Eight Values of Free Expression

When we talk about free expression, there are 8 values that we consider to be the core to how society functions. These eight values are: Marketplace of Ideas, Participation in Self-Government, Stable Change, Individual Self-Fulfillment, Checks on Governmental Power, Promoting Tolerance, Promoting Innovation, and Protecting Dissent.

 

The value that sticks out and resonates with me the most is the value of promoting tolerance. This theory has become a core value because it has been argued for decades that freedom of speech, especially through the practice of extending protection to hate speech, teaches us as a society to become more tolerant in all aspects of life. This theory thrives on the belief that the act of promoting expressive freedoms will also make the members of society more open to thoughts and ideas that they would normally be against. 

With hate speech being protected by the First Amendment, it is common for individuals to use forms of speech in public areas, giving the members of society the opportunity to comment on and/or act against the hate speech being said. After members of society act positively or negatively towards that hate speech, it then creates a social norm and provides everyone with a lesson or an understanding of the hate speech, why it was considered hate speech, and allows society to act accordingly in the present as well as the future. 

What immediately came to mind when I read the description of the promoting tolerance theory was the current cancel culture happening around the globe. At a time when social media presence, ignorance, and disrespect are all at an all-time high, there is a pot of conflict boiling. 

When an individual or a company says or does something that goes against societal norms or beliefs, then social media rips them to shreds, highlights what was wrong with what they said or did, and then proceeds to “cancel” them. Canceling in the form of calling out an individual or a group publicly for offensive behavior to hold them accountable for their actions and force them to face consequences. This is mostly done on social media and is frequently mistaken as cyberbullying.

I believe that this may be the most important value or theory of the eight, especially in a constantly evolving society. Allowing everyone to be tolerant in a world of complacency is best. A tolerant society is a healthy society because it allows everyone to create a positive environment, reduces conflict, and promotes innovation and mutual respect by embracing diverse lifestyles and perspectives. 

If it is not obvious, protecting dissent seems to be the value that is mostly in action today, especially heightened since 2020. This theory essentially states that you are protected by the First Amendment to disagree with the government and anyone else, for that matter, no matter how unpopular your opinions and disagreements may be. Social movements, peaceful protests, and other forms of activism have begun to become more popular and visible around the world. 

Ensuring the protection of dissent is also popular. For example, the NAACP has a Legal Defense Fund. This fund is set in place to protect protestors from violence, especially from police officials. The protection of this fund has ranged from the 1961 Freedom Riders to the 2020 Black Lives Matter (BLM) racial justice protestors, where over 125 separate incidents of police violence against protesters were reported across 40 states, in the span of 10 days.

AI Brainstorm

                           

After watching the PBS In the Age of AI documentary, I realized just how much Artificial Intelligence and the internet have begun to take over, and over time will eventually fully change the way the world is as we know it today. While both the internet and artificial intelligence both have positive effects, there are numerous negative effects. The creation of Artificial Intelligence was meant to create a way for humans to spend less time on routine tasks and spend more time doing things that they actually enjoy, being a tool used to enhance human life, not ruin it, which it seems to be on track to do.

Artificial Intelligence has been used and abused by many people around the world. The tool that was created to help is now taking over hundreds of thousands of jobs. When we think of machines taking jobs, we usually think of car manufacturing, assembly lines, or even phone operators. All of which are majority male-dominated roles.  

But one danger that not many people think of or talk about is the women-dominated jobs that are being replaced by artificial intelligence. Jobs such as cashiers, fast food workers, and the majority of customer-service-centered industry roles. These roles are single-handedly being taken over by Artificial Intelligence and technology.

I know that when I go to places like Walmart, I probably will not have any customer service interactions while there, and I will also have to shop for my own items, check myself out, and bag my own products. A job that was once completed by a cashier is now being completed by a consumer and technology. If we continue down this path, I am concerned that nobody will have jobs anymore, and more people will succumb to living paycheck-to-paycheck due to the decrease in job security and job demand. 

Is Privacy Real?!

