Bettie Week 10: Clicks, Clout, and Control
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/civil-servants-barred-from-speaking-on-social-media/
An addicting platform and application—social media, the world’s most modern loop of connection, influence, and distraction. Every day, millions, if not billions of people log onto their Instagram, TikTok, or even Facebook accounts to chat with their friends, scroll through endless short videos, and learn surprising facts or news about the world around us. Although social media has integrated itself into being a major part of our lives and has proved to be one of the most powerful resources of the century, especially for our generation, the immense power it has to unite peers and strangers, control what information we see daily, and make people hooked on the platforms is undeniable.
The power social media has to bring people together, whether they are your peers and friends or strangers you’ve never met, is honestly remarkable. Any question or thought that you have could be immediately sent and received by any person, regardless of how far away they are from you. Communication has become much more convenient than ever, and reaching a wider audience is as simple as posting a video or message that can go viral on a global scale. People have also come together to support small businesses and each other, creating a sense of community that thrives on these platforms.
Social media has also become a place where people are able to obtain local, national, or even global news and information about various concerns, including political, societal, and cultural issues. It allows users to stay informed in real-time, offering different perspectives and giving a voice to topics that may be overlooked by traditional media outlets. From the latest news about our favorite celebrities and the trendiest styles of the season to reports of mass violence and news about our political state—social media contains it all. However, as convenient as these “sources” of information may be to pop up on our screens and go viral, misinformation, bias, and inaccuracy on these subjects are just as easy to circulate to a wide audience.
Of course, social media is also a place where we can share our genuine selves and post random, amusing things we see on the Internet and in our society. As a result, we are blessed with practically an infinite number of humorous reels, cute clips of our favorite animals, and intriguing videos that we can mindlessly scroll through whenever we want. Or for hours. As the platform’s goal is to keep users active and engaged, the algorithm is designed to make users addicted to the content and the platform, which benefits the company but detracts from our productivity. I find this aspect of social media to be one of the most powerful, as it taps into human psychology, using instant gratification and personalized content to keep us hooked, whether we notice it or not.
Social media is definitely a powerful resource and tool that we all keep in hand, but if it's misused, it could lead to harmful consequences.
Hi Bettie, I definitely agree with your perspective on the power of social media. I recently did an entire unit on social media in my AP Spanish class, so all the research I did on "los Redes Sociales" exposed both the positive and negative aspects of it. Of course, the positives are communication and a free form of expression as you mentioned. You also covered the negatives which include misinformation and bias, but there is also the huge negative of the power social media has over our mental state. This involves both the power it has to keep you addicted to the screen for hours at a time and the negative impact it has on your self confidence by seeing everyone look perfect with all the filters. Overall, I think your blog really covered many of the impacts that the power of social media has on our lives and I could relate with a lot of the uses you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteHi Bettie! I completely agree with you on how powerful social media has really become. Although we usually undermine the effects of social media over our daily lives it has undeniably become a greater part of it. Now I find it harder to pass time or even focus on things such as homework without resisting the urge to check my social media once in a while. Sometimes I find myself subconsciously going to an app such as Instagram on opening my phone without really originally intending to. It’s no wonder that some people force themselves to delete such app(s) so that they can focus more on whats going on in their daily lives. The connection you made from social media to human psychology really intrigued me, it made me realize just how powerful the algorithms in these apps really are. I also really liked how you decided to focus on the positive impacts of social media and how it helps us connect with others and learn new things. I believe that social media can be good but if we monitor our usage of it and make sure not to get carried away. I really enjoyed reading your blog and hope to work with you more this year!
ReplyDeleteHi Bettie! I thought your blog title was a creative way to make a hook, as it definitely piqued my interest. Social media really is a big part of society today, as it plays a role in many peoples’ lives, big or small. It may be frowned upon by elders as a distraction, but like you said, it is a very valuable resource. Personally, for me, I get a lot of information from the media, such as news platforms, anything I need to know about school, or simply things happening around me I wouldn’t know otherwise. It is also a place where I am able to connect with my friends outside of school and maintain relationships. Social media creates various communities that I am able to be a part of without ever needing to actively take part in them, such as art communities where I am able to find cool works of art to admire, or just communities of other people who have the same interests as I. I think that it’s amazing how far humans have come–from sending hand-written letters to being able to message someone in an instant is no small feat. It saves a lot of time and increases efficiency. People around the world are able to stay connected and updated on the state of the world in an instant, creating less reasons for conflict. The globe is one giant community. Aside from its uses, social media is a great place to simply share interests or anything for fun. It can be the most positive resource, if willed to be. Thank you for sharing, Bettie! I agreed with a lot of the points you made, and your blog really put the concept of social media into perspective.
ReplyDeleteBettie, I appreciate the nuance and balance you brought to a Blog Post on such a charged and often divisive topic. In our society, social media undeniably holds influence over us, and you did a great job of summarizing the many reasons why it has both positive and negative impacts. The way you structure a few of your paragraphs, opening with the positive impacts but then exploring some of the negative implications―such as when you describe these platforms as places where we can be our "genuine selves", but then following up by highlighting the way companies benefit off our compulsive use of these platforms―really shows that you took care to bring a nuanced perspective to this issue. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and great job on this Blog Post!
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