Here is the link to my extension for Project 4 – “Not My President Extension” – https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/not-my-president/dfdbepedgmmbpibkbfpbpiompcbhkmba

Here is the link to my extension for Project 5 – “Better News” – https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/better-news/lblmahpbhkbhmchpgdkmondojakmkhcn

 // ==UserScript==
 // @name Basic Userscript Template
 // @version 1.0
 // @namespace basic-userscript-template
 // @description demonstrates a userscript method for altering websites
 // @require http://arts445.courses.bengrosser.com/files/ready-vanilla.js
 // @require http://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.3.1.min.js
 // @run-at document-start
 //
 // **WRITE MATCH STATEMENTS TO MATCH WEBSITE URLS (FOLLOW MY EXAMPLE)
 //
 // @match *://*.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump*

// @include *://*.wikepedia.org*
 //
 // ==/UserScript==// -----------------------------------------
 //
 //
 //
 //
 // Basic Userscript Template
 //

 (function() {

// jQuery on 'j' to avoid conflicts with page jQuery
 var j;

// PUT YOUR CODE within main() below
 function main() {

j = jQuery.noConflict();

var j = jQuery.noConflict();

j('a').each(function() { redBorder(this); });

ready('a', function(e) { redBorder(e); });

function redBorder(e) {
 j(e).css('border','1px solid red');
 }
 j ('b').remove();
 j ('span').css("opacity","0");
 j ('h1').css("backgroundColor", "black") ;

setInterval(fadeOutIn,500);

function fadeOutIn () {
 j ('img').fadeOut(400,fadeBackIn);
 }
 function fadeBackIn () {
 j('img').fadeIn(300);
 }

}

main();

String.prototype.contains = function(it) { return this.indexOf(it) != -1; };

})();

For this week’s observe I am analyzing a message that popped up on my computer last week. One day I opened my computer and a message immediately popped up when connecting to the internet, that said “Another device on the network is using your computer’s IP address”, with further instructions about what to do next. I didn’t think much of it and honestly just ignored it like the lazy person I am, but a couple days later it popped up again.
This worried me because this message (from what i understand) means that there is another device that has access to my computers “signature”; I’m not exactly sure how severe that is or what could come from that but I know the results are not exactly good. While it could be another one of my own devices, it very well could be someone else’s. Following the second message I followed the instructions and am waiting for the next message to pop-up. Receiving this message, while it was not directly harmful, made me rethink what information I am putting out into the internet, and where exactly I am giving out the information. I’m sure I have given out unnecessary information on the web many times before, but this made me stop and wonder when was the last time I did that and did I even stop and think before hand? It also made me think about the fact that if i’m giving out information easily and not realizing it, who else is? My parents who aren’t too technologically experienced have probably fallen victim to this many times, too.

For project 8, I narrowed down my ideas to either creating another extension or using firebase for anonymous use. For an extension, I thought it would be cool to make an extension that helps you “see life clearer” – for example, the extension would be used on a news site or twitter and multiple aspects of the site would be changed so that it would appear brighter/happier. Headlines with sad news would fade out, specific words or phrases would change to something “overly happy”, the fonts would be changed to something more fun and the colors and page layout would change to reflect a happier setting. I was also thinking I could create an extension aimed more for the elderly – fonts would be bigger, headlines would include old timey phrases/sayings, and the news would reflect past events.

If I were to use firebase I was thinking about creating an anonymous blog type of service where users can post anonymously their fears/worries or get advice. It wouldn’t be so much a chatroom as a place where people can just say their thoughts without context. Each new user would get a different color and size of text and maybe even different fonts. It would mimic a safe space for users.

For my observe I decided to focus on a new app/service that i recently discovered. “Earn bitcoin” is a service that essentially pays people to take surveys based upon their personal network connections. It also allows popular companies with big executives to connect with people who are interested in their opinions/advice, all while being compensated; you can select an amount from $1-$20 per question, and if you are not a company executive, you can money by taking surveys that pay $1 (give or take) each. You fill out questionnaires based upon your knowledge and interests, and from there you are selected to complete surveys.
What i find most interesting about this service is that in order to create an account, you must connect with LinkedIn; I assume this is so that the service can analyze your contacts and history to select surveys for you. In addition, in order to connect with company executives, you must connect your gmail account as well. These interesting guidelines can definitely affect the desirability of signing up for such a service, especially if you don’t have either of the accounts. While I understand why these are put in place, it always makes me a little suspicious when services ask for your other personal accounts or info – I myself have yet to connect my gmail account to this service because when I initially tried, it obtained all my email contacts and wanted to send out emails to all of them – and that definitely scared me away. While I have taken online surveys for money in the past, the twist with this service is it pays you in bitcoin; this gives your money the potential to increase without you doing any extra work. While this is an incredibly enticing idea, it also means you can lose your money at any second. That being said, I am not entirely sure if I will go through with the whole registration process, especially if I put my time into this serice and then all my money is lost. A nice twist, however, is that it gives you an option during registration where you can pick 1 of 4 charities to donate to.

