College Writing

Essay 4 Final Draft

Back in the mid 20th century, when the production and usage of electronics were starting to become more popularized, the concept of facial recognition was born. In today’s world, facial recognition is an everyday used system that can be found in most technological devices; the easy process of holding your face to a screen which unlocks certain aspects without the click of the button is an intricate process, and one that is ever evolving. The use of facial recognition is a beneficial and innovative technique that assists in the privacy of an individuals personal devices, enhances protection in regards to storing precedenting information, and is an important component in technological uses within certain fields such as law enforcement or health care.

Once Apple decided to do away with the home button on all recent iPhone’s, the finger print technique of unlocking your device was also done away with. Instead, Apple implemented the use of facial recognition to your phone instead of typing in your password. Facial recognition in this instance is time efficient and hands free. Apple Inc stated that “face ID provides intuitive and secure authentication enabled by the state-of-the-art TrueDepth camera system with advanced technologies to accurately map the geometry of your face” Facial recognition can not only unlock your phone but can unlock certain apps within the phone such as Apple Wallet, purchasing apps, and even unlocking certain iMessages (Apple Inc). The facial recognition simply identifies your face and facial structure without damaging your eyes or parts of your face.

Money is an extremely important aspect of our daily lives, especially where we safely store our money. Most banks use technology in order to provide the highest security of individuals banking information, as banks are high targets for much criminal activity such as theft. According to Javelin Strategy & research, “the number of identity fraud cases increased 16 percent between 2015 and 2016.” Facial recognition has been recently implemented in many banks, to enhance privacy and protect cryptic information. Many individuals who are now using facial recognition in regards to banking find that “the use of facial recognition technology, as a second or even third form of authentication, greatly reduces the chance of identity fraud and helps to combat the constant threat of scammers ” (Fintech). Using facial recognition as a form of authentication provides easy access to banking information, which can be much easier than going into the actual establishment to check information or receive assistance from the bank.

Facial recognition can be extremely beneficial in regards to investigation and identification of criminals and in with crime scene investigation. Many law enforcement agencies have attained many identities within their system via facial recognition. Officials in law enforcement use facial recognition quite frequently as they “allow users to quickly search through billions of photos to help identify an unknown suspect in a crime scene photo” (US Government and Accountability Office). If a criminal investigation is being performed and the suspects within the case is unknown, law enforcement agencies or government agencies have a data base of billions of faces that have been stored and saved by facial recognition. Facial recognition in technology can allow these individuals to track down and find criminals. This advancement assists in a clear and concise investigation.

Many individuals in society today see a lot of cons to facial recognition, as we are also unaware of what certain technologies do with our facial data. However, I believe that facial recognition is extremely beneficial in todays society, as it benefits privacy and security as well as creates those who work in careers that deal with investigation and identification of individuals much easier. Technology today is always changing and evolving, and facial recognition will always be a new and crucial component in everyday life.

Work Cited

“About Face ID advanced technology.” Apple Support, https://support.apple.com/en-us/102381. Accessed 10 December 2023.

“Facial Recognition Services: Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Should Take Actions to Implement Training, and Policies for Civil Liberties.” Government Accountability Office, 12 September 2023, https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105607. Accessed 10 December 2023.

“How Facial Recognition Enhances Smart Banking.” CyberLink, 27 May 2022, https://www.cyberlink.com/faceme/insights/articles/599/facial-recognition-for-smart-banking. Accessed 10 December 2023.

“Reaching the Next Level of Banking Security with Biometric Facial Recognition.” Aware, Inc., 1 September 2023, https://www.aware.com/blog-banking-security-biometric-facial-recognition/. Accessed 10 December 2023.

Essay 4 Rough Draft

Work Cited

“About Face ID advanced technology.” Apple Support, https://support.apple.com/en-us/102381. Accessed 10 December 2023.

“How Facial Recognition Enhances Smart Banking.” CyberLink, 27 May 2022, https://www.cyberlink.com/faceme/insights/articles/599/facial-recognition-for-smart-banking. Accessed 10 December 2023.

