatives it has as “benefits the business in question” using “forces” to “trick” us in which I really like about the blog post.
The flow of the content they have produced is fantastic and I wouldn't change a single thing about it so good job on that part.
Two questions that wasn't answered in the topic of the blog post:
Good criticism isn't necessarily a bad thing and I want you to reflect on the flaws of the blog that could change in the future.
I wanted at the end to find out about the conclusion of the research you put in. To back up the paragraphs one last time to wrap it up.
It would be good if you put your own experience in the topic as I had a question in mind, How do you feel on the topic and your own experience?
What I learned from the blog post:
I learned a lot on the topic as the writer did a great job understanding the topic and using quotation marks and questions making for a real authentic post in which I could use in my own blogs.
The layout is really well put together with care to make it incredibly easy to read in which I can reflect in my own work.
What if you ended it on a conclusion to really bring it all together!
Overall you are great at it already just small little things to adjust!
Dayo, I enjoyed reading your blog on Media Ethics. As you narrowed it down to the use of Dark Media, I was intrigued and wanted to read more. As you describe how the Media is use to distribute information you also explain well how its role can be deviant. You elaborate on the way it can be used to manipulate the consumers without them knowing, and how “One Man” become the expert in teaching others how to apply and develop his philosophy, to manipulate the mass Media.
ReplyDeleteI would have like you to elaborate more on the methods used to dupe people and the trickery to hide those methods to the consumers. That way I would find out more and may be become more aware how deep and dark the concept has developed over the years in the ever-growing world of technology.
My second question would be about this famous Mr. Edward Bernays, who he was, his famous ascendant and his whole concept of manipulation of masses with only a few selected standing out, notably in the world of politics, following that court case to establish the truth, despite the reluctant accused full admissions.
What I learned from your blog is that writing about your personal opinion in the conclusion part, add an element of human feeling. This is some idea that I would use in my own blog, rather than sticking to more formal writings about a rather global and rigid format. Looking forward reading more about your findings and ideas in the future. Keep up the good work.
Dayo , I really liked the layout of your blog the way you structured the blog was really good and easy to understand, and using the images with the two different key words was a really good touch to the blog.
ReplyDeleteYour blog was enjoyable and easy to read it was good that you mad it simpler to understand, what I also learned from your blog is that to add full links at the end of your blogs to all the sources you've used because what I do is link them in the images so from your blogs, I'll probably start doing it in the way you did.
One thing is that you missed out on some of the information that could've fit in well with your blog but besides that I really enjoyed your blog
The topic of dark media had immediately caught my attention to this blog post. This is a topic relevant to us especially now, but doesn't get thrown around for people to hear very often.
ReplyDeleteIt is very evident that you have done a lot of research regarding this topic and understands it very well. Being able to write about it in great detail for everyone to digest. This I feel is vital to any blog post, being able to understand the topic well enough to talk about it confidently.
Another point that I should mention is how I love the layout of this page. It is laid out in a way that is easy to navigate and read through. With neat paragraphs, and properly laid out sources about the topic.
I've nothing else to say about this blog post. Everything is well laid out, well researched, and well said. Great job.