This assignment is brought to you by FLUSTERCLUCK– your one-stop spot for everything gaming.
Introducing Flustercluck, the gaming world’s most advanced and up to date search engine for games old and new- retired and upcoming. What makes Fustercluck different? Well, besides having a pretty awesome name, Fustercluck gives the ‘little guys’ a chance to be found on our massive search results. Every ten sites that show up will be followed by sponsored websites with a summary of your relevant search and if it has nothing to do with what you’re looking for- don’t worry about said sites showing up, just because it’s sponsored. Flustercluck believes that less is more, especially when search results can be overwhelming. Your privacy will always be protected; your searches will not be saved and we won’t ask for your location ever!*
As we know, Microtransactions dominate our niche world but with safe search, they will never be recommended or advertised to anyone. Our safe search mode also hides all NSFW content which will allow children to search for their favorite games without any parental distress.
Fustercluck can be accessed through our minimalist website, a convenient mobile app, or even our desktop app- all of which include a dark mode for those with sensitive eyesight. There are no catches, no strings attached, no signing up for a premium version- just information for whenever and wherever you need it!
In other words: Fustercluck is the Google of gaming!
Now onto the assignment:
The tools of digital media are both impeding and expanding our knowledge for certain types of situations. When it comes to personal, it can definitely impede us however for professional situational, it can expand our knowledge on a person or company that we have shown interest in. Our actions, thoughts, and words are forever recorded even if we decide to go back and delete them; none of that matters as the original has already been saved. As Jeffrey Rosen writes, “…The fact that the Internet never seems to forget is threatening, at an almost existential level, our ability to control our identities; to preserve the option of reinventing ourselves and starting anew; to overcome our checkered pasts.” And it’s true. We now live in an age where we must be conscious of what we do or say online or it will come back to haunt us many years later. Allow me to don my tinfoil hat while I say “big brother is always watching and will never forget.” Unless one makes a living from posting on the internet, we must always be on our P’s and Q’s when it comes to social media, public forums, and even the websites that we have registered accounts with. Of course, there is always the argument that the first amendment allows us freedom of expression, freedom of speech, and so on- this amendment does not apply when it comes to private companies searching your past and turning you down. The amendment is not airtight and does allow for major loopholes, as Stacy Snyder learned when she lost her lawsuit to Millersville University School of Education, after being denied her teaching license after an inappropriate post on her personal social media account.
The thought of being data-mined from a wishlist on Amazon is terrifying- even if your list is innocent. Tom Owand mentions that one’s address can be lifted from a first and last name on a wishlist, thus pinpointing an exact location via Google Maps. Although this can be used against the average person, it is a good way to track down terrorists both abroad and locally. Although, it’s not unheard of, especially by those familiar with 4chan- which led to the arrest of a number of murders and animal abusers and those who are into gaming especially on pc. The tracking of your IP address can lead to pranks that go horribly wrong, like swatting, or authorities at your doorstep, ready to arrest you because of what one has posted on a certain website- again, touching back on the subject that everything that is written and posted on the internet is always logged and never deleted. We must be extra careful nowadays because we never know who’s going to look us up, search our past, and even decide to track our location.
We’re not safe but we can control what we decide to put out on the internet.
1 comments
Pretty funny. You are not safe online at all. I’m glad the Tom Owad piece struck a nerve, it is scary how much these companies know about us and how easy it is for us to find out about each other using their tools.