Hi all!
For your first blog assignment, I'm taking it easy on you. All you have to do is read this article and comment on it. I want you to think about what the article is saying and give me your opinions, thoughts, questions, etc. One line of commenting will not be sufficient!
Remember: type in correct grammar and complete sentences.
Due by Sunday at 10:00 pm.
I had no idea that phones had the potential to eavesdrop on conversations if needed and report back to you. I thought phones were kind of at the maximum functioning potential, but apparently I was in the dark on that. Does Obama need to enforce his privacy bill of rights? I don't think so. I feel people can decide for themselves what they want: what if they are old and want the phone to track them for their memory? But overall as long as we don't let them, phones won't take over our brains like it said.
ReplyDeleteI think the advancements that we have made thus far with the smartphones are amazing and I didn't know we could go much further. It really bothers me that cell phones have become such a big part of our lives, to the point where we can't go anywhere without them. The biggest thing that I can't stand is when I see a family or group of friends sitting at a restaurant and they are all on their phones texting, checking Facebook, etc. Call me old fashioned, but I love being able to talk to people face to face. When you have the chance to talk to people when you are physically with them, you should take advantage of that and save the texting and Facebook for when you are unable to talk to them face to face.
ReplyDeleteI love the technology that phones can provide for us, but when they begin to overstep the privacy boundaries we need to draw the line. I do not think that phones should be doing things that we as the operator aren't aware of.
I do not think it is a problem that we use smartphones or cellphones in general. Just because we use them often and rely on them more than our own memory, I really do not see a problem. I think priviacy should be protected reguardless phone or not is kind of a right. I did not know that companies can do that without your premission. I really think that should change.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great article to read and it was very true, cellphones are taking over peoples lives but you cant stop it. As mentioned in the article people are attached to their phones way to much, they cant go a day without having their cellphone on them. So even though they know whats happening and that the phones are tracking them they wont stop using them. Its just like Google they track everything you type and compile it for "better search results." The phone industry will continue what it is doing but it may be for better or for worse.
ReplyDeleteI have acknowledged the increasing requirement of phones in regards to people prior to this article, but I did not know to what extent. I was unaware of the tracking and "spying" abilities associated with smart phones, and I applaud Obama for attempting to curtail these invasive abilities. However, even with these new negative discoveries related with these smart phones, the problems will continue to arise. In the future, I do see the codependency between people and cell phones getting worse, but not to the extent as the article says. I see this codependency not exactly as harmful but a matter that should be dealt with so it does not become even more problematic.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was clever how the article alluded cellphones to Frankstein and stating how it could be the creation of a "monster that we are less and less able to control." While privacy is something that everyone is entitled to have, it's very seldom that we get it, and it's not like people didn't already know that their messages and such are preserved and stored. I understand why the government would invade that privacy for safety reasons, but social networking sites should not have that accessibility. They do not have the authority nor the right to look through anyone's text messages, unless is it via their website and for a legitimate reason.
ReplyDeleteI think it is amazing where cellphones have come from. I can remember when phones had little screens and you weren't able to do much on them. Now they are capable of almost anything and we sadly depend on them for everything. It is a very scary thing when an object can control you. I truly believe that we shouldn't cross certain lines with technology intelligence. At some point technology will take over. We think we can handle it, but it will take control so subtly that it's unnoticeable. I also don't think it's right for anyone to track or listen in on our activity without our knowing. They can say it's for security, but there also has to be another agenda.
ReplyDeleteThe extreme advancement in phones has been amazing to see how they change over time. They have numerous positive uses and effects, but only if they are used in moderation. I think that some people rely on their phones entirely too much. We are to the point that we almost feel lost without our phones. I do agree with the article in that this dependency is getting a little out of hand. As for the "spying" abilities of phones, I had heard rumors but I didn't think it was really true. I'm glad that efforts are being made to decrease the invasion of privacy. Overall, I don't think phones are problems unless we let them be.
ReplyDeleteReading this article was a little eye-opening. Cellphones are wonderful tools if they aren't abused like they soon will be. I already knew that cellphones could give people cancer and I knew that texting could give people Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as well. What I didn't know was that some apps on smartphones were reading our texts. That, honestly, scares me a little. I didn't that we were being watched and that they were allowed to do that. Cellphones are great to have for safety reason and just to keep in touch with family members you don't always see but the fact that we are becoming completely dependent on them is ridiculous. Eight and nine year olds should never have a cellphone. They should be outside, playing sports or just being active. We need to do something with human's obsessiveness with cellphones and the invasion of privacy by the smartphone apps as well.
