Propaganda Through the Years

 What is Propaganda?

Propaganda is the effort to manipulate other people's beliefs, attitudes, or actions using symbols, words, gestures, articles, banners, etc. Propaganda is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda and encourage certain perceptions of people. This can be found in news, journalism, government, advertising, entertainment, education, and activism. Through various media platforms, people try to imprint and force their beliefs onto others to get others to adopt their beliefs or ideas.

History of Propaganda 

Propaganda has always been around. However, World War I was the first time it had been evoked globally. Propaganda elicited hatred among nations and people to encourage neutral countries to join and support them in their fight. 

World War I was a famous era known for the propaganda surrounding the moment in history. During the beginning of World War I, countries used propaganda to shape their nations' views about the war, instilling a strong sense of patriotism in their people to justify their actions and build international support for their sides of the war. World War I had two main sides: the allies and the central powers. The allies powers were Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Canada, Japan, and the United States. While the major powers were Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. All the countries used propaganda to influence people's minds and build strong support for their sides. 

These countries built support for their sides while also building animosity for other countries on the opposing side. During wartime, large and full-formated posters and banners were displayed in schools and public areas depicting an image or message about the wartime efforts or ways to get involved. These posters and banners encouraged participation in the war effort by encouraging men to enlist, make donations, and publicize victories. Overall, propaganda was used to help guide people into adopting specific ideas and forcing people to accept certain beliefs and opinions of wartime to allow the government to further its agenda and push its narratives of stories.

World War II Propaganda 

While in World War I, the focus of propaganda was to elicit strong feelings of patriotism in people and side with specific ideals of the war. World War II propaganda was used for the same purpose to produce strong feelings in members of nations; however, as society began to change and new social norms became apparent, propaganda was used to push new ideas and open people's minds to new ideas and opportunities for change. Propaganda also displayed how society was advancing and accepting new ideas through the use and publication of flyers and banners.

For example, Rosie the Riveter was a campaign that encouraged women it was their patriotic duty to their country to enter the workforce on behalf of their country, as half of the men were fighting in the war with troops. This led to women being accepted in the workplace more, eventually leading to society rejecting some of the gender norms that had been set in the past. For the first time in history, women were allowed to be seen as strong and able to do more than take care of their homes and children. 

While propaganda does have an agenda to get people to believe one thing over another, propaganda can help societies advance and make the transition of introducing challenging and new norms into society to be accepted. 

Propaganda Today 

Although we are no longer in wartimes, propaganda is still used in everyday life, from news and politics to advertisements and everyday television. Today in advertising, companies play on consumers' emotions by appealing to their desire to be rich and live luxurious lives. Through knowing this, advertisers portray products and services in a specific way to encourage them to think they have to have it and ultimately cause them to buy it.

Russian-Ukrainian War Propaganda 

Today the world has been divided on the most significant issue: The Russian-Ukranian War. Unfortunately, the media portrayal of the topic has proved biased as countries fail to provide an objective view of coverage on the subject due to their beliefs and specific support for different sides. Countries have skewed readers' opinions on the war by swaying stories to benefit their country or make one side look better than the other without presenting all the facts or the whole story.

Russian and American channels have been accused of using fabricated stories, misleading information, and false narratives in the news regarding the issue and the threat the war poses to the world today. As the case of deceptive and fabricated news continues during this new era of propaganda, it is essential to diversify your news sources and seek out the whole story before coming to a conclusion from one perspective.

 

How Propaganda Affects Society  

While propaganda takes on many new forms today, it impacts how the press informs us, and we must be able to analyze and pick out the facts from opinions to ensure we are getting the full story and truth. In addition, propaganda can alter how we think about topics and situations, inadvertently shaping cultural and societal norms. We, as consumers, must understand and accept the ideas being forced upon us rather than just accepting them because others are saying that this is what we should agree with or believe in.

Diffusion of Innovation Modeled Through YouTube

Diffusion of Innovation Model

Do you ever wonder how ideas get introduced, accepted, and eventually phased out? The diffusion of innovation model explains the process in five steps demonstrating each percentage of people who buy or invest in an idea or product at different times, attempting to explain why it happens that way. 

