Tech EOTO Reflection

 After watching the Technology EOTO presentations, I became much more educated on how these innovations in communication tools and technologies have had a profound impact on our society and the way people communicate, interact, and share information. It was also very interesting to learn how each of these communication platforms began and what they turned into.

The first communication technology that I learned about during the presentations was Twitter. This application was created in 2007 as an online microblogging platform. The idea for Twitter originated from Jack Dorsey, who was a software engineer at Odeo, a podcasting company co-founded by Evan Williams. Dorsey came up with the idea of a short messaging service that would allow people to share their status updates with a small group of friends. Although it started off with a simple idea of a blog life-update service, Twitter quickly became something much bigger. Businesses and companies began using Twitter to send out mass tweets promoting their brands and announcing events. Candidates for political campaigns even began using the application to get their message out in hopes of gaining supporters. Then in 2009, after Janis Krums shared a story of the U.S. airways flight 159 water landing, Twitter started becoming a regular source for news. Today, it has evolved into a hub for information. It has played a significant role in shaping cultural conversations, providing a platform for users to share their opinions, raise awareness about social issues, and participate in discussions on various topics. Twitter's impact on popular culture, politics, and social movements has contributed to its prominence and widespread use.

Next, I learned about the entertainment streaming service Netflix. Netflix was founded in 1997 by Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings. They first launched netflix.com with the main focus of selling and renting DVDs. In 2002, Netflix went public, and by 2005, they had over 4.5 million members on their subscription service. Then in 2007, they launched their streaming service. Its shift to a subscription-based streaming model, allowing subscribers to stream content online, disrupted the traditional model of linear TV programming and video rental stores, providing a new and efficient way for consumers to access and consume entertainment content. Since then, Netflix has continually invested in technology to improve its streaming quality, user experience, and recommendation algorithms. Its early adoption of cloud-based streaming, adaptive streaming technologies, and personalized recommendations has helped enhance user satisfaction, retention, and engagement on the platform. Today, the streaming service now has over 3600+ movies and 1800+ TV shows. 

Lastly, I learned about the communication innovation, Facebook. Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, along with his college roommates Andrew McCollum, Eduardo Saverin, Chris Hughes, and Dustin Moskovitz, while they were studying at Harvard University. The initial concept for Facebook was as a social networking website that would simply connect Harvard students with each other online. It quickly gained popularity within the Harvard community and soon expanded to other universities, including Stanford, Yale, and Columbia. Facebook continued to grow rapidly, expanding its user base beyond universities to include high schools, then eventually to the general public. The platform added new features over time, such as the ability to upload photos, post status updates, and join groups, which further fueled its popularity. Facebook also attracted investment from venture capital firms, which provided the funding necessary for its growth and development. As well as becoming a major platform for news and information consumption, Facebook has also expanded into e-commerce with the introduction of Facebook Marketplace, which allows users to buy and sell items within their local communities. 

Communication technologies have had a profound and transformative impact on society, shaping how we connect, interact, and communicate with one another. From the invention of the telegraph and the telephone to the advent of the internet, social media, communication technologies have revolutionized the way we communicate, access information, and conduct business. As communication technologies continue to evolve, it is crucial to navigate their potential benefits and challenges mindfully. By harnessing the power of communication technologies responsibly, we can continue to shape and transform our society for the better, fostering connectivity, innovation, and progress while addressing the ethical, social, and economic implications of these technologies.