Kaylah

Hello everyone, My name is Kaylah

[ilovebeyonce2004]

Week 13 ( Last one!)

1. How have social media platforms become tools of surveillance rather than just spaces for connection?

Social media platforms are not just places where people communicate anymore they also constantly track users behavior. Every like, share, comment, and even how long someone pauses on a post is collected as data. This information is used to build detailed profiles about users that can predict interests, habits, and future behavior. While social media feels casual and personal, platforms are always watching in the background. This kind of surveillance is normalized because it happens during everyday activities, making it easy for users to overlook how much data they are giving away.

2. In what ways do users willingly participate in their own surveillance on social media?

Users often participate in their own surveillance by voluntarily sharing personal information online. Posting photos, locations, opinions, and daily routines gives platforms more data to collect and analyze. Features like likes and follower counts encourage people to share more in exchange for attention and validation. As a result, users may shape how they present themselves based on how they think others or the platform will react. This creates a situation where people monitor their own behavior while being monitored by social media companies.

3. How does social media surveillance reinforce power and inequality?

Social media surveillance creates a power imbalance between users and large corporations. Platforms have access to massive amounts of personal data, while users have little control over how that data is used or sold. This can be especially harmful for marginalized groups, who may be more heavily monitored or targeted by algorithms. For example, studies have shown that predictive algorithms can reinforce racial and economic bias in advertising and content moderation. Surveillance on social media often benefits corporations financially while placing greater risks on vulnerable users.

4. What are the potential consequences of constant surveillance on users’ behavior and freedom?

Constant surveillance can affect how freely people express themselves online. Knowing that posts may be tracked, archived, or judged later can cause users to self censor or avoid controversial topics. This limits open discussion and can weaken democratic participation. Over time, being watched can feel normal, even expected, which makes surveillance harder to challenge. When surveillance becomes routine, users may stop questioning whether it should exist at all.

References

Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Vintage Books.

O’Neil, C. (2016). Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy. Crown.

Zuboff, S. (2019). The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. PublicAffairs.

Pew Research Center. (2019). Americans and Privacy: Concerned, Confused, and Feeling Lack of Control Over Their Personal Information.

[ilovebeyonce2004]

Week 12

Digital Communities: Safe Spaces or Not?

Social media has transformed how marginalized communities connect, share, and advocate for their rights. While these platforms often serve as lifelines for those seeking solidarity, they also present significant risks. Below are four critical discussion questions and answers that explore this theme.

1. How have social media platforms functioned as “safe spaces” for marginalized communities?

Social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have enabled marginalized groups, such as LGBTQ+ individuals, racial minorities, and people with disabilities to find solidarity and share experiences without geographic limitations. Movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #TransIsBeautiful created global conversations and support networks, allowing users to validate their identities and amplify voices often silenced in mainstream media. These spaces can foster belonging and provide access to resources that might not exist offline. However, “safe space” is relative; visibility also brings vulnerability to harassment and algorithmic bias.

2. What are the limitations or risks of relying on social media as a safe space?

Despite their potential, social media platforms are not inherently safe. Marginalized users frequently encounter hate speech, doxxing, and targeted harassment, which moderation systems often fail to address effectively. The Antisocial Network documentary illustrates how platforms prioritize engagement over safety, enabling harmful content to spread faster than protective measures. Additionally, issues like algorithmic bias and surveillance disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, raising privacy concerns.

3. How does the concept of “digital community” differ from traditional physical communities for marginalized people?

Digital communities transcend physical boundaries, enabling global connections and rapid mobilization. For individuals lacking local support, online spaces provide access to affirming networks and educational resources. However, unlike physical communities, digital spaces can feel fragmented and temporary, as platform policies or algorithm changes can dismantle these networks overnight. For example, when Twitter changed moderation policies, many activists migrated to Mastodon or Discord, showing the fragility of these spaces.

4. In what ways can social media platforms improve to better serve marginalized communities as safe spaces?

Platforms can implement stronger moderation systems, prioritize community-led guidelines, and ensure algorithmic fairness to reduce bias. Transparency in content moderation and better reporting tools are essential. Additionally, investing in digital literacy programs and privacy protections can empower marginalized users to navigate these spaces safely. Some platforms, like Tumblr the app we use for class , have experimented with community-driven moderation, but widespread adoption remains limited.