ReplyDeleteI don't see what the big problem is with companies like Google tracking us. I mean, what are they going to do with the data? Call us and ask why we are at McDonalds? Turn us into the government for searching for bomb blueprints (which they should)? Sell our information to advertising companies so they can advertise products? There's nothing wrong with it. There's nothing they can do to harm us, so why not let them run their business? After all, we are using THEIR product. They make the rules.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the advancement of cell phones goes, we should feel lucky that we have the technology that we do. It could save your life one day. Before cell phones/smartphones, people had no way to contact anyone if they were lost or if they had gotten into an accident away from home. Now help is just minutes away at any moment.
The more that cell phones advance, the easier and safer our lives become. Also, the statement about phones giving us cancer is very cloudy. Many studies have been done about it and it is still undetermined whether or not it in fact gives us cancer. However, heavy usage of cell phones is bad in another sense of our health. Our social heath takes the biggest hit because we forget how to talk to people face-to-face.
Just like anything else, cellphones are beneficial in moderation. It is when one becomes over zealous or overly attached to their palm sized "Frankenstein" that it becomes problematic. The positive benefits of smart phones are astounding; however we know that wonderul things have their repercussions. Google maps does an awesome job of helping you navigate to your destination, however your phone is tracking you too? I find the information stored by our phones to be very invasive. It's ironic to me that the more information we share via technology, the farther apart our social ties become undone.
ReplyDeleteI was well aware of the rumors about the spying but never really believed it or cared cause I'm no one special. Yet it is of course still wrong to envade someone's privacy without their permission. Putting aside the spying subject I believe the controlling aspect of smartphones. I have never realized it until Friday actually. Mrs. Metz took my phone for literally the last two minutes of class and I felt so naked without and in my head I was thinking, this is sad. So it is ironic that you had us read this article. Anyway, we do need to spend some time away from our phones even if they are used for probably fifteen percent or more of our time in the day. We just have to think about how people back in the day functioned without them and apply it so we can be less dependent on the smartphone.
ReplyDeleteI find it amazing how much we can do with phones thanks to all these new advancements in technology. You can say anything and someone will say "there's an app for that." I can vouch that people are highly addicted to there phones; Wherever I go my phone goes too. I also thinks it's amazing how much we can send to each other by using our phones. Phones are taking over more and more peoples lifes and everybody has a different opinion on it. I fully agree that having the ablity to do all these things on your phone is a great idea, it saves poeple time and effort.
ReplyDeleteIn reading this article, I almost found it erie. I didnt know that phones could actually be so smart as to listen in and watch and record all that we do. I really liked the last line about how we should have at least one day in the week set aside to turn our same phones off. And not let the smart phone be smarter than us. I think everyone would find that beneficial
ReplyDeleteI have the blogger app on my phone and read this very article on my smartphone while simultaneously listening to the radio on that same phone. The capabilities of phones these days are truly astonishing. I knew that there was some previous legislation about the goverent being able to pick up on key words in texts and emails after 9/11 for security purposes, but I had absolutely no idea that phone companies ad Facebook could also access these PRIVATE forms of communication. I feel that another big thing technology has done is to evolve our sense of privacy. People don't even think twice about looking through their friends phones at pictures and text messages without prior permission. I'm not saying any of this 'spying' that is going on via phone companies and other corporations is wrong, but how different is it than if a peer looked through your phone without your permission?
ReplyDeleteThis is creepy. I had no idea that my phone could be "spying" on me! It is insane that it can record me and listen to what I am doing or saying. How can it do that? I thought phones were in their prime now and meeting their full potential but I guess I was wrong on that. I do not think they can control my life though, I lived without a cellphone before I think I could do it again. This makes me more aware of what I say or do on my phone now.
ReplyDeleteThe saying "Someones always watching you" has never freaked me out more than after I read this article. The fact is that once we are registered in a cellphone company we literally have no privacy seeing as these companies are allowing Facebook, Flickr, and other social networking workers to read our text messages. Is this not against the law? Have any of those social networks even gotten in any trouble for this? I don't think I have anything to worry about because I hardly ever use my phone and I honestly could live without it. But I do believe that people get mentally engulfed in their phones and it is becoming worse and worse the more that phones update. Society needs to realize that there's a world outside of their phones and there comes a time when you need to shut off the communications and just live life.
ReplyDeleteI personally have just, within the last month, received my first phone (and its only a track phone), so this article doesn't really effect my life all that much. But as far as everyone else is concerned, I would be a little worried and or annoyed to hear that everything I do on the phone is being monitored. To those in our class who feel that the advancements listed in this article are unlikely, I just want to say that 100 years ago, I'm sure people would have thought cell phones in general were not possible. It's really hard to tell what our future as a nation, and race holds, I just hope that we all remember how important it is to stand up for our rights, because if we don't we might loose them. If you don't like the way phones are now, then don't get a smart phone. It's a simple choice that we have to make for ourselves.