Essay 3 Final Draft- Social Media and Aging Adults

When we think of social media, the platforms of TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and even Facebook are all predominately used by those of the younger generations. Typically, older generations who have not grown up with technology or social media tend to not be familiar with these aspects and some even lack interest in adapting to the new societal and technological change. However, this is actually quite a large misconception, as many elderly individuals tend to enjoy using social media platforms as a way of communication with others or even just using social media to adapt to the new age of technology.

Social media is now a very easily accessible tool that can be used by any age range for any specific reason. The elderly population has taken a liking to social media platforms as a way to stay in communication with others around them. Elderly individuals use an array of social media platforms, as reviewed in a research article from the Pew Research Center, “although email continues to be the primary way that older users maintain contact with friends, families and colleagues, many users now rely on social network platforms to help manage their daily communications—sharing links, photos, videos, news and status updates with a growing network of contacts,” (Madden). There are a few different platforms that many elderly individuals tend to gravitate towards in terms of easy accessibility, easy navigation, and population, one prominent social media platform being Twitter. In a study by the Pew Research Center, “one in ten (11%) of online adults ages 50-64 and one in twenty (5%) online adults ages 65 and older now say they use Twitter or another service to share updates about themselves or see updates about others” (Madden). The concept of updating friends and family and seeing events and information about other individuals can be an interesting and useful concept for aging adults. Researchers at the University of Alabama Huntsville theorized that older individuals such as baby boomers fit a certain criteria for a specific theory known as the “uses and gratification theory.” In this theory, “people actively select and use media to satisfy individual needs” (Sheldon). In a research experiment, elderly individuals were inquired about the primary use of social media which was narrowed down to “six primary reasons which include keeping in touch, sharing photos, social surveillance, responding to family members, convenient communication, and curiosity” (Sheldon). With an open mind, elderly individuals tend to be more willing to use social media platforms, wanting to stay up to date with everyone else in the world.

Aging adult’s mental and health and social media go hand in hand in a very positive manner. Individuals who succumb to living in a nursing home facility unfortunately can feel quite isolated being away from friends and their loved ones. Using social media platforms as means of communication is a new way that those in nursing home facilities can keep in contact and still maintain a social life. Walden University researchers discussed the positive effects social media has on elderly individuals, claiming that “as we age, we tend to retire from jobs, lose friends and family to death, and become less mobile. All of this can leave us with a depleted social network, which can in turn negatively affect our health and sense of well-being. To counteract this, we must work to maintain the ties we have and form new ties when we can” (Walden). Elderly individuals who are facing adversities such as those listed from the article can greatly benefit from social media which can lessen feelings of anxiety and depression. When feeling anxious and isolated, aging adults tend to change their mindset and adapt to bad habits out of their environment. In an article titled Social Media for Seniors, “social media enables seniors to interact with online communities. As a result, they are away from depression, frustration and negative thoughts” (Evans). Social media is usually seen in a very negative light that causes anxiety, stress, spreads false information, and can damage individuals; this is all true information, however, social media in other aspects can improve someone’s quality of life by engaging them into society again, keeping them up to date with events in the world today, and allowing them to be social with those in their life in a new and more engaging way.

Annotated Bibliography

Madden, Mary. “Findings: Older Adults and Social Media.” Pew Research Center, 27 August 2010, https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2010/08/27/older-adults-and-social-media/

This article highlights the statistical evidence and data in regards to aging adults and social media use. Surveys were done in correlation to aging adults and what kind of social media they use prominently, the frequency they use social media within their everyday lives, and why they began using social media in the first place. The article highlights positive key aspects and benefits as to why aging adults use social media.

Myhre, Janelle. “Effects of Online Social Networking on the Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Health of Older Adults.” University of Arizona, 16 June 2023

https://repository.arizona.edu/bitstream/handle/10150/332671/azu_etd_13044_sip1_m.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

The University of Arizona conducted an article about how social media can benefit older adults and many psychobehavioral aspects. Aging adults are more likely to have a more positive mental health mindset when exposed to individuals or society over those who tend to be more isolated. An experiment was conducted via study to see which individuals performed the best on an assessment with the use of Facebook.