References

Lucero, L. (2017). Safe spaces in online places: social media and LGBTQ youth. Multicultural Education Review. Link [researchgate.net]

Mattson, T., & Ren, J. (2025). The Bright and Dark Side of Social Media in Marginalized Contexts. Proceedings of HICSS. Link [scholarspa...hawaii.edu]

Pearce, K., Gonzales, A., & Welles, B. (2020). Marginality and Social Media. Social Media + Society. Link [journals.sagepub.com]

Reddy, C. R. (2021). Challenges and Opportunities of Using Social Media to Advocate for Marginalized Groups. Elementary Education Online. Link [ilkogretim...online.org]

The Antisocial Network: Memes to Mayhem (2024). Documentary film. Wikipedia [en.wikipedia.org]

Onyari, A. J., & Ekevere, O. F. (2025). Social Media Activism: The Power of Hashtags and Online Movements in Driving Social Change. Int. J. Arts Humanit.

[ilovebeyonce2004]

Week 11

Question 1: How has social media changed traditional activism? Social media has completely changed the way activism works. Instead of relying on in-person meetings or flyers, people can now organize protests, share information, and connect with others instantly online. The #BlackLivesMatter movement is a major example of this change it started online and grew into one of the largest social justice movements in history. Social media makes it easier for people to take part, even if they can’t physically attend events.

Question 2: How does hashtag activism lead to real-life change? Hashtag activism helps spread awareness quickly and gives people a space to share personal stories. Campaigns like #MeToo showed how online movements can push for accountability and policy change in real life. These hashtags unite people around shared experiences and create pressure for leaders and organizations to act.

Question 3: What are some downsides of social media activism? Even though social media is a great tool for organizing, it also has some problems. Some people only post hashtags or share stories without taking real action, which is often called “slacktivism.” Misinformation can also spread fast, and people sometimes get tired of seeing constant activism online. Still, when it’s used the right way, social media can lead to real progress.

Question 4: How are young people shaping activism through social media? Young people use social media to speak up about issues they care about, like climate change and social justice. Movements such as #FridaysForFuture show how youth can use online platforms to reach global audiences and organize large events. Their creativity and passion make them some of the strongest voices in digital activism today.

References

Freelon, D., McIlwain, C. D., & Clark, M. D. (2018). Quantifying the power and consequences of social media protest. New Media & Society, 20(3), 990–1011. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444816676646

Gladwell, M. (2010, October 4). Small change: Why the revolution will not be tweeted. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/10/04/small-change-malcolm-gladwell

Haider, A., & Thompson, T. (2022). Youth digital activism and climate justice: The rise of Gen Z change-makers. Journal of Youth Studies, 25(6), 765–781. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2021.1965003

Jackson, S. J., Bailey, M., & Foucault Welles, B. (2020). #HashtagActivism: Networks of race and gender justice. MIT Press.

[ilovebeyonce2004]

Week 10

Platform Politics: How Social Media Platforms Shape Political Discourse

In today’s media landscape, platforms such as Twitter (now X), Instagram, TikTok and Meta Platforms’s properties are more than just social tools. They are arenas where political ideas are expressed, contested, amplified or suppressed. The concept of “platform politics” refers to the ways in which these social media platforms influence the political discourse: through algorithms that determine what becomes visible, through moderation policies that decide what gets removed or suppressed, and through manipulation of discourse by organised actors.

Question 1: How do platform algorithms decide which political content becomes visible or “trending,” and what are the Algorithms on social media serve as gatekeepers: what is shown, prioritized, or hidden from a user’s feed is determined by algorithmic curation (rather than purely chronological or editorial judgment). This means that visibility itself is a form of power. For example, a major study on Twitter’s home timeline found that in six out of seven countries studied, content associated with mainstream right-leaning political parties enjoyed higher algorithmic amplification than those from the mainstream left. The study measured “linger impressions” (when a tweet is visible on­screen for at least 0.5 seconds) and found the right-leaning accounts had major gains from the personalized timeline compared to a reverse-chronological control. Furthermore, research finds that algorithmic systems may also amplify low-credibility content, especially where the system is optimized for engagement rather than truth or deliberation. For example, in a 2024 observational study of Twitter, low-credibility content was found to receive amplification, and amplification was especially strong for right-leaning false claims on climate change. Consequences of algorithmic visibility include:

Certain political voices or ideologies gaining disproportionate reach, not because of quality, but because of algorithmic design.

