Blog Post 11: EOTO Reflection

I found that my favorite presentation during class was taught by Group 2. They covered the topics surrounding whistle-blowing, online influencers, mainstream media, echo chambers, and alternative media. 

The first topic that was discussed in this group was Whistleblowing. The definition of Whistleblowing is a person, who could be an employee of a company or a government agency, disclosing information to the public or some higher authority about any wrongdoing, which could be in the form of fraud, corruption, etc.  The presenter discussed the pros and cons of whistle blowing. The pros consisted of fighting corruption, earning financial compensation, and making sure wrongdoers are not rewarded. The cons consisted of putting the whistleblowers job and life at risk, the process is very lengthy, and the whistleblowers claim is not always true. An example of a whistleblower is Edward Snowden who had to move to Russia in order to protect himself. 

The second topic that was presented was alternative media. The definition of alternative media is media sources that differ from more mainstream or dominant spaces if media in terms of content, production, and/or distribution. Some examples that were mentioned included antiwar.com and theamericanconservative.com. Both of these examples were used in our class so everyone was familiar with them. These websites discuss topics that are not covered in mainstream news. The pros of alternative media include the source usually remains unbiased, it utilizes other components like sound and motion, it allows unfamiliar topics to shine, and it better represents the diversity in this world. The cons consisted of being risky to spread misinformation and fake news and also puts writers at a disadvantage when trying to convey a message.  

The third topic covered was mainstream media. Examples the presenter gave included major networks like CNN and NBC. Mainstream media is defined as traditional or established broadcasting or publishing outlets. These sources are what pops up first when you look up news channels. 

The fourth topic covered was Echo Chambers. An Echo Chamber is defined as environment where a person only sees information that reflects their own opinion. The presenter mentioned ways we can prevent this from happening. Checking different news sources, educating yourself on the different views of the world, and understanding the difference between fact and fake news are all ways we can prevent falling a victim to Echo Chambers. 

The fifth topic covered discussed online influencers. The definition of an influencer is a user on social media who established credibility in a specific industry. These influencers must be famous on social media in order to make money off of this job. Pros that were listed included the ability to work from home and getting paid to do something you love. The cons consisted of not having a regular, set income and having to work unusual hours. 

Finally, the sixth topic that was covered was Citizen Journalism. The definition of Citizen Journalism is public citizens "playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing, and disseminating news and information." This is not always a good thing. Although it can spread diversity, it also could spread a lot of fake news.