Introduction

Francis Underwood, known as the king of politics has been formulating a plan to become
the President of the United States since he was a young boy. To advance his efforts, him and his
wife Claire do everything in their power to portray they have what it takes to be the most
powerful people in the free world. In a world as interesting as this it is easy to get caught up in
how you yourself as the viewer could better yourself through the practice of degrading others
where instead it should be informing us of the dangers of negative manipulation around us.
In a world so involved with technology we are more prone to brainwashing due to the
high power of government manipulating our information whether to make it more interesting or
to make a certain side look better than the other. How are we expected to be in formed when
everything is altered to be bias? How do we prevent this habit and just receive the cold hard
facts? Through research we can find where the problem begins and how it has evolved it
something bigger than we could have imaged from the start. By starting a conversation and
bringing awareness we can inform others to not be ignorant towards information we are getting.
What I plan to accomplish in the paper is to inform readers about what media manipulation is
and how is seeps into our day to day lives with out us knowing. Also to make people less nave
about the topic so that a conversation can be started about change.
Every piece of writing has a purpose, so here is mine. I plan to inform readers about what
media manipulation is and how is seeps into our day to day lives with out us knowing. Also to
make people less nave about the topic so that a conversation can be started about change. One
way to do this is through interesting fictional world such as House of Cards to follow a story line
of how a master manipulator destroys and conquers those who are unprepared around him.

Literature Review

Because of the advances that technology has made, media manipulation is now able to
creep in to virtually everyones day to day life. Next time you log into Facebook take a look at
the ads that come up on the side of your feed. Most of the time they are items that you have
looked up before such as shoes of electronics that you searched. This is because creators of
media have created a world that will suck you into whatever they think you would be most
interested in (Marketing Land Infographics, web). This is not the only way media has taken over
what we see everyday on any source of media. In the article by Ryan Holiday from the Activist
Post, holiday exposes the well known founder and creator of TechCrunch as being a master
manipulator of words as well as quotes him saying Getting it right is expensive, getting it first
is cheap. These are people who have shaped the way that we see the world today (What is
Media Manipulation?, Holiday)
Television conveys the same idea of manipulation being the money maker of media,
throughout shows such as House of Cards and Scandal show how people can manipulation
situations, words, and media. In House of Cards Francis and Zoey are the characters that portray
this idea by only putting out stories that are promoting Franciss ideas or putting down others
around him that he is running against. An example of this is when Francis leaks a running mates
bill that makes him look like he is going against his parties ideas therefore making the party turn
on them. (House of Cards,2014) This happens in real life and people are being it to the attention
of curious searcher by creating the website Want to Know found by talking to Many people from
popular stations such as Jane Akre from fox news. She states Wepaid $3 billion dollars for these

station (Media Manipulation, 2015) People everyday see this kind of media. In my interview
with one of my friends who is not involved in politics answered some of my questions about
things he has seen in media revolving around elections. He says that he can see many different
ways that big companies and politicians manipulate situations and stories that are told about
them to the public. (Payton, 2016) the younger generation seems to be noticing it more since we
are now growing up in a world revolving around technology. A Youtube that goes by the
username of TeenTakes made a video that explains different situation where people and
situations have been manipulated from the 1920s to present time. People believe that America
have been sensitized to what is going on around us. The Activist Post wrote an article about how
TIME has changed the covers on only American issues that depict the influence of stress where
as other countries received a cover about the ongoing war in Syria. (Activist Post, 2014)
While watching the debates you will often see the candidates ad humor to what they are
fighting for to relieve tension and make them seem more likable for their cause. This a great use
of manipulation because without it we would not get along or believe in any of the candidates
unless you believed everything they think is right. Humor makes them seem more human and
likable. (How the Media Psychologically Manipulates, 2014) Media Manipulation has also
improved the way that Americans have felt about the country itself, including the creation of
Rosie the Revitor to encourage women involvement in factories for WWI. (Media Manipulation.,
2006). Social Media is another aspect of media that can be manipulated but not in a brain
washing way. People use this source as a way to communicate the way that perceive things or
just share things that they love. This is a way to add to the world in a non-manipulating way.
(Let's design social media that drives real change, 2015) Because this is seen as a fun and

learning environment its should be a non-judgmental place, which is essentially what media
manipulation is centered around.

