Lakeview, Chicago, IL

Xiph Ciber wrote an article on how social media is tracking and collecting our data, specifically Instagram and Facebook. According to a study by pCloud, Instagram is identified as the worst offender, sharing 79% of user data with third parties, including browsing history, location, contacts, and financial information. Facebook follows closely, giving away 57% of user data. Social media companies use the collected data to create ads targeted for the user, by collecting their personally identifiable details, location, texts and calls, social interactions, device information, and financial data. They end up knowing you more then you know yourself, tracking your daily life, friends and interests. To combat the tracking and data collecting, it suggests users to adjust ad preferences and use a VPN for added privacy. Using a fake email, name and hiding your location.

I think social media companies having access to that much information is terrifying and should not be legal. There needs to be more protections on users and what these companies have access to and how they use that information. We know that they are using our information to exploit us and whether or not we know it, they are winning because we continue to consume everything that they dish out at us. There needs to be proper courses and or informational programs that inform users of how social media is using their information and what they can do to limit their access. The internet has not been here for that long, but it has been managed to benefit the big corporations and not the users.

This mural in Lakeview is extremely Instagramable. The details, colors, whimsicalness yet surrealness to it with the animals, mermaid type figure, the balloons with faces and message of it all about saving the planet tells a story. It makes people look and do a double take when they see this and since it is something that you do not see every day it makes it even more rare on someone's Instagram page. The uniqueness and overall message are what makes this so captivating and worth the post.

Lincoln Park in Lakeview. Chicago is one of those places that have everything that one is looking for when they go to a place that is Instagramable. It is home to Lincoln Park Conservatory, Lincoln Park Zoo and North Avenue Beach. The multiple photo ops that rise when visiting Lincoln Park is worth the trip. You can get pictures of the skyline, pictures of the water, go to the conservatory, get pictures of the entire city and then walk around the park and take pictures of all of the public art that is installed. Lincoln Park has everything when it comes to taking Instagramable photos.

Replay is a Barcade in Chicago that does multiple different themes in a year. This fun and young bar thrives off of its signs and murals that constantly change depending on the theme. Its colorful atmosphere and nostalgic energy invites everyone from the ones who played these vintage games when they were younger to the younglings who appreciate its cultural significance. This place is Instagramable because of all of the work that goes into looking like a nostalgic cartoon and videogames. They also have multiple murals that are Mario inspired and videogame inspired if you want to take different pictures.