Firstly, I choose the theory path, because I enjoy learning more through reading and I found that this would be the most beneficial method for me. Also, as I got to see the topics of the articles I was really intrigued by them and was curious to know more and get down to the answers of these questions.

“Decentralized” was a really tempting topic to read, and having all my thoughts confirmed by this article as they mention how in fact the internet is controlled mainly by a few American and Chinese companies. The internet connection problem in Puerto Rico, proved how till this day there are still environments that are vulnerable in this way and that this insecure internet connection can affect a whole island/country; which was completely shocking to me.Talking about the undersea water cables, I felt was to technical for me and didn’t grab my attention that much.This article showed me how one city can have such a huge positive impact on the whole world. I liked reading about ‘Smart Cities’ because that is something that I don’t get to experience in my country or hear about it.Also, it made me think about how there is a trade-off between technology and privacy; which is I think is a dilemma we are all facing one way or another in our daily life. I related that with the security cameras that were installed at AUC and how this is better for us for security reasons however it is invading our privacy!

Web Literacy, I felt was a topic that we got to discuss and learn a lot about in class, but still it included a lot of new ways of approaching this issue and other problems that are caused because of it; like how people can start to gather misinformation about sex through pornography. These false information led to way more serious things like adopting a violent attitude especially against women; and I can see that the only thing available to combat that in Egypt is through banning of sexual content in platforms like Facebook.Also how that is applicable to children in many different ways and how there is no consent being taken before posting a picture/information about them; this was discussed as well in the workshop I attended about digital literacies. Moreover, the information about collecting and documenting data about Syria and what happened there, showed how the internet can help human rights activists deliver their message.This was astonishing , especially the app that is called “Strike Tracker”, i never would have thought that there will be such thing that shows the dates before and after each individual building’s destruction in Raqqa. In addition, to discussing the different tools that emerged lately that help us benefit from the technology and the tools that try to help us achieve our goals; such as decreasing the time we spend online by tracking and alarms etc..

Finally, I read about “Privacy and Security” and again I was so happy that I knew some of these information because of the class discussions we had and the videos we watched.Moreover, the main problem concerning the internet security these days, is that it built around “gathering and selling data about us”. “What really needs rethinking today is the notion that digital ads can only be effective when they are targeted, and when companies know everything about everyone.” was one of the important sentences that I think sums up a major problem with the internet. As, also the apps you download share your data with companies and other platforms; and that can be disabled by the user but for me personally I sometimes feel that it is easier if I have the ads that appear on my feed to be closer to my needs. One of the most interesting topics/issues for me, was about DNA testing and why we shouldn’t do it through commercial websites, to know about your health, heritage etc. Also tips like keeping your software updated and having strong passwords and backup to avoid the dangers of having your data stolen and paying a ransom. Also collecting reports of data breaches and complaints by GDPR and acting upon it is great initiative that should be applied worldwide. I know that here in Egypt there is an internet police which helps victims who are being threatened by their personal pictures and information; and I think this really a great step and it already has helped a lot of people in gaining control over their privacy and lives.

At the end,this experience of reading the three articles was very beneficial to me and added a lot to my information about the digital world that we live in now and what is changing and how we can change or avoid what is not good for us in it.Moreover, I was extremely pleased that I already knew some of these information and that also the new things I learnt were really out of the box for me and I probably would not have got to learn them anywhere else.Overall, I felt more enlightened after I discovered a lot of the things that are happening all over the world that I have never heard of and how a lot of these things will affect me in one way or another, whether it be now or in the future.