Week 6 - We are all A Twitter!

Journalism and its negotiation of Online, blogosphere and social media.

Social media platforms are evolving rapidly and it has shaped up the Internet realm. It is thrilling to buy what you have always wanted and never had the time to go shopping, with just a click of the mouse. Seemingly, catching up with long lost friends over facebook and hearing about people’s personal life over twitter is interesting and exciting.

Social networking websites offer different methods, by which people can connect, interact, share info, and create new relationships.

The immense popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter has brought helped many to interact with one another. Our social interaction has affected us in different ways as, we adapt to our increasingly technological world. It has changed the way we interact face-to-face, how we receive and transmit information and, the dynamics of our social groups.

Some argue that the sites are good, but others oppose that the dangers of social media overshadow the benefits.

Recently, The Telegraph (2010), reported that a teenager from Hertfordshire who mistakenly posted her address on Facebook to publicize a birthday party, which created an internet sensation that led to thousands of RSVPs from strangers, ended up with 21,000 promised guests. On the actual day of the event, thousands turned up and, the police were called in to control the crowd. The estimated damage on the compounds was about £15,000.

This is an example of ‘wrong usage’ of the social media. If social media is not used correctly, things can go haywire. Use it with caution as social media is a very powerful tool.

Technological changes that played a part in the journalism sector's well-documented glitches have also unlocked opportunities for reporters to bond with the public on an unprecedented level. Journalists still report facts, but the upsurge of social media has altered how a story is told and consumed. In the traditional world, print publications simply had to give out information, and people would consume it by reading it. Today’s audiences expect to be able to choose what they read, and many believe they should be able to contribute content and opinions.

References

Alastair, J. (2010). Girl, 14, fears 21,000 party guests after Facebook invite blunder. Viewed on 10 June 2011. < http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/8012043/Girl-14-fears-21000-party-guests-after-Facebook-invite-blunder.html>.