DL 340

Vibe Check

Happy weekend! Here's Digitally Literate, issue #340.

🔖 Key Takeaways

📚 This Week’s Highlights

We’ve discussed deepfakes extensively, but have you met the real creator behind the fake Tom Cruise? Miles Fisher explores the implications of this technology.
Why this matters: Deepfakes challenge our perceptions of authenticity and demand more robust critical thinking skills.

2. Automatic Categorization of LGBTQ+ Twitter Users

A study used machine learning to identify LGBTQ+ Twitter users, citing privacy concerns as justification for bypassing consent.
Why this matters: Ethical AI practices are critical, especially when dealing with vulnerable communities. Consent and transparency must be prioritized.

Katherine Alejandra Cross critiques the tendency to scapegoat video games for societal violence. Instead, the focus should be on guns, radicalization, and systemic racism.
Why this matters: Simplistic narratives distract from addressing the root causes of societal issues.

Issac Saul argues for shifting focus from eliminating misinformation to equipping individuals with critical thinking skills.

Saul provides the following solution.

Imagine your job is to put out fires (misinformation) in an area where arsonists (people spreading misinformation) are always setting fires. It takes many firefighters to contain the blaze once it is burning, and if there is a lot of dry brush and kindling, the fire spreads quickly.

  1. Continue fighting fires with hordes of firefighters (in this analogy, fact-checkers).
  2. Focus on the arsonists (the people spreading the misinformation) by alerting the town they're the ones starting the fire (banning or labeling them).
  3. Clear the kindling and dry brush (teach people to spot lies, think critically, and ask questions).

Right now, we do a lot of #1. We do a little bit of #2. We do almost none of #3, which is probably the most important and the most difficult. I’d propose three strategies for addressing misinformation by teaching people to ask questions and spot lies.

As an educator who researches, writes, and teaches on this topic I definitely agree. It's just not going to work. We unpack a lot of the why each week here in DL. The problem is also getting much, much worse.
Why this matters: Teaching people to spot lies and ask questions is more effective than combating misinformation at scale.

Robin James delves into the concept of "vibes" as a lens for understanding experiences, intentions, and narratives in media.

Robin James indicates that “vibez” is used to express an intention, a situation/one’s geographic and sociological position, an ambiance, a state of mind, one’s material surroundings, and other sorts of contexts that orient present and future possibilities. James goes on to explain that a vibe is a phenomenon that describes a person's perspective or feelings about a topic, place, situation, or moment.
Why this matters: Vibes influence how we judge authenticity and credibility in the digital age.

A fascinating timeline of over 30 official music formats, from vinyl to streaming, highlighting the intersection of culture and technology.
Why this matters: Understanding media evolution helps us contextualize current technological shifts.

🛠️ DO: Embrace Everyday Magic

Open your eyes to the magic of being alive. Take a moment to appreciate the ingenuity behind everyday innovations like glass and clean water.
Why this matters: Recognizing the genius in solved problems can inspire creativity and gratitude.

🌟 Closing Reflection

“The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction (i.e., the reality of experience) and the distinction between true and false (i.e., the standards of thought) no longer exist.”
— Hannah Arendt

Reflect and Engage

If you’re looking for fun ways to engage, check out The Evolution of Trust, an interactive guide to the game theory of trust and cooperation.

Thank you for reading Digitally Literate. Stay tuned for more insights and discussions. Connect with me at hello@digitallyliterate.net or explore Newsletter Index for all past issues.