Effects on Social Media

Social media is a great way to get people to express themselves. Be it via a Facebook status, writing on walls, Twitter updates, photos shared, these are all about you and your personality. They portray your interests, your views and show people who you are. They allow you to be yourself, to be creative, to be who you want to be and most importantly, have everyone as your audience.

In the real world, etiquette and manners can sometimes restricting and limiting , where on Social Media people they have a greater sense of freedom of expression and/or of speech when using online networks. Of course, content is monitored and can be removed, but with millions of users on sites such as Facebook and Twitter, not every status, photo or comment can be completely controlled. Social media has changed the way we are able to communicate and behave, not only in groups and society, but with each other.

What are the positive effects of this form of freedom of expression?

• For people who find it difficult to interact with others in person, the Internet gives them a great way of communicating without having to feel nervous. They could say what they think and feel and so this is a good way for less confident people to voice out and be confident. When someone feels happy and comfortable, they can express themselves freely and even gain themselves a wide audience which they may otherwise have found difficult to achieve. Why stand in front of hundreds of people and talk if you find that hard, when you can sit at home behind a screen and write about your topics and still get the audience?
• Social media can help you be your self and gives confidence to people who need it. This is because you are not having to face personal and face criticism because you do not have to see anyone who may be critical about your say. Comments given towards could lead to a healthy debate as you have time to compose for replies, without causing you to panic and defensive. Everyone deserves to have confidence in themselves and their beliefs, and social media can promotes people in doing this.
• Whether it is personal or business, such as marketing, you can get your news and views out there. This could be more effective, than helding a press conference. The power of the re-tweet or Like buttons should not be overlook. This means that the story from a shy individual can reach a larger audience than it might if they were stood up in front.

This freedom of expression has also draw backs.

• People with deeper understandings or views than you can cause discomfort. Now, people have the right to believe in what they want but the problem begins when they express these more extreme, or attack other people. For Example, unsatisfied customers used Twitter to send out his views on the product which he has been using, not in a form of reviewing nor critisizing, but bad mouthing. Maybe more regulation is needed to arrange and regulate these extreme views. There is no way to know and it’s a very grey area to cover. There may not even be a right or wrong answer to such views. a philosopher John Stuart Mill once said: “One person with a belief is equal to the force of 100,000 who have only interests.”
• Sad to say, that Social media can be used for cyber bullying and cyber stalkers. It gives people the opportunity to upset and gossip. This is a serious problem and should not be over looked. This could also cause loss of revenue through malicious false postings. Cyber stalker targeting to damage their victim’s earnings, employment, reputation, or safety. This would include statements made by email or on discussion forums.

Social media can be used to make or break a business. It can also make or break a person. The values about freedom and expression in real life, can now be applied to the virtual world. The fact is Social Media is giving people place to express themselves and find themselves, and at the same time is also a place for less appropriate beliefs.

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Tags: Social Media