Elective Coursework in Cyber Security and Data Analysis; The TikTok Ban: A Technological Politics Analysis

This portfolio presents an integrated exploration of the intersection between technology, politics, and data security through three interconnected works: the STS Research Paper, the Technical Report on Cybersecurity and Data Analysis, and the Sociotechnical Synthesis. Each of these documents reflects on how digital technologies not only shape but are also shaped by sociopolitical contexts, illustrating the interplay between technical practices and broader ethical and political frameworks. By examining the controversial TikTok ban in the United States and engaging with technical training in cybersecurity and data analysis, this portfolio highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to understanding modern technological challenges.
The STS Research Paper, titled The TikTok Ban: A Technological Politics Analysis, employs Langdon Winner's framework of technological politics to critically analyze the political motives behind the U.S. government's efforts to ban TikTok. The paper argues that the ban reflects more than just concerns about data privacy or national security; it reveals a strategic move by the U.S. to assert digital sovereignty and counteract China's influence over global digital spaces. By examining how TikTok’s algorithm and data practices are perceived as threats to national interests, the research highlights the platform’s role as a political artifact rather than a neutral social media tool. The analysis also underscores the inconsistency of targeting TikTok while allowing similar data practices from domestic platforms like Facebook and Google, suggesting that the ban is politically motivated rather than purely security-driven.
The Technical Report elaborates on the practical skills and technical knowledge gained through coursework in Intro to Cybersecurity and Foundations of Data Analysis. This dual focus equipped the author with hands-on experience in network security, data protection, and statistical modeling, emphasizing the ethical and technical challenges associated with digital data governance. Through practical assignments using tools such as Nmap, Wireshark, and Metasploit, as well as machine learning techniques like logistic regression and PCA, the author explored real-world cybersecurity scenarios and data-driven insights. These technical competencies were essential in critically assessing the TikTok ban, particularly in understanding the nuances of data privacy and the potential misuse of user data by foreign entities. The report also highlights how cybersecurity training informs broader societal discussions about data sovereignty and the ethical implications of platform regulation.
The Sociotechnical Synthesis bridges the technical and STS perspectives, reflecting on how insights from cybersecurity and data analysis coursework directly informed the critical evaluation of the TikTok ban. It emphasizes that technical proficiency not only enhances problem-solving skills but also deepens the ability to critically analyze the political and ethical dimensions of digital regulation. By integrating technical analysis with STS theories, the synthesis illustrates how understanding the practical aspects of cybersecurity and data analysis contributes to more nuanced arguments about technological politics and digital governance. The portfolio as a whole underscores that technologies like TikTok are inherently political, shaped by global power dynamics and the socio-technical environments in which they operate.
Together, these three documents demonstrate that addressing modern technological issues requires both technical expertise and an awareness of their social and political contexts. The integration of technical skills with ethical analysis not only enriches the understanding of issues like the TikTok ban but also highlights the broader responsibility of engineers and technologists to critically engage with the societal implications of their work. By applying Winner’s framework and grounding theoretical insights in hands-on technical experience, this portfolio provides a comprehensive approach to analyzing the politics of digital technology.

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science

Technical Advisors: Jerrold A. Floro, Claire O Culver

STS Advisors: Kathryn Webb-Destefano, Travis Elliott