According to this article, there is technology from LandAirSea that like Apple AirTags, can track one’s location and movement. Beyond paying for the device, users also need to pay to add it to a cellular plan in order to properly access the network that will share the location of the device. This information updates and is presented via app, which makes it accessible and convenient for users. Besides describing the abilities of LandAirSea, the article also covers various other different technologies like Apple AirTags and Tiles. Each device performs slightly differently depending on where the device is and how frequently or accurately the user would like to see location. Overall, all three technologies – LandAirSea, Apple AirTags and TIles – have raised privacy concerns over who can access the information and the involvement of this technology in stalking or other criminal activities. 

As we discussed in class, there are privacy issues with smart devices because of the extent of information they can collect and then be accessed by outside sources. We also discussed whether smart cars and drones should be able to connect to the Internet, but because of the presence of hackers, this could be a dangerous element in society. Despite this discussion, according to this article 70% of survey respondents report having smart devices in their homes even though they are concerned about privacy. I think moving into the future, privacy is something we should keep in mind and ensure that the data collected is not being used in dangerous ways.

Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/11/technology/airtags-gps-surveillance.html 

https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/5/13/18547235/trust-smart-devices-privacy-security

Despite its new technology released like the Metaverse, Meta has had a decline in value in terms of the $250 billion it has lost from its market value the week of Feb. 4. This article recounts some reasons that this loss may have occurred.  

Meta includes many social platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram; however, although there are many users, Meta has seen a recent decrease in Facebook users, an occurrence that is atypical of Facebook user patterns. We learned in class that social media platforms depend on their number of users and user engagement, connecting to the reason that a decrease in users would harm Meta’s value. Furthering on the idea of Meta’s value, advertisers may not pay Meta as much if there are fewer users and advertisers consider Apple’s new policy that prevents Facebook from tracking certain user activity. Another observed trend is that while Meta is attempting to keep up with trends by adding features like Instagram Reels, the return on investment for these features is not as high as Meta would have liked because advertising to users with this feature is not as effective as previous ways.

Meta’s decrease in value shows that the number of users, privacy policies and social media’s technology features have major impacts on companies; similar to a cycle where technology and people continuously affect each other. The trends of social media, especially if one thinks about which platforms have more users, also applies to the topic of personal branding that we learned in class. As we discussed, employers will check interviewees’ social accounts to see if it looks professional and appropriate, but social media can also be used to express one’s personality, which can be important for more creative career positions. For example, this article mentions to “regularly share content,” and depending on the platform or the given times, this recommendation would require people to learn and stay updated with new features like TikTok, Instagram Reels, the metaverse and other social media that may be released in the future.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/03/technology/facebook-meta-challenges.html 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/03/technology/apple-privacy-changes-meta.html 

https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/10-steps-to-building-your-personal-brand-on-social-media

Many companies have begun launching new systems and softwares that have users’ privacy in mind. Google has been one of the companies as it announced its latest system called Topics. Topics is part of Google’s commitment to privacy and security, as the company says that Topics will prevent third-party advertisers from collecting specific user information. Instead, Topics will give advertisers overall subjects or keywords connected to users’ history and patterns. Additionally, information on these subjects would only be stored for three weeks. Topics is a development from Google’s movement towards strengthening security and privacy. For example, the company also released settings where users have the option to regularly delete their search histories or prevent systems from keeping information on their searches. 

Despite what seems like progress, some people are still reluctant and unhappy with Google’s actions. In this article, Director of Privacy at Brave Peter Snyder said that Google’s Topics does not mean that the company has committed to changing the way it currently keeps user information for an infinite amount of time, such as search history. 

This point was interesting to read about being that Google has given the option for users to change their settings so search histories will not be kept, but at the same time, it means users have to go out of their way to manually enable these settings themselves. If not done, it seems Google will still collect the information. Several individuals believe that these policies are unethical due to the way they keep personal data. According to the Google Privacy Policy, users can “manage [their] preferences about the ads shown to you on Google” and “choose whether [their] personal information is used to make ads more relevant,” which aligns with what the article reports. However, one could note that the privacy policy means that users have to make the effort to change their preferences themselves versus Google protecting their privacy automatically for them. 

