Summarize at least 4 class resources, whether video or article, in a short paragraph. Cite references for each paragraph at the end of the paragraph in parentheses, using URLs where possible. (4 paragraphs)

Summary: This article discusses the internet as a medium for interaction and how it could be changed. Currently, users and consumers of content are seen as profitable data hubs that can be harvested every time they surf the web. Behavioral aspects along with general likes and dislikes are aggregated to form a digital profile of each individual user that lies in the hands of the companies that own and operate the software that is being used. As users ofttimes accept the terms and conditions of the product that they are using without reading them, the author of this article suggests that in order to regain control of one’s privacy, we need a societal shift that begins with users giving software companies their terms and conditions before using their service. The end goal of this being to adapt our actions to better suit our needs as both individuals and as a species.

Resource 4 – Is The Internet Changing The Way We Think?

Citation: Jennings, Alistair. “Is The Internet Changing The Way We Think?” Inside Science, American Insitute of Physics, 14 June 2018, https://www.insidescience.org/video/internet-changing-way-we-think.

Summary: We are shaped by the world around us and always have been. The human brain is malleable in the sense that it can recognize and utilize tools as if they were extensions of the body and mind themselves. However, this isn’t necessarily a good thing as we as a species are not prepared for the consequences of rapid adoption. In fact, in 2014, 6% of the world suffered from internet addiction. Furthermore, the dopamine spike that gets released when liking a post online only increases with age. As writing revolutionized the world, so will the internet. How it will is still left to be determined.

Then define  and write a specific question you have or issue you want to research about the link between social media and mental health of young adults. Explain why this question or issue interests you. (a few sentences, to a paragraph)

Question: How does extended usage of social media and the internet affect the minds of those who use it?

Explanation: As someone who grew up in the digital age, I am curious to see if my own brain chemistry is different from those that lived in the time of purely analog information. Furthermore, I’d like to know the effects that it has on those that lived partially in the pre-internet age and how they emotionally feel about the world compared to those that have only known the world through the internet. Finally, I’d like to be aware of the exact influence that social media has on all of this and whether or not it is entirely detrimental.

Then find a list of 6-7 articles that respond to the issue

Skim these articles and based on your skimming, pick the two most informative–those that expand your knowledge the most, not necessary those that you already agree with. Summarize each of these articles as you did above, each in a short paragraph. (2 paragraphs)

Are Social Networking Sites Controlling Your Mind?

Summary: Humans are creatures of habit. And those habits can be easily exploited by those who know how to use them. In the article, social media is equated to gambling as the users never definitively know what will be posted, when it will be posted, and who it will be posted by. This shroud of social mystery is enticing to the user and when paired with the dopamine spike of getting likes and accepted follow requests, social media is enchanting. It is possible to break the digital chains of social media, however, it is hard to walk away from an addiction especially when it’s seen as the norm.

The Internet May be Changing Your Brain in Way You’ve Never Imagined

Summary: The smartphone and its ability to connect its user with the internet is an unprecedented technology. The individual is no longer bound to the TV or the local paper to get their news. Now, individuals carry around constant access and distraction in their pockets. This constant avenue of distraction has led some researchers to the conclusion that there is a loss of cognitive control. Furthermore, our brains are constantly adapting to our environment and our habits and has thus started to use the internet as a type of external storage device. This means that not only have our thought processes been hijacked by technology, but that we have willingly given them up in exchange for streams of endless, mindless, content.

Explain how your thinking changed–either by deepening, changing or making more complex your understanding of the issue. (1-2 paragraphs)

At the start of my research, I did not see the extent to which social media pervades our lives. While I was aware of the smaller effects that is has such as dopamine being released when receiving likes, I was unaware of the effect that is has on the development of the human psyche as a whole. Compounding exposure of this as well as the other ill-effects of social media over a lifetime leads to less critical thinking and more negative thoughts. While social media connects us with the outside world, it is merely a facade that in actuality connects us with a version of the outside world that is polished beyond recognition and not representative of the people who inhabit it.

Given your new understanding, suggest how you might adapt or redesign a social media platform you currently use, or create a new one, so that other youth are likely to have a healthier experience.

Social media networks should have an automatic shut-off timer built in to each platform. As each platform has it owns specific effects of the brain, it should be individualized on that level. Specifically on Instagram, the never-ending scroll of streamed content is hugely detrimental to social development. If the UI were altered so that users could only see a single post at a time, it could be hugely beneficial as it both slows the user down when viewing and allows them to narrow their focus instead of mindlessly scrolling through. Furthermore, not removing comments but removing the ability to see others’ comments could help as individuals wouldn’t be as scared to share their opinion if it seems that there is no opposition. Finally, removing all numerical values from Instagram would be its most beneficial move for its userbase. The individual user wouldn’t be as concerned about likes, comments, and followers if no one could see that data. If Instagram adopted these practices or others similar to them, I believe that it would become a viable, socially healthy, platform.