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ReplyDeleteI didn't even realize how smart our smart phones are. I'm supposed to have the "smartest" phone right now, but now I feel like its just watching my every move waiting for something or someone to just spill everything on the Internet. Don't they have laws against Internet services pulling private information from phones? Because when I downloaded Facebook it sent me an email to make agreement about my "privacy settings". Well obviously that doesn't mean anything anymore. I'm glad Obama is actually trying to get some type of privacy on the world's phones, because it's not just embarrassing things that could be on your phone. It can be someone trying to stalk you or something. If you think about it, maybe our phones are really hurting us then helping us. It's scary to know that it might be true.
ReplyDeleteI really don't see the problem with using our smart phones as much as we do. I believe.it's sad how much we depend on them, but before cell phones, we depended on other things such as calendars, just now it's easier because everything is in the same place. Now, using our phones to spy on us is rediculous and kind of scary. I think our phones are a great advancement,.and I cant wait to see what our future.has to offer.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that cell phones are much more advanced than they were just several years ago. I think the concern should be focused on the fact that society idolizes phones and places them on such a high pedestal. The problem is not that phones are so smart or invasive. The problem is that we are extremely dependent upon them, which then inspires companies to do the unmentionable activities such as tracking data. If companies did not believe that society was draining their batteries every minute, then they would not waste time to track where they are. This dependency is fueling companies to make phones even more addicting with attention-grabbing applications, advertisements, and games to make an even greater profit, and to fuel the vicious cycle. It is scary how technology has consumed us. Our last worry should be if companies are tracking us. Our primary concern should be the fact that we are addicted to phones. Companies know our addiction and they play smart and they simply take advantage.
ReplyDeleteOur dependency on cell phones and other forms of technology is a huge problem in general. I think that it will come back to bite us in the butts one day, especially cell phones. Don't get me wrong I love my phone but the thought of it being used to spy creeps me out. I think that cell phones should definitely be able to be tracked in case of emergencies, such as someone who has been kidnapped or who has become lost. Also, being able to access anything that has been sent or received is a good idea with things like criminal investigations or national security. But just someone being able to click a button and have access to my personal information, that would really suck. We should take a big step back from our reliability on technology, it runs our lives. It causes just as many problems as there are benefits. We are being scammed and tricked into thinking we NEED these devices.
ReplyDeleteI recently watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and it was about how people could erase certain memories from their mind. While I was watching, I couldn't help but worry whether or not this was happening now. It relates to this article because it is only a matter of time before unhappy exes are able to have a mind eraser at their disposal. It would be an app for phones that would download a countless number of times because we are blinded by technology. As we are by the other numerous amount of apps that we brainlessly download not thinking about consequences. I do not think that many should be upset about the way companies are using information from these apps because we are the ones who download them. Most should know by now that companies are still "spying" on us, and if people really cared then they would downgrade to a simpler device. The fact is if anyone is at fault for this uproar then it is the buyer. We all know that people are already lined up to get the new iPhone that is coming out and that is because everyone has a thirst for technology regardless if it is the new Frankenstein or not. I don’t think we as the normal population have anything to worry about because if these companies have not revealed any private information on celebrities and politicians then why would they go out of their way to make any of us look bad. Until memory loss is involved with cell phone use, I will continue to be okay with smartphones.
ReplyDeleteIt is quite amazing how rapidly the advancement in cellphones are impacting us. I agree that we depend on our "smart phones " a little too much. I can even admit whenever I'm without my phone sometimes I feel naked. Its crazy the attachment we have to our phones nowadays. The part about our phones spying on us and eavesdropping on personal conversation is a bit creepy. Why is that our phones need to spy on us anyway?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article it made me understand the meaning behind Frankenstein. How our phones can become an image of ourself is just scary! Honestly I never took the time to realize just how much I use my phone, and the question what would I do if I did not have it? Just the thought of it freaks me out! Slowly but surely I do believe that our phones will take over our lives. we use it for e-mails, research, social abilities, and much more. Now a days using your phone in class is approtaite for research and other useful tools. This article opened my eyses to realize that phones can dominate over us if we give it the oppotunity to.
ReplyDeleteI have realized that phones are taking over everyone actually! I have mostly noticed because anywhere I turn I realize that somebody has their phone out if not a group of people. I, myself, believe I could go without a phone, but I know it wouldn't last very long. I now know that phones are actually reading what we do?! That's absolutely crazy...Technology is advancing every single day and people's use of anything old or unsophisticated is decreasing as well.
ReplyDeleteWell dang, just looked in my planner and realized this. Oh well, I'll comment anyway!I think it's crazy that you can be eavesdropped on while in a personal conversation on a phone that is supposed to be private. That feels like a violation of my personal privacy and I'm not too fond of it. I do believe my phone can be an image of myself, because I have applications and pictures and videos that appeal specifically to me! I believe that I could be without my phone, and whilst it would be hard, I think it would bring me more in focus to the things surrounding me because I have a tendency to zone out and only pay attention to my phone. This article opened my eyes, but will it tear me away from my phone? I think not.
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