How would it make you feel if you found that someone knew every thought, purchase, and your daily routine? I'm sure you’d feel spooked, but what’s even more spooky is the fact that this is true- google amongst other platforms know more about you than you think.

 This article from Campaigns of The World helped me understand how much information one singular platform is collecting from me and others. When you think about all of this information multiplied by the number of apps and websites that you visit daily, the amount of “personal” information that is now public is large, and it slightly makes me feel unsafe to know that what I once thought was my personal information and data is not only mine anymore.

Growing up, we’re taught the basic internet safety, such as creating a strong password, not talking to strangers, and sharing personal information, and much more. But in reality, no matter the precautions we think that we are taking, it's not enough. Especially when individuals tend to use a private browser or incognito mode, they are more vulnerable, even though data is still being collected in reality.

But one danger that not many people think of or talk about is women-dominated jobs, such as cashiers, fast food workers, and the majority of customer-service-centered roles. These roles are single-handedly being taken over by Artificial Intelligence and technology.

I know that when I go to places like Walmart, I probably will not have any customer service interactions, and I will have to shop for my own items, check myself out, and bag my own products. A job that was once completed by a cashier is now being completed by a consumer and technology. If we continue down this path, I am concerned that nobody will have jobs anymore, and more people will succumb to living paycheck-to-paycheck. 

My Top 5 News Sources

                         

In a world where technology is evolving and taking over almost all aspects of our lives, traditional methods of receiving news, such as physical newspapers, merchants, or reporters on horseback with a lamp yelling throughout the village, and radio stations like President Roosevelt's “fireside chats,” are no longer common. I, along with many of my peers and even our elders, rely heavily on technology and the modern-day internet and all of the resources that come along with it. Below are my top five new sources as a Gen-Z college student who does not get news most traditionally. 

The first way I most commonly get all of my news information is from Google Alerts, based on my frequent searches or any of the topics that I have marked “interested in” on the Google Chrome app, which tends to send me alerts and notifications directly to my phone 24/7. In addition, any breaking news that Google feels everyone should know also comes to the phone as an alert or notification. Although it is not the most traditional, it is very convenient and useful because it includes everything that I deem relevant or important. As a Sport Management Major, I have a strong passion for sports, particularly college basketball. So being able to receive live updates to my phone about the current Carolina men's basketball game is a lifesaver.  

My second source of news and information would be social media, which includes but is not limited to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X (formerly known as Twitter). Each social media platform has different forms of outreach and appeals to various audiences. Social media tends to give me a quick rundown of the information in a much more interesting way than a newspaper would. Social media allows users to post instantly, so frequent updates are always necessary and helpful to have. Although I think social media is a good way to receive news, I am also aware of the fact that this news could lack evidence, could be biased, could be all around false, and so much more. So I always tend to put my own form of research into the quick news that I receive, but using the platforms as a stepping stone.

Growing up, I used to watch the 6 pm ABC11 news with my grandfather, so as I grew up and as the internet evolved more, I stopped watching the news on television in the traditional way and began to look up the news on their website. Whether this news channel is politically biased, I do not know, but I do know that this is one of the two news channels that I grew up watching, so I just continued to do so. I tend to do a quick scroll on the website now and then, but it is not my most frequented news source. 

Like previously mentioned, I used to watch the news with my grandad, and when I stopped, he did not. So if there is anything major in the news or something he feels like I should know, he would give me a call and update me on the current news and how it affects me. From weather updates, political updates, all the way to what is going on in the sports industry, my grandad does not fail to update me. His news is pretty accurate, but I still sometimes do my own research to fact-check him as well, and so I can tell him that I actually looked into it. 

Lastly, and this may come as a surprise to none, Professor Dean Smith is one of my current news sources. I come to class every Tuesday and Thursday and learn something new about what's going on in the world. As a journalist, you’re supposed to be a source who is unbiased, can play both sides when needed, and can give accurate, trustworthy news to the public. And these are all characteristics that Professor Smith emphasises and embodies, making him a great news source for me!