I can admit that I use social media
during any downtime that I have during the day.
The site that I use most often is Facebook. There are always different stories on my
newsfeed, whether personal or global, and it helps me to stay in touch with
many friends and family. I don’t really
watch the news, but I have been in touch with some of the trending topics. This can be a good and a bad thing.
The bad in it is because when I see
the news stories on my Facebook, if there are not from a news site, I always
feel the need to check the information with another source. As David Weinberger discusses “what I'm
saying in that little bit of subtitle is the facts
aren't the facts” (Gladstone and Weinberger, 2012). Even though I do this, there are many people
that do not. That is why there is a lot
of false information out there.
Although news is now at our
fingertips and there are always updates to the stories, it can often become
overwhelming to those involved. Maureen
Doherty, one of the witnesses from the overheating of the nuclear plant
explained that the “situation changes hourly” (Kovach and Rosenstiel, 2010). She was scared because of all the different
things that she was hearing on the news and this was before social media, so I
can only imagine it being worse.
I also think that because there are
hundreds of stories on my newsfeed about someone dying or a shooting or a fire
it has caused me to become desensitized and to lose the sympathy that I would
ordinarily have because it has become a normal instance. The good in me using a social media site to
keep up with what is considered news, is the fact that I can always check
sources, there are always stories being delivered to me and my desire to stay
in sync with the world is satisfied.
References
Gladstone,
B. and Weinberger, D. (2012). The
changing nature of knowledge in the internet age.
Retrieved from Website
http://www.onthemedia.org/story/187775-changing-nature-knowledge-internet-
age/transcript/
Kovach, B. and Rosenstiel, T. (2010). Blur: How to Know
What’s True in the Age of Information Overload.
New York, NY: Bloomsbury.
Erin,
ReplyDeleteYour post is very accurate regarding social media, I also use Facebook to keep in touch with family and friends. The information provided on the website does create an atmosphere of increasing the individuals' tolerance towards events that are really awful. I also tend to research the information that is posted mainly because I have lost faith in the reliability of resources including the professional media. I have found that information provided tends to sway attitudes one way or another without truly providing all of the facts. Unfortunately, many people take what is reported at face value and make judgments based on those reports.
Erin,
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. In a previous class we did a lot of research on the impact of social media on young people and we found that people can become desensitized from the information overload, with bullying on the rise as people become more detached from their emotions when online. But I think being conscious of the overload, being aware of the messages being thrown at us and doing your own research is a very good way to be. That's the good thing about all that information, while cumbersome and overwhelming, it can provide us with ample opportunity to look at multiple sources and gauge their credibility.
Stephanie
I agree I use social media to keep in touch with my family and friends. I usually watch the news in the morning for the weather. It can be overwhelming listening to crime, war and the economy. I think its important to be in the know with current events but there is a responsibility of not only the public but for those who are posting information to make sure it is credible.
ReplyDeleteNice Post!
Tenecia
Erin - You did a great job mentioning breaking news events and desensitization as areas of concern. Aside from keeping you updated, what is another positive aspect of social media?
ReplyDelete