Author: natalieatasu

I’m not going to lie; this module really opened my eyes to just how little information I know about cyber security. Thankfully, I have been provided with numerous articles and sources to increase my knowledge over the subject and I have ideas in place on how to change the way I use the internet and my data.

Cyber security is something that has always intrigued me, but not enough to make me feel worried or paranoid about my data and how I use it. A popular series on Netflix, Black Mirror, is a fictional show that is based around the danger of cyber security and shows extreme consequences to our actions on the internet. While I know that it is a made-up show, there are instances that really made me think “wow, what if that really happens sometime in the future?”.  Then comes this module, and all of the reading I have done made me realize that I am naïve to what I already know (or think I know). This has been a wake-up call that I need to better protect myself from the dangers that lay out there.

The first step I plan on taking is learning more about how to secure my network and data. From what I have read so far, I do not want to go into this process blind, I need some sort of background before I make any significant changes. I first started with reading over encryption, as it was stated in lecture how important it is. The reading provided was helpful, especially this article, “Different types of encryption” by the Security Education Companion. Learning about the differences between end-to-end encryption and transport-layer encryption is crucial, especially because this is a form of communication between our private information stored on a device. I will be taking the needed steps to encrypt my PC as well. I will be doing this as I travel with my laptop quite a bit, and on the off chance I leave it or lose it, I want to make sure my information is stored securely and that nobody will be able to get into it. One key here I learned is to protect this information with a long and varied alphanumeric password. So, while I encrypt all of my data, I will also be upgrading my passwords to something stronger.

When doing a random google search of myself I came up empty handed, except for my LinkedIn profile which I am okay with. I did not find any hits for my Facebook account, Twitter, Instagram, or even Pinterest. I am private on all of those sites except for Twitter. I am not sure how much it matters but I do not include my last name on those sites, except Facebook. Maybe it is because of my insecurity but I would rather keep a more laid back “you-only-know-me-if you-know-me” stance on social media until I am ready to branch out. So, for the most part I will keep my social media as is, but I will be using two factor authentication, while also brushing up on each sites privacy policies in the future.

From what I have learned this last week, I plan on taking things slow with my changes, as to now overwhelm myself. There, I will begin to change the way I use the internet, from using private browsers, encrypting my PC, and changing any insecure passwords. I know I have a lot more learning to do, and with the help from the knowledge I have learned over media literacy I can now confidently go out and identify reliable sources for my information.

While I unfortunately did not have an opportunity to use my grandmother problem theory on anyone this week, I can think of a time where I used it around one year ago.

A coworker of mine posted an image on Facebook, the image depicted the iPhone notes page with a couple paragraphs stating that if she did not post it to her profile, Facebook would delete it. It went around as a scam and I saw a few other people who I know post it as well. These scams come and go like waves. One month you see it the next you don’t. I decided that I would leave a comment stating that this is not a true statement and a confirmed scam to which she responded stating that she did not care and would leave it up just in case. I decided not to press further and let her believe that Facebook would somehow hack her account and delete it all while still keeping her information for themselves.

Since then I have seen the same coworker fall for a few more scams, especially those that say they will somehow use her pictures or information if she does not share or re-post the image. I have decided to not interact with her anymore, as others have left similar comment telling her it is fake and she still responds that she does not care, she is still doing it.

If I were to do something differently I would maybe direct her to an article that reliably explains what a phishing scam is, considering she has fallen for them on multiple occasions.

I am ashamed to say that when I was in high school, I cannot remember learning about copyright laws, net neutrality, and others. I knew they existed, and I can thank social media and the rest of the internet for that, but they were not anything that I paid too close attention to. It was not until the summer, taking my first Mass Communications course, that I had a true, in-depth learning experience over media and the laws that exist within it.

After going over this week’s readings and videos, I can say that I will be changing the way I use media, as I will now plan to be more aware of the content I am posting, sharing, or retweeting to my audience.

