Blog Posting #4

How do you think social media will change in the future?  What other trends would you add to the mix? Are there any specific technologies that you think will gain popularity or emerge?

Social media is continuously changing, and has proven so with the progress it has made in the last decade. Even if you were to think about social media last year you will notice many changes. Although it is difficult to predict what social media will be like in the future, one thing we do know is that it has it’s way of surprising us and making our lives easier.

One way I can see social media trends changing in the future is by less hand-held technologies. Many phones are now able to make speaking demands to phone people or send messages. However, for people who have used this feature you will know that it can be a pain and it often doesn’t hear your demand properly. I can definitely see this feature being updated and more useful by individuals, especially with the no hand-held devices while driving law. Another hand-held device that already exists that I believe may gain more popularity is a recorder that then transforms into a written copy. This is a feature that would be extremely popular with students to record their lectures rather than torturing their hands by writing pen to paper, or on your keyboard.

Another trend I can see becoming more popular in the near future is videoconferences, and even video-socializing. Many businesses are already using videoconferencing to connect with their internal and external business partners who are unable to connect in person. This is a very personal and more efficient way to connect as it leads to faster decision-making, less costs for traveling, and closer; more personal relationships with co-workers. It is also becoming more popular as a way to connect with family and friends. It gives people a more personal and real experience and with technology becoming more and more accessible people of all ages will become more familiar with these features.

I do believe that social media will progress more than just upgrading technologies that already exist, and creating more trends. I believe that as usual social media will surprise us and people will come up with an easier way to communicate than I can even imagine at this time. There is no limit to what technologies we will embrace in the future.

blog posting #3 part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc

Another example of how social media has the potential to bring about real social change that I think everyone should watch. Terrible story, and spreading awareness through social media is the main focus to put an end to it.

Blog Posting #3

Blog Posting #3

Do you think that social media has the potential to bring about real social change?

Social media is absolutely able to bring about social change, and it has already proven to do so. One of the greatest advantages of social media is the ability for anyone anywhere to have a voice and use their voice to do good in the world. With the right person, and social media as a resource to spread information there is the ability to bring about social change regarding any issue.

Activists and advocacy groups are using social media to spread news around the world and to get people more involved. With social media they are able to not only make people aware of certain issues but they can also form protests, launch campaigns, start fundraisers etc.  An example of this is a social concern that happens everyday, bullying.

Mitchell Wilson, who had muscular dystrophy committed suicide on September 6, 2011 at the age of only 11. He was a local Pickering child, who was continuously bullied and was mugged by an older student from his school. His suicide was the result of bullying-and he has become the face of the anti-bullying movement. With the media regarding this case, Premier Dalton McGuinty had proposed new legislation that would expel bullies and press school boards to identify aggressive behavior early. In honour of Mitchell Wilson there were many YouTube videos raising awareness and allowing the story be told worldwide. The students across Pickering took a stand and launched an acceptance campaign called “I am who I am” raising $19,341.48 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. With thanks to social media websites such as Facebook, Youtube, news websites, Twitter etc people are taking a stand against bullying.

This is only one example of millions of ways people are utilizing social media to make a change in the world. Whether you are making small changes or big, social media is making an impact and will continue to do so. 

Blog Posting #2

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.

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. 

The Next Best Thing

In my opinion social media is in fact the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution. Social media has proven to advance and evolve in a very short period of time and has changed our lives in many ways. Some would consider social media to be a fad, however, I do not. Social media is never going to disappear, popular current networks used today such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc may not be around forever, but instead will be replaced with “the next best thing”.

Social media is utilized by all kinds of people and for many different purposes. It has changed the way we connect with people, gain knowledge, and even voice our opinions. Although their are negative impacts of social media, the benefits are endless.

As we grow older, our childhood friends no longer live next door. Peoples lives get busier, jobs may take them elsewhere, and we separate in hopes to stay in touch; we can thank social media for making this possible. Networks such as Skype make communicating from miles away almost seem like you’re sitting next to the person. Facebook allows you to see and hear about every trip, birthday party, and even test they had before they have a chance to tell you about it. How many of you experience a friend telling you a story that you have already heard about, because you saw it on Facebook?

Another benefit is that businesses are now utilizing social media networks in order to further their business and reach out to the consumer. Many companies are entering the social media world, recognizing that there are more people logging into Facebook, than reading a newspaper.

Social media is more accessible, and used to gain knowledge easier. This has resulted in teenagers being more involved and aware of current events happening all around the world. It is also being used to “spread the word” and raise awareness for social issues. Often people will use Youtube to tell their story or to inform people about different world issues, for example bullying.

Social media is informative, easy to use, accessible, and most importantly fun. For these reasons and benefits stated, social media will therefore continue to evolve and change the way we communicate in our everyday lives.