Mass Media And Its Effects On Society

People today would be surprised to know that social media has not been around forever. In fact, even more surprising is the realization that people did not really even have or use cell phones almost twenty years ago, and in those days cell phones were only used for calling. We have come a long way. Now, the whole world is in the palm of our hands, or in our cars, or on our wrists. Possibly the greatest thing to come out of this drastic evolution is social media. Social media is where everyone can keep up with family, check in with friends, and share their big time experiences with the rest of the world. However, it has opened up many, many more doors than ever intended, both good and bad. Social media has ironically turned people less social, provided an easy outlet for people to bully and point out insecurities, but also has changed the way we receive important information and news.

The media has the ability to influence the way people think, and the way they behave. The connection between technology, and mass media would be how they both change the views of many different people in the world we live in today. Society’s thoughts and actions regarding gender discrimination, and sexism have been molded through the use of technology whether society knows it or not. For example, women feel forced to stay at home instead of working, because this image had been portrayed in many movies and

As much as social media has managed to ruin our society, it plays a positive role for the public as well. Social media allowed people to use their networks as a form of reaching out to old friends and family across the world. With America being known as the melting pot of the world, our society has several people with family on the other side of the Earth. With social media in effect, this permits people to stay in touch with long lost loved ones and keep ties tight. Not only has it sanctioned friends and family to keep in touches but has granted people to relocate birth parents and unknown family members as well. Yes, social media has failed our society greatly but there is always a rainbow somewhere after a rainy day. Social media can play a positive role by bringing people back together.

Social media as a whole has benefit our society in a number of different ways. In the essay Is Google Making Us Stupid?, author Nicholas Carr felt that technological is taking other our ability to function independently. Which is somewhat true but I for one disagree. I feel that the world of technology has had a positive impact on us, by allowing us to step out of our comfort zone and explore new world possibilities. Such as a new form of communication and the ability to work more efficiently as well as expressing our creativity.

How many Americans use facebook, Instagram and twitter? According to Pew Research Center of Internet, Science and Tech, approximately 74% of Americans either use facebook, Instagram or twitter every day. (Pews research, 2015) Social media has become the new way of networking and communicating versus living in the 1800’s and using telegraph mores codes. However, with change comes positive and negative influences. Social media tends to have a more negative influence on Americans rather than positive because of how media portrays ideal body image, celebrities’ actions, and ultimately giving indirect permission to bullying, which can result in suicide.

Social media can be seen from completely different aspects and points of views. A major role in these different opinions plays mostly the age of the beholder, because social media made an enormous change in the last 50 years. One very important aspect in our today’s society is to get as many information as possible in a very short time period ("Impacts of social media”) Through social media and especially social networks such as twitter and Facebook, the information gets spread extremely fast. There are for example reporters who search on those networks to get information for their news and articles. (“Impacts

Emile Durkheim would stand to say that we need social media, despite negative effects. He would state that, although as an American culture centered around social media can cause us to be way too focus on our “internet lives”, mass media plays a very important duty to the American people. It provides everyone, with news, entertainment, and socialization. Durkheim questioned how our societies maintain their internal stability and survive over time. And like a body’s systems all working together to create life, society and social media work together like the brain works with the heart. Societies are growing larger and mass social media is a good medium to reach out to many people at once. It keeps us informed and at the same time allows us to

The effects of the internet on modern society have been incredible. There is little knowledge that cannot be found in a relatively short time through a search query. People from all over the world can communicate more easily in real time. Social media gives the average person a potentially endless audience and promotes expression, both artistic and political. There is however, a negative side to social media which creates injustice and gives rise to a mob mentality. As a society we had better start looking at this problem before it is too late.

There has been research that shows people tend to use social media to become more integrated into the culture and to look into other cultures as a form of adaptation to keep and maintain a connection with people back at home. The use of media and communication also promotes the conversation that constructs understanding of different points. Social media also allows everyone to be a critic and to be critiqued. As it allows you to express your opinions and participate in

The impact social media has had on our society is staggering. A study from 2013 found that nearly two billion people around the world utilized social media. To put that into perspective, that 's one in every four person. Social media has spread from being a youth-oriented concept to one that even the elderly have accepted. People who couldn 't check their e-mail are suddenly connecting and sharing with friends and family around the world.

Today, the term that many people know is social media. What people don’t know is when it was created and how it has evolved. Social media are websites and applications that allow many people across the world to create and share content or even get involved in social networking. According to the Article, “The History of Social Media: Social Networking Evolution” the birth of social media began in 1997 with a social media website called Six Degrees, then blogging and instant messaging were created thereafter. About one hundred million people became socially occupied on social media in the year 2000 (4). Many people were able to use the internet from their mobile device, computer, or other electronics. In 2004, Facebook was set for students only, but is now used by people all over the world (5). Today, social media has millions of platforms. Social media icons are seen everywhere and it’s unusual to see companies or stores without them (6). Social media has impacted many people since it was created, but some question if it has put either a negative or positive impact on society today.

While many people put off and ignore the issue of social media and its downfalls, others say that people should think about how our lives are being affected by this advancement in technology, including, lack of human contact and precious time being lost due to consumption with social media. Social media is currently a highly controversial topic in which numerous people have mixed feelings. Society has typically viewed new advancements in technology as beneficial and a sign of success within their country. But, has it solely caused successful outcomes, or are there downfalls to these advancements?

Recently, people are now discussing how social media changes our life, whether it is good or bad. Some of them think that social media is a kind of fad because of its rapid development. Others think that it is really useful and makes our life easier than before.

Social media has brainwashed and has had a large impacted our society today. As a child, my mother forbid me from using any social media whatsoever. I would beg and beg repeatedly and attempt to do anything to change her mind but her rule never budged. Me being a typical kid, of course had such a strong hatred for this rule and despised my mother because of it. I never really understood why my mom made this rule, but now as an adult with many forms of social media, I thank her for it. Social media like everything has its benefits, but over all it is very negative concept, and will only be worse in the future.

Running head: MASS MEDIA AND ITS EFFECTS ON SOCIETY 1 Mass Media and Its Effects on Society Alexander Wilson Kansas State University MASS MEDIA AND ITS EFFECTS ON SOCIETY 2 Mass Media and Its Effects on Society Sudden introduction of mass media into society undoubtedly caused a shift in societal views and behaviors, evident from the vast amount of research that started as soon as television and other sources became available in households worldwide. Mass media constitutes anything that helps reach a mass audience such as television, newspaper, radio, social media, and even video games. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a mass medium as “a medium of communication that is designed to reach the mass of the people – usually used in plural,”. From building a dependency on mass media, to changing the way some children and young adults behave, mass media has played and continues to play a massive role in shaping today’s society.