Something that concerns me is copyright, as a lot of what I post on social media has to do with music and sports, which are two areas where copyright laws are tight and strict. A few years ago, when the app Vine was popular, I had a friend who recorded a clip from a Major League Baseball game. He had recorded a video of his favorite player who happened to hit a monster home run and wanted his reaction in the background. It was not an ill-intentioned video, but when he posted it to Vine, he then also shared it to his Twitter where it was almost immediately taken down by the MLB. He then had his entire Twitter account suspended for 24 hours because of the video. He was not aware that it was infringing on the copyright law, and it was during that incident where I noticed the MLB had really started cracking down on those who post videos of game or game highlights without the right to do so. I understand why they do it, they want all of the media shared to come from them, and it should. However, it is also causing sharing media between journalists and fan bases to become a more of a difficult process.

Now that I have learned more about copyright laws, I have started double checking the media I put out onto my platforms. I make sure to include my sources and ask if I can share something if it is original to a different poster. I only share videos from main accounts (like the NFL, and MLB), as well as making sure I have no copyrighted music in the background of any videos I post myself. These are simple steps, but also easy steps to take to become a better media user.

One other area of concern is Net Neutrality, and where the future of the internet lays. I became aware of net neutrality back in 2017, and at first I had no idea what it was. I remember scouring the internet for sources to read up on the subject because at the time it was making headway across all of social media. Sometimes I am still confused by the whole notion but I turn to this article from Wired.com that breaks it down into simpler terms. Knowing what I know now, I believe everyone should be on their toes about the future and changes that could be put into place. We are a streaming society, things have changed drastically in the last ten years, and if providers now have the chance to slow down competing services that could do major damage to many different companies. Blocking content from other websites and providers will create a harsh environment for social media, and the last thing social media needs is another issue that causes you to take a side.

Overall, media laws are something that I have recently taken into deep consideration. From copyright to net neutrality to censorship, these are issues that we all need to be aware of in our daily lives, as changes seem to be looming in the future.

Who knew I would be so anxious to take on editing a Wikipedia page? I sure did not expect to feel the way I did, but after some trials and tribulation, I think I managed.

First, let me start by saying I love Wikipedia but also find it to be incredibly daunting. When I started this class and looked through the syllabus, I was not quite sure how to feel when I saw this assignment listed. How in the world was I supposed to find a Wikipedia page that needed updated or edited? It just did not sound plausible to me, and I am not sure why. I knew that Wikipedia hosts many underdeveloped pages, and I also knew that Wikipedia editors can be a bit harsh. Would the editors delete my entry? Would they shame me away? Do they know I am just a college student editing for a project? Those are the questions that went through my mind. Since I just completed the edit, I found now to be an appropriate time to talk through my experience and how the process went for me.

If I have one piece of advice to others going in blind to this project, it is to complete the tutorials assigned to you. While our professor said they are not graded, do not take that as a free pass to skip them. I found the tutorials to be more than helpful during this project. They walk you through how to set up your page, navigate the talk and sandbox pages, and more. If it wasn’t for those short assignments I would have not known where to start. While it seems like they are never ending, they only last at most 15 minutes, and are full of useful information such as avoiding plagiarism, and how to properly cite your sources. This was the make-or-break to me! I needed those tutorials to help make this process successful.

Now one of the most difficult areas for me was finding an article to edit. I looked through the list of underdeveloped articles, but nothing stood out to me, and I did not feel confident about taking on any of them. While I have stuck with a sports theme for me blogs, I originally thought I would do the same for this project, just to make everything seem cohesive. Sports also have a large following and an endless list of sources for me to choose from, but at the same time I did not feel motivated to take on a subject that potentially does not need edited, or one that I was unfamiliar with. So, with nothing tripping my trigger, it was time to move to plan B.

