Columns

SENZON | Put the Phone Down?

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It feels surreal to live in an age where everyone has access to the internet, allowing us to create a narrative of who we are, and what we stand for from the touch of our phone screens. The technological advancements in the past century have created unspoken interconnectedness, resulting in people giving their two cents where unneeded.

Or perhaps, people have become more out of touch than ever before. There is growing concern that we are living in a world where empathy is not prioritized, and people’s devices have become extensions of themselves. As someone who has grown up always having had access to the internet, it feels like second nature to pick up my phone upon the next buzz or ding. While it isn’t news that my generation has become increasingly reliant on technology to complete schoolwork, network and search for jobs, I feel this disconnect all the more in recent weeks.

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Behind the Seams of Digital Thrifting Platforms

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Should we really be buying clothes online if there are all these unknown variables such as fit, texture, compatibility and condition? Is the disconnect with the actual item perpetuating irresponsible or unconscious shopping? Do you truly need more new clothes, despite how cheap they are? 

Cornell Thrift is the answer to all of these questions. It is the perfect club to supplement fashion needs without overspending  or buying new. Each year in Willard Straight, Cornell Thrift holds a pop-up thrift shop with a wide selection of free garments.

internet

Prof Shows How Your Internet Activity Is Being Watched

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While news of data leaks and malware attacks seem to be on the upswing, there are forms of web surveillance that reveal just as much data, only they are completely legal and receive much less publicity. On Sept. 5, Cornell’s Department of Computing and Information Science kicked off the first of a series of talks that aims to discuss the importance of technological advancements and the law in exploring surveillance, privacy and bias. Prof. Arvind Narayanan, computer science, Princeton University, was the first speaker of the series and presented his research with a talk entitled “Uncovering Commercial Surveillance on the Web.”

Commercial surveillance involves techniques used by companies to discreetly and legally trace the internet activity of users. Such surveillance is so widespread that it affects anyone who uses the internet, even for basic browsing.

china

SCHULMAN | China’s Internet Dilemma

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The other week, I found a Facebook picture that was fascinating. I know what you’re thinking — and no, the photo didn’t involve anyone’s crazy weekend. I’m sure there were some crazy photos of some crazy weekends, but this photo was definitely crazier. It was a picture of Facebook — specifically a graph of all the cities connected by Facebook. Tiny dots with lines drawn between them represented the connections between each city.