Sheldon, Pavica, et al. “Baby Boomers’ Use of Facebook and Instagram: Uses and Gratifications Theory and Contextual Age Indicators.” Heliyon, vol. 7, no. 4, Apr. 2021, p. E06670

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844021007738?fbclid=IwAR00O5OWEGidLCIi4uBWcUTVPMUme9Muw9S7V-h7UFX4vaZ0OTT5AS8whzQ

This research article highlights the psychology behind individuals in the Baby Boomer generations and their true opinions on social media use. Many older adults within this generation enjoy using social media and see it as a positive. Social media and the concept of “gratification” go hand in hand with aging adults in this day and age.

University, Walden “Why-Social-Networks-Are-Important-To-Aging-Adults.” Www.waldenu.edu, 4 Dec. 2014,

https://www.waldenu.edu/online-bachelors-programs/bs-in-health-studies/resource/why-social-networks-are-important-to-aging-adults

This article highlights the benefits social media has on the cognitive mind of elderly individuals. Social media in a sense is recommended to aging adults as it allows them to remain social and have a clear mindset which can be very beneficial especially when being away from family and loved ones. Social media can distract and take away the stress of aging.

Evans, Ian. “Social Media for Seniors: Uses & Benefits – BoomersHub Blog.” Social Media for Seniors: Uses, Impacts and Benefits, 15 Nov. 2021, www.boomershub.com/blog/social-media-for-seniors.

https://www.boomershub.com/blog/social-media-for-seniors

This article was very helpful when researching the positive correlation between aging adults and social media platforms. The article lists the most popular platforms in the current generation and how the use of these platforms can impact an elderly individual’s life in a positive manner. There are many bad habits that many elderly individuals experience once isolated and social media can prevent these events from occurring.

Peer Review- Matt’s Essay 3

Do sources appear to be appropriately college-level?
- Sources are appropriate for the essay in regards to the essay content.
Are in-text citations used properly (are they used where needed and formatted correctly?). Are Works Cited entries formatted according to MLA guidelines? (You do not need to correct entries, but indicate what issues need correction, e.g., what info is missing? what’s wrong about formatting in terms of caps, italics, punctuation, etc.?
- Some of the sources are not in MLA format; any quoted sources should be in parenthesized. Make sure to put it at the end of the information whether summarizing or quoting to provide credit.
Are annotations sufficiently detailed, including info on both content of sources and source credibility?
- Most of the information from the sources are detailed; since it is a rough draft more information can be added upon the paragraphs, I would add more information in regards to quotes and summarization.
Does short report contain specific info from sources?
- The information within the essay from the sources are specific and relate to the points made throughout the paragraphs and throughout the essay.

Essay 3- Rough Draft

When we think of social media, the platforms of TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and even Facebook, are all predominately used by those of the younger generations. Typically, our grandparents or elderly relatives or those in the nursing home are not snapping their friends and following the latest trend on TikTok. This, however, is a rather large misconception, as those individuals over the age of 65 actually do appreciate social media as a whole.

Social media is now a very easily accessible tool that can be used by any age range for any specific reasons. The elderly population has taken a liking to social media platforms as a way to stay in communication with others around the. Elderly individuals use an array of social media platforms, as reviewed in a research article from the Pew Research Center, “although email continues to be the primary way that older users maintain contact with friends, families and colleagues, many users now rely on social network platforms to help manage their daily communications—sharing links, photos, videos, news and status updates with a growing network of contacts,” (Madden 2010). Individuals who are succumbed to living in a nursing home facility unfortunately can feel isolated being away from friends and their loved ones. Social media is a new way that those in nursing home facilities can keep in contact and still maintain a social life. Walden University researches discussed the positive effects social media has on elderly individuals, claiming that “as we age, we tend to retire from jobs, lose friends and family to death, and become less mobile. All of this can leave us with a depleted social network, which can in turn negatively affect our health and sense of well-being. To counteract this, we must work to maintain the ties we have and form new ties when we can,” (Walden 2023). Elderly individuals who are facing adversities such as those listed from the article can greatly benefit from social media which can lessen feelings of anxiety and depression.

