Do you believe that social media has increased the quality of news and information or decreased it?
I believe that social media has been beneficial toward the news in many ways. Social media allows for a story to be told immediately after or even during the time it is happening. It has opened many outlets for people to stay connected and knowledgeable about what is going on in the world, and also gave the opportunity for any individual to essentially become an author of their own. However, allowing anyone to log on to the Internet and write their perception of “news” can cause many problems. With this said, I believe that social media has not increased the quality of the news we receive today.
I believe that social media has been beneficial toward the news in many ways. Social media allows for a story to be told immediately after or even during the time it is happening. It has opened many outlets for people to stay connected and knowledgeable about what is going on in the world, and also gave the opportunity for any individual to essentially become an author of their own. However, allowing anyone to log on to the Internet and write their perception of “news” can cause many problems. With this said, I believe that social media has not increased the quality of the news we receive today.
Traditional forms of media may not have been as accessible as they are today, but more importantly it was reliable. With traditional media such as television news, newspapers, or books we know we are getting facts without biased views or opinions. Unfortunately, the various forms of social media that many people use to get their news and information today such as twitter, wikipedia, blogs, Youtube etc. is not always based on solid facts. Therefore, it is important that individuals are able to differentiate between reliable sources and unreliable sources.
However, I have to admit that for those people who are aware and able to see this difference can benefit tremendously from social media news. Many traditional forms of communication are now jumping on the social media bandwagon and taking advantage of what it has to offer. With the right sources, getting your news to your smart phone or computer is a great way to stay connected.
Tips of the day: Don’t believe everything you read, do your own research, and use reliable sources.
However, I have to admit that for those people who are aware and able to see this difference can benefit tremendously from social media news. Many traditional forms of communication are now jumping on the social media bandwagon and taking advantage of what it has to offer. With the right sources, getting your news to your smart phone or computer is a great way to stay connected.
Tips of the day: Don’t believe everything you read, do your own research, and use reliable sources.
I agree with you, the amount of information out there now is substantial but saying that that TV and Newspapers have no biases is far from the truth. As soon as you are looking at a large corporate run station like Fox, NBC, even CBC your news will always have biases. They have their corporate agenda to look out for. News from online usually has more accuracy depending were you get it. That said it is always a good idea to check sources after reading or hearing something.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post!
I agree with everything you said, I think you have very valid arguments! I liked your tip of the day that was a unique twist. I liked when you stated "it is important that individuals are able to differentiate between reliable sources and unreliable sources" it’s so true and many people will believe the first thing they hear before getting any solid facts! Good job!!
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you on your point about reliable sources. There are very few outlets, especially on the internet, where you can get impartial news and information. While I do see Social Media as having increased the quality of news, I can't deny that social media allows misinformation to also be spread and can ultimately be detrimental. I think it's also worth noting that due to the sheer range the internet has and the present policies governing it, it's very difficult, if not impossible for any kind of government censorship of the internet. In my opinion, that greatly benefits reporting as no facts are hidden from the public eye.
ReplyDeleteI agree with every part of this post. You're right, social media hasn't increased the quality of news, it has changed it. By changed, I mean in the way it is received. You can get information instantly about anything going on in the world; where as when we relied on traditional media (newspapers, television) news took much longer to travel. But you were also right in saying that the news we received traditionally was always reliable, and now we really do need to think about what we read.
ReplyDeleteA lot of very good points but I also agree with Mark Hammond, even major news corporations like FOX and NBC have bias, and sadly even The Daily Show.
ReplyDeleteI will have to agree on your answer to the stated question. Social media has not increased the quality of news and information but it definitely has made it easier to obtain news and information. I like your point on using reliable sources and the tip of the day, it put a unique twist on the ending.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of your statements and facts, i also feel that because of the increased social media, you are able to find out news faster and this is very beneficial to everyone. To be able to stay connected with the world. I agree with your statement with anyone being able to log on and add their “news”, sometimes resulting in false accusations. As well with the fact that most people are not relying on valuable news sources, ending up getting the latest news from friends, or from Facebook and Twitter. Not always having the correct information, leading people to doubt and confusion. That is a major disadvantage to the changes but I do feel that social media has its major advantages. Such as receiving the news faster, being up to date with what is going on around the world and being able to help by sending a tweet and not even having to leave your home.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your article and think that you have some really great strong points that could be used in an argument. I also agree that some people do get caught up in what they hear and no longer know what is the truth versus made up. It is very unfortunate though that nowadays the news is filled with biased views or opinions and it is no longer how it use to be. Great article!
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