Project 3: Digital Futures Manifestos

Outline, Design, and Research Overview

Click on each student’s name to expand a summary of their manifesto topic, thesis, audience, research themes, and visual strategy. Use the buttons below to expand or collapse all sections at once.

Tahari Ashley — Digital Authenticity in a Filtered World (Slide Deck)
Thesis Social media filters, AI-generated content, and curated personas harm users’ sense of self and mental well-being; platforms should encourage healthier forms of identity and expression.
Audience Social media users, especially young adults.
Call-to-Action Users should embrace authenticity, and platforms should design features that reduce harmful comparison culture.
Course Concepts Used Mediation; Affordances & Constraints; Ideology; Identity/Performance; Invisible Technologies.
Research Themes Mental health impacts; identity distortion; authenticity loss; psychological effects of mediated self-presentation.
Visual Strategy Clean, minimalist slides; contrasting curated versus authentic imagery; examples of social media posts.
Key Evidence Used NAMI mental health data; UC Davis Health research; Avci study on self-concept clarity; Brüns work on authenticity loss.
Avery Beaton — AI and the Future of Student Relationships (Slide Deck)
Thesis AI tools weaken student interaction, critical thinking, and authentic academic engagement; institutions should reconsider how AI is implemented in learning contexts.
Audience College students, educators, administrators.
Call-to-Action Promote meaningful human connection and rethink when and how AI is used in classrooms.
Course Concepts Used Mediation; Algorithmic Influence; Technological Ideology; Affordances & Constraints.
Research Themes Social-emotional development; teacher–student relationships; AI-driven learning habits; early exposure to AI tools.
Visual Strategy Social-media-style informational slides; simple icons; text-forward educational visuals.
Key Evidence Used CDT emotional-attachment studies; EducationWeek reporting; Frumin’s cautionary letter and related commentary.
Maci Blackmon — The Cost of Consumption (Slide Deck)
Thesis Social media–driven overconsumption harms individuals and the environment; users and platforms must resist algorithmic pressure to constantly buy.
Audience Gen Z consumers; social media users.
Call-to-Action Prioritize sustainability and resist consumerist pressures shaped by platforms.
Course Concepts Used Ideology (consumerism); Mediation; Algorithmic Influence; Affordances & Constraints.
Research Themes Fast fashion; influencer marketing; environmental impact; consumer psychology.
Visual Strategy Before/after comparisons; environmental data visuals; muted palette with environmental imagery.
Key Evidence Used Becker on fast fashion and influencers; Nonprofit Quarterly on platform incentives; Net Impact environmental data.
Steven Gutchess — The Hidden Costs of Digital Advertising (Slide Deck)
Thesis AI-driven and opaque digital advertising systems mislead users and erode trust; transparency and regulation are needed to protect consumers.
Audience General digital users; regulators; brands.
Call-to-Action Advocate for clearer disclosures, ethical advertising practices, and stronger oversight.
Course Concepts Used Invisible Technologies; Mediation; Ideology; Datafication; Algorithmic Manipulation.
Research Themes Deepfakes; deceptive interfaces; influencer sponsorship issues; regulatory challenges.
Visual Strategy Polished UI mockups; contrasting examples of deceptive ads; accessible visual hierarchy.
Key Evidence Used Deepfake advertising research; legal scholarship on manipulation; analyses of online ad infrastructure; influencer transparency reporting.
Alexandra Hames — Authenticity for Sale (Slide Deck)
Thesis Influencer culture commodifies “authenticity,” shaping online identity in harmful and manipulative ways.
Audience Social media users; creators; young adults.
Call-to-Action Encourage critical awareness of influencer strategies and support more transparent, ethical content.
Course Concepts Used Identity/Performance; Mediation; Ideology (self-commodification); Algorithmic Influence.
Research Themes Influencer culture; emotional labor; branding psychology; marketing persuasion strategies.
Visual Strategy Feed-style layouts; contrasting “authentic” vs. staged visuals; clean, structured aesthetic.
Key Evidence Used Harvard Business Review on influencer transparency; Arnesson & Reinikainen on influencer professionalism; Grau on authenticity and branding.
Kayla Jones — Guardians of Truth: Librarians in an AI World (Slide Deck)
Thesis Librarians are essential ethical guides in an AI-saturated information landscape and cannot be replaced by automated systems.
Audience Students; faculty; librarians; educational leaders.
Call-to-Action Advocate for funding, training, and recognition for librarians as AI-literacy leaders.
Course Concepts Used Mediation (information); Invisible Technologies; Ideology (automation); Ethics & Equity; Critical Literacy.
Research Themes AI literacy; information trust; ethical stewardship; ALA Core Values; librarians’ evolving roles.
Visual Strategy High-contrast instructional slides; clear sectional dividers; strong accessibility practices.
Key Evidence Used Lo (AI literacy); Lapierre on human–AI context; Martin & Armstrong on AI challenges; ALA Core Values documents.
Brandi Shuler — Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Learners (Essay / PDF)
Thesis AI writing tools reduce cognitive activity, memory formation, and engagement; students should build foundational skills before relying on AI.
Audience Students; teachers; parents.
Call-to-Action Encourage foundational skill-building and reduce reliance on AI writing tools in educational settings.
Course Concepts Used Mediation (cognition); Affordances & Constraints; Human–AI Interaction; Learning & Memory.
Research Themes Cognitive activity; neural engagement; confidence and critical thinking; academic development with AI.
Visual Strategy Traditional essay/PDF layout with emphasis on clear organization and explanation of research findings.
Key Evidence Used Kosmyna et al. brain-activity study; Lee et al. on critical thinking and confidence; Quirk’s synthesis of cognitive research.
Bennett Smith — The Invisible Exchange (PDF with UI Mockups)
Thesis Spotify should adopt user-centered transparency around how listener data is collected, used, and monetized.
Audience Spotify users; tech companies; UX and product designers.
Call-to-Action Implement in-app transparency dashboards and user-friendly explanations of data use and controls.
Course Concepts Used Invisible Technologies; Ideology (surveillance capitalism); Mediation; Datafication; UX Transparency.
Research Themes Data extraction; opaque recommendation systems; privacy policy complexity; user autonomy.
Visual Strategy Spotify-inspired dashboard mockups; clear information hierarchy; accessible interface design.
Key Evidence Used Spotify Teardown; Shoshana Zuboff’s The Age of Surveillance Capitalism; Spotify Privacy Policy; Newlands et al. on recommendation systems.
Jessica Valles — Authentic Traces Amongst Artificial Faces (Slide Deck / Prezi)
Thesis AI cannot replicate the emotional depth and human connection of true creative work; it should inspire ideas rather than replace artists.
Audience Artists; creative workers; general audiences interested in AI and art.
Call-to-Action Preserve human-centered creativity and use AI as a collaborative tool, not a replacement.
Course Concepts Used Mediation (creative process); Ideology (efficiency/cost-cutting); Affordances & Constraints; Human Authenticity.
Research Themes AI’s effect on art; psychological preference for human-made work; ethical concerns surrounding training data and artistic integrity.
Visual Strategy Side-by-side comparisons of human vs. AI art; textured backgrounds; grayscale theme to emphasize artwork itself.
Key Evidence Used Bellaiche et al. on human preference for human-created art; Kelly LeBlanc on authenticity and integrity; Eric Reinhart’s critique of AI art.