Less exposure for minority or alternative viewpoints, reinforcing echo-chambers and limiting cross-ideological exposure.

A shift in what “counts” as trending news: content that triggers engagement (emotion, outrage) gets elevated.

Democratic implications: what we see (and thereby what we talk about) is partly determined by invisible algorithmic decisions, which shape public discourse and political mobilisation.

Question 2: What responsibilities do platforms have in moderating political content, and what tensions arise from these responsibilities? From an ethical standpoint, one researcher argues that platforms have a moral duty to moderate harmful speech: they should not enable or amplify wrongful speech by providing a venue for it or by boosting it. Michigan Publishing At the same time, the exercise of moderation power raises questions about free speech, bias, accountability, and transparency. For example, content moderation can distort online discourse: a 2024 paper found that removing toxic tweets changed the “topic composition” of what remained visible, shifting means and variances of discourse (i.e., moderation is not simply removal of harmful content, but alters the shape of conversation).

Question 3: In what ways do organised actors (states, campaigns, bots) manipulate discourse on platforms, and how does platform design enable or inhibit this? Social media platforms are fertile ground for manipulation: campaigns, states, interest groups, or coordinated actors can exploit the architecture of platforms to influence political discussion. For instance, a widely-reported investigation found thousands of automated accounts on Twitter promoting one political candidate and attacking rivals in the U.S. 2023 context. AP News More broadly, the design of platforms—algorithmic feeds, trending topic mechanics, virality incentives—means that manipulative actors can engineer engagement and thus greater visibility. Platform design enables manipulation in several ways:

Trending algorithms elevate hashtags or topics that receive bursts of coordinated activity.

Engagement-based ranking rewards content that triggers reaction, often polarising or sensational.

The lack of transparency or auditability allows hidden coordinated networks (bots, sock-puppet accounts) to operate.

Echo-chamber effects reduce exposure to counterarguments, making manipulation easier. The result: the boundary between user discourse, platform design, and political operation becomes blurred. Political influence is mediated through platform infrastructure.

Question 4: How can users, civil society, and policymakers respond or resist the politics of platforms

Develop digital literacy: understanding how feeds are influenced, how algorithms work, and recognising manipulation or echo-chamber dynamics.

Be critical of what is shown as “trending”: challenge assumptions of platform neutrality. For civil society and academic actors:

Advocate for transparency and algorithmic accountability: for example, audit studies of recommender systems reveal disparities.

Build alternative platforms or community norms that prioritise deliberation over engagement. For policymakers and regulators:

Push for governance frameworks that require platforms to publish data about amplification, moderation decisions, and algorithmic impacts.

Consider regulation of recommender systems, especially where political discourse is affected. In sum: resisting platform politics means both individual awareness and collective institutional action to align platform power with democratic norms rather than simply commercial incentives.

Conclusion

Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and others are not simply neutral conduits of political conversation—they are active shapers of discourse. Algorithms determine what we see, moderation policies determine what stays, and manipulative actors exploit platform design to shift discussions. Recognising the “platform politics” of social media is a critical step. The next step is asking: Who controls the platform? Whose voices are amplified or silenced? And how can we ensure that digital public spheres remain democratic, not just profitable?

References

Gil de Zúñiga, H., Barnidge, M., & Diehl, T. (2018). Political Persuasion on Social Media: A Moderated Moderation Model of Political Discussion Disagreement and Civil Reasoning. The Information Society, 34(5).

Howard, J. (2024). The Ethics of Social Media: Why Content Moderation is a Moral Duty. Journal of Practical Ethics, 11(2). Michigan Publishing

Corsi, G. (2024). Evaluating Twitter’s Algorithmic Amplification of Low-Credibility Content: An Observational Study. EPJ Data Science, 13, 18.

