Blog 4 The Dark Side

Blog 4 The Dark Side

Cyber Stalking

            “If someone keeps contacting you on Facebook or any kind of online site and it’s making you scared and upset, it sounds like you’re being stalked” (DCRVC). Cyber stalking is a serious issue online. With the powers of the Internet it is easier than ever.

On May 17, 2013:

 “Joseph J. Ostrowski, 29, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to serve 30 years in federal prison by a federal judge in the Middle District of Pennsylvania for offenses that included a charge of cyberstalking in the Western District of Michigan. The investigation of the cyberstalking charge by the Lansing, Michigan FBI and the Michigan State University Police Department (MSUPD) resulted in the execution of a federal search warrant for Ostrowski’s residence in Wilkes-Barre in May 2012. That search resulted not only in the seizure of evidence of cyberstalking of MSU students, but also in the discovery that Ostrowski—at the time the head football coach of a local high school—was committing numerous child pornography felonies in Pennsylvania. Charged both in the Western District of Michigan with cyberstalking and in the Middle District of Pennsylvania with numerous child pornography felonies, Ostrowski pled guilty to both cases in Pennsylvania as part of a plea agreement that allowed for the transfer of the Michigan case to Pennsylvania for guilty plea and sentencing.”

There are ways that you can protect yourself from cyber stalking. If you feel like someone knows your email account information then you should think about creating a new one. Also keep your password hard to guess and never let your computer remember it. Stay signed out of things you are not using. Don’t check the “keep me signed in box” on Facebook. Lastly, save any threatening or abusive email’s, messages or photos in case they are needed for evidence later on.

Works Cited

DCRVC. Cyber-stalking and harassment. n.d. Document. 24 November 2013.

Office, US Attorney's. Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Cyberstalking and Child Pornography Offenses. 17 May 2013. Article. 24 November 2013.

Blog Prompt 2

Facebook Like/Dislike

               Facebook is a very popular social network where people from anywhere in the world can connect to each other. It is great that people can stay connected easier than ever before. Facebook is great for friends and family to keep connected and updated on their families lives. “Before the era of Facebook, long-distance relatives and friends might only be heard from on a rare occasion” (Kindall). Facebook has made communication very easy and allowed more families and friends to stay connected. “Facebook has broken down barriers and made long-distance relatives seem as if they are a thing of the past” (Kindall). Not only are you able to communicate with far away people but it is a form of instant messaging.

               Facebook can have a negative effect on society as well. Cyber-bullying is a major issue on social networks. Facebook is the easiest to access. “A new level of bullying has come over time with the easy accessibility of cell phones and computers. Cyber bullying, cell phone texting, and cell phone sexting have rapidly become more subtle and prevailing forms of harassment/violent acts within our schools and the lives of our private and public school children” (Will and Clayburn). Cyber bullying has led people to cut themselves and even commit suicide. It is a horrible thing and needs to be stopped.

Twitter Time

               Twitter has had a huge impact on communication. With twitter there is a large amount of news worthy material. Average people that were around when something bad happens can take pictures and tweet out what is happening right as it happens. With such a large fan base, twitter is a great source for a quick news outlet. For example, “On Monday afternoon at 2:56 p.m., three hours after the fastest runner of the Boston Marathon crossed the finish line, my Twitter feed lit up. Someone in the office yelled “Two explosions at the Boston Marathon, may be terrorism.” Within seconds, there were first hand reports, photos and even video circulating” (Ritholtz). This tweet was put up before any news station made the scene. This shows more personal experiences with large news stories.

               Even with this first hand news not everyone trusts it. “It is said that 34 percent of people think that Facebook and Twitter have caused the news to be of lower quality” (Dugen). I think that with faster news outlets and with more personal experiences that this is a good thing. I can see why people would think this though. With such a short period of time from when something happens to when it gets tweeted, there is a large amount of details left out, but that isn’t a bad thing. This gives news stations some more information before they get to the scene.

Works Cited

Dugen, Lauren. 34% Of People Think Twitter, Facebook Have Negative Effect On News Quality. 27 Febuary 2012. Article. 17 October 2013.

Kindall, Caitlynn. Standard Examiner. 6 Febuary 2013. Article. 15 October 2013.

Ritholtz, Barry. How Twitter is becoming your first source of investment news. 20 April 2013. News. 17 October 2013.

Will, Jerry and Clim Clayburn. The Psychological Impact of Cyber Bullying. November 2010. Article. 17 October 2013.

Blog Prompt 1

Advantages of the Internet

            One advantage of the Internet is fast communication. “Newer innovations are only making it faster and more reliable” (Pakhare). We can have conversations with others in real time, even if they are on a different part of the world, using the Internet. “The Internet has given us a common platform and medium through which we are able to explore other cultures and ideologies” (Pakhare).

            A second advantage is the fact that the Internet is almost an endless source of information. Search engines organize the information so it is easy to find. “It has become common practice to seek assistance from the web in order to research and gather resources for homework, office presentations, and supplement one’s own research” (Pakhare). The Web is also constantly staying up to date on news and information.

            A third advantage is that there is entertainment for everyone. “Entertainment is one of the foremost reasons why people prefer surfing the Web” (Pakhare). There are so many free entertainment outlets on the Internet nowadays, including YouTube, many websites to play games, and even social networks.

Disadvantages of the Internet

            A disadvantage of the Internet is the theft of personal information. These include but are not limited to: credit card numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and names. “The use of Internet for banking, social networking, or other services, often makes our personal information vulnerable to theft” (Pakhare). This could cause identity theft and the unwanted use of credit cards.

            A second disadvantage is spamming. “Spamming refers to sending unwanted e-mails, which serve no purpose and needlessly obstruct the computer system” (Pakhare). This is a very common sight when using things such as email, considering a majority of my emails are spam. “Spammers usually use bots that bombard the receiver with an endless line of advertisements” (Pakhare).

            A third disadvantage is age-inappropriate content. “Pornography and age-inappropriate content is perhaps the biggest disadvantage of the Internet. The worst being underage porn, which is largely rampant in the deeper parts of the web” (Pakhare). It is unwanted and unnecessary content that is strongly frowned upon in most societies. A big issue with it is how easy it is for younger children to stumble upon.

Works Cited

Pakhare, Jayashree. Buzzle. 10 July 2013. Article. 30 September 2013.

  http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-disadvantages-internet.html

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