The model has 5 categories labeled left-right: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. The model demonstrates the order people accept ideas or hop on a bandwagon. For example, while I identify as an early adopter because I am younger and more open to change, it is easy to understand how different people of specific demographics identify with other classifications on the chart. This is an important model to know as I will apply the rise of YouTube and how people adopted the use and purpose of YouTube to the model.

Brief History of YouTube

YouTube is a global online video-sharing and social media platform allowing people to post videos about anything they want. It was launched in February 2005 and founded by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. This platform changed the way people shared videos and received their information. First, however, it is essential to ask why people could accept this online video-sharing platform so quickly?

How YouTube Changed Videos and Reasons, People Accepted It

Home videos have always been important in many families. I know my grandparents still have home videos of my dad, aunts, and uncles from when they were growing up, and it is fun to watch and see as a family what they were like before. YouTube was created to share home videos with others and be able to show those memories easily. However, the idea grew beyond anything the creators could have imagined. However, the reasoning would have contributed to the early adopter's platform use despite the growth. Younger people liked having the ease of typing in what they wanted to see rather than obtaining a VHS tape or DVD and then having to use a specific player to view a video, especially if the video was going to be short and less than one hour. This influenced the use of YouTube because it made it easier to access videos and eliminated steps needed to play videos in the past. 

Additionally, as technology began to become more prominent and daily in people's lives, the ease and access of YouTube led to the platform being accepted. In addition, YouTube was the only video-based platform; no other social media platform had a platform near or similar to YouTube. 

The first iPhone was released in 2007, and when the iPhone was released, YouTube was pre-downloaded onto the phone. Still, to this day, YouTube comes pre-downloaded onto all new iPhones. This also motivated people to adopt the software because it came paired with their new phones, and most people would accept the software given to them with their phone than go in search of their own, leading more people to accept the platform.

Reasons YouTube Would Not Be Accepted 

YouTube enables people to watch videos on any topic they can imagine while allowing them to make a living through content creation and being influencers. Due to this, it is widely accepted and a reason people continue to use the platform. However, some people may be slow to accept or use the platform because it forces them to put their personal content online, and anybody can access their videos. In addition, some people may be hesitant about the platform due to the allowed content because it may violate their views or be suggestive in some ways. Lastly, the platform could be a learning curve for some individuals and generations, as younger people may think it is easier to navigate. In contrast, others may feel it is more complicated. Overall, people would be slow to adopt this technology out of fear of loss of privacy, lack of knowledge or know-how, and fear of content displayed.

While YouTube has had some issues regarding the content posted on the app, the company has been working diligently to filter videos and content more closely for people of all ages to enjoy videos that interest them. Another problem that has arisen from the platform is the push for a particular look or image for young girls and women; however, this is changing as people of different backgrounds, cultures, and looks begin creating their own content on the app, helping others to feel as if they are seen and appreciated. This being said, while YouTube has had its problems, things are changing, and people should be supporting the change in ideas on the platform.

Consequences of Not Adopting New Ideas 

While new inventions, products, or ideas are not always the easiest to accept, we must be receptive and understanding of all new ideas because they can lead to new breakthroughs and make life much easier. While people may want to avoid accepting YouTube and its services, the platform has ravaged how we receive and learn further information. Any topic, tutorial, or live stream is at the tip of our fingers and allows us to know anything we want with a short video. The platform has also allowed millions of people to make money by sharing their passions and inspirations with others. This is important to note because people unwilling to accept YouTube will miss out on these opportunities and access to millions of videos with various information on broad ranges of topics. Being open to new ideas and innovations is essential in today's society. Things are constantly changing, and we must be receptive to new ideas because they ultimately lead to us growing as a society.

EOTO Reaction: Netflix's Impact On Television

It is interesting to think about how much technology has altered human life. After learning about multiple breakthrough technologies, I was intrigued by how much Netflix has changed television.

History of Television

The first television was invented in 1927 and wholly changed American families' lives. The invention of the tv allowed people with similar interests to connect and share their ideas. Previously, television acted as social events as friends and family would gather to watch their favorite shows and spend time together. However, as television enters a new era of existence with the presence of streaming services, television has been altered into something that will be changed forever.