When I went back to the assignment page to look over the details once again, I came across Professor Roschke’s blog over her experience editing an article. I saw that she went to her former high school’s page and saw it was missing a decent amount of information, so I decided to check out my own Alma maters page, which is Davenport North High School. I saw that the page was missing a picture of the high school, had briefly mentioned its history, and the construction it underwent in 2001. There was also a subheading of athletics, where the editor added which sports the school currently has and basic information over which conference the school plays under. I thought it was weird that there was nothing about the academics offered, considering it is a 4A high school and has been around for 45 years now. That is where I decided that I shall tackle the beginnings of an Academics tab.

Before I started, I went to visit the pages of the other two main public high schools in the same district and compared the similarities and differences. Only one of the high schools hosted a tab over academics, while the other had a long list of notable alumni and an expanded section over their performing arts. I went back and forth over what to add, do I mention that arts programs or do I mention all of the AP Classes and dual enrollment programs? I went with the latter as this is what would work best for me. I knew what classes were available as I have friends who teach at the school and their website had them listed as well. I also knew that the dual enrollment program was still a running success as my cousin had just completed it a year prior. So, with that information I went forward to begin the editing process.

At first I was hesitant to make a move, but with Wikipedia’s helpful functions available I knew I would be able to view my work before publishing it. I first started by adding the new heading, which was Academics, followed by a sentence or two over the AP classes. I was able to link the classes to their designated wiki pages, which will be helpful to future readers who may want more information over what AP classes are and how to take them. I then added a brief mention to the dual enrollment opportunity that the district made available in 2014. The Dual Enrollment program offers certain students a chance to take college courses with their high school courses at no additional cost, and in the process it earns them an associates degree on top of their high school diploma. This is available at all three high schools yet I did not see it mentioned on their pages, so I thought it would be appropriate to mention under the new academics section.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the end, I found this project to meet my expectations. It was not as daunting as I once imagined it would be, and it helped me become more well versed in media literacy. So, while I was nervous at first, with the help of the online tutorials I felt like I was able to go ahead and jump into becoming a wiki editor. Although I do have some newfound editing abilities, unless I am asked for an assignment, I do not see myself editing anything else in the future. I’ll leave that to the professionals.

Once again, here is the link to the profile I edited!

Good Luck to everyone else!

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In today’s society it is all about fast paced news, click bait, and page views, and social media makes the perfect platform. However, that does not mean that all of the information being sent out is in fact real or true. With that being said I think it is safe to say that we have all witnessed a friend or family member get tricked by false information on social media.

When you see someone you know post or retweet fake news, how do you address them? This can be a difficult thing to do as we want to upset the poster or come off as being a superior media user. For me, I would go for a simple route, one that is straight to the point but also not demeaning or hurtful. Let’s say I see my aunt share an article from The Onion and she totally believes it, my best course of action would be to tell her directly in the comments that The Onion is known as a satirical news site and would share a link. This approach is simple but can be effective to not promote any shaming in the comments.

When going to comment under a post telling the OP that the content they are sharing is false, I believe going the extra step to finding a more reliable source over the same content is helpful. That way if the OP is upset or saying you do not have proof that what they are sharing is false, you can counter back with sharing the reliable information you found. This may cause some heated comments, and if those do arise then it is time to get truthful. Sometimes all it takes is being blunt and stating that sharing false information can be hurtful or careless.

Now I personally do not share much on my social media platforms, but to help combat the spread of false information I plan on posting an info-graphic that can help my friends and family decipher the sources they come across. This graphic here from the IFLA.org website can be a useful tool that I hope my own followers take into account when scrolling their news feeds. Along with this graphic, some other creators have come up with mnemonic devices regarding finding reliable sources such as the TRAAP test.

 

Overall, we cannot be afraid to tell the truth to our family and friends. While they may take it too personally in the end we are just doing our part to help keep our news feeds truthful. There are many techniques you can use to help inform your feed to “share with care”, it is just up to you to choose which one works best for the given situation.