It seems that based on its new Topics system, Google is giving up some of its potential business with advertisers because it is limiting the data it is sharing with third-party advertisers. Just as we learned in class, ads are placed on sites by Google based on information collected about users. Advertisers will pay Google for this kind of information and also for Google to place their ads. We also learned that social media platforms make money from advertisers and that at the end of the day, advertisers are their customers. This article puts this into perspective in terms of Google seemingly trying to balance its business side with its commitment to privacy. With the development of new trends and technology, I would think that this issue of privacy will continue to be a relevant point for many years.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/25/business/google-topics-chrome-tracking.html 

https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en-US#infochoices

The pandemic has been a difficult time for everyone, and as companies move back into office, they hope to reduce some of their employees’ stress through technology such as apps. Apps have been helpful to employees returning to office because everyone can easily access information from personal devices like phones or laptops.

Similar to intranet’s way of connecting a company internally, apps can also expand on these abilities to facilitate effective communications between employees. One example is how employees can check to see how many people are in a conference room or reserve a conference room through an app, which are both features that can reduce the amount of close contact with others. 

While these apps are helpful, this article brings up a relevant point: privacy. Tracking location is beneficial to promote social distancing and reduce the number of people in one area, but the data being collected needs to be addressed appropriately. If all employees have the company app on their phone, concerns of tracking location and time spent at each location arise from this situation. 

This information reminded me of the topics we discussed in class. Other platforms such as Google also track people’s information like search history or click patterns. We also learned that Google also knows which sites receive more traffic, meaning the company can analyze patterns and see which websites or topics are favored by more members of the public.To oppose this data collection, there are recommended ways on how to protect one’s privacy on Google, and having these methods made me think that these options should also be available on company apps especially if the app is the kind that asks for location to be on at all times. While this may tie back to what the app’s functions are for depending on the company’s preference, it is important for companies to keep the privacy issue in mind and do what they can to give employees control over their privacy.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/18/business/building-apps-office-return.html?referringSource=articleShare 

https://www.computerworld.com/article/2551090/6-ways-to-protect-your-privacy-on-google.html

It seems like only one’s imagination is the limit based on the new technology introduced by Mark Zuckerburg: the metaverse. The metaverse includes features that allow users to change their appearances. These changes include clothes and other cosmetic elements. With so many possibilities, the metaverse provides a method for all people to express themselves as they choose. This option connects to major parts of society like fashion and the ways companies would like to brand themselves, ultimately impacting the lifestyles of many. As of now, the metaverse seems like it would have a positive impact on society because of the way it is changing the fashion industry.

For example, fashion brands can now design clothes through the metaverse and produce material similar to both advertising and public relations campaigns. It is possible that this technology could allow a greater reach to customers, and customers can access materials virtually from the comfort of their own homes. This feature seems especially important today when considering the public’s health with the presence of COVID-19, and relates to when we discussed in class that a trend is that with the internet, certain technology can be easily used and learned by many people. The metaverse puts accessibility into perspective and hopefully opens doors to making otherwise in-person events available to a wider audience.

In class, we also discussed the difference between hardware and software. The metaverse seems similar to a software because it is a virtual world, but the article suggests one needs hardware such as a VR headset to access the metaverse. Sharing hardware can connect to the benefit of sustainability because virtual events do not produce the same waste as in-person fashion events. Additionally, clothes no longer have to be physically manufactured, which also reduces waste. Using the metaverse to be more sustainable can help reduce pollution that results from the fashion industry, which can hopefully help improve the living conditions for many people around the world. 

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/20/style/metaverse-fashion.html?referringSource=articleShare 

https://www.thecut.com/2020/02/fashion-week-is-simply-not-sustainable.html