Monday, October 29, 2018

10/30: The Web and (Mis)Information


Class

Essential Question: How does the World Wide Web help and hinder the sharing of information and the creation of a knowledge society?

1. From Nineteen Eighty-Four

2. Read: The Onion: “Facebook User Verifies Truth of Article by Carefully Checking it Against Own Preconceived Opinions”

3. Report on Shane. See the definition for Yellow Journalism

4. Reflect and Discuss:

Problem 1: What's legitimate information? What is dubious information? How can we tell the difference? Why does being able to tell the difference matter?

Step 1: Individually, evaluate and report:

A. Here is a sample of the homepage for Slate.com. Identify which of the numbered items is a news story, and which is an advertisement. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_Egjt-4g-yZaUgza0pnTEM0TGs/view?usp=sharing

B. Does this post provide strong evidence about the conditions near the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant? Explain your reasoning.  http://imgur.com/gallery/BZWWx

What about the original posting? https://twitter.com/san_kaido/status/603513371934130176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

C. Why this tweet might and might not be a useful source of information?https://twitter.com/moveon/status/666772893846675456?lang=en

More on the Fukushima Mutant Flowers
Step 2: With a partner, define and report: What is and is not "fake news"?
  • Satirical news from a site like The Onion (“Dolphin Spends Amazing Vacation Swimming With Stockbroker”) 
  • The daily clickbait in our social media feeds (such as the one written by the "new yellow journalist" Shane).
  • Outright invented news, like pieces that claimed, just before the election, that Pope Francis had endorsed Donald J. Trump, or that Donald Trump had once said that “Republicans are the dumbest group of voters.”
  • Erroneous interpretation of a fact that is distributed without fact-checking (as with the  Fukushima Mutant Flowers). 
  • "Native advertising": Advertisement passing as news (as in Slate.com).  
  • News that shows a highly partisan bias. 
 Consider: Are some of these forms of unreliable news more dangerous than others? Which? Why?

Problem 2: How do the Internet and Web help and hinder fake news? 

Individually, reflect and report: In a recent letter to the world, Sir Tim Berners-Lee reminded us that he imagined the world wide as "an open platform that would allow everyone, everywhere to share information, access opportunities and collaborate across geographic and cultural boundaries." In what ways do the specific characteristics of the Internet and the World Wide Web, especially in its 2.0, 3.0, and mobile versions contribute to the boom of fake news?

Possible solutions: Explore and report: CUNY Graduate School Fake News Cheat Sheet 

See also :

Fact-checking sites:
Browser plug-ins:

For next class

ALL Journals are due Saturday 11/3 by 9:00AM

Thursday, October 25, 2018

10/25: Mass and Targeted Surveillance



Instructions on how to turn in Assignment 3: When you have completed the writing process, turn in
Class

1. Lecture/discussion on the documentary Terms and Conditions May Apply
http://laguardia.kanopystreaming.com/playlist/1323442
Interview with Director Cullen Hoback
2. Lecture on The Guardian's "The NSA Files: Decoded"

3. Freewriting: Your reaction to the information you have learned today

4. Complete the Exit Questions: https://goo.gl/forms/cgcyno5ErSrpvlWb2

For next class
  • Read: Shane, “From Headline to Photograph, a Fake News Masterpiece.”
  • Write: Journal 8 on Shane using the 7Ws

Monday, October 22, 2018

10/22: Hackers

Class

1. Review: Check "Algorithmic Accountability: A Primer”: https://datasociety.net/output/algorithmic-accountability-a-primer/ and maybe watch this video: https://youtu.be/e_WfC8HwVB8

2. Report on Honan
2. Writing lesson: Introductions and Conclusions

3. Complete the Exit Questions: https://goo.gl/forms/cgcyno5ErSrpvlWb2

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

10/18: Algorithms, Data Mining, Profiling, and Rateocracy


Instructions on how to turn in Assignment 3: When you have completed the writing process, turn in
Class

1. Report on Andrews and Silverman

2. How bad is it? Check:
3. Watch/Discuss: Zeynep Tufekci, “Machine intelligence makes human morals more important.” (TED Talk and transcript)

4. Complete the Exit Questions: https://goo.gl/forms/cgcyno5ErSrpvlWb2

For next class
  • Read: Honan, Mat. “Kill the Password: Why a String of Characters Can’t Protect Us Anymore" 
  • Write: Journal 7 on Honan using the 7Ws
Ongoing:  Watch the documentary Terms and Conditions
http://laguardia.kanopystreaming.com/video/terms-and-conditions-may-apply-1

Monday, October 15, 2018

10/16: The Web and Privacy

Essential Question:  How has the current version of the World Wide Web changed our relationship with the establishment, particularly in terms of personal information?

Class

1. Report on George Orwell's Nineteen eighty-four. 
2. Writing lesson: The Whys and Hows of Modern Language Association style. Here are some guides to help you:
    Check that Assignment 3 is properly formatted. The paper
    • has a header, heading, and title
    • the title of the paper and the title of the Works Cited page are centered
    • the entries of the Works Cited page are formatted using hanging indent
    • is in 12 size font 
    • is double spaced
    • has the first line of its paragraphs indented
    4. Complete the Exit Questions: https://goo.gl/forms/cgcyno5ErSrpvlWb2

      For next class
      Read:
      • Andrews, “George Orwell...Meet Mark Zuckerberg”: Armani, Jaden,Yorheli, Cheyanne,Olga, Gabriel,  Yaneiry, Diamond, Lucia, Kyla, Majik
      • Silverman, “The Reputation Racket”: Rafael,  Hans, Abigail, Kevin, Harry, Gabriella, Erik, Shella, Nanjin,  Mary, Shidedsi,Yang
      Write: Journal 6 on Andrews, checking on vocabulary and using the 7Ws or on Silverman

      Instructions on how to turn in Assignment 3: When you have completed the writing process, turn in



      Thursday, October 11, 2018

      10/11: Writing Workshop for Assignment 3

      Class

      1. If you have a complete first draft, get together with your reader so you can complete the Reader Feedback for Assignment 3, online or by hand. Decide on who will be your second reader

      Once you have completed and read feedback from two people, work on the second draft of Assignment 3
       OR
      If you have not finished the first draft, finish the first draft. You will have to find two readers to complete the Reader Feedback for Assignment 3

      3. Introducing the Response Paper Checklist

      For next class
      • Read: George Orwell's Nineteen eighty-four
      • Write: Journal 5 on Orwell using the 7Ws
      Instructions on how to turn in Assignment 3: When you have completed the writing process, turn in

      Monday, October 8, 2018

      10/9: Writing Workshop

      Class

      1. Thesis Workshop:

      Responses to your thesis statements HERE
      • I will group you with others to discuss your thesis for feedback
      • If you did not write a thesis, write it now. 
      Criteria to consider for the evaluation of theses:
        2. Create: A document to write Assignment 2 in your Google Drive folder

        3. Work on your Useful Introduction (suggested turn-in date: this Thursday) or the response paper (suggested turn-in date: next Thursday, 10/18)

        For next class
        • Begin reading George Orwell's Nineteen eighty-four  and complete the 7Ws for it
         Instructions on how to turn in Assignment 3: When you have completed the writing process, turn in
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