Audit study. Crowdsourced audit of Twitter’s recommender systems. (2023). Springer Nature.

[ilovebeyonce2004]

Week 8

1. How does gender affect the way people experience power and privilege in society? Gender plays a huge role in shaping people’s experiences with power. For example, men are often viewed as natural leaders, while women have to work harder to be taken seriously in the same roles. This imbalance shows how gender norms still give men more authority in workplaces and even at home. Intersectionality also matters — a Black woman might deal with both racism and sexism at once, which affects how much power she’s given in certain spaces.

2. Why is representation important in media when it comes to gender and sexuality? Representation matters because people want to see themselves reflected in what they watch and read. When media only shows straight, white, cisgender characters, it erases a lot of real experiences. Seeing LGBTQ+ people or women of color in strong, positive roles helps break stereotypes and shows that everyone deserves to be visible and respected.

3. How does toxic masculinity harm both men and women? Toxic masculinity teaches men to hide their feelings and act “tough,” which hurts them emotionally and physically. It also harms women by promoting control, dominance, and violence as signs of “manhood.” When men are taught it’s weak to cry or ask for help, they bottle things up — that’s why breaking those gender expectations benefits everyone.

4. What role does feminism play in promoting equality today? Modern feminism fights for more than just women’s rights — it’s about equality for everyone, no matter their gender or background. Feminists today push for equal pay, reproductive rights, and gender-neutral policies. It’s also about recognizing how issues like race, class, and sexuality connect to gender inequality.

References:

hooks, bell. Feminism Is for Everybody: Passionate Politics. South End Press, 2000.

Crenshaw, Kimberlé. “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color.” Stanford Law Review, vol. 43, no. 6, 1991.

Connell, R.W. Masculinities. University of California Press, 1995.

GLAAD. “The Importance of LGBTQ Representation in Media.” GLAAD.org, 2023.

[ilovebeyonce2004]

Week 6

Digital Labor: What We Don’t See Behind the Screen

Question 1: What even is digital labor, and how do we see it (or not see it)? Digital labor is all the work people do to make the internet look easy and fun from editing videos and running pages to moderating all the wild stuff people post online. The thing is, we barely ever see that part. When companies like TikTok or YouTube talk about their apps, they make it sound like everything’s done by “smart” technology. Behind those algorithms are real people doing hard work filtering content, tagging images, and training AI to know what’s good or bad.

Question 2: What’s an example of invisible labor behind something that looks cute and simple? Honestly, a good example is Hello Kitty. When you see Hello Kitty all over TikTok filters, Instagram pages, or YouTube merch hauls, it looks effortless just cute, pink, and positive. But there’s a whole system behind that image. People are editing photos, creating content, deleting hateful comments, and keeping that sweet aesthetic alive. Even the algorithms pushing Hello Kitty videos your way were trained by workers labeling tons of images. It’s all hidden behind that adorable smile.

Question 3: Why should we even care about this? Because all this “invisible” work keeps social media running, but the people doing it rarely get credit or fair pay. Big companies make millions off users posting and engaging for free. That’s labor too we just don’t think of it like that. When you look closer, a lot of this digital work happens in other countries, where people are paid little to clean up the content we never see.

Question 4: How can knowing this change how we think about technology? Once you realize there’s real human effort behind every “automatic” or “smart” system, it changes everything. You start seeing how tech isn’t as neutral as it looks it’s built on people’s time, emotions, and sometimes even trauma. Even something fun and harmless like Hello Kitty online depends on digital labor we never notice. It’s cute on the surface, but there’s a lot of unseen work underneath it all.

References:

Nakamura, Lisa. Digitizing Race: Visual Cultures of the Internet. University of Minnesota Press, 2007. She talks about racialized digital labor and how online spaces make invisible the work done by marginalized groups.

Nakamura, Lisa. “Don’t Hate the Player, Hate the Game: The Racialization of Labor in World of Warcraft.” Critical Studies in Media Communication, vol. 26, no. 2, 2009, pp. 128–144. This Explains how even in digital worlds, invisible racialized labor is exploited for entertainment and profit.

