Media Law and Literacy

      The debate between protection vs privacy has been around since the invention of surveillance technology. The issue with surveillance technologies is that when used properly they are very thorough and very invasive. Most people are under the impression that the internet only knows what you tell it. When considering the ethics of personal information being put on the internet it seems only fair that it be with the consent of the individual. Unfortunately, the thing that you intentionally make available on the internet is a very small part of how much it actually knows or thinks it knows about you.       Surveillance technologies track and catalogue everything it sees about you. The scary part is that you, or anyone for that matter, could have your information tracked without you ever knowing a thing. The thought gives you the same uneasy feeling as feeling like there is someone looking into your home from the window. Another scary thought is ...

      The history of Motion Pictures is one of constant growth and change. Whether it's new or upgraded technology or new techniques to please the cinematic eye, motion pictures are always evolving and improving.       The first moving picture was developed by William George Horner in the early 1850’s in the form of a Daedaleum. The Daedaleum was later modified, patented, and renamed to the Zoetrope in 1860. The first sequence of moving pictures were taken and assembled by Eadweard Muybridge . This process relied heavily on the visual illusion created by the zoetrope. In 1879, Muybridge and his partner Leland Stanford invented the zoogyroscope which was one of the first sequential photo projectors. Eleven years later, Thomas Edison and William Dickson announced the Kinetograph, the first motion picture camera. Shortly after, the duo released the Kinestoscope which rapidly projected the images on a screen. Two years later Edison started screening ...

     Under the protection of the First Amendment, we as Americans are promised the freedom of speech and expression. Although these freedoms were written in the late 1780’s, they are just as important now as ever. The idea of free expression can theoretically be broken down into eight parts. These are called the Eight Values of Free Expression .  These eight values are as follows: Marketplace of Ideas Participation in Self-Government Stable Change Individual Self-Fulfillment Check on Government Power Promote Tolerance Promote Innovation Protect Dissent      After reflecting on these eight values I realized that I can relate to the value of Participation in Self-Government. When I was 20 I was able to vote in the 2020 Presidential Election. This vote not only allowed me to vote for the next president but also several local positions within my state and county. Before I arrived to fill out my ballot I researched the candidates so that I could make an inf...

     The Supreme Court is the highest federal court in the judicial system. The Supreme Court has nine Justices who serve for life. When a Justice dies, the President chooses a new Justice to take their place. This is all common knowledge about the Supreme Court. Having taken social studies and American history courses throughout grade school and high school, I thought I had a good understanding of how the Supreme Court worked. However, after watching Part 1 and Part 2 of the History Channel's short documentary about the Supreme Court, I realized I still hadn't grasped the full scope of how it really works.      One thing that I never knew was when and how the Supreme Court started. John Marshall was made the first Cheif Justice in 1801. This made him the first person to have the power to deem an act of congress as unconstitutional. Another fact that I did not know was that the justices do not get to pick which cases they hear. They also try and make sure ...