Thinking about the Future of Social Media...

Though social media is already very advanced today, in the future it will definitely increase. With today's technology we are able to talk to each face to face without being in the same room. For example with Skype and FaceTime people can have discussions easily while face to face. Twitter is already becoming more advanced as people are able to post videos along with their Twitter posts. There is a new website called Keek.com (which you can connect with trough Twitter and Facebook), where people record quick videos discussing topics, stating their opinions or just making a video strictly for entertainment purposes. Many celebrities are also following this trend.  Video and face to face interaction via technology will definitely make an enhancement in the near future, as we can see it already happening. This is one of the exciting things happening within social media which I think will keep it active and interesting.  I believe bringing new ideas into social media will keep it running for years to come. As social media is already very popular, seeing new things will keep the excitement. There is a lot to expect with the future of social media. In the future, I would like to see more videos and face to face interaction. Also, I believe smart phones will remain active.

Currently there is also the decrease interest in some social media. When Facebook first arrived on the scene in 2004, it remained the most popular social media site for years. A recent survey was conducted stating 61% of Facebook users have taken a break from Facebook. 20% stated they once have used Facebook but no longer care to use it. 34% of current Facebook users say the time that they spent on the site has decreased over the past year, and only 3% say they will spend more time on the site in the coming year. Meanwhile, 27% say they will spend less time. Among the top reasons cited for decreased time spent on Facebook are: it’s a waste of time; bored with it; content is not relevant; and just didn't like it.[1]

Overall, the technology with social media is gradually increasing and it is exciting to see what the future has in store.

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[1] R.Singh-Pew Research Centre (2013, March 12). The Last Social Network: The Future of Social Media. Retrieved April14 2013 from, http://www.ere.net/2013/03/12/the-last-social-network-the-future-of-social-media/

Do you believe that social media has increased the quality of news and information or decreased it?

I believe social media has heavily decreased the quality of news, due to the fact that any every day citizen can post anything. There have been many times that rumors and untrue facts have been posted on Facebook, Twitter etc. There have been multiple times via Twitter where people have posted that a celebrity has died. An example of complete chaos was the Justin Bieber death rumor which started on Twitter on May 23rd 2012. As his masses of fans were completely distraught, it turned out to be nothing more than a hoax.^[1] Though social media has allowed people to receive news instantly, it has the disadvantage of allowing people to post lies and start rumors. Why some people believe there is nothing wrong with posting whatever they wish, they must realize they should not post things that are not true. It is unfair to purposely cause misinformation to others and cause unnecessary confusion.

Even though social media is an excellent tool, it has the disadvantages when it comes to people being able to post information in order to deceive others. When posting news on social media, it should only be used to post true facts and not something that a person has made up. News on social media spreads rapidly and it is only a matter of time before it  becomes something that is completely negative in society. This can be prevented when people watch what they write and only post things that are completely true. Some people see posting fake information as a means of entertainment, because they like to see the reaction of others. We have seen numerous times already the devastation false information has caused other people. As the majority of us use social media every day, we need to be mindful of what we post when it comes to news and always make sure we are writing the truth.

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^[1] N/A “Justin Bieber Victim of (New) Death Hoax” Gossip Cop. 2012. Web. 17  March 2013. <http://www.gossipcop.com/justin-bieber-dead-may-2012-rip-death-rumor-twitter-died-dies/>

Blog #1 What I think about Social Media...

Question: What is your perception of social media, do you think it is a fad or the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution?

Social Media has greatly impacted people from around the world. People of all age groups are able to stay connected to their friends and family members as well as reconnect with people who they have not spoken to for years. Although some people may think social media is a nuisance and causes distraction, I personally believe that social media is definitely the greatest shift since the industrial revolution. Like most things, there are the pros and cons of social media. Pros include, being able to easily keep in contact with others, able to send messages quickly and efficiently and overall having fun. Cons include bad news spreading quickly, people using it to harm others, the ease of people committing adultery (1 in 5 marriages end in divorce due to Facebook^[1]) and the lack of privacy. It is evident that social media; especially YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are a global phenomenon.

Without social media the world would not be able to interact so frequently and easily. It has changed the way we communicate with one another positively and negatively; but overall many would agree that social media is a wonderful tool that anyone could use and enjoy. Whether people appreciate it or not, social media is here to stay and it is only going to enhance itself in the future. More people are catching up to the social media lifestyle and are forgetting about returning to the old ways of communicating (writing letters). Some people cannot go a day without visiting a social media site and are “addicted” to this way of life. At the end of the day, social media has helped us speak our minds in a way that could not have happened 20 years ago.  As long as we use social media wisely, it will be a part of our lives for many more years to come.

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^[1] Emil Protalinski,“Facebook blamed for 1 in 5 divorces in the US” 11 March 2011. Web. 19 January 2013. <http://www.zdnet.com/blog/facebook/facebook-blamed-for-1-in-5-divorces-in-the-us/359>

testing...blog.

very excited about this course!