Essay 3 The Anxiety of Social Media Influencers- Final Draft

During the early ages of social media, life was simple; you log into your social media account, check the feed or your friends and followers, post a dialogue or two about what is going on in your day or any recent life events, and simply log off and continue about your day. The times of social media have changed drastically, as social media is not just a place to post and acknowledge other people’s thoughts. Social media in today’s age has an abundance of opportunities and resources for individuals as a part of the social media platform, which can even include having a full-time career. Essayist, short-story writer, and journalist for Harper’s Magazine, Barrett Swanson, conducted a research investigation on social media influencers and how tedious a career based in social media and content creation can be. Many individuals who have a prominent platform on social media are living a life in the spotlight, in a lens of societal judgment and critique. Although life in the spotlight may be everyone’s underlying dream, the pressure and intense rigor of keeping up with the trends of society can be a defining characteristic within these young individual’s minds.

The year is 2021, a year after the pandemic started, and where social media took an influx. Barrett Swanson, a journalist for Harper’s Magazine decided to focus his next piece on the individuals who took over social media: social media influencers. More specifically, the pressure and anxieties that social media influencers face while working in the public eye. The hotspot for social media influence is based in none other than Los Angeles, California, home to the abundance of celebrities, influencers, and affluent personnel. The adolescent and early adult female and male influencers all reside within luxurious multi-million-dollar mansions, funded by companies in which the influencers promote products from said company. There are multiple houses within the influencer community where these young male and female influencers reside; Swanson correlated these houses with various levels of secondary schooling. “The Clubhouse BH-grad school- which is meant for the more ‘seasoned influencers,’ Clubhouse FBT which apparently serves as the undergraduate program, and finally there’s Not a Content House, which is the high school of the Club House venture” (Swanson 2021). The way to pay rent in these homes is through brand content creation, which will pay both the influencer and the company an obscene amount of money. From one influencer who did a promotional video with his girlfriend for Raising Cane’s, a fast-food chain, the influencer, and his girlfriend were paid $14,000-$60,000. The influencer in the video was shocked based on that specific sum of money especially considering the video was less than 10 seconds.

In addition to Barrett Swanson’s repertoire of job titles, he is also a college professor, who has dealt with students the same age as these social media influencers experiencing thoughts of suicide, experiences of anxiety, and feelings of lost hop within their lives as university students. These university students are not making $60,000 while they are in school, let alone maybe not even during their career. In fact, according to Swanson, “the average college grad rakes in $50,000 a year, whereas an influencer with more than a million followers could net that much in a month” (Swanson 2021). The amount of societal power and wealth that these social media influencers have is exorbitant, which on the one hand may be thought of as a lavish way of living yet can also cause immense amounts of pressure and stress. One social media influencer spoke to Swanson in regard to the scheduling and processing of creating content. When creating a post, “you’re trying to impress everyone who watches the video, and you want everyone to like it. You do not want to post anything that does not represent you, and if society’s standards are us- as being the Chosen Ones, as being good-looking kids or whatever, as being the new entertainment- then there is a standard to it. Everything you post has to be likable,” (Swanson 2021). Natalie Jarvey, a journalist for The Hollywood Report, interviewed countless social media influencers such as Summer McKeen, Lilly Singh, and Olivia Culpo- all prominent individuals within the media who have been scrutinized and bombarded with hate and judgment by the public eye. These individuals have experienced unimaginable pressure and conflict in posting the best and most influential content for their audience. During one of Jarvey’s interviews with CEO of Digital Brand Architects, Reina Penchansky, Jarvey questioned her take on what kind of pressure and stressors she has noticed amongst these young influencers from a standpoint of being a top director of a talent company. Penchansky stated that “There is way less room for mistakes when your entire brand is rooted in yourself…everybody makes mistakes, but they’re making their mistakes so publicly,” (Jarvey 2020). Individuals in the public’s constant eye to be judged or praised can have long-lasting effects on the human mind. We believe being famous and having great fortune is anyone’s dream and being in the spotlight with all the riches and praise is amazing. This opportunity of being in this spotlight is rare and once attained, it’s not all that many expected it to be.

