DevLog 3-3

Outcomes

DevLog 3-3

Create a full stack application using Node and Express

Create a full stack application following Chapter 9 of Critical Web Design and the Bad Password API Node/Express tutorial.

1. Read 📚 Chapter 9 in Critical Web Design. ✏️ Write a reflection about the Context for this chapter.

   Reading Reflection

   Summary

   The chapter explains how data tracking is built into the basic functioning of the web and how user data is constantly collected, analyzed, and used to influence behavior. It shows that this process is part of a system of surveillance capitalism where corporations profit off of predicting people’s actions. The chapter argues that data collection creates power imbalances, especially when users are unaware of how much information is being gathered and used against them. The example of gambling apps demonstrates how data tracking can actively exploit vulnerable people rather than help them.

   Quote

   “Surveillance capitalism unilaterally claims human experience as free raw material for translation into behavioral data.” - Shoshana Zuboff

   Comment

   The quote at the beginning stood out to me because it clearly shows that the issue is not just data being collected, but it’s that human behavior is becoming a resource to companies. The chapter clearly puts into words how online interactions are now resources that are sold off like any other physical material.

   Question

   Is it really possible to keep your data private? Many sites that have, to a certain extent, become necessities require that your data be shared. Sites like Amazon, even Gmail/Outlook, while they are not necessities, it is hard to operate without them.

   Related Piece

   Spotify Wrapped is a good example of this. The entirety of Spotify Wrapped is just data visualization. They display your data in a way that makes it interesting for you to see and share with others, but at the end of the day they just have all your favorite preferences saved in databases. They recommend concert tickets of your favorite artists when they come to your city. They recommend new music based off of what you usually like. They know when you listen to music most and least and work based off of that.

   

2. Fork an existing Github project (criticalwebdesign/bad-password-api-starter) (CWD 9.3)

3. Connect to a remote API and use JSON data in a frontend (CWD 9.3)

4. Modify the project structure, install dependencies, and run the project. (CWD 9.4)

5. Add static and dynamic API routes using Express. (CWD 9.4)

6. Create a free Vercel account (CWD 9.4)

7. Deploy your project on Vercel. (CWD 9.4) Paste the link ✏️ here: Elie Bad Password API

8. Read 📚 Hacktivist deletes white supremacist websites live onstage during hacker conference, TechCrunch 2026 Post a reading response in your DevLog per information in the Assignments.

   Reading Reflection

   Summary

   An activist and hacker, Martha Root, deleted three popular white supremacist websites live onstage ath a conference in Germany. The sites were platforms for white dating, white sperm donation, and white task rabbit. Root hacked into these services using AI chatbots to bypass the verficiation and expose security issues. Root found user data and geolocation with that. Root destroyed the 3 sites.

   Quote

   “Imagine calling yourselves the ‘master race’ but forgetting to secure your own website - maybe try mastering to host WordPress before world domination,” - Martha Root.

   Comment

   I think acts like this really show the potential of technology and education. Anybody can make a WordPress site, but without a strong foundation for building secure sites, there will always be security issues or other problems. Luckily, in this case, those issues proved to be better for the overall good of society, but that is not always the case.

   Question

   Should acts like these be penalized in the same way that other cyberattacks are penalized? Since cyberattacks are generally illegal regardless of the target, where should the line be drawn between criminal hacking and politically motivated digital activism?

   Related Piece

   Hacktivism in general reminds me of the group Anonymous, which has historically targeted governments, corporations, and extremist organizations through digital attacks meant to expose wrongdoing or disrupt harmful activity.

   

9. Write a reflection explaining what you learned in your DevLog. Link to sources. ✏️

   Throughout this devlog I learned the basics of API and especially how to connect API’s to other aspects of Full Stack projects. For a while I struggled to properly connect the API to the front end of the project and it was so frustrating because it took me 2 days to find the issue and it was a simple issue of putting a code block in the wrong area. This shows the importance of properly debugging and linking APIs and routes. I also learned a little bit about surveillance and surveillance culture.

   I did not use any sources outside of the ones provided through the tutorials and devlogs.

10. Publish it and turn it in by posting the direct link to this DevLog on Moodle.