Let’s face it. The world is getting mobile every day. News and information are getting more accessible from day to day. Every updated version of digital technological gadgets such as mobile phones innovate applications, programs and software that enable users to access various modes of media with just one click or one tap of the fingers. These mobile gadgets and devices make the world get smaller and smaller.
The impact of digital technology is directly proportional to the influence of social media in the current trends today. The World Wide Web even innovate sites and applications that offer dynamic interaction with those who come by their sites. The various forms of media have been creatively combined for full user’s dynamic interface.
What is social media? Social media is referred to the means of communication for the people where they can interact with each other. The social media sites allow users to share, create, and exchange information virtually. Do social media affect society? Indeed it does. It has great significance to the current world. The social media has been a hub for internet and mobile users. The virtual world has been happening through the social media where people around the world get to meet each other and interact with one another easily and fast. Even big corporations contend with social media networks and sites to gain widespread influence to the public in the most easiest and effective way.
Social media now influences various global aspects and issues such as political, social, religious, and cultural issues. Sites for social media are not restricted with anything. They can discuss freely with 100% liberty in posting what the users want. In the same manner, people linked together can access other people’s profile. Social media can be a bridge to the thoughts of people where the rest of the world can gain access to their exchange of conversations.
Do social media affect society? It is a very big yes. Social media inflicts thoughts to the general public in many ways. Let’s take, for example, one of the hottest social and global issue today- the so called “lost Malayan airlines”. Since the news of the lost airplane erupted, viewers, internet users and the general public flock like vultures on every news, information and video clips related to the subject. Yahoo and CNN feature this topic endlessly for the last weeks and months. News videos available at http://news.yahoo.com/ocean-debris-left-jet-depends-angle-speed-064526634.html and http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/26/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-plane/#cnn-disqus-area discuss the current update of the whereabouts of the plane.
It is amazing to note that viewers are greatly interested with what happened with the plane. Their views and opinions are paraded on these sites. CNN, being a world renowned news site allows their viewers to cast their comments on all news that they release. Amazingly, this particular news garnered 10,637 comments. It is interesting to read the comments of every person in this site. There are heated debates and arguments that surface. Complains and critics all clash with a bang from users to get their own opinions and knowledge publicized. Some people who are knowledgeable about the aviation topics even cast their opinions about the plausibility of the mysterious event of the plane.
Comments are directly affecting the sites. People criticizing and complimenting the subject on the site can affect other viewer’s opinions and thoughts. Thus, the news being a mere information drive to the public is wrecked into pieces when viewers do not agree with them. One comment from Yahoo, with the name Stephen mutters, “I continue to be amazed at the media’s ability to blather on when they have nothing to sayThey have had nearly 24/7 coverage for a month – yet there is nothing to say” This statement is a harsh comment intended for all the national news sites showing news to the public with no exact and full proof explanation about the event. Thus, the news clips with all the assumed theories about the actual thing are equated as garbage or news junks. The truth is not revealed. The news becomes non-sense.
Harsh comments can make sites lost its credibility. They can distort what is in the website. They can distract readers and viewers with the actual information embedded within the site. This situation is especially true when sites are engaged in product introduction to the public. These kinds of reaction from the social media can disengage other people’s interest with what they are endorsing. However, when comments are delightful, then surely, readers and viewers can be converted into consumers of products endorsed.
Social media is a powerful advocating medium for many sites. Does it follow that everything in the social media is true? Can the websites edit, delete or manipulate comments from social media? Does everything that appears on the website are real reflections from the viewer’s themselves? How many social media sites are there? What are the most popular social media sites? Is social media good or bad? Are there no restrictions in social media sites? What are advantages of social media? Do social media give deeper information for the sites? Is social media healthy for the public?
Works Cited
Sullivan, Rohan. Ocean Debris Left by Jet Depends on Angle, Speed. Yahoo- ABC News Network. 2014. Web. 9 April 2014
Pearson, Brown, Mullen. Best Lead Yet? Satellite Spots Possible Debris field in Search for Flight 370. CNN News. March 27, 2014. Web. 9 April 2014.
Answers to Questions:
- Social media is subject to personal opinion. Views and comments can be subjective and objective. Although there are many viewers who cast their knowledge about certain topics, still, they are considered opinions. Thus, not everything cast by social media is true. Most often, they are coming from personal views which can be erroneous.
- Websites have the capacity to choose the comments from their viewers. It is up to them whether to edit or choose comments to stay on the site. However, they can change, delete or manipulate people’s reactions through social media.
- Not everything that appears on site coming from social media sites are real reflections of viewers. Some of them are manipulated. This is especially true for those sites endorsing products, services or information. They tend to put manipulated comments to enhance viewers with what they are endorsing in the site.
- There are many social media sites available in the internet. They are countless as there are major and minor sites. Social media sites can also be made among regions and localities, thus the actual number of social media sites are increasing from time to time
- Facebook is the world’s leading social media site with about 1.2 billion members around the globe. Other famous sites include Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Friendster, Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, MySpace, Tagged, MeetMe and many more.
- There are two sides in a coin. Anything when abused really produces bad results. However, with the aid of social media, the world becomes hyper-interactive.
- There are no restrictions in social media. There is a law that governs the cyber world, however, these are hard to impose as the scope is global and the involved subjects are virtual.
- Social media has lots of advantages. It gauges people’s relationship through virtual friendship and interactions. It also helps address social and political issues directly and indirectly. Issues especially political issues are being addressed immediately. Politicians nowadays are on their toes and looking at their backs at all times to keep society from getting a full view of their incapacity to serve the public the way they are expected to give.
- Social media can influence minds of other people. They can give information about the sites. There are those who posts questions, and various people all over the world can provide them with answers, in which, some are relatively valid and helpful.
- The influence of social media depends upon every individual. It is hard to generalize its effects. However, social media has invariably contributed a big thing to the world today. With such innovation, the world gets smaller. More and more people are gauged about various topics easily.