 

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For this blog post I am going to introduce some of the top sources I have turned to for the information I have given over David Ross and his move to becoming the manager of the Chicago Cubs. Most of these sources come from news sites, although I have a few nontraditional ones as well. They are in no particular order but I have grouped the like ones together.

1. This source is an obvious one, it is the MLB’s official website. This article titled, “David Ross officially introduced as Cubs manager”, I find informative detail over the move written by an experienced sports analyst. One reason I like this particular post is because it includes a clip from the official press conference. One quote from this article that stuck with me is this “Ross believes — even with no managerial experience — he is prepared to handle all that comes with his new pile of responsibilities”, because it is something the viewer can revert back to the video to hear Ross himself explain.
2. I tend to read a lot from NBC Sports- Chicago, as I find they post relevant material and have a wide variety of journalist, that way I can read more than one opinion. With NBC being a major news corporation, I do find this to be a credible site to go to for sports information. The article “Cubs questions entering camp: What kind of manager will David Ross be?” was a good read. It ties in current situations now that training camp has started and gives proper insight into what we can expect in the foreseeable future. “Time will tell how successful Ross is in his new position. What’s evident is things will be different with him at the helm, which he and the Cubs hope will help the team be greater than the sum of its parts” in this quote the journalist remains fairly neutral on the subject, which is something I prefer when reading something informative.
3. From Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, a popular sports radio broadcast, he posted this article titled “David Ross: Cubs out to prove something” on the radio page’s main site. Bruce has covered all things Chicago baseball for over 30 years, so I find credibility in that fact, he also included a short clip of a broadcast, which I also tend to favor when choosing a news source. In the clip, Levine is seen interviewing Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks who mentions that the team is looking forward to the changes this coming season.
4. The “Chicago Cubs Manager Press Conference” is another source I tend to visit when looking over my topic of interest. Found straight from the Cubs official YouTube page, this 30 minute video is a great reference to turn to when reading other articles that claim to know what David Ross will be like as a manger. Known for being a lovable guy, Ross makes it known in his official conference that he will hold his players accountable when needed, and has high expectations for the team.
5. Jesse Rogers is a Chicago Cubs sports analyst who works for ESPN.I read his work on ESPN’s site from time to time, but I most often interact with Jesse’s work through twitter. His twitter handle is @ESPNChiCubs and he is who I turn for when news is breaking. Roger’s frequently live tweets press conferences between players and media staff and works diligently to inform the fans who follow him with accurate and important news. This here is a recent tweet from Rogers who talked with Kris Bryant and the details of all of the trade rumors. I found this funny as twitter is actually one of my favorite areas to receive sports news content.

Overall, I can tell you that the social media algorithm is in fact a thing as now all I see are sponsored sports ads, and my timelines are filled with all things Cubs. My media use over the last week has been bumped up compared to previous weeks. I spent time looking over sources, new and old, to find which sites I tend to gravitate towards for my sports news. I still visit sites like MLB.com., ESPN.com, SI.com, and NBCSports.com regularly, as I prefer to read from sports analysts who have been in “the game” for a while. I guess I equate years of experience to credibility in my mind. Though, I have found some new sources to turn to in the future.

Something I did this week that I haven’t done in a while was subscribe to online newspapers. The Chicago Tribune is a site that I saw myself visiting more than I ever used to and I am happy to become a consumer of their service. I also subscribe to the Chicago Sun-Times to read more news. Not only am I reading the sports columns, but I have started reading other news as well. I also started listening to more sports radio broadcasts. 670 the Score features Pat Hughes (one of my all-time favorite broadcasters) as well as Ron Coomer, who is one of the players that turned out to become a great play-by-play sportscasters. These new sources of information are vital to the world of sports, and I am excited to feature them in my new and upgraded media repertoire.

If you are familiar with the sports world then you have probably heard the rumors swirling above the Cubs and the fate of their third baseman Kris Bryant. Bryant, former MLB Rookie of the Year and National League MVP, has been a shining star for the Chicago Cubs since 2015. Cubs fans have been dazzled by Bryant for the last 5 years and with trade rumors around every corner these fans now want answers.

