Aufgabe 1.1
Tasks
1.
Outline the information about the company, the Every, and its employees’ media use.
(20 %)
2.
Analyze how the author depicts Tom Goleta and his attitude towards the Every. Focus on narrative techniques and use of language.
(40 %)
3.
Choose one of the following tasks:
3.1
“To typeset a lie is a crime. It’s taking a back-alley whisper and making it a national scream.”
(ll. 40-41) Taking the quote as a starting point, assess to what extent public opinion is affected by fake news in digital media.
OR
(ll. 40-41) Taking the quote as a starting point, assess to what extent public opinion is affected by fake news in digital media.
(40 %)
3.2
For the website "SocialMediaToday," which invites readers to share their opinions on current developments in the field of digital media, write an article in which you discuss the benefits and drawbacks of video surveillance in public and private spheres.
(40 %)
Text: Excerpt from the novel
The Every
by Dave Eggers Delaney has just started working for the tech giant the Every, which dominates social media and e-commerce in the world of the novel. Winnie is helping Delaney get used to her new job.
1
[…] Winnie rarely stopped talking.
2
On her desktop screen there was a grid of camera feeds—at least thirty-two by Delaney’s casual count. Each of
3
Winnie’s children wore a cam, and their feeds each occupied one box, their schoolrooms another ten or so, her
4
husband’s cam and workplace another six, with at least a dozen monitoring her home, her parents’ home, 5 and what
5
seemed to be an elderly relative in an assisted living center. There were no moments in any day that Winnie didn’t know
6
where each of her children was, where her husband and parents were and what they were doing. If anyone did
7
something out of the ordinary, AI would flag it and she could play it back to see if it merited her attention or correction.
8
“You have your parents on cams, I hope?” Winnie asked her. “They must be getting older …”
9
Delaney was so startled to be asked a question that it took her a moment to answer. “I do,” she said. It seemed
10
noncommittal and banal enough to discourage any follow-up.
11
“You know, I’ve been meaning to tell you that you can keep in touch with them here. Have you done any participating
12
today?”
13
“Not yet,” Delaney said.
14
“Let’s get ten minutes in,” Winnie said, and lunged for her phone. Delaney got hers.
15
“We do anything we want?” Delaney asked.
16
“Company stuff, personal stuff, anything,” Winnie said. “It’s important to keep up with your personal relationships. They
17
really emphasize that here.”
18
Winnie had turned her back to her and was gone, her face unusually close to her phone, thumbs flying. Delaney
19
churned through her feeds and accounts. Her mom sent her a picture of a neighbor’s new car; she sent back a smile.
20
Rose, their mail carrier, sent a photo of her son’s new girlfriend holding a baby; Delaney sent a rainbow. Ads for
21
tampons appeared, and for guns and gum and a heat-saving kind of double-paned glass. A college friend sent a minivid
22
of a volcano currently erupting in Chile. Unsure if a smile or frown was appropriate, Delaney found and sent an emoji of
23
a worried-looking unicorn. […]
24
“Oh look,” Winnie said, and she pointed to one of the boxes on her screen. A handsome man was speaking in front of a
25
phalanx of American flags. “Have you watched him? Tom Goleta?”
26
Delaney had been following him closely for months. Goleta was a presidential candidate who posed—as much as any
27
political entity could—an existential threat to the Every. Word was he’d be coming to campus in a few weeks. […] Goleta
28
was one of the few politicians who had not succumbed to going Seen. For ten years it had been the norm, whether the
29
constituents wanted it or not. To broadcast one’s days, one’s meetings and hearings and campaign events spoke of
30
transparency: I have nothing to hide, so watch me. Only a smattering of leaders were still dark, and most were anti-tech
31
crusaders. […]
32
He seemed never nervous, never unloved. His jaw was strong, his eyes sensitive, all-seeing. He was always noticing
33
someone in the crowds around him, someone who might need a moment of connection with him, a few seconds they
34
would not forget. In the video Winnie wanted Delaney to see, he was standing in front of a hundred young voters
35
outside the latest iteration of Antioch College.
36
“My people have been in the U.S. since 1847,” he began. “My great-great-grandfather, a white man, was a typesetter for
37
an abolitionist newspaper in Alton, Illinois. Because he would not leave his post, would not leave that press, he was
38
killed by a pro-slavery mob. I have his diary, and it says some interesting things about the standards he lived by as a
39
typesetter. He actually refused to typeset pro-slavery sentiments—that goes without saying—but he also refused to
40
typeset lies. It’s in his diary. ‘To typeset a lie is a crime. It’s taking a back-alley whisper and making it a national
41
scream.’” Winnie paused the video and turned to Delaney, her jaw slack. “And his husband is hotter than he is.” Delaney
42
was unsure if Winnie had missed the central message of the video, or had simply moved on to more prurient interests.