As someone who has grown up in the ever-changing experiences of social media, I have seen small “TikTok” influencers grow to be massive celebrities who are making millions of dollars by creating videos about the most mundane things within their everyday life. Many people who are my age can see for themselves that these social media influencers have a platform created by young influencers who want to be like them and who watch their videos on repeat or buy products that they promote, giving more money to these influencers and companies. You would assume that an individual with such a large following and net worth would not be the same age as you; here I am, an 18-year-old college student with nowhere near $60,000 in my bank account, whereas there is another 18-year-old influencer, who is making more than that amount weekly or even daily. Because of the platform and praise these individuals get, their viewpoints on society are tone deaf and juvenile. Many of these influencers are not socially aware of the troubles that other individuals are experiencing. Through my time on social media, I have seen countless rising social media influencers be everyone’s new favorite, and not even three months into their fame, they are “canceled,” due to an action or phrase that was done or said that the public eye did not like. Cancel culture is an extremely distinguished experience known to many social media influencers. When a social media influencer gets canceled, all their respect and clout is immediately withdrawn, and individuals will provide serious hate and harassment towards that previously loved social media influencer. Fans of social media influencers will rebuke any admiration that they once had and will instead feel disgusted. Now, if a social media influencer says or does something offensive, racist, or dangerous to another individual, it is not egregious for them to be shunned from the public eye or receive criticism for their wrongdoings. However, social media influencers who are attempting to be canceled over what they are wearing, who they were friends with, or even how much they want to be involved in the public eye anymore, is a bit absurd. Dealing with cancel culture as well as all the other negativity and criticism can cause a great deal of mental health issues. Granted, influencers and non-influencers can have the same feelings of anxiety, depression, and worry, however what exactly they are depressed, anxious, or worrying about are typically vastly different. Individuals who are not influencers do not have an exact understanding of the content pressure and anxiety these influencers experience while being in the public eye, as influencers do not have an exact understanding of how individuals who are not in the spotlight deal with specific challenges in their life without the means of status or money.

Jarvey, Natalie. “Social Media Influencers Struggle with Anxiety Amid Pressure to Create Perfectly Curated Feed.” The Hollywood Reporter, 15 January 2020, Accessed 20 Oct. 2023.

Swanson, Barrett. “The Anxiety of Influencers” Harper’s Magazine, 2021 Accessed 20 Oct. 2023.

Jarvey, Natalie. “Social Media Influencers Struggle With Anxiety Amid Pressure to Create Perfectly Curated Feed.” The Hollywood Reporter, 15 January 2020, Accessed 20 Oct. 2023.

Swanson, Barrett. “The Anxiety of Influencers” Harper’s Magazine, 2021 Accessed 20 Oct. 2023.

Essay 3 Sources

Essay 3 Topic: Advantages of Using Social Media for the Elderly

Older Adults and Social Media

Effects of Online Social Networking on the Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Health of Older Adults

Baby Boomers’ use of Facebook and Instagram: Uses and Gratifications Theory and Contextual Age Indicators

Why Social Networks Are Important to Aging Adults

Social Media for Seniors: Uses, Impacts, and Benefits

Peer Review- Reilly’s Essay 2

How is the essay structured, and does it follow assignment guidelines? (If not, explain why and give suggestions for revision) ]
- Reilly’s essay is well structured with correct essay formatting per assignments guidelines, including an introduction, summary, personal response, and a conclusion.
Is the summary complete and accurate? If not, please make suggestions
- The summary for the article is well crafted and includes multiple quotes from the article. The summary is organized and well explained.
Does the writer handle source ethically? (check to make sure that paraphrases are not unacceptably close to original wording; is there an in-text citation given for any material from the second source found by student; is Works Cited included?)
- the Work Cited is included within the essay. I think when quoting, however, Reilly should include the in text citation to give credit to the author for each quote that is in the essay.
Are paragraphs focused, well-developed, and coherent? (Is there one clear main idea per paragraph? Identify any paragraphs that need revision for focus or coherence.)
- Most of the paragraphs are well constructed, Reilly could include a few more personal remarks within the response to let the reader know his opinion or thoughts.
Is the response substantive? (Does the writer make interesting, thought-provoking points or connections?) If not so much, do you see possible ideas that could be further developed?
- Really points out the struggle of being an influencer within his essay, and the different components it takes to be a day to day influencer; these are strong points within the essay.

