COM 565: Technology, Media, and Culture Analysis

     “Apart from the results of the United States presidential election and the United Kingdom referendum on Brexit , one of the most newsworthy issues of 2016 was news itself- or rather "fake news" and its impact on those and other events”  (Burshtein, 2017). As described by Burshtein (2017), fake news is patently false and is created and presented in a way meant to deceive consumers into thinking that it is real. Fake news also typically will include clickbait , which although may not be false in nature, is intended to capture the attention of an audience and persuade them to click on the post or article. Although fake news had occurred for years prior to the 2016 U.S. presidential election , it garnered widespread attention when “ inaccurate social media posts were spread to large groups of users, a form of “viral” circulation found most prominently on the Facebook platform, during the campaign” (McDougall, 2021). Additionally, “a key development in the use of the term “fa

          The COVID-19 pandemic impacted life as we knew it, with mask mandates, lockdowns, and social distancing. While social media as a whole has affected communication, this will solely be analyzing the way TikTok affected communication during a global pandemic. TikTok is a social media platform, in which the content is entirely made up of short-videos. Consumers can create their own videos and share them on the app, or just watch content via their For You Page.  At a time where people were encouraged to stay 6 feet apart from each other, “ TikTok saw a large increase in usage during the COVID-19 lockdown because it provided entertainment, distraction and social interaction based on video content engagement” (Klug et. al, 2023). The platform provided a form of mass communication, while allowing consumers to interact with one another and reduce the feelings of FOMO . “While users were not able to physically enjoy preferred activities or meet with friends, their TikTok behavior and

     While the iPhone was not the first ever smartphone, it’s the most common smartphone among consumers. The first Apple iPhone was introduced in 2007, changing the market of cellular devices forever. At the time Steve Jobs (former Apple CEO) described it as: “iPhone is a revolutionary and magical product that is literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone” (Kerris & Dowling, 2007). Additionally, it was advertised as being a breakthrough internet communications device; that “features the most advanced and fun-to-use web browser on a portable device with a version of its award-winning Safari™ web browser” (Kerris & Dowling, 2007). Fifteen years later, “about 2 billion iPhones have been sold since its introduction, with nearly 800 million in use around the world today – about one for every 10 people on the planet” (Byrne, 2023).      Smartphones have revolutionized the way that people communicate with one another. While you can still make calls, the devices have enable