The Beginning of Netflix 

Netflix was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley in Santa Cruz. The business started as a rental service allowing people to rent any movie title on DVD for 7.99 a month. The DVD was then delivered to the customer's house, and when they wanted a new one, they would send in the previous title to exchange and get another rental. In 2000, as Netflix continued to grow, the company approached the former CEO of Blockbuster, John Antioco, about buying Netflix, but he declined. Then, just 10 years later, Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy and went out of business. However, Netflix continued to grow in 2006, generating more than $80 million in revenue and having more than 6.3 million subscribers using their services.  

However, the best was yet to come. In 2010, Netflix introduced its first streaming service allowing customers to stream movies and television from any device with access to the internet. Netflix changed its focus from delivering DVDs to allowing people to access any title with their paid subscription and use of a device with the internet. This completely revolutionized television today.

Netflix Today 

Today, Netflix broadcasts over 10,000 titles worldwide, including movies and television shows. The platform offers multiple plans depending on your family and their entertainment needs. The 3 plans are basic, standard, and premium. The basic is the cheapest and most simple plan, and the premium plan allows you to experience all the extra functions that Netflix offers at a higher price. In addition, the streaming platform has grown so much that it has allowed the company to produce and create its own shows. As a result, Netflix originals have proved to be some of the highest-rated series, with some popular titles being Ginny and Georgia, Stranger Things, Outer Banks, and many more. 

Netflix's Impact on Television Today 

There is no denying Netflix has changed and altered television in more ways than one. While television is an integral part of American culture, the way we enjoy television has completely changed due to the different streaming services and access to titles we have today. While television used to be a social event, families would gather around the television once a week to watch a show or movie. The new age of television has introduced the idea of binge-watching, giving way to a new era and way of enjoying entertainment. In addition, with services like Netflix not running advertisements, the culture of television is changing as people watch fewer commercials and do not have to worry about their shows being stopped mid-episode for commercial breaks. Lastly, with Netflix being the first-ever streaming service, many other companies have copied their business idea offering streaming services and encouraging the new era of television and entertainment. Overall, as we see the entertainment industry change and improve, it no denying that Netflix has been a trailblazing company and a leading innovator in the entertainment world.  

        
                            

   

    

Anti-War and Mainstream News Agendas

News sources are integral to life in the United States and many countries. We as members of society rely on the news and press to keep us informed of events happening in the world that we cannot be present for; however, the press and media have only sometimes proved to be trustworthy and reliable when it comes to certain issues. Many mainstream news platforms claim they are unbiased, but in many ways, they push their own ideas and beliefs. Hence, it is important to diversify your news sources and obtain information from different sources. 

However, exploring less popular news platforms brought me to why some news platforms and websites are more mainstream or pushed more than others? 

Wartime is a hyper-emotional time for all parties involved, including society and the government; however, when that time comes, do we ever question the agendas of the press and the stories they push to the front. 

World War I 

World War I was an intense time with multiple beliefs and ideologies. The war started after Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia which contributed to several other countries joining in the war contributing to one of the most deadly wars in history. The involvement in the war by the United States was highly controversial as many people felt the United States did not need to get involved. When WWI started in 1914, Americans wanted the United States to remain in a state of neutrality that aligned with Woodrow Wilsons's strict and impartial neutrality policy. However, neutrality was not kept after Congress decided to join the war with an 82-6 majority vote. 

News and media during wartime heavily impacted people and their minds and opinions. However, after the United States decided to enter the war, there was an increase in the amount of wartime media pushing and supporting the idea of war. Despite the anti-wartime movement and initiatives, the media and news only focused on the war effort and support of the war. 

This raises the question, does the media only push their agenda? And why are contradicting beliefs never and less popular opinions broadcasted the same as other news articles?

Russian-Ukrainian War 

Presently, the country is divided, facing the issue between Russia and Ukraine as they are at war, leaving many countries divided and debating on how to approach the problem. With the division on the issue, many countries are debating which side to support, which could result in another world war. This leaves the question of how the media and news platforms impact people's opinions and stances regarding the war. 

