Elizabeth Llera

Propaganda is defined by Merriam- Webster as information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.  It seems simple, doesn’t it? Misleading information. The definition is plain and simple, but often we associate the term with power and control in a negative way (the Hitler regime, communist control in Central Europe, etc.).  But in the era of the digital age, it is far more complex. Propaganda implies only telling one side of the story, the side you want your audience to know. It also plays into the consumer's emotions, rather than their intellect. This makes propaganda highly persuasive and molds malleable minds to believe one side of the story. Propaganda has the power to sway elections, shape minds, and change the narrative of fact-checked news.  Propaganda can be a positive thing. It is used to persuade and share information. It was coined as a negative term when politicians began making ...

  Instagram is a platform that has been around since 2010 and it quickly surged to one of the top social media platforms. Now owned by Facebook, Instagram created a platform that originally was created to allow users to post photos. The app included amatuer editing features and allowed users to post captions and interact with each other via comments, likes and followers. Instagram is one of the platforms that paved the way for the value of free expression via social media.  “Goal: transforming Instagram from a photo app for sharing pics of puppies and pizza into a media company that communicates through photos."-Mark Zukerburg Instagram specifically, as it have evolved, has been one of the largest channels for users to exercise free expression. For example, using hashtags to form movements and Instagram “stories” to share your daily life. The most recent example is Instagram’s eruption of content regarding #BlackLivesMatter and “JusticeforBreonnaTaylor. By having hashtags, it ...

The Diffusion of Innovation Theory was developed by E.M. Rogers in 1962, and it stands as one of the oldest social science theories. The Diffusion Theory began to explain how, over a certain period of time, an ideology spreads through a population. At the end of the process of diffusion, is people adopting a new idea, behavior, or product. Diffusion is made possible by a person perceiving the idea, behavior, or product as new and innovative. This way, they adopt it and spread it to their social system.  Some examples of Diffusion Theory might by purchasing a new product or acquiring and performing a new behavior.  I decided to dive into how Diffusion Theory paved the way for CBD oil to boom in the most recent years.   CBD oil began as a product for (excuse my language), stoners. People viewed the tiny tinters of hemp oil as a product for getting high, without knowing CBD actually contains little to no THC, the astringent that has effects on the brain. Fast forward a ...

We look at the radio as a dated form of broadcasting. Do Generation Zs even know how to tune a radio? When was the last time I got in my car and actually listened to the radio? I could not even tell you. These are questions I thought about when I decided to write about the impact the first radio had on American politics. The radio paved the way for communications and generated a platform for citizens to actually know what was going on in the world without waiting for the daily paper. The radio also created a way for ideologies to form and voices to be heard.  “ Radio is the theater of the mind” -Unknown Originally created in 1879 by Guglielmo Marconi as a bulky and poor reception tool that generated Morse code to ships, the radio became popular in the 1920s. The first operating station was formed in Pittsburg in 1922 and it was an instant success. The earliest broadcasts of radio were used to inform on foreign affairs. At the time, the world was dominated by telegraphs and teleph...

Often when Millenials and Gen Zs think of conservatives or “right-wing” politics, we often associate that word with high military budgets, loose gun laws, pro-life, tradition, and (of course) the Confederate flag. Conservative to us might make us think of older, southern roots that date back to Robert E. Lee. But in reality, the word “conservative” has been societally constructed and construed by modern media and the digital age.  Has there been a time you’ve associated, for example, George W. Bush or Donald Trump with being “pro-war” and Obama as being more of a voice for peace? These again, are societal constructions although their policies may lean the public in these directions.  Coming from a long line military family (my brother is a 4th generation Army Infantry Officer, following in the footsteps of my Dad who is retired, Grandpa, etc.) I often find the media we consume, shapes how we look of sides when it comes to war and foreign affairs. And this is important to ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Vl4I0weXPU When I was questioning where to even start this blog, I thought a lot about it relates to me, and how the narrative around the First Amendment has drastically changed. We have these six freedoms under the First Amendment, but how is it different in how we use those freedoms.  I thought about it this way, has the presence of social media changed the way we exercise our rights? The answer is yes. Online petitions, passing information, and sharing our opinions is now at the click of a button. I believe the Black Lives Matter movement was able to gain so much traction due to social media bringing to light facts (and fiction) about police brutality cases.  Those are just my thoughts. Diving into the Encyclopedia article regarding San Bernardino, I found it interesting to decide if this curfew might be deemed unconstitutional.   “Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles contends that these curfew orders limit their ability to engage in pea...