One of David Ross’ biggest issues to face yet after becoming the new manager is flaming the fire that has started from the Bryan trade rumors. Between the issue of Bryant wanting to test free agency, filing a grievance against the cubs, the fans do not know who to turn to for answers.

I came across an article from sportswriter Jeff Arnold who writes for Sportsmoney, a part of the Forbes website. This article was written before Bryant lost his grievance, which now means he is not eligible for free agency until 2021 and is one of the biggest stories that new manager David Ross has had to deal with. Even though we now know at least some sort of answer with Bryant’s future, I still wanted to share, and analyze this article.

In this article, titled “David Ross Expects Kris Bryant To Be Part Of Cubs’ Opening Day Lineup”, Arnold uses direct quotes from Ross to reassure Cubs fans that Bryant is not going anywhere. Direct quotes from the source itself is what I look for in sports related articles to build upon the credibility of the article. Arnold himself is an award-winning writer who has covered many major events within the Chicago sports scene and beyond. He has written for the NCAA March Madness tournament, the Stanley Cup, the Super Bowl, and more. This is also a nod to credibility, someone who has covered other major events in sports should be trusted with this news as well.

This article also uses sources in the form of various reporters that the team has talked to. They are not named within the article which causes it to lose some credibility in my eyes. I came across this piece after looking under the news tab on Google. I had not read much from Forbes when it comes to sports topics, but after looking through the tabs I can see it being a new source of information in the future.

While it is filled with valuable information, this analysis does not contain any separate links or other forms of media that can lead a reader to another source to future deepen their knowledge over the topic. While it is not crucial to the piece, I do feel like it could use a video or even an image of the players and David Ross talking to the reporters, that way us readers know the exact source that this information is coming from.

One aspect of this piece I enjoy is that it is free of any crazy biases. Yes the author throws in an opinion here or there, but it is not enough to make this an anti David Ross or anti Kris Bryant article. Arnold does a good job of cluing fans in on what exactly is happening with the situation, and how Ross feels about it. He also uses some persuasive tactics to make the fans believe that Ross is correct and that Bryant will be a part of the opening day lineup. He does this by mentioning that Bryant was a part of the annual Cubs Convention and will still talk and meet with fans. The author also uses his best friend and teammate Anthony Rizzo when asked about the subject. While the tactics are not as presentable as others, as an avid fan myself I can see that the author is trying to persuade you to think everything is going to be okay by mentioning the convention and using quotes from Rizzo.

If I had to give out a letter grade to this article it would be a C+. It looses points with the lack of credited sources and other forms of media. I would have preferred to see names of the reporters mentioned and where the teammates were when they were interviewed. Also,  if a video of David Ross was included or a video that quickly debriefs the subject at hand the reader would have an easier time fully understanding the subject. With those included I do think we are looking at a B+. I also took into account that the article was found on the Forbes website and not a more sport central website like ESPN or MLB.

 

Last week I had talked about the Cubs’ journey to picking David Ross as their new skipper. With spring training around the corner, analyses have been made and opinions have been formed. While some are still in doubt over the first-time manager, others are excited to see what the new season will bring.

Ross was very straightforward in his press conference stating what he planned to change, and what he believed was already working well for the team. The media ate this up, they either agreed with Ross and his intentions, or completely thought otherwise.

This week I read over many articles over the announcement, both professionally written and those written on personal blog websites.

I will start with sharing this article written by Jordan Bastian, a Cubs analyst who writes for the MLB. The article was written shortly after Ross was announced as the new manager and includes a few clips from the press conference. I find this article to be a good analysis of Ross and his last year with the cubs as well as what he covered in his first public appearance as manager.

Bastian includes many quotes from Ross’ presser with Theo and Jed, and then goes on to explain Ross’s intentions by referring to him as a former player and ESPN analyst. I find the comparison between Ross as a player and as a manager to be an effective way to describe how he will continue to shows his leadership qualities.

