Discussion Question

1. Cutting the Cord – 200 WordsA 2015 report from the Pew Research Center https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2015/12/21/4-one-in-sevenamericans-are-television-cord-cutters/ found that 15% of American adults have given up their cable or satellite TV
subscriptions, essentially cutting the cords that once bound their viewing habits to the space and time set by the broadcast
and cable companies (Horrigan & Duggan, 2015). Another 9% of respondents said they never had a cable or satellite
subscription. In other words, as of 2015 a full 24% of Americans access television programming much differently than
they did in the past.
That Pew data is practically ancient history in 2018 and the number of cord-cutters has steadily increased. A recent report
by Moffett Nathanson Research estimated that although 83 million households continue to subscribe to cable or satellite,
13.5 million households do not pay for traditional forms of TV service (as cited in Pressman, 2018).
A minority staff report from the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Investigations examined billing practices among the three
largest cable TV providers and the only two satellite companies in the United States out of concern for customer
frustrations over their bills. The four most frequent complaints customers had were (1) the initial pricing, (2) expiring
promotions, (3) additional fees and changes, and (4) price increases (McCaskill, 2016, p. 1). Not only have the prices for
TV service gone up, the companies reviewed in the report made it difficult for customers to leave.
With all the streaming services available on every device—including the television—it’s easy to see why people would
decide to cut the cord. There is a potential downside, however. With all of its f laws, television has been the medium by
which our culture is transmitted for many decades. Awareness of the popular shows, cringe -worthy local advertising,
slick (and often funny) national advertising, and—most important—local and national news unites individuals and
communities. Our common knowledge enables us to participate in society and is especially important if we want to fulfil
our duties as citizens in a democracy.
Check out the Cord Cutting 2018 Guide https://cordcuttingreport.com/cord-cutting-guide/ and then respond to the
following questions:
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Tell us about your experience with cutting or not cutting the cord.
Is television programming, however you access it, important in your life? Do you enjoy it? Ignore it? Thrive on it?
What are the potential impacts that cord cutting might have on American culture or our democracy?
2. Consumers Control the Content – 200 Words
The expansion of social networking and smartphones means that new methods of communication are necessary, and
consumers-voters are filtering out content they do not like (as cited in Marsden, C. 2017).
Respond in the form of academic paragraphs to address the following issues.
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Discuss how in the modern information technology era, the control of content on the Internet has shifted from
the owner of the content to the consumers.
Select a few media of information dissemination and discuss the various ways in which consumers have been
able to control and filter out the content that interests them or matches their liking.
Deliberate on the positive and negative impacts of such customization and moderation.
3. Seven Digital Deadly Sins – 200 Words
We are all guilty of at least one (if not more) of the Seven Digital Deadly Sins that are explored in an interactive story
produced by The Guardian in collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada. First, visit the site and click
around a bit: http://digital-deadly-sins.theguardian.com/#/Grid
For each of the seven sins, you will find a series of statements about a particular behavior. You are asked to absolve or
condemn the person making the statement and then explain whether you do or do not do the same behavior. As you go
through these statements, take notes on your own guilt or innocence.
Write four paragraphs. They don’t have to be long and exhaustive, nor do you need to confess your deepest, darkest
secrets. However, try to take an honest look at your own behaviors with technology.
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Identify three of the sins (behaviors) that interest you, either because you are guilty or critical of them. W rite a
paragraph about each of them and describe your own behaviors. Are they good? Bad? Would you like to change them?
(3 Academic Paragraphs)
Next, write a few sentences about your own reaction to this exploration of digital sins. Did you learn anything about
yourself or others? (1 Academic Paragraph)
4. Screen Addiction – 200 Words
The smartphone is undoubtedly one of the most pathbreaking technological innovations. It has given access to a vast
unlimited amount of content and information in the hands of its users. However, smart phones and other related devices
have also turned into one of the most serious addictions of the current times.
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Discuss the impact of smartphones on cultures and the behaviors of society.
Discuss ways in which screen addiction can be broken while benefiting from the advantages of technology.
5. Your Relationship With Social Media – 200 Words
Consider how you use social media and other online services like shopping and banking in your personal life. Do you
trust the Internet? Why? Why not? What should be done to increase your trust of social media and online services?
6. Data Breach and Consumer Relationship – 200 Words
In March 2018, news broke that Cambridge Analytica, a data firm with ties to President Donald Trump’s 2016
campaign, accessed information from 50 million Facebook users without their knowledge, and might ha ve kept that data
even after Facebook told the company to delete it (Source: CNN Money).
This is one among several data breaches that have happened in the 21st century that is highly dependent on information
technology.
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Explain the need for a strong data privacy plan by organizations to protect sensitive information.
Discuss the effect of a security breach on the consumer relationship.
Include examples of two strategies that have been implemented by organizations to strengthen data security and gain
consumer confidence.