Elle Learning Journal

 The thing I found most interesting from our class discussions were the types of phishing. I had no idea how many different types there were. In specific, the most peculiar type was quishing. I had never heard of quishing before but I think it is so innovative-- it's the scam I think I would most likely fall for. A QR itself if just a scannable code, there is usually no writing or anything, in contrast to a scam website where you can see the URL and scan for spelling errors ect. In a QR code, there are no other obvious details of what could be attached. I am so used to just scanning a QR code, whether its a menu at a restaurant or a class attendance sign on. However after learning more, from now on, I will be more careful about what I scan. I thought the class assignment explained this too. The other group created a fake scenario where there was a sign at TCU that said to scan to fill out an interest form for the concert coming up. There are already so many signs and QR codes aroun...

 This week has been one of the busiests in my college career thus far... but we are pushing through! I liked learning about deepfakes, although the topic was frightening to me. I realized with the advancement of technology how hard it is to determine what is real vs a deep fake. I thought the presenters did a great job of informing us on the topic. I liked how Anna Buesos shared a paper worksheet where we had to guess which is real and which is fake, none of us got it right. The presentations and TikToks that were shared especially baffled me because I genuinely could not decipher what was real and what was fake, it really made me think about the topic of this course, True or false, I DON'T KNOW! hahaha I also liked making the Deepfake of you dancing. I hope you also got a good laugh out of it, and your wife as well. It was scary how easy it was for me too do that for free. Now imagine if I was using a paid program or had any programing skills and time.... crazy! Deepfakes like the...

 I survived the second week of class! My favorite part of this week, and perhaps one of the most memorable lectures I've listened to was the presentation from Dr. Enos. It was so interactive and fun, I felt I really learned a lot! His magic tricks and analogy about baby Mia really stuck to me when learning about propaganda. I loved how he mixed aspects of psychology and philosophy with real-world examples. It really made the material stick in my mind. I find it so interesting how easy it is for propaganda to turn into reality and how quick people are to believe things, maybe without realizing they are doing it. I know understand that propagandists play into emotion, urgency, and your feelings to get you to believe what they want and make it seem like it was your idea such as the card and numbers trick.  It makes me wary of propaganda in my own life. Maybe not propaganda in the way I used to think of it, for example in WWII, but in what I see on social media and the spread of f...

Week one of class was such a great week, it felt wonderful to be back on campus with my friends. I am always so excited for the first weeks of school, and nervous too. I wonder if I will like my coursework and professors and if I will survive the academic year. After the first week however, I feel like I can confidently say I can!  I am super excited for this course. To be honest, I did know what to expect. A few weeks before school began, the Honors College notified me the course I was previously enrolled in was cancelled, so I asked if I could be enrolled in this course and I am so glad I am! I enjoyed learning and hearing about many conspiracies I previously had no idea about, such as the Waco siege. I also found the terms "yellow journalism" and "snake oil" interesting.  I am excited to learn more about truth especially in the world of AI. I find it so interesting at the beginning of every school year how every teacher, class, and academic department has a diffe...