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Your Comfort Zone is The Danger Zone!

Instructions:

Recent conversations about the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) included diametrically opposed opinions on the issue. Some see it as a necessity others claim that it will bring end of humankind as we know it. This assignment is focused on the theme of the growing influence of AI on our lives.  To complete the assignment, you will read three articles posted in Canvas (available after class September 13) and write a 500-word reflection addressing the following:

• brief summary of the topics covered and arguments made;
• the strength of the arguments and whether there are alternative explanations;
• your impression of the article and the event or development being reported, in terms of interest (to you) and importance.

AI has consistently aroused feelings of uncertainty among music artists, especially because of copyright concerns, and big streaming services are being asked to stop AI companies in machine learning. In the 1st article, there is conflict between artists and songwriters who want protection and AI developers who want a place to continue their work without government interference. But there appears to be hope of creators being able to opt out of their work being used in AI data sets- through the website HaveIBeenTrained.com created by the company Spawning, there is potential in making a compromise between copyright owners and AI developers. Dryhurst and the Spawning team believe that an “opt-in” tool could be a concrete solution. The Author compares other countries in their views about AI. The author argues that a potential solution for remuneration is things like blanket licenses used in Europe.

In the second article, a federal judge made it clear that US copyright laws don’t cover works created by AI and protection can only be afforded by works created by humans. This is a controversial but not surprising ruling, sparking questions concerning the future of AI and what level of human involvement is needed for protection. The author argues that copyright protection is crucial to the future of AI since unprotected works will be difficult to earn revenue from. In the 3rd article, the chairman of ASCAP’s (American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers) board emphasizes the goal of artists affirming their rights against AI and other technologies that seek to use their creations. They have created 6 principles for AI that they need Congress to uphold: 1. Human creators first, 2. Transparency, 3. Consent, 4. Compensation, 5.Credit, 6.Global Consistency. The author argues that to utilize the opportunities that AI has to offer, we need the help of lawmakers to stand with songwriters in not allowing big-tech companies to just use whatever they want. The author also argues that even though AI requires a large amount of inputs, it is still possible to license and give proper credit. The first author’s arguments I would say are as strong as they all have a good amount of knowledge and offer helpful ideas and hopeful perspectives. I think that the website is a great idea, but slightly oversimplifies the issue though, as opting in seems like something that will never be tangible in the sheer amount of data that AI gathers, how would It be possible? I thought it was an important article and I was interested in the cross-cultural comparisons on views/opinions of AI. The second author explains the Judge’s decision in a logical and worried perspective, but nonetheless is hopeful about the future, recognizing that is it possible for lawmakers to help on this issue in the future. I liked how they included the report from the US copyright office. The third article has strong arguments and solid ideas. I think they are a great step into the future of the lawmaking process for AI and copyright concerns, as their 6 principles are concise and fair. I found this article the most optimistic as it provided real possible “solutions” and it gave important insight.

The electronic devices we use every day for using and consuming media content are the products of labor that is often invisible or hidden. Market trends encourage platform obsolescence which has negative consequences that are often difficult to learn about. Learning more about those practices and the human cost that goes into making our devices cheap and plentiful will give you a larger appreciation for what we mean by “Digital Culture” in this class. In this project, you’ll work to learn more about the life cycle of a specific, unique technological object of your choosing. You will:

• Choose an object;
• Dissect that object into components (8 – 12, ideally);
• Investigate the origins of each of those components to find when and where they were manufactured;
• Create a map and timeline to convey the origin for each of those components;
• Present your findings to the class (October 25 and 27);
• Create a personal reflection post or audio/video recording and post it in your blog or in Canvas.