43
Winnie spent a minute finding a few choice photos of his husband Rob, a city planner, whose Nordic masculinity
44
somehow made Goleta, who looked like he could lift a car, seem anemic by comparison. Winnie unpaused the video.
45
“Now we have the Every,” Goleta continued, “which has no problem disseminating any lie you pay them to. They’ve
46
distributed countless lies about me and Rob, about our families, about Rob’s military service, about my religion. I think
47
that’s wrong, and I think my great-great-grandfather would find that wrong, too. The idea that the Every is like a phone
48
company, and is only carrying messages on wires with no obligation to the truth, is so dishonest it does not warrant a
49
retort. They are publishers, for two reasons: one, the messages they send are seen by masses of people—sometimes
50
billions—and two, they disseminate the printed word in a way that is permanent. Period. That is radically and inarguably
51
different than carrying private spoken messages from one person to another, as the phone company once did. It’s the
52
difference between a note passed between two kids in class, and a kind of skywriting that can be seen instantly by
53
everyone in the world, and that’s everlasting. And if you disseminate untruths, you are liable for any and all damage that
54
lie does. This is such a simple application of libel law that it’s flummoxed lawmakers and regulators for decades now.
55
But it’s time to act. I don’t care if it’s social media or some wiki. If you provide the platform to spread these lies, you are
56
accountable. I will hold you accountable.”
Source: Eggers, Dave. The Every. London: Hamish Hamilton, 2021, 123-127.
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Note:
Our solutions are listed in bullet points. In the examination, full marks can only be achieved by writing a continuous text. It must be noted that our conclusions contain only some of the possible aspects. Students can also find a different approach to argumentation.
Our solutions are listed in bullet points. In the examination, full marks can only be achieved by writing a continuous text. It must be noted that our conclusions contain only some of the possible aspects. Students can also find a different approach to argumentation.
1.
- The Every is a significant tech and social media enterprise, offering a platform to a considerable customer base.
- It promotes itself as a company that merely transmits messages.
- Accusations from a politician claim that it spreads falsehoods about him and his partner.
- This politician labels it as a publishing firm that manipulates public opinion through misinformation for monetary gain, arguing that it should be held accountable.
the Every
- Employees like Winnie are heavily involved in constant surveillance and monitoring through camera feeds.
- Winnie monitors at least 32 feeds, including those of her children, schoolrooms, husband’s workplace, homes of relatives, and an elderly relative in assisted living.
- AI flags unusual activities for review, ensuring no significant event goes unnoticed.
- Employees engage in frequent, casual digital interactions as part of their daily routines.
- Delaney receives and responds to a variety of messages and updates from friends, family, and advertisements.
- This engagement is encouraged as part of their job, blending personal and professional digital interactions seamlessly.
its employees' media use
2.
- Goleta is described as having a strong, commanding presence
"strong jaw" and "sensitive, all-seeing" eyes (l. 32)
- His physical appearance is further highlighted by descriptions of him seeming "never nervous, never unloved" (l. 32)
- narrative emphasizes Goleta’s ability to connect with people, noting how he is "always noticing someone in the crowds around him" who might need "a moment of connection." (l. 32/33)
- This portrayal underscores his empathy and accessibility, qualities that make him appealing to the public.
- authenticity about private life e.g. comparison "photos of his husband Rob ... whose Nordic masculinity ... made Goleta ... seem anemic" l. 43/44
- The narrative further strengthens Goleta's moral stance by illustrating his family history of sacrifice for the truth.
- His great-great-grandfather's refusal to typeset lies, even at the cost of his life, draws a direct parallel to Goleta's current fight against the Every's dissemination of misinformation. (cf. ll. 36-41)
Depiction of Tom Goleta
- Goleta's attitude towards the Every is explicitly antagonistic
- He accuses the company of "disseminating any lie you pay them to" (ll. 45 ff.) and calls out their role in spreading false information about him and his family.
- This direct accusation highlights his firm stance against the company's practices.
- Goleta challenges the Every's self-perception as a neutral platform, arguing that their mass distribution of printed words makes them liable for the lies they spread.
- His comparison of the Every to a "phone company" versus "skywriting" effectively illustrates the significant difference in impact and responsibility.
Tom Goleta's attitude towards the Every
Through these techniques, the author effectively portrays Tom Goleta as a morally grounded, empathetic leader with a clear and confrontational stance against the Every. The narrative techniques and language choices work together to underscore his integrity and the gravity of his mission, positioning him as a significant and compelling character in opposition to the pervasive influence of the Every.
