Technology & Politics

Key Points:

Digital Privacy and Data Security: Digital Privacy is the right to keep personal information secure and free from unauthorized access. Data Security measures taken to protect digital information from unauthorized access, corruption, or theft.

• Relevance to Politics:Political campaigns increasingly use digital platforms to engage voters, making data privacy crucial.Campaigns collect data to target ads based on users' online behaviors and personal information.

• Privacy Risks in Political Campaigns: Political campaign websites often collect extensive private data without user consent, lack proper privacy disclosures, and may share or sell data post-election. Users are advised not to provide personal data to campaign websites and to advocate for more regulations for political campaigns.

• Personal Privacy Concerns: Data Breaches- Unauthorized access to personal data stored by political organizations or social media platforms.Misinformation and Fake News- False information spread to influence political views and decisions.

• Protecting Digital Privacy: Use complex passwords and change them regularly, add an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification, and regularly check and adjust privacy settings on social media platforms to control who can see your information.

• Recognizing Online Scams and Misinformation: Phishing Scams- Be cautious of emails or messages asking for personal information or containing suspicious links. Fact-Checking - Use reputable fact-checking websites to verify the accuracy of political information (e.g., Snopes, FactCheck.org, PolitiFact).

• High Schoolers' Political Views and Media Literacy:

• Social Media Engagement: Students are heavy users of social media, where political agendas are promoted, and algorithms often create echo chambers.

• Identity Formation: High schoolers seek acceptance from peers and influential figures while exploring new viewpoints, making them more open to adopting political ideologies but also susceptible to biased or unreliable opinions.

• Identifying Biases: Investigate the credibility of sources, look for evidence, and consider multiple perspectives to get a balanced view.