Whether the development of technology has been beneficial or not is an existing discussion that can have different answers. However I want to focus my attention on some positive aspects online communication has brought to our society, that we sometimes forget about.
Social Media can be addictive , as my first blog post examines, but it has reshaped , for instance, the way we spread information around the globe. News can now travel fast and reach a wider audience.
Stay connected to the world
The internet offer a space where you can share your thoughts, opinions and connect to others, wherever they are.
Thanks to Social Media, news travel faster than ever. From national tragedies (ex: terrorist attacks, war crimes, someone’s death) to random events ( see: #Brangelina break-up sends Twitter into meltdown), the internet capture everyone’s attention and bring people together to discuss and share the opinions on the matter.
Social Media break down the internet reaching everyone faster than any other way of communication.
When Osama Bin Laden had been killed, to break the news was Barack Obama at late night. Yet most of Twitter users who were active online that night, were already informed of the situation thanks to the popular and powerful Social Media. Is Social media then becoming a ‘new newspaper’?
“Turning to social media for breaking news is becoming the norm”
Created by Mushroom Networks
Can we always trust the news we read online?
Are online news always reliable?
The recent American election has proved how sometimes Social Media, in this particular case Facebook, has used false news for political purposes. For instance, Donald Trump’s quote “If I were to run, I’d run as a Republican. They’re the dumbest group of voters in the country. They believe anything on Fox News. I could lie and they’d still eat it up. I bet my numbers would be terrific.” was widely shared, yet completely fake. The same false news as the one saying that the pope had endorsed Donald Trump (he didn’t). The internet has become vital for debates and is now news media outlet. Then I can’t stop asking myself if people actually read the articles before sharing, or if they just base their ideas on the headline.
62% of US adults now turn to social media for some or all of their news, according to the Pew Research Centre. But do they verify the information they gain?
What are your thoughts and opinions?
Liked it!!
So true! We need to verify what we read before sharing it
Nice article.