For this week’s observe I was inspired by our discussion in class about analyzing followers on social media. I decided to analyze my own followers on instagram for one main reason: I made an instagram account back when the application didnt have many users, before any celebrities really used it (their usage made the application pretty popular at the middle/end of 2011), and though most people think this fact is stupid and also a lie, it has affected my social media following on instagram. Instagram was launched in October 2010, and I made my account back in March 2011. At the time I was in eighth grade, had gotten my first iphone, (early, i know), and was just discovering my love for photography. I didn’t know much about it but I was intrigued by filters and I decided to download a bunch of filter apps and see which ones I liked. I made an instagram account and didn’t think much of it. On instagram, to save an edited photo to your camera roll, you have to post it to your account. So, I took random photos and edited them and posted them so i could have them on my phone. I didn’t pay attention to my profile for months because I was only uploading to save the photos to my phone, it never once occurred to me that other people might find and look at them (keep in mind, i think it’s safe to say social media was much less prominent in 2011, back before iPhones took over blackberry and many other cultural references I could name). A couple months go by, I’ve posted about 20 photos, (all since deleted because they are ugly and the photos from the mid of an eighth grader), and I have a few hundred followers. Random people, and I had no idea what followers were. A couple more months go by and I have almost 2000 followers.
When I say this to most people they think I sound like an idiot, like some girl who wants to make some statement by saying she caught onto a fad before it was cool. However, I only say this because in the last year I have had many people ask me why I have double the amount of followers vs. people I am following, yet compared to others I “don’t nearly get as many likes”. I’ve thought about it too, and so I went back and looked at my followers. From the pictures I provided, you can see that multiple accounts of these random people that followed me years ago, when instagram was just starting up, are either inactive, fake accounts, fan accounts for celebrities, people who follow just to get follow backs, accounts who give “shout outs”, and accounts of brands/bands. Theres around 500 of those followers(give or take), and around 200 people who followed me between 2011-2013 that are random and I’ve never met or interacted with, but continue to follow me. It just goes to show that many accounts are fake, or bots, or unused, but it will still look like more people care about your personal life than they actually do.

For my observe I wanted to analyze hulu’s welcome page. I chose this to analyze, firstly because I have noticed that my hulu usage has increased dramatically in the last 6 months. Last year at this time, I hardly used hulu at all. I believe my usage has increased for 2 reasons; firstly, because in the last year, netflix has increased the amount of shows that are being take down, which was not as common for tv shows last year as it was for netflix’s extensive list of movies. Secondly, aside from hulu having access to many of the shows that netflix took down (i.e family guy, american dad, bob’s burgers, etc) hulu has added many shows that air on live tv to their lineup, available right after the show airs. This year, they released a partnership with spotify, which also probably helped their revenue and contributed to the increase in tv show options.
All these things considered, when you go to hulu’s homepage on a computer or smartphone, it gives you many options on how to sign up or obtain an account with hulu; the top of the main page has two areas that allow you to access a free trial, and when scrolling down, it shows you payment plan options, and ultimately ends with another designated area for which users can start their free trial (I wonder what they want me to take away from their homepage..maybe that there is a… free trial option?) (just kidding, that was sarcasm).
They are definitely playing to a certain audience here, but what’s interesting to me is that you actually have to search for where to log in. There is a menu-looking button in the top right corner that some people would interpret as a menu, but others may just think it is a design choice. You must click it, and when the menu drops down, there are two options: log in, and, say it with me now, start your free trial! I found this interesting because clearly it is doing many things to try to persuade people into signing up for hulu, but it doesn’t do much to encourage existing users to keep coming back, at least on the main/home page. Of course companies want to advertise to potential new customers, but maybe they should play to the likes of existing users too, ya know?