[ilovebeyonce2004]

Week 6

Digital Labor: What We Don’t See Behind the Screen

Question 1: What even is digital labor, and how do we see it (or not see it)? Digital labor is all the work people do to make the internet look easy and fun from editing videos and running pages to moderating all the wild stuff people post online. The thing is, we barely ever see that part. When companies like TikTok or YouTube talk about their apps, they make it sound like everything’s done by “smart” technology. Behind those algorithms are real people doing hard work filtering content, tagging images, and training AI to know what’s good or bad.

Question 2: What’s an example of invisible labor behind something that looks cute and simple? Honestly, a good example is Hello Kitty. When you see Hello Kitty all over TikTok filters, Instagram pages, or YouTube merch hauls, it looks effortless just cute, pink, and positive. But there’s a whole system behind that image. People are editing photos, creating content, deleting hateful comments, and keeping that sweet aesthetic alive. Even the algorithms pushing Hello Kitty videos your way were trained by workers labeling tons of images. It’s all hidden behind that adorable smile.

Question 3: Why should we even care about this? Because all this “invisible” work keeps social media running, but the people doing it rarely get credit or fair pay. Big companies make millions off users posting and engaging for free. That’s labor too we just don’t think of it like that. When you look closer, a lot of this digital work happens in other countries, where people are paid little to clean up the content we never see.

Question 4: How can knowing this change how we think about technology? Once you realize there’s real human effort behind every “automatic” or “smart” system, it changes everything. You start seeing how tech isn’t as neutral as it looks it’s built on people’s time, emotions, and sometimes even trauma. Even something fun and harmless like Hello Kitty online depends on digital labor we never notice. It’s cute on the surface, but there’s a lot of unseen work underneath it all.

References:

Nakamura, Lisa. Digitizing Race: Visual Cultures of the Internet. University of Minnesota Press, 2007. She talks about racialized digital labor and how online spaces make invisible the work done by marginalized groups.

Nakamura, Lisa. “Don’t Hate the Player, Hate the Game: The Racialization of Labor in World of Warcraft.” Critical Studies in Media Communication, vol. 26, no. 2, 2009, pp. 128–144. This Explains how even in digital worlds, invisible racialized labor is exploited for entertainment and profit.

[ilovebeyonce2004]

Week #6 10/3

1. What is digital labor, and how does it differ from traditional labor?

Digital labor is work that happens through digital platforms or technology, like driving for Uber, delivering food with DoorDash, or doing online tasks on sites like Amazon Mechanical Turk. It’s different from traditional jobs because it usually doesn’t come with the same protections, benefits, or stability. Traditional jobs are tied to contracts and specific workplaces, while digital labor is managed by apps and algorithms. Nowadays we use alot of digital labor especially college students because uber, Doordash, and online tasks are good things to do for us.

2. What are the main types of digital labor?

There are a few main categories:

Gig/Platform Work: jobs found through apps, such as ride-hailing or food delivery.

Microtasks: small online tasks like labeling photos, checking content, or tagging data.

Unpaid User Labor: when people post, like, and share on social media, their activity creates profit for companies even if they don’t get paid.

AI Support Work: people doing behind-the-scenes jobs like data labeling that help train artificial intelligence systems

3. What are the biggest challenges for digital workers?

Digital workers face unstable pay and a lack of benefits like healthcare. Many depend on algorithms to assign them tasks, which means they don’t always know why they’re being paid a certain amount or why work is slow. This creates a lot of uncertainty. Another issue is that much of this work is invisible — most people don’t realize how many humans are behind the apps and websites they use every day

4. How is digital labor connected to AI and data economies?

Artificial intelligence systems rely on human digital labor. For example, AI models need data that is labeled and corrected by people, which often comes from low-paid online workers. Even social media data — the posts, likes, and shares people create — becomes part of how companies train AI and make money. In other words, human effort is still at the center of AI, even if it doesn’t always get recognized (Gray & Suri, 2019).

5. What policies or solutions could protect digital workers?

Some possible solutions are:

Giving platform workers employee status or at least some protections like minimum wage and benefits.

Requiring companies to explain how their algorithms decide pay and ratings.

Allowing gig workers to organize or form unions.

Creating portable benefits that follow workers across different platforms.

Recognizing that workers should have rights over the data they generate (ILO, 2021).