Conclusion
3.1
The quote, “To typeset a lie is a crime. It’s taking a back-alley whisper and making it a national scream,” succinctly captures the profound impact of fake news in digital media. This metaphor highlights how false information, once confined to small, private circles, can be amplified to a national or even global scale through the power of digital platforms.
Introduction
- Digital media platforms allow misinformation to spread rapidly and reach a vast audience within seconds.
- Social media algorithms often prioritize sensational or controversial content, amplifying the spread of fake news.
- People tend to consume information that aligns with their existing beliefs, leading to the reinforcement of false narratives.
- Fake news can exploit confirmation bias, further entrenching polarized viewpoints and distorting public opinion.
- The proliferation of fake news undermines trust in traditional media outlets and institutions.
- When individuals encounter conflicting information or deceptive content, they may become skeptical of all sources, leading to a general erosion of trust in the media landscape.
- Fake news can shape public perception of events, individuals, and issues.
- By distorting reality and presenting fabricated narratives as facts, it can influence public opinion and attitudes, ultimately impacting decision-making processes at societal and political levels.
- Fake news often exploits divisive topics and exacerbates social and political tensions.
- By spreading misinformation that fuels fear, anger, or resentment, it can deepen existing divisions within society, making it harder to achieve consensus or meaningful dialogue.
- Misinformation can influence election outcomes, public policies, and governmental decisions.
- When false information shapes public opinion, it can sway voter preferences, influence policy debates, and even undermine the legitimacy of democratic processes.
- Beyond its societal and political impacts, fake news can also harm individuals' well-being.
- False health information, for example, can lead to dangerous behaviors or undermine public health efforts, posing risks to individuals' physical and mental health.
Main Body
- Addressing the influence of fake news in digital media requires a multi-faceted approach involving media literacy education, technological interventions to curb misinformation spread, responsible journalism practices, and regulatory measures to hold purveyors of fake news accountable.
- By promoting critical thinking skills and fostering a culture of skepticism towards unverified information, societies can mitigate the impact of fake news and safeguard the integrity of public opinion.
Conclusion
3.2
The Double-Edged Sword of Video Surveillance: Balancing Security and Privacy
Title
In today's digital age, video surveillance has become a ubiquitous feature of both public and private spaces. From the cameras monitoring city streets and public transport to those installed in private homes and businesses, surveillance technology offers a range of benefits and drawbacks that continue to spark debate.
Introduction into the topic
- The presence of cameras can deter criminal activities such as theft, vandalism, and violence.
- Potential offenders are less likely to commit crimes when they know they are being watched.
- Surveillance footage provides valuable evidence in solving crimes, helping law enforcement agencies identify suspects and understand the sequence of events.
- Video surveillance allows for real-time monitoring of public and private spaces
- In public areas, surveillance cameras contribute to overall safety by monitoring for emergencies such as accidents, fires, or suspicious activities.
- In businesses and industrial settings, video surveillance helps monitor adherence to safety protocols and can identify hazardous conditions before they result in accidents.
Main Body
Benefits of Video Surveillance
Benefits of Video Surveillance
- Continuous surveillance raises significant privacy issues.
- The data collected by surveillance systems can be vulnerable to hacking and unauthorized access.
- There is a risk of surveillance systems being used beyond their intended purpose, leading to an overreach by authorities or employers.
- Surveillance technology can be misused to target specific groups based on race, gender, or socio-economic status, leading to discriminatory practices and social inequality.
- The knowledge of being constantly watched can lead to a chilling effect on behavior, where individuals may alter their actions and speech, suppressing their freedom of expression and leading to self-censorship.
- Continuous surveillance can contribute to heightened stress and anxiety levels, as individuals may feel they are under constant scrutiny.
Drawbacks of Video Surveillance
- To harness the benefits of video surveillance while minimizing its drawbacks, it is essential to strike a balance between security and privacy.
- Clearly defined and communicated policies on where, why, and how surveillance is conducted can help alleviate privacy concerns.
- Transparency ensures that individuals are aware of the extent and purpose of monitoring.
- Implementing regulatory frameworks to govern the use of surveillance technology can prevent misuse and ensure accountability.
- Employing technologies that enhance privacy, such as anonymizing or blurring faces in public footage, can protect individuals' identities while still allowing for effective monitoring.
- Engaging the public in discussions about the use of surveillance can lead to better-informed policies and practices that reflect societal values and concerns.
Balancing Security and Privacy
Video surveillance, when used responsibly, can significantly enhance security and efficiency in both public and private spheres. However, it is crucial to remain vigilant about the potential for abuse and to implement safeguards that protect individual privacy and civil liberties. By finding the right balance, society can benefit from the advantages of surveillance technology while minimizing its risks.
Conclusion