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Amanda Pridmore
Professor Frank Meyers
SCOM-110
Discussion Thread Assignment: Freedom of Speech and Ethics in Media
1. Current mobile devices offer everything from ordering a pizza to playing video games to
doing your banking. Is having this consumer control and access a benefit or are we
ceding some control over to a few large media companies?
a. In my personal opinion, society having consumer control and access is a blessing
in many ways. It allows, for instance, the convenience of being able to deposit a
check virtually through an app on one’s phone rather than having to physically go
to a bank location to deposit said check. This saves not only time but also money,
in terms of transportation means. Moreover, the option of “buy online, pick up
instore”, has become increasingly popular among many retailers and restaurants.
When, let’s say, I run out of my facewash that I use daily, I immediately say to
myself, “Well, I guess I’m going to have to go buy more at Ulta”. However, I
immediately feel a sense of dread or anxiety because I fear that if I go in store, I
will be tempted to buy things I do not need. The option of being able to buy ahead
and pick up in store, or curbside, is so much help to me, not only due to my hectic
lifestyle, but because I know that I won’t be tempted to impulsively buy makeup
products I do not need in store, along with being able to skip lines at checkout.
Additionally, using Ulta’s app for this allows for me to make sure I am receiving
the best possible price for the product by checking it’s coupons as well as
accumulating rewards points.
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2. How are today’s evolving media content and mobility options increasing or decrease the
quality and value of the media we have available to us as consumers?
a. Today’s media is everchanging and evolving in the ways we can receive and send
it. However, I suppose it could be “decreasing” in the sense that we as humans see
so much of it that we have become used to its magic and take it for granted. If the
average person were to be transported back in time to, lets say, the 1800’s, they
would certainly have their eyes opened to how great we have it with today’s
technology. We wouldn’t be able to say, “Hey Alexa, play Friends in Low Places
by Garth Brooks” to our amazon echo device to have the song we want to hear
promptly play.
b. This would be especially so with the simplest task of doing the laundry. Today, we
all dread this chore of separating clothing by color, putting it into the washing
machine with a tide pod, then transferring to dryer machine, but if we had to
adhere to the ways of the 1800’s laundry methods, the average person today
would be puzzled as to what to do and would see our way of doing the laundry no
longer as a chore. The laundry routine of the 1800’s is as follows, “Make
homemade soap out using materials like lye, cure for 3 months. Individually soak
each garment in warm soapy water. After rubbing the clothes clean, turn them
inside out and repeat the process. Rinse all clothes in fresh water, wring them out,
and hang up to dry. Iron” (Allairevillage).
3. The business model of social media platforms is to keep people engaged. Do you ever
feel as if you have become addicted to social media? Why or why not? Either way - do
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you make efforts to moderate your social media consumption during mealtime, at work,
or when out with friends or family? Explain your thoughts.
a. Frequently, I do feel as though I have fallen victim to addiction of social media
platforms. I’m constantly refreshing my Instagram page to see what the latest
posts are from my friends, family, or even celebrities. This leads down many
rabbit holes of negativity due to my constantly comparing myself to others and
their “picture perfect” lives they portray on Instagram. It tends to turn toxic in
many ways as I should never compare myself to anyone as everyone is unique and
different in their own ways.
b. When I am at work, I leave my phone in my locker in the backroom. This is good
because the constant ringing of notifications on my phone would distract me from
my responsibilities at work. When it is mealtime, I never bring my phone to the
table as a sign of respect to others I am sharing the meal with. That has been
something I was raised doing. When I am with family, I try to limit phone usage
so that I can spend quality time with my loved ones. When I am with friends, I
tend to have a more, laissez-faire approach, in the sense that I am more carefree
with limiting phone usage as I am with my friends who often do the same with
their phones.
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Works Cited
Baran, Stanley J. Introduction to Mass Communication, Media Literacy and Culture. Eleventh
Edition, McGraw-Hill Education, 2021.
Allairevillage. “5 Everyday Tasks That Were Way Harder in the 1800s.” The Historic Village at
Allaire, The Historic Village at Allaire, 4 July 2017, https://allairevillage.org/2017/03/31/5-
everyday-tasks-that-were-way-harder-in-the-1800s/.