1. change all images on buzzfeed website
2. change names of stocks on stock market website
3. change all new york time headlines to news about obamacare
4. change trump’s website information
5. change facebook’s privacy policy
6. change images on
7. change all images to nickelback on U of I’s main website
8. change headlines or information on trump’s website to offensive things he has said in the past

Many of my observes so far have been based off of Facebook posts and features, which was not intentional; I guess I have just found that Facebook as a social media website produces the most unwanted content than any other social media site, at least for me personally. From sponsored advertisements, to reminders of events that have no correlation to me, it does it all. One thing that I noticed this week during my time using Facebook was the many options it gives you when you go to write a facebook post. Other than asking me “what’s on your mind, rachel?” (as if i’d genuinely answer that, or anyone would care), it gives 12 options directly under that of things you can add to your post.
These options are there to promote using facebook for a wide array of things – other than posting videos or photos, it gives you the option to share your feeling/activities, check in at places, start a poll, start a list, tag people or events, or even “support nonprofits”. While some of these features have been present for a while, this is the first time I’ve actually noticed the support nonprofit tab. Truthfully, I can’t think of a single person who logs onto facebook to support nonprofits. Additionally, posting a status about you supporting a non profit is almost like tooting your own horn. I feel like these features are unnecessary, but then again so is half of what facebook promotes and sponsors. I just find it interesting that facebook encourages you to think these ways, to engage with the community, but truthfully I doubt people use these features much, I know I don’t.

function main() {

    j = jQuery.noConflict();

    var j = jQuery.noConflict();

    j('a').each(function() { redBorder(this); });

    ready('a', function(e) { redBorder(e); });

    function redBorder(e) {
        j(e).css('border','1px solid red');
    }
     j ('b').remove();
     j ('span').css("opacity","0");
     j ('h1').css("backgroundColor", "black") ;

        setInterval(fadeOutIn,100);

        function fadeOutIn () {
            j ('img').fadeOut(200,fadeBackIn);
        }
       function fadeBackIn () {
           j('img').fadeIn(120);
       }

}

This week for my observe I thought I would focus on a sponsored advertisement that popped up on my facebook newsfeed this week. The advertisement was promoted by “Sandy Hook Promise”, and featured a video of a boy who was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary. The caption discussed how the shooter carried 300 rounds and killed 20 children within 4 minutes. The link it provided along with the video was a petition to make large-capacity gun magazines illegal. Firstly, this ad really threw me off because I had never seen something like this promoted on facebook before; however, I think that it’s shock value helps the cause and pushes people to stop and look at the advertisement, and maybe even sign the petition. Especially given the recent tragedy in Florida, this ad couldn’t be more fitting. I think it’s great that facebook is promoting posts like this, especially with all that’s’ going on post-shooting, like the school walkouts and protests and the capitol. Anything that can help prevent these events from happening helps, and for once facebook is showing sponsored ads that not only pertain to actual issues, but bring up social issues at conversations as well.

Trump’s website/wiki – deleting key words like “president”

Facebook’s terms of agreement – change wording

Websites advice column – change or delete key words/change advice

Celebrity net worth site – changing celebrities’ net worths

Youtube – change titles of videos with weird thumbnails

Aol – change words to make it a parody site

Gerry’s website – remove all homework and any sign of achievements he has written about himself

Deke’s website – remove all project descriptions

This week I decided to do my observe on this game I found in the app store called “Make it Rain: Love of Money”. I was recommended to get it from a friend, who said it was very addicting. While I’m still confused about the actual point of the game, users were supposed to collect money in order to buy properties or invest in businesses, and essentially move up the rankings of the game. I don’t know if there was any actual reward at the end or money reward but there was rumored to be one, which is why the game appealed to many people. The main screen was a stake of money, and by swiping on the screen, you mimicked the “make it rain” action, which is a play on a trend that was once popular – the more money you swipe, the more money you earn and that’s how you initially get money to invest and buy virtual businesses and properties. THe game was highly addictive because basically all you had to do was swipe the screen to make money. And by users swiping on the screen, the application was able to increase their revenue bc users were engaging with the app. Such a smart idea in terms of capitalizing on users, not so much for a game. However, apparently within the first week of it’s release it made a crap ton of money and was number one in the app store. I played it for a few days and admittedly I became a little obsessed, but once the initial interest wore off and i realized i was using my own time to not win actual money, my obsession faded.