The Anxiety of Social Media- Rough Draft

During the early ages of social media, life was simple; you log into your social media account, check the feed or your friends and followers, post a dialogue or two about what’s going on in your day or any recent life events, and simply log off and continue about your day. The times of social media have changed drastically, as social media is not just a place to post and acknowledge other people’s thoughts. Social media in today’s age has an abundance of opportunities and resources for individuals a part of the social media platform, which can even include having a full-time career. Essayist, short-story writer, and journalist for Harper’s Magazine, Barrett Swanson, conducted an research investigation in regards to social media influencers and how tedious having a career based in social media and content creation can be. Many individuals who have a prominent platform on social media are living a life in the spotlight, in a lens of societal judgement and critique. Although life in the spotlight may be everyone’s underlying dream, the pressure and intense rigor of keeping up with the trends of society can be a defining characteristic within these young individuals minds.

The hotspot for social media influencing is based in non other than Los Angeles, California, home to the abundance of celebrities, influencers, and affluent personnel. The adolescent and early adult female and male influencers all reside within luxurious multi-million dollar mansions, funded by companies in which the influencers promote products from said company. There are multiple houses within the influencer community where these young male and female influencers reside; Swanson correlated these houses with different levels of secondary schooling. “The Clubhouse BH-grad school- which is meant for the more ‘seasoned influencers,’ Clubhouse FBT which apparently serves as the undergraduate program, and finally there’s Not a Content House, which is the high school of the Club House venture” (Swanson 2021). The way to pay rent in these homes is through brand content creation, which will pay both the influencer and the company an obscene amount of money. From one influencer who did a promotional video with his girlfriend for Raising Cane’s, a fast food chain, the influencer and his girlfriend were paid $14,000-$60,000. The influencer in the video was shocked based on that specific sum of money especially considering the video was less than 10 seconds.

As someone who has grown up in the ever changing experiences of social media, I have seen small “TikTok” influencers grow to be massive celebrities who are making millions of dollars by creating videos about the most mundane things within their everyday life. Many people who are my age can see for themselves that these social media influencers have a platform created by young influencers who want to be like them and who watch their videos on repeat or buy products that they promote, giving more money to these influencers and companies. You would assume that an individual with such. large following and net worth wouldn’t be the same age as you; here I am, an 18 year old college student with no where near $60,000 in my bank account, whereas there is another 18 year old influencer, who is making more than that amount weekly or even daily. Because of the platform and praise these individuals get, their viewpoints on society as a whole are tone deaf and quite juvenile. Many of these influencers are not socially aware of the troubles that other individuals are experiencing. Granted, influencers and non influencer can have the same feelings of anxiety, depression, and worry, however what exactly they are depressed, anxious, or worrying about are typically vastly different. Individuals who are not influencers do not have an exact understanding of the content pressure and anxiety these influencers experience while being in the public eye, as influencers do not have an exact understanding of how individuals who are not in the spotlight deal with specific challenges in their life without the means of status or money.

Jarvey, Natalie. “Social Media Influencers Struggle With Anxiety Amid Pressure to Create Perfectly Curated Feed.” The Hollywood Reporter, 15 January 2020, Accessed 20 October 2023.

Swanson, Barrett. “The Anxiety of Influencers, by Barrett Swanson.” Harper’s Magazine, 2021 Accessed 20 October 2023.

Reflection of Creating My Final Draft

In the process of fixing and submitting my essay for the final draft, I found a lot of the feedback I received very helpful in creating a stronger essay. As stated previously in reflection of peer editing, I find that once I finish a rough draft, having another individual look over my essay and offer suggestions on certain aspects I can fix that I may have not caught, will help me create a better essay. I used the comments on my essay to condense information within my body paragraphs, reword specific sentences, and add more detail amongst the essay, as detail is very important and can help create a clear picture in the readers mind. Reading through the “The Maker’s Eye” by Donald Murray, while trying to perfect my essay was extremely helpful and opened up a new perspective when creating my final draft. I found it very insightful reading about being detached “so they can apply both their caring and their craft to their own work,” especially when excepting feedback from others reading your work. Murray believes that writing is “invisible,” and that most of the sentences and words strung together should be extremely clear and concise and should be coherent when others read through it. I think that writing and revising is an entire process, which is fixed and worked on through rounds of trial and error. I appreciate feedback and comments on any rough draft, as it helps me in the thought process of changing and reconstructing my essay and helps me become a stringer writer overall.