The article is credible, it includes the official press conference video, and is written by a Cubs baseball analyst. It is also found on the official MLB website.

The second article is from the Chicago Sun Times, and is a more factual piece covering Ross and his new adventure. This article is a news item, as it contains no blatant opinions or analyses of the subject. This piece states more facts than the previous article and looks at David Ross from a more personal level as it mentions his stint with Dancing with the Stars and his time with ESPN.

If you want the basics, I would read the Sun Times. You will figure out the who, what, where, when, and why with only a little filler in between. I also find this article to be credible, it is from a Chicago sports columnist written for a popular online and print news site.

The third article is also from the Chicago Sun Times, but this one very much different. If you want to read an opinionated view on the change, then this is the article for you. The columnist who wrote this was obviously hoping for a different outcome. This writer believes Ross is still to close to these players, and that he won’t be able to discipline them when needed. It also seems like he is taking credit away from Ross due to the fact that he previously competed on Dancing with the Stars shortly after retiring.

Now I am no expert, but just because one competed on a game show doesn’t mean that they will be incompetent with coaching baseball. Overall, I was not a fan of this article, but it was a great example of an opinion-based column. It is from the Chicago Sun Times, as was the previous article and also written by a seasoned sports columnist, so I do find it to be credible.

The fourth and final article I will bring up is from Sports Illustrated, which is a popular sports news media site as well as print magazine. This article is short and sweet as it announces Ross’s new position, and is clear from any analysis and opinion, making it a news article.

The article briefly mentions Ross’ tie to the cubs, and what he managed to accomplish as a veteran catcher on the team. It’s free from any bias and simply mentions the coaching change. I do find this article to be credible, Sports Illustrated has been a popular go-to for sports fans for decades, as a magazine and as a website. The one issue I hold is that the author mentions in his biography that he covers marathons and track and field. Why he wrote about the Chicago Cubs… I do not know. Regardless, it is informative in a short and sweet way.

I will never forget the day the Chicago Cubs won the world series. I remember speeding home from work and making it just in time to watch the final three outs of the tenth inning and feeling so relieved that after 108 long years, the Cubs were once again World Champions.

I am grateful for the years we spent with Joe Maddon and I thought he was a great leader and mentor for what was a young team, but it was time to move on. After a lack luster few seasons post world series win, the players, owners, and fans were left wanting more.

When the news officially broke that Maddon and the Cubs agreed to part ways, I instantly took to the internet to read the thoughts and opinions of baseball fans everywhere. I came across this article from the New York Times, and I believe it sums up the situation well. Eventually reading articles became redundant as most of them say the same thing, just worded differently.

Cubs fans everywhere thanked Joe Maddon for bringing the Cubs and their fans the long awaited title win. This picture below was taken from the Cubs official Instagram page.

The media coverage was not lacking around the Cubs at the time of change. Everyday was filled with new rumors over who would become the new man in charge. From social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, to news outlets such as ESPN and NBC, everyone was a buzz with baseball. It was covered on Sports Center almost every day, as the reporters would continually update as new information got out to the public.

I remember when David Ross’ name started to be thrown around and at first, I was against the idea of a former player, having just retired a couple of years ago, coaching the same guys he played with. I follow many cubs accounts on Twitter, so that is primarily where I go to see what is going on in the world of baseball and is where I first saw the rumors of Ross becoming manager. From there I began seeing the news on Instagram, in Facebook comments, and articles from the Chicago Tribune and NBC.

When the rumors turned out to be true, that is when media started to flourish even more. I personally have never seen so many “armchair managers” come out of the woodwork until then. An armchair manager is a fan who thinks that they could coach a baseball team better than the actual manager (we all know a few people like this) and can usually be found sitting in a chair yelling at the TV when the game is on. Fans were concerned over Ross’ personal relationships with the players and how that would affect his coaching style.