References

Scholz, T. (2013). Digital Labor: The Internet as Playground and Factory. Routledge.

Graham, M., & Anwar, M. A. (2019). The Global Gig Economy: Towards a Planetary Labour Market? First Monday.

Wood, A. J., Graham, M., Lehdonvirta, V., & Hjorth, I. (2019). Good Gig, Bad Gig: Autonomy and Algorithmic Control in the Global Gig Economy. Work, Employment and Society.

Gray, M. L., & Suri, S. (2019). Ghost Work: How to Stop Silicon Valley from Building a New Global Underclass. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

International Labour Organization (ILO). (2021). World Employment and Social Outlook 2021: The role of digital labor platforms in transforming the world of work.

[ilovebeyonce2004]

Week #4

Blog Post: Memes and Culture

Memes today are one of the main ways people share and express culture. They might look like simple jokes online, but they carry a lot of meaning. Memes often reflect cultural values, struggles, humor, and even politics. They spread fast across the internet, but what makes them powerful is how they capture what people are thinking and feeling in the moment.

Critical Discussion Questions & Responses:

1. How do memes represent culture? Memes show culture because they put collective feelings into one picture or phrase. For example, the “This Is Fine” dog meme became popular in chaotic times since it perfectly captured how people laugh through stressful or uncertain situations. It wasn’t just funny but it spoke to how society deals with crisis.

2. In what ways do memes bring people together? Memes connect people because sharing the same meme feels like being in on the same inside joke. Even strangers online can feel like part of a community through memes. Black Twitter, for instance, often uses memes to celebrate culture, call out injustice, or share relatable humor that others outside the community might not understand.

3. Can memes be used to critique or challenge social norms? Yes. A lot of memes call out authority or highlight social issues. During COVID-19, for example, people made memes about government contradictions and misinformation. It was a way to criticize while still keeping things humorous.

4. Are memes universal, or do they depend on cultural context? They depend heavily on cultural context. Some memes are like SpongeBob reaction memes work across cultures because they’re so simple and relatable. But many memes only make sense in certain communities. For example, jokes about U.S. student loans wouldn’t translate to a country with free college.

Conclusion: Memes aren’t just jokes but they’re cultural artifacts. They capture feelings about politics, identity, and everyday life in a quick, shareable way. Because they spread so fast and adapt to different groups, memes show how culture itself is always shifting and evolving.

https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th/id/OIP.qRRhMxiFivckHd4yqpo2mgHaDt?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain&o=7&rm=3

References:

Know Your Meme. (n.d.). This is fine. In Know Your Meme. Retrieved September 19, 2025, from https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/this-is-fine

Phipps, K. (2023, January 6). ‘This Is Fine’: The meme that defined a decade. The Atlantic. Retrieved September 19, 2025, from https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2023/01/this-is-fine-dog-meme-cultural-relevancy/672838/

[ilovebeyonce2004]

Week #4

Blog Post: Memes and Culture

Memes today are one of the main ways people share and express culture. They might look like simple jokes online, but they carry a lot of meaning. Memes often reflect cultural values, struggles, humor, and even politics. They spread fast across the internet, but what makes them powerful is how they capture what people are thinking and feeling in the moment.

Critical Discussion Questions & Responses:

1. How do memes represent culture? Memes show culture because they put collective feelings into one picture or phrase. For example, the “This Is Fine” dog meme became popular in chaotic times since it perfectly captured how people laugh through stressful or uncertain situations. It wasn’t just funny but it spoke to how society deals with crisis.

2. In what ways do memes bring people together? Memes connect people because sharing the same meme feels like being in on the same inside joke. Even strangers online can feel like part of a community through memes. Black Twitter, for instance, often uses memes to celebrate culture, call out injustice, or share relatable humor that others outside the community might not understand.

3. Can memes be used to critique or challenge social norms? Yes. A lot of memes call out authority or highlight social issues. During COVID-19, for example, people made memes about government contradictions and misinformation. It was a way to criticize while still keeping things humorous.

4. Are memes universal, or do they depend on cultural context? They depend heavily on cultural context. Some memes are like SpongeBob reaction memes work across cultures because they’re so simple and relatable. But many memes only make sense in certain communities. For example, jokes about U.S. student loans wouldn’t translate to a country with free college.

