The Reaching for Higher Ground film and discussion series continued to explore topics related to the 2014-15 theme of Media and Social Media: A Networked Society. The film screened Monday was “Terms and Conditions May Apply.” According to Michael Blackwell, director of the Center for Multicultural Education and adjunct faculty for the department of philosophy and world religions, the film was about the right to privacy and whether or not it’s being violated by the digital age.

“Are we being watched and monitored by the powers that be from Homeland Security, Google and Facebook?” Blackwell said. “When you hit the delete button, does it go away completely or just from our eyes, allowing others to tap into it and find out personal things about one’s life and interests?”

He described this phenomenon as something like “1984” coming to life in front of us. 

“[The film] talks about how if you don’t read all the fine print, you are really giving away a lot of your rights to privacy and because you don’t want to click the whole agreement . . . you wind up not realizing that we have given away a license to basically invade our privacy,” Blackwell said.

Today, the vast majority of college students are active in some sort of online community, hence why the film was of interest to some students.

“Actually I was really intrigued by it. We came here tonight because we’re trying to complete the traditions challenge and this is one of the check-offs and I’m actually glad I came,” said Whitney Johnson, senior communication/public relations and interactive digital studies double major.

Devin Cooper, senior communication major, who attended the film and discussion, said she found the revelations of the film scary on a personal level.

“I think throughout school we really learn the business side of things. We learn about how social media and privacy policies might not necessarily be good things, but they’re good for business as far as getting a database and creating their clientele list and figuring out the market trends,” Cooper said. “This definitely hit more on a personal level.”

“How much should you really put on [LinkedIn]? Because I feel like nowadays you’re supposed to be on all these social media sites. You’re supposed to have this social presence that is obviously positive and whatever…it’s just the social norm now, but is that actually a good thing? I don’t know.” Johnson said.

On March 23, the RHG film and discussion series will continue with Miss Representation at 7 p.m. in the CME above Maucker Union.