Visual Rhetoric

The visual that I chose originally appeared on off the mark.com. The audience for this visual would be anyone who has access to a computer and most specific to those who like looking at cartoons online. The main argument of this visual is the safety that the Internet and computer itself cannot provide. It is trying to show how if any stranger contacts the kid online his dog will defend him.  It wants the audience to think that the dog will provide that safety that the kid needs when responding to strange emails.

This image appeals to our safety and privacy. By having safety and privacy the kid can feel protected and not vulnerable at any moment. The dog shows an emotion of awareness and seriousness. The dog’s attention is completely towards the computer and nothing else.  The other kid who is being told that the dog is protecting him from strangers looks astonished.  There might be one thing that is being mocked and it is the dog. Dogs are known to bark at strangers in the actual world not in the virtual one. Also dogs cannot type nor read so it is impossible for the dog to be seating down pretending to be the kid’s guardian.

In this visual the cartoon consists of it being at a house and they seem to be at the studio where the computer is located. It seems like a nice home so it provides the feeling that the kid lives in a safe environment. Everything seems to be symmetrical to each other but obviously the picture is more of a cartoon technique.  Since it is a cartoon it is in black and white color. The image emphasizes the dog; it is drawn “fatter” than what it normally should look like compared to a regular dog. 

The text on this cartoon says “If I’m contacted by strangers, Cody barks at them for me…” This message is a very straightforward one. It is simply talking about safety and the protection a child should get when on the Internet.

 Visual-Dog computer safety

College students are at risk

As we have reached a new digital age, where Internet is available at the tip of your hands, the danger increases. Students all over the world now have handheld devices like cell phones, iphones, itouch, etc. Surfing the Internet does not only consist of entertainment for these students but it’s a way for them to pay bills, buy items online, and check their bank accounts. The more private information you put on a phone the easier your own identity can get stolen. 

Not only children can be the victims of an Internet problem. Adults have much more responsibility using the Internet than children do. Adults can fall on fraud, Identity theft, or even losing money on a website that was not reliable. Identity theft is one of the biggest crimes that can happen in the digital world. When the thieves steal your identity they can destroy your life in seconds. Not only will your identity be ruin but there can also be emotional and psychological damage.

Luckily identity theft is decreasing as the years go by but it is still a huge problem where billions of dollars are involved. A case study was done were the highest population that got their identity stolen were college students from the ages 18 to 29. You may think that these college students are poor because they are trying to pay their way through college, but in reality the amount that is in your bank account does not matter to the thieves out there. What the thieves do is place the student into as much debt as the bank permits.

When that student becomes a victim of identity theft he is a victim forever. These victims need to always watch their steps very carefully because it can happen to them again at anytime. The identity will not change and you cannot receive a new one just because it got stolen. Your name, your birth date, your parents and sibling names, your past jobs cannot be changed. This information never changes because it is part of who you are in this world.

What college students can do to stop the thieves is become aware in the subject and know what private things do not need to go online. Protecting and defending ourselves is a significant part of being a human being in this world where so much violence can take effect. I have provided a link to a website that can be useful for those who want to become aware on identity theft.  

The most important thing is your safety

In this blog I will be talking mostly about identity, privacy, and safety.  I chose to write about this topic because life is about creating your own identity. When it comes to a persons identity people have to be careful about what the say and where they say it so it will not be misunderstood. Safety is one of the key elements to surviving in the digital world that we live in. Privacy comes into play everywhere you go because without privacy a human being cannot take time to create that true identity the person wants to be.

Now days everything is easily accessible. People rely on the Internet to help him or her get the information needed. This opens doors to any kind of idea that is out in the world. In the Internet you find amazing websites that can teach you and inform you about interesting things that happen in the real world. But, there is always a negative side to things. Danger can be found anywhere on the Internet. Children are the most in danger people using the Internet because they are naïve and they think they are invincible. 

Parents need to take precaution with their children so they can be surfing the net in a safe environment. Children are not the only ones in danger; adults can be the victims of anything bad that comes across them on the Internet. The difference here is that for children we can help prevent the harm that may be waiting for them and for the adults, we can teach them about identity, privacy, and safety.  

Identity, privacy, and safety are key elements to learn about before jumping into the Internet and doing things that can cause trouble or harm to themselves or others.  There are many ways to learn about this subject. Sadly there have been many cases in which the Internet is involved and the situation that the person is in can be very significant and life changing. We just got to remember that when surfing the net not everyone or every website should be trusted.