Conclusion: Memes aren’t just jokes but they’re cultural artifacts. They capture feelings about politics, identity, and everyday life in a quick, shareable way. Because they spread so fast and adapt to different groups, memes show how culture itself is always shifting and evolving.

https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th/id/OIP.qRRhMxiFivckHd4yqpo2mgHaDt?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain&o=7&rm=3

References:

Know Your Meme. (n.d.). This is fine. In Know Your Meme. Retrieved September 19, 2025, from https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/this-is-fine

Phipps, K. (2023, January 6). ‘This Is Fine’: The meme that defined a decade. The Atlantic. Retrieved September 19, 2025, from https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2023/01/this-is-fine-dog-meme-cultural-relevancy/672838/

[elusivee-phantom]

Domanick Stewart, August 7, 2024.

Evan Bryant, August 30, 2024.

Javion Magee, September 11, 2024.

Jacobe Lindsey, September 17, 2024.

Denoris Richardson, September 28, 2024.

Percy Mixon, October 11, 2024.

Mario Kaiser, April 29, 2025.

Earl Smith, June 18th, 2025.

Trey Reed, September 15, 2025.

[seaphine]

[ilovebeyonce2004]

Week 3

The surveillance of marginalized communities.

1. How does technology end up reinforcing the same systems of power and inequality that already exist?

A lot of surveillance tech just builds on the bias that’s already in the system. Predictive policing is a good example—because Black and Latinx neighborhoods have been over-policed for decades, the data going into the system is already skewed. So, when algorithms say those areas are “high risk,” it justifies sending more police there. Instead of fixing inequality, the tech locks people into cycles of constant policing.

2. Why are marginalized groups more likely to be watched or tracked compared to privileged groups?

Surveillance isn’t applied evenly. For instance, immigrant communities deal with ICE using license plate scanners, facial recognition, and even social media monitoring. On the other hand, wealthier (often white) neighborhoods usually get cameras framed as “for safety,” not as a way to criminalize them. That difference shows how surveillance works as a tool of control for some and protection for others.

3. What impact does being constantly watched have on how marginalized people live their everyday lives?

When people know they’re being watched all the time, they change how they act—whether they want to or not. In schools, for example, Black and Brown students often face cameras, metal detectors, and even police in hallways. That creates a prison-like vibe, sending the message that they’re already suspects. Over time, it can make students anxious, self-conscious, and distrustful of authority, while also limiting their sense of freedom and safety.

4. What are some ways communities have fought back against harmful surveillance?

Resistance does happen, and it’s powerful. Groups like the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition have organized to shut down predictive policing programs in Los Angeles. Other organizations push for facial recognition bans, stronger privacy protections, and transparency around data collection. These actions show that marginalized communities aren’t just passive victims—they’re pushing back and demanding tech that protects people instead of targeting them.

[ilovebeyonce2004]

A time technology failed me was when I dropped my phone at the beach. I remember waking up the next day and realizing something was wrong I couldn’t type or touch the screen in one specific area on my phone. At first, I didn’t think it was a big deal, but very quickly it became clear how much it affected my ability to use my phone. That one unresponsive area made it nearly impossible to do anything important. For example, every time I tried to text someone, I had to use voice memos because my phone wouldn’t register my touches when typing. It felt frustrating and inconvenient, especially when I was in public or in a quiet space and couldn’t speak out loud. I never realized how much I relied on being able to type until that moment. It became even worse when I needed to answer phone calls. The “accept” button was right in the part of the screen that wasn’t working, so I couldn’t slide to answer calls. I missed several important ones, and that made me feel helpless and stressed, especially when I knew people were trying to reach me urgently. I also couldn’t use certain apps properly social media, email, banking apps all became nearly unusable because of that small damaged area. I tried restarting my phone, drying it out, and even gently tapping around the screen, but nothing worked. Eventually, I had to get the screen replaced, which cost money and time I hadn’t planned for. This experience made me realize how much I depend on technology every day and how one small accident can throw off my entire routine. It taught me to be more careful especially around water and to always back up my data.