Conclusions

Written by April Bollinger, Asha Buchanan, Ryan Nguyen, Claire Desrosiers, and Nia Junod

Formal education on information privacy needs to be implemented in all public schools.

This change will support a culture of data privacy consciousness. If Joan grew up in a world where information privacy was a priority, she may have taken a second look at those terms and conditions. Streamberry Services might’ve thought twice about deceiving subscribers if they thought they couldn’t get away with it. Kids K-12 are vulnerable to data breaches. In a 2019 report published by the Code.org Advocacy Organization, the Computer Science Teacher Association, and the Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance reported that only 45% of high schools in the United States teach computer science [1]. This is an unacceptable statistic as it shows the increasing knowledge gap on a topic that will become increasingly important as time goes on. Furthermore, a 2012 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 92% of American teens constantly post photos of themselves and 82% share their birthdate [2]. A similar majority also share their school name, hometown, and relationship status [2]. Pieces of personal information like the ones mentioned are common but unacceptable uses for passwords, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology [3]. For these reasons, school-aged kids are especially susceptible to data breaches and need to be taught more robust data security.

Another reason this education reform needs to take place is that it has the power to reap generational benefits. Access to the Internet is increasing every year. Of the demographic researched, 48% said that the reason they do not have Internet access at home was simply because they do not use it and were “not interested” [4]. We need to foster a culture of internet safety and culture that is on pace with how fast internet accessibility is expanding.

Finally, the government needs to take a tougher stance on data privacy to protect its citizens. The United States promotes an “opt out” system when it comes to data collection. This puts too much responsibility on the individual user. This is a stance that prioritizes big tech over the well-being of its citizens. For reference, the European Union is almost strictly “opt in” [5]. If the US continues this path of prioritization, the least they could do is supplement with formal education beside basic math, science, and English.

AI-generated content is changing the creative landscape in Hollywood

AI has the potential to greatly inhance our creative capabilities. AI can automate tasks that a repetative or time consuming such as editing, this would remove the need for humans and allow creative professionals to focus on innovative aspects of filmaking [8]. In 2023, about 20% of film is edited using AI [8]. AI also has potential as a screenwriting tool. AI is making video production as easy as typing or speaking, filmmakers are able to use AI programs like Storia to create detailed storyboards prior to production [6]. AI can be used to analyze viewer preferences and viewing habits to assist writers and producers in creating content that resonates with audiences. Nearly 77% of repondents used AI image generators to enable faster landscape photos to screens to post production [10]. Producers can now save money and improve effiecency by using generative AI to produce virtual characters and environments [11].

There are ethical and economic implication with the use of AI that must be considered. AI could potentially people to lose their jobs in special effects, animation, and even acting. By 2026, it is estimated that 20% of all entertainment industry jobs - roughly 118,500 positions - will be lost to AI [10]. We also must consider the loss of artistic control and creativity that AI may cause [7]. We are trading the authentic human touch in the creative process for the precision and efficiency of AI. Despite these potential drawbacks of utilizing AI, investors have spent $50 billion on generative AI, however 90% of startups only offer minor improvements [6].

AI can be used in a variety of ways. It can be used to create predictive success models, which can analyze vast amounts of data from past film performances to predict box office success with greater accuracy. Helping studios produce the best movies and films [8]. Warner Bros used AI predictions which had 70% accuracy rate of predicting film performance [8]. Predictive AI can also be used to gather information through social media and online reviews to gauge audience sentiments and preferences allowing producers to tailor their content to viewer preferences [8]. Generative AI is transforming how we experience films through Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). It enables the creation of adaptive and interactive media, where viewers can step into virtual worlds crafted by AI algorithms [11]. These environments are not only immersive but also allow real-time interaction with characters and settings, providing a personalized narrative experience that adjusts and evolves based on viewer responses [11]. AI tools are also revolutionizing the entertainment industry by enhancing the quality of visual effects. These advanced technologies enable filmmakers to create highly realistic CGI that integers seamlessly with live-action footage, expanding the boundaries of creativity [7]. This transformation allows for the depiction of intricate scenes–from futuristic cityscapes to epic space battles-making cinematic experience more immersive and visually striking for audiences [7].

Societal biases sourced from the media significantly shape our view of others

Use of Social media is growing and as it grows so does it's influence on our lives and views of the world. 41% of Americans believe that use of social media is increasing [13][14]. From January of 2023 to January 2024, the number of social media accounts grew by 8% - from 4.72 billion to 5.04 billion accounts [13][14]. Wider use of social media is not the only thing growing. It's influence on our lives is also increasing. 70% of teenagers check social media accounts multiple time a day and 24% have reported that they have been negatively affected by it [15].

Social media is experiencing significant growth and as it becomes more relevent in people's lives, it has the potential to impact us posititively and negatively. It shapes our views of others, perpetuates stereotypes, reinforces inequalities, and influences our views of important topics and the people around us.

Social media can effect society negatively through perpertuating stereotypes. Anyone can say anything on the internet with little to no consequences. This leads to misleading, untruthful, and harmful content. In July 2020, 58% of Americans stated that they belived that media reinforces harmful stereotypes [17]. 68% also stated that media is undermining stereotypes [17].

An example of this is a current ongoing TikTok trend called #Girlmath. The trend targets woman and helps rationalize spending and making purchases with irresponsible logic [16]. For example, the idea that if you pay in cash you’re not spending real money or that if something cost less than five dollars it is free [16]. This trend may have started out as a joke however it promotes bad behavior and perpetuates the stereotype that women are more immature and less competent with finances than men [16]. A majority of the time the initial message of these trends may not be apparent, appearing as only a joke, however the underlying implication can undermine the groups that are targeted by these trends.

Social media can also affect the way we make decisions. Recent studies have found that 40% of people look to social media for travel advice [18]. People also seek advice regarding other sectors icluding 25% in financial, 22% in retail, 20% in healthcare [18]. Due to people's desire to seek out advice on social media, it is easier than ever to spread misinformation and manipulate people. A study found that 84% of people agree that media made it easier to manipulate [19]. As use of social media continues to grow it is important to evaluate it's impact on our decisions and the implications of misinformation regarding these decisions.