Reflection:

I chose to take apart a Logitech M185 mouse. I chose to use Logitech’s website as one of my main sources for gathering information since I knew it would be correct. I did use other websites though, mentioned in my sources at the end of my slideshow presentation. Through the Logitech website, I found their Impact report, which had so much information on the company itself, its history, manufacturing places, countries that the resources are obtained from, sustainability and ethical practices, and more. Regarding the mouse itself, I learned that It was first produced in 2011, and is still being made/sold. I did not cover this in my presentation- but I found a date on the mouse, 2015. I learned which countries the minerals and metals come from and where it is manufactured and assembled. I learned that for my specific device, 49% of the plastics used to make it were PCPs (post-consumer recycled plastic)(Not sure about the remaining 51%). I even got to find the companies that Logitech sources their PCP’s from, which was really rewarding, as I know based on some of my classmates’ presentations, that not all companies are as transparent about their materials. I tried to organize my presentation to cover things that were relevant to the mouse, like the company, and previous mice models to compare it to current, types of mice(I did not have time to explain how they all worked and the differences therein), a brief explanation of how the M185 works to track movement (I had a hard time finding out what the specific things on the circuit board as the videos I saw were not of the specific model), the countries that the basic components are obtained and where they are manufactured, and the companies that collect the PCP used in the M185.

 “For this project you’ll be working with some form of “digital methodology.” Here, this means answering a question, solving a problem, or explaining something important with a digital tool.

First, define a problem or question. Find something like a cultural artifact, group of texts, or social phenomenon that you’re interested in learning something about. (Note: I am using the broad meaning of the word “text” to include any artifact that could be potentially meaningful.)

Next, find ways to explore that text(s) with as many digital tools as you can. You’ll find these listed in the relevant module’s pages.

Finally, decide which tool offers the most interesting interpretation or discovery about your text, issue, or problem, and from that data, draw your own conclusions about the meaning of your findings in light of this digitally-enabled exploration.

Many of the modules describe a specific kind of project, but as much as possible, your work should follow the path of your own initiative. That said, unlike the first two modules which were more open-ended and flexible, your work here must produce a finished project of some kind because you will be creating a web page to explain it. Doing this well is hard and having a specific outcome in mind from the beginning (i.e., working toward a finished product) will definitely help.“

Digital Journalism

It’s a complex world and we need complex tools to make sense of it. In this module, your team will identify a topic or pose a question, investigate that question, and tell the story you discover using a confluence of modalities and digital tools. https://dgst101.net/mod/convergence-journalism/

I chose to use various AI programs and websites to explore questions like:

-What are the contemporary issues American Indians are facing?

-What are current stereotypes, and what are the harmful impacts of them?

Reflection:

I knew I wanted to focus my project about American Indians, as an aspiring anthropologist, I realize that I dont need to travel the world, because there are indigenous peoples right here in virginia and fredericksburg who are in need of representation. After learning what I have in my classes that discuss their contemporary issues and reading their books, I feel like this is the bare minimum I can do. It took me a lot of trial and error to find the right topic for this module. I was frustrated at first, but then remembered that “finding a research topis IS research”, and I let myself explore. As a white person, I am scared to accidentally do something culturally insensitive, and I know I must be careful with my words, so at first I wasn’t even sure if I should be doing this. But I remembered what Monacan tribe member, Victoria Ferguson, mentioned in her speech about them desperately needing representation and allies, so, I figured I should at least try my best and not give up to do a project on something easier. I used 4 types of AI. AskAI, which is similar to chatGPT, but gives sources and references. I also used chatGPT. I used those two AI things to ask questions like, “what are stereotypes about american indians”, “what are the contemporary issues of american indians”, and I used what I was given and compiled some things together, but my main resources were from websites I found on google searches and the sources that AskAI gave me, which were actually really helpful, one of the websites was included in Victoria Fergusons slideshow! But I accidentally closed all my tabs before getting a chance to use it, im sure I can find it in my history if i dig deep for it. 

Ask AI was the most helpful AI resource because it gave me good sources that were relevant and up to date. 

The remaining two AI programs I utilized were Bing AI image generator, and the iPhone app Wombo Dream. Both of these allow you to type in a prompt, and then it will generate an image based off of that, but I have no clue how it comes to make them. BUT- what it did show- was that there must be something in the media and in the internet causing it to create these images- and they are real life stereotypes- so it really said a LOT. I included how these stereotypes are problematic and harmful to native people’s identity and perception of themselves in the world. 

It was very very difficult to make slides that were concise and clear because there was SO much that I could have done. But I tried to just stick to a few important ones, hoping to challenge peoples assumptions and question how american indian people are portrayed today. and I hope that if anyone is interested, they will do research on their own time, because this hasnt even touched the tip of the iceberg of what should be known.