In the end it came down to Joe Espada from the Houston Astros and David Ross. From what was covered by baseball experts and journalists in the field, it sounded like it was a tight race between the two, until they help a mock press conference where it was said the Ross dominated. From there it seemed like we got our answer, and a few days later it was officially announced that David Ross would become the Chicago Cubs 61^st manager. The Cubs capped off their search with posting photos across all media sites and welcoming the friendly face back to the friendly confines of Wrigley Field.

Overall media coverage for this event was what I had anticipated. It was covered equally across social and news media, and gained a decent amount of publicity. Fans were more opinionated than usual, but I think that is only natural when your new manager was once a player you cheered for just a few years back. As a fan, I am hopeful. This press conference was what sealed the deal for me. I think Ross addressed the issues that fans had in a professional way, and he makes it clear that he is here for one thing, and that is to win.

Here it is.. my 24 hour media use!

I start all of my days the same, which includes me using my iPhone as my alarm clock and waking up to whatever song I have picked to be my alarm. The song I currently wake up to is Mulholland Drive by the artist Jake Miller.

Once awake, I typically find myself heading to Twitter to catch up on any news, gossip, or whatever it may be. My timeline is filled with tweets from friends and celebrities, and maybe a few news sites here and there. That is my goal for 2020, to actively follow the news on a local and global level.

I do check my explore page and all of the trending topics picked for me, and the worldwide trends too. I am currently all in on the scandals rocking the MLB at the moment. I recently came across a video that depicts the current chaos of the MLB as a scene from the movie Mean Girls, it earned an automatic like and retweet from me. Right now, the buzz is focused around the Houston Astros and whether or not cheating was involved with their World Series run.

After scrolling through twitter, I then open Instagram, where I follow similar people from twitter. I actively like and comment on Instagram posts, and also post to my story a fair amount, but I do not find myself posting my own pictures. I remember when Instagram first came out, I would try out all of the filter and post pictures of whatever I wanted. Now I have to think to myself “is this really Instagram worthy?” on just about anything I post.

This is where I call it quits on social media so I can take time to get ready. I usually listen to Spotify for an hour or two, scrolling between my liked songs and albums I am currently enjoying. Right now, I have been streaming Harry Styles’ newest album “Fine Line” as well as the album “Malibu Nights” by LANY.

 

As I go about my day I will randomly check in on my socials. Facebook is my least used app, I do not post anything on Facebook unless it is in a private group I am in with around 100 of my coworkers. However, Facebook is where I tend to read the most of my news. I follow local news stations here in the Quad Cities, such as KWQC and WQAD. I mostly look at the weather and whatever else peaks my interest. Many of my friends share articles from places such as CNN, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. This week I have read a handful of articles from each of these websites, mostly pertaining to politics.

Coming home from work I turn the television on while starting to make dinner. I turn on CNN while making dinner, having it on in the background and listening to it, but not actively watching. Once done cooking I flip to a different channel, or browse channels trying to find a show or movie to watch.

I end my night flipping through my phone and probably looking for something to watch on Netflix or Hulu. Going between all the social media apps can get tiring, so I always look through the trending topics, hoping to find something that peaks my interest.

Overall, I do not view as much news as I would like, it is not everyday that I read articles about politics, finance, or the newest advancements in tech, although that is what I am working towards in this new year. When it comes to how reliable my news sources are, I do not think they are that bad. On a scale from 1 to 10 I would give my overall score a 7 (although that may be generous). The news journals that I read on occasion I would rank at a 7 or 8, while I find them to be reliable, I do find the bias among them at times, which is turns me away from the topic and I lose interest. The news I view on twitter I would rank between a 5 and 6, it all depends on what the topic is and who is tweeting it. If it is a sports related topic from one of the top analysts at ESPN, I would find that quite convincing. So in short, I know I have work to do when it comes to finding more reliable news sources, and I know that with the knowledge I gain from this class I will get there.