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Showing posts from October, 2023

Blog #9: EOTO Terms & Concepts

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  Accountability and transparency are the pillars of a strong democracy in the complex workings of the government. The whistleblower is one important element in maintaining these principles. A person who reports wrongdoing, misconduct, or unethical behavior within a government institution or agency is known as a whistleblower. I believe that they are crucial in ensuring that the government runs ethically, effectively, and in the people's best interests. A definition from the National Whistleblower Center states what a whistleblower is in a perfect way. “ On the simplest level, a whistleblower is someone who reports waste, fraud, abuse, corruption, or dangers to public health and safety to someone who is in the position to rectify the wrongdoing. A whistleblower typically works inside of the organization where the wrongdoing is taking place” ( https://www.whistleblowers.org/what-is-a-whistleblower/ ). Government honesty is maintained in a significant way thanks to whistleblowers. Th

Blog #8: Privacy, Online & Off

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  In the digital age we live in now, internet privacy has become a major issue that affects every part of our personal and professional lives. As we move through the interconnected web of the internet, we leave a trail of information that can be gathered, analyzed, and possibly used by corporations, advertisers, and even bad people. Online privacy is essential because it keeps our personal information safe, keeps us in control, and protects our basic rights in a world that is becoming more linked and analyzed much more than we are aware of. In this age of constant connectivity, it's important to understand and prioritize internet privacy not only for your own safety but also for keeping a free, safe, and democratic society.  The TED Talk that stood out most to me was Juan Enriquez’s speech, called “Your Online Life, Permanent as a Tattoo”. This was a very thought provoking speech for me. He compared 4 topics that seemed completely unrelated, but when he brought them all together, i

Blog #7: Diffusion of Innovations

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  The Diffusion of Innovation Theory is an approach that shows how new ideas, products, or technologies spread through a community over time. Sociologist Everett Rogers came up with the theory in the 1960s. It explains how new ideas are spread, accepted, and used by different people and groups in a society. The Diffusion of Innovation theory also identifies factors that affect how quickly an innovation is adopted. These include the believed advantage of the innovation, how well it fits with existing values and practices, how complicated the innovation is, how easy it is to try out, and how much social influence and communication channels are used to promote the innovation. The Diffusion of Innovation idea can be used to look at how the iPhone spread around the world.  The Diffusion of Innovations theory helps us understand why the iPhone has become so popular and what factors led to its rapid growth. The success of the iPhone can be traced back to a few key features, such as its innova