How confident are you in your in your ability to search the web? What search engine do you use and why? Do you worry about privacy when you search for information? What to you is most important when retrieving information from a search? Finally, a central part of this class is media/technological literacy and we define that as an individual’s ability to retrieve, utilize, evaluate, share and create content; Do you believe the presence of filter bubbles has an impact on an individual’s media/technological literacy? Support your answer. Finally what is the use and application for the Internet Archive? Do you believe this resource is needed? Support your answer. 

 

Searching the Web

I use unique and specific terms in my abilities to search the web. When one is conducting an internet search, many web pages are usually displayed. For example, a google search about “caterpillar” would display more than a thousand results. I typically use unique terms specific to what I want to learn to reduce the number of web pages displayed. I also do not use common words and punctuation marks. Most search engines ignore common words like “the” and punctuation marks (Norton, 2019). When searching for a particular phrase inside quotation marks, common words and punctuation marks can be applied

I usually use the Microsoft Search in Bing search engine because it helps keep my information and search data safe. Using Microsoft Search in Bing, I am the only individual who can access my projects and school search history. With Bing, I feel confidential with my internal search results as they are never availed to Bing public searches or other groups such as Microsoft. With Bing, only those who are signed in through my permission can access my internal search results.

I do not worry about privacy When I am searching for information using Bing. Microsoft Bing does not aim at marketing using my search projects and school identity. With Bing, I can only access files and data shared with me or those I have been permitted to retrieve. With Bing, I can keep my personal searches private using the private browser window. Using the private browser window, those with access to my device cannot view my search history.

When retrieving information from a search, the most important thing to me is using a high-speed search engine to conduct a more efficient search that provides the appropriate results. To satisfy my need, I always use Bing as it is a high-speed search engine. By dropping suffixes in my search term, I include only the base words to retrieve the relevant result sites. For example, I use the search term “animal,” not “animals.” However, there is one exception; when I am searching for sites that relate to actions such as “jumping,” I search the term “jumping” without excluding the suffixes “ing.”

I believe the presence of filter bubbles has an impact on an individual’s media or technology literacy. The websites that one uses to conduct searches use algorithms to bring about intellectual isolation. They selectively assume the type of information and data a search engine user would retrieve (Microsoft, n.d). Through intellectual isolation, the websites display search results as per the analysis of the algorithms. Therefore, filter bubbles can cause media or technology illiteracy as they distort one’s perception of reality in thinking and reasoning in a logical manner.

The use of the Internet Archive is to create a digital library of all websites, including cultural artifacts in digital form. Its application is similar to that of a paper library. It provides unrestricted access to internet sites to all researchers, historians, scholars, the print disabled, and the public (Internet Archive, 2017). The Internet Archive is a well-known category in the news and books search category. I do believe the Internet Archive is needed. It allows one to download software from its ultimate software library. Through the JSMESS emulator, the Internet Archive grants researchers instant access to decades of computer history using their browser (Internet Archive, 2017). Those with a free account can upload valid media data and information to the Internet Archive.

Searching the Web Outline

• My confidence in searching the web.
• The search engine that I use.

• Microsoft in Bing.

• My privacy when searching for information.
• The most important thing when retrieving internet information.
• Filter bubbles.

• Their impact on an individual’s media/technological literacy

• Internet Archive.

• Use and application.

Web Peer Response

Just like my peer, I am also confident in my capabilities of searching the web. I agree with my peer's post that skimming is an incredibly fast and smart way of retrieving information from websites because upon searching for a term, one gets multiple results and chooses the only appropriate part of the results. I want to add that through skimming, one spends lesser time looking for needed information from the web. I use the Microsoft in Bing search engine to search for information from the web as opposed to my peer who uses google chrome. I concur with the statement that google chrome is a fast that dives a user easily through websites. On the issue of privacy, I would recommend every web user to be cautious about the type of search engines they use for the sake of their privacy. I want to add that google chrome and Microsoft in Bing are amongst the leading search engines that ensure their users' privacy. Web users need to mind their privacy and security, especially when ordering items online from unfamiliar websites to ensure that nobody retrieves their credit card password. I would like to get your view on if individuals should be concerned about their privacy when using different search engines.