“Similarly to Module 1, the second module will be focused on learning new things and going beyond your comfort zone. You will consider the readings from the Culture modules in the website for this class and follow the steps described in the modules overview and Module 1.“

Working for the Web

We use our phones and our devices for social media purposes, but do we ever think about the work that goes into producing our hardware, coding our software, or supporting the networks that make this all possible? From the mines where the metals are retrieved, to the factories that put the phones together, to all of the likes and shares we do each day, do we know how much of our labor goes into our social media and who does it?

It is often said that on the web, if you’re not paying for it, you are the product. Why is Facebook free? How is Facebook encouraging us to use their platform in ways that support their business model? https://dgst101.net/mod/labor/

Reflection:

I chose to create a project inspired by the “working from the web” section in the culture module. I got curious about the creation of computers and created the question, “What are some of the international relationships involved in the making of computers?” which is what I based my project off of. My project includes a slideshow that covers some basic/summed-up info that I have gathered in my research. Some of the topics I cover are: what materials and minerals are computers made up of, where they come from, who obtains(mines) the raw materials and manufacturers them, what are the biggest companies in the computer-making business, which countries are involved/ties to these corporations, and what is the relationship between the US and the countries involved? 

While this was a very information-heavy research project, I aimed to try to show as much relevant material as possible. The applicability in real life is that  The things we use daily are made by real people and undergo a very long process that we often overlook. Many, many relationships were needed for you to have the things you have.

The significance of this project for me was finding out how and where my laptop might have been made and where the materials came from. I think it is significant because a laptop is one of the things we use almost every day, yet most of us have no clue how it came into existence.

In our culture today we are disconnected from the things we use daily, and we often have no thought about the relationships needed to produce our everyday things & get them to us. I would love to do more research into the ethics of the making of the electronics I use. 

 would like to use that information to possibly (hopefully) find a company/place to buy from that doesn’t support/commit human rights violations and that doesn’t contribute significant damage to the environment and/or practices sustainability.

“The objective of this module is to learn something new and to learn more about how you learn with digital tools. You will select a topic from the readings and consider a path of your own design that will hopefully turn into a product. Be creative and move beyond your zone of comfort.“

Beyond DIY: Critical Making

The Maker Movement evolved out of a DIY (or Do It Yourself) ethos, morphing into an approach to learning. From YouTube video how-to’s to hacking your electronics, the Maker Movement has reshaped how we interact with our physical environments, beyond software to hardware. But as this movement has evolved, particularly in higher education, we see the power of the Maker Movement to critically and consciously engage with our material world. http://dgst101.net/mod/beyond-diy-critical-making/

Product descriptions:

1. Planter box made out of cardboard, plastic bags, and water bottle.
2. Booklet/book cover made from cardboard, paint, tape, pressed flowers/plant specimens 

Reflection:

At the start of this project, I felt very confused and unconfident in what my end result would be, as the concept of critical making is very broad and can be almost anything. The term “critical making” was coined by Matt Ratto. I didn’t quite understand what critical making was and I had to visit multiple websites and read many texts in order to understand it and start to get some ideas for my project.

I learned that Critical making is a practice that unites critical thinking and hands-on experiments/material production. It focuses on the socio-technical aspect of life and encourages thinking outside of norms. It is less about the end product and more about the material and conceptual exploration that the maker is involved in and can learn from.

The process of designing my projects was at first intimidating, as they were not something I would want to share with people in a digital studies class. But, they were nevertheless opportunities for me to do some critical making. I first made a planter box. I needed a pot for a plant that was given to me. I was worried about not being able to find one large enough- but not too large as it needed to be able to fit in my dorm. I had some cardboard leftover from a box, a plastic bag, a plastic water bottle, and a blade. I remember learning that only about ⅓ of things that we recycle actually get recycled because of the complicated process, trash being mixed in, etc. So I was like, let me reuse these things- it will be cheaper for me and maybe save them from being added to the landfill. I watched a YouTube video on how to make the planter, but she already had a box, so I had to figure out how to make one myself, which was not hard, but still a learning experience. I then used a blade to cut a hole in the side of the box, where the top of a water bottle could fit through. Then I wrapped the entire thing in plastic two times, cut a hole through that, inserted the top part of the water bottle, and then screwed the lid on the outside(i cut a hole into the lid) so there could be drainage for the plant. My second piece was another thing made out of cardboard. It is a booklet cover with stickers that I made on the front. I thought a lot about how these things are so mass-produced (books/notebooks, stickers) and how a few centuries ago, humans were creating all of these by hand. I already press plants and flowers on my own time, so I incorporated some dried pressings into this project. I made the stickers by putting tape on top of parchment paper, then putting the pressed plants on top of the tape, then adding a layer of tape on top of those. The I cut them out, and just like a store-bought sticker, I could peel off the back and place them wherever I wanted. I made the book itself out of cardboard and tape.