History of Anti-War Movement and Voices 

There are many news platforms and media sources about anti-war efforts, and these platforms have different perspectives on the issues. However, these sources are not as widely broadcast as others, and in the past, some journalists were fined after criticizing the government during wartime. The Espionage and Sedition Act of 1918 allowed a citizen to be fined or imprisoned for speaking out against the government during wartime; however, it was appealed on December 13, 2020. This prevented many journalists from speaking their beliefs and expressing their true thoughts, only informing the public of what they wanted them to know and pushing their agenda and ideas onto society. 

While the Espionage and Sedition Act no longer applies today, many anti-war platforms are less prevalent than mainstream news. This could be because the media only pushes popular beliefs and what complies with government decisions. As members of society, we must determine our opinions and seek out news and information from different perspectives to gain a full scope of the story and understand what is happening within the world.

The Rise of YouTube

Technology is an integral part of life and society today. It is astonishing how far the world has advanced with the vast inventions and things we can do with technology. With the prevalence of technology, there has been an advancement in the use of technology and ways we can find information. Technology has allowed us to have all information at the tips of our fingertips, enabling us to explore and research any topic we may find interesting. YouTube is a platform and application that has contributed to our constant access to information and videos for almost two decades.

History of YouTube 

When you hear YouTube, what do you think? Your favorite youtube stars, music videos, or daily vlogs. Whatever you may think about YouTube, there is no denying YouTube has been the leading platform for streaming videos for years. YouTube was started to allow people to share their home videos on one platform. YouTube was created by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, all former employees of the e-commerce company PayPal. The company started its headquarters in San Mateo, California, in February 2005. In May 2005, YouTube released its limited beta basis, which attracted 30,000 visitors per day. When YouTube officially launched on December 15, 2005, it served more than 2 million video views each day, and in January 2006, the number of videos watched increased by more than 25 million. By the end of summer in 2006, YouTube served more than 100 million videos per day, and the new sites showed no sign of slowing down.

Growth & Problems 

While YouTube continued and exhibited copious growth, the platform faced many legal issues regarding copyrighted material. The high increase in traffic limited the number of videos the creators could keep up with, contributing to the high volume of copyright on the platform. This forced the company to allocate more financial resources for potential litigation as many media companies discovered the high violations of copyright on its site. After facing this problem, YouTube began looking for a buyer.

YouTube & Google 

Google Inc. launched a video service in 2005 named Google Video; however, it failed to generate traffic, and Google purchased YouTube for $1.65 billion in stock in November 2006. Instead of merging the sites, Google decided to carry out YouTube's operation the same as before. The acquisition of YouTube by Google allowed Google to negotiate deals with entertainment companies that would allow approved copyrighted material to appear on YouTube and in users' videos. One of the most prominent deals by Google was with Metro Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. in November 2008. This allowed YouTube to show some of the studio's full-length movies and television shows. The acquisition of YouTube by Google was important because Google was more capable of handling the legal issues associated with copyright problems on YouTube.

YouTube Today 

YouTube has more than 2.6 billion active users today. YouTube users view about 1 billion hours worth of videos each day. This demonstrates the power and an immense number of videos available and endless topics and subjects users can watch videos about. YouTube is a learning platform that enables people to pick up skills on any topic they may find interesting while also being a source of entertainment. YouTube has allowed many people to make careers on the platform in endless niches, whether health and fitness, school and education, sports, and many more. People can find what they are good at, record themselves, and capitalize on their abilities. People who dedicate themselves and decide a career on YouTube is good for them are creative and have talents that other people want to see. However, with the constant exposure to the public, some cons come with the video platform. One complication is how easy defamation and hate speech are on the website. The company tries to filter comments, but every comment is only sometimes seen because of its high volume. In addition, suggestive and mature content is periodically posted. However, YouTube tries to take down or reject content that goes against their guidelines, but there is no guarantee every video will be caught again due to the high volume of daily content. These issues can make parents worry about what their children watch on YouTube. Still, YouTube has placed preventive measures to keep inappropriate content away from kids by implementing YouTube Kids. 