Entering the Conversation

For my study of media manipulation, I am going to conduct a study portraying how often
people have noticed information being manipulated in their day to day life. I will have a focus
group of at least ten people that consist of the employed, unemployed, minors, young adults, and
elders, as well as people from different regions of the world. The study will begin individuals
interviews where we will show them clips from different news stations and situations that
happened all over the world and as the group how the information in the video has been
distorted. After feedback has been collected, all participants should gather in the same room to
watch the same videos and talk about them together. By doing this some may change their
prospective of certain topics. This could be another form of manipulation of ideas.
After they have all talked about the videos or images in a group some wrap up questions
should be asked such as:
1. What other form of media manipulation have you encountered in either your life
experience of just from media in you countries?
2. What do you think makes others think that they have to distort information so that
they can get their point across?
3. Do you think that because not all countries have they same access to technology that
media manipulation is perceived I different ways?
4. If information is not coming from mainstream media do you think that the
information is led distorted?

5. Do you think that are brains are programmed to automatically manipulation

information in our favor?
6. What events do you think cause more manipulation to be present?
7. Do you think Manipulation is more relevant to mass media of individual people
themselves.
8. How do you think this experiment has changed you view on media manipulation, or
has it at all?

After the experiment is over we would have all of the participants return for a follow up
conversation to see how their knowledge of media manipulation has changed and how often they
can spot distorted information. Because of the information we receive in this portion we can
work on how to solve the issue of media distortion and what facets people see it most from all
over the world. Some follow up questions would include:
1. Upon returning to your home country, how soon did you notice any distorted
information?
2. Have you shared the information you have learned with others that are close to you?
3. Did you find yourself becoming more aware of the information being given to you are
4.
5.
6.
7.

did you begin to ignore it more?

How do you think you receive the most distorted information?
Do you have any solutions to this problem?
Haw did you feel about people and their intention after this experiment?
Would you recommend that more information about this topic be more present in
your country?

Conclusion/ So What?

Throughout my research I have communicated with people around me of al ages and

gotten their input on how media manipulation has effected them in their day to day lives. We
have thought through way to come up with a solution an sensor how our media is being modified
before we receive it. Together we have noticed how movies and TV Shows have glorified what
media manipulation does and exemplifies how distorting information gives the impression of
power over others. After this research we come together to start a conversation about this topic to
inform other and defeat the ignorance that people that are unware of the problem.

Work Cited

Unknown. "6 Examples of Media Manipulation." Activist Post. Activist Post, 2014. Web. 14
Mar. 2016.

Shah, Anup. "Media Manipulation." - Global Issues. Global Issues, 17 Apr. 2006. Web. 14 Mar.
2016.
Holiday, Ryan. "What Is Media Manipulation?" Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 16 July 2012. Web. 14
Mar. 2016.

De Victoria, Samuel Lpez. "Media Manipulation of the Masses: How the Media
Psychologically Manipulates." World of Psychology. Http://psychcentral.com. Web. 14 Mar.
2016.

House of Cards. (n.d.). Retrieved February 09, 2016, from

http://www.netflix.com/watch/70248290?trackId=200256151

Mainstream Media: The Mind Manipulation Medium. (2013, March 16). Retrieved February 09,
2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccFRPbisCPo

Let's design social media that drives real change. (2015, December). Retrieved February 09,
2016, from
https://www.ted.com/talks/wael_ghonim_let_s_design_social_media_that_drives_real_change

"Media Manipulation." Media Manipulation. Wanttoknow.info. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.

"Infographic: How Retargeting Through Facebook Exchange Works." Marketing Land.

Marketing Land Infographics, 2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2016.

Social Control. (n.d.). Retrieved April 09, 2016, from http://www.uniquedesign.net/library/control.html