At the end of my presentation, I had a question from Dr. Petkov, who wanted to know the difference between DIY and Critical making, in which I explained that Critical making is essentially DIY, but with added critical thinking, a reflection of the purpose and impacts, and emphasis on what you learn in the process of making.

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The objective of this module is to learn something new and to learn more about how you learn with digital tools. You will select a topic from the readings and consider a path of your own design that will hopefully turn into a product. Be creative and move beyond your zone of comfort.

Product descriptions:

1. Planter box made out of cardboard, plastic bags, and water bottle.
2. Booklet/book cover made from cardboard, paint, tape, pressed flowers/plant specimens 

Reflection:

At the start of this project, I felt very confused and unconfident in what my end result would be, as the concept of critical making is very broad and can be almost anything. The term “critical making” was coined by Matt Ratto. I didn’t quite understand what critical making was and I had to visit multiple websites and read many texts in order to understand it and start to get some ideas for my project.

I learned that Critical making is a practice that unites critical thinking and hands-on experiments/material production. It focuses on the socio-technical aspect of life and encourages thinking outside of norms. It is less about the end product and more about the material and conceptual exploration that the maker is involved in and can learn from.

The process of designing my projects was at first intimidating, as they were not something I would want to share with people in a digital studies class. But, they were nevertheless opportunities for me to do some critical making. I first made a planter box. I needed a pot for a plant that was given to me. I was worried about not being able to find one large enough- but not too large as it needed to be able to fit in my dorm. I had some cardboard leftover from a box, a plastic bag, a plastic water bottle, and a blade. I remember learning that only about ⅓ of things that we recycle actually get recycled because of the complicated process, trash being mixed in, etc. So I was like, let me reuse these things- it will be cheaper for me and maybe save them from being added to the landfill. I watched a YouTube video on how to make the planter, but she already had a box, so I had to figure out how to make one myself, which was not hard, but still a learning experience. I then used a blade to cut a hole in the side of the box, where the top of a water bottle could fit through. Then I wrapped the entire thing in plastic two times, cut a hole through that, inserted the top part of the water bottle, and then screwed the lid on the outside(i cut a hole into the lid) so there could be drainage for the plant. My second piece was another thing made out of cardboard. It is a booklet cover with stickers that I made on the front. I thought a lot about how these things are so mass-produced (books/notebooks, stickers) and how a few centuries ago, humans were creating all of these by hand. I already press plants and flowers on my own time, so I incorporated some dried pressings into this project. I made the stickers by putting tape on top of parchment paper, then putting the pressed plants on top of the tape, then adding a layer of tape on top of those. The I cut them out, and just like a store-bought sticker, I could peel off the back and place them wherever I wanted. I made the book itself out of cardboard and tape.

At the end of my presentation, I had a question from Dr. Petkov, who wanted to know the difference between DIY and Critical making, in which I explained that Critical making is essentially DIY, but with added critical thinking, a reflection of the purpose and impacts, and emphasis on what you learn in the process of making.

Hi, my name is Morgan Galusha, class of 2026. I am an aspiring anthropology major and I have a deep appreciation for the natural world/environment. I would like to become an ethnobotanist, which is the study of the relationship between people and plants with a focus on indigenous use.

I chose the domain name because I thought my first and last name would be convenient for anyone trying to get to my website and because I wouldn’t regret the name later. I’m not exactly sure what I will end up doing with my main domain, but I would like to at some point have a portfolio for my art, and other work/writings.