Moving Foreward 

YouTube has proved to be an all-encompassing platform allowing people to share their talents with videos contributing to the interests of all people. While the platform has difficulties filtering all content, it is implementing new ways to make the site user-friendly and constantly finding ways to improve. YouTube has proved it is a platform that is here to stay as it is currently the largest video-sharing platform and the second largest social media today. 

Speech Theories

Freedom of expression gives you the right to hold your own opinions and express those opinions without any interference. Freedom of expression is an essential aspect of American life as we, as members of society, are given the right to speak our minds and say what we believe whenever we see fit. 

Under the first amendment, American citizens are granted the freedom of speech, which gives them the right to speak, write, and share ideas and opinions without facing punishment from the government. The First Amendment protects this right by prohibiting Congress from making laws that would violate citizens' freedom of speech. The First Amendment includes 3 bedrock principles that create a fundamental law for members of society. The bedrock principle is the idea that something cannot be banned because it is offensive, and the first amendment contains three bedrock principles. Here are 3 bedrock principles under the First Amendment: the first amendment is not absolute, the first amendment is not a shield against laws of general applicability, and the freedom of the press is a fundamental personal right. With these rights come the eight values of free expression, which are principles or theories introduced by scholars and authors about the freedom and expression of speech and how the freedom of speech plays into society and is applied throughout life. 

The eight values of expression are important when understanding how the first amendment applies to people and the world; however, after learning about the eight theories, I found that some appealed to me more than others.

The Marketplace of Ideas 

An essential theory in today's society is the marketplace of ideas introduced in the book, Areopagitica by John Milton. The marketplace of ideas is the idea that everyone can freely speak about their beliefs and say what they want, but the truth prevails, or people usually accept the most logical stance on an issue. This theory supports people saying what they believe despite people not always accepting the idea and encourages other ideas and perspectives on topics and situations. This is important in today's society as everyone is less open-minded and more likely to shut down or tune out opinions that do not align with their own. Therefore, we must constantly challenge and produce new ideas to promote growth and tolerance within our society. We must be willing to listen to each other and understand one another even if we do not always agree with what is said, but that is why we have the right to freedom of speech, so everyone can communicate what they believe and what they are passionate about. 

The other side to this theory is that the ideas people agree with will be pushed to the forefront. In contrast, the different ideas that need to be clarified or that people disagree with will get left behind. This concept is crucial because it gives everyone a chance. Still, it lets, it ultimately enables people de ide if what has been said is acceptable. The marketplace of ideas embraces new ideas and gives people space to express their beliefs despite what others might say. It fosters a society that welcomes all opinions and positions despite the popularity of the stance.

Promote Tolerance 

Another relevant theory today is promoting tolerance, introduced by Lee Bolinger in the book, The Tolerant Society: Freedom of Speech and Extremist Speech. This theory communicates and supports the idea that extending freedom of speech to things people may find hateful or personally upsetting allows society to shape its norms and acceptable behavior. Additionally, even though what a person says might be offensive or inappropriate, in some cases, this theory supports the idea of subsequent punishment meaning. For example, although a person who speaks hurtful language may not receive consequences directly from the law, it is ensured that they will receive punishment from a society based on the norms and acceptable behavior established by the organization. For example, if a famous person goes to Twitter using racial slurs, the government cannot punish them. Still, people can by not following or supporting anything the famous person does, in which they could potentially lose their likeness and their job for being inappropriate and unprofessional online. Today, we see this play out more often with the rise of "cancelling," whether it be a celebrity, social media star, or everyday person. Living in a digital age like today allows people to go back and track down everything ever said by a person. With millions of eyes on social media platforms at all times, subsequent punishment is more alive than ever. Subsequent punishment ensures that the person gets their punishment no matter what it may be. This cycle also helps people decide on appropriate behavior within our society and what will be tolerated. 

Speech Theories are important to society because they help establish norms about what can be said and done despite everyone having the right to freedom of speech. These theories set subsequent punishment by not allowing one person to get away with too much and setting boundaries about what is appropriate and what is not within the world of news, social media, and general. Additionally, these theories encourage us to speak up and talk about our beliefs, which helps us share and collaborate our thoughts and feelings on situations to gain new perspectives and clarity on situations.