Future of Social Media

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

     In the future, I believe Facebook and Twitter will become more popular and will have an easier interface to appeal to the older population. Facebook, hopefully, will realize their demographic is getting older therefore increase their font size like Twitter. Also, I think there will always be people using social media because of its possibilities, which means companies, will be constantly improving the user experience and interface. As a result of social media growing popularity with individual, companies, charity, not-for-profit, entrepreneurs and entertainment business this gives me reason to believe that networking and building partnerships will be much easier. 

     Social media has already become one of the most popular interests in today’s society, there isn't much left of the real world that has not been acquainted with social media. From social networking sites to iPods and iPhones... Having an App for pretty much everything there is to do such has starting your car... or turning off your lights. I do not think social media will change drastically in the future, I think that it will just keep growing and take over anything that is not involved with it. Pretty much the technologies that will gain popularity are the ones that are used for social media, technologies such as: Blackberries, iPhones, iPads, Laptops, and any hand held technologies or just any other technologies that allow you to access social media.

     But a trend I could see is making YouTube more instantaneous with interacting with its users. For example, live chats on YouTube so users can get instant feedback from subscribers or potential subscribers instead of having video response long after the original video was posted. The two specific technologies that I think will gain popularity is Foursquare because all that is required is to text where you are from your phone, which most people do anyways to find out if their friends are nearby. A gadget that might help with this is a phone or small device with GPS and wireless that automatically checks your location, updates for you, and to see if other friends are close then notifying you.

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

I do believe that Social Media has the potential to bring about real social change. There are so many things we can now do, that we were never able to do before social media. We can use social media tools to help get awareness out about anything or everything we want. All you have to do is hit share, and everyone you are connected to can read what you post.

Facebook groups are a good way to bring about this social change. You can make a group for a cause, and invite people to join. These groups can reach more than just your social group. You can reach people all over the world, easier than ever before. 

An incredible example of this comes from the disaster that just occurred last year in Japan. A female student is studying at an university in California and was very worried about her family back in Japan, she had no way to get a hold of anyone. She later found out that there was a video posted on YouTube that showed her sister on the balcony in her family home with a sign saying "we are all ok." http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/15/california.student.japan/index.html?hpt=C1#

Online petitions, awareness groups and spreading of the word through Twitter and Facebook, we have all done at least one of these. But how much impact does one person make when doing these. We think because it touches us, it will touch others. Social media is creating a social awareness among teens that are actively interacting with others on various social networking sites. There was a survey done by World Vision. 80% of teens use social media, almost half of them, say they have become more aware of the needs of others as a result of their use of social media sites. About 34% of the teens surveyed have "liked" or "followed" a charitable organization or cause that they believe in. http://www.worldvision.org/content.nsf/about/20110222-New-Study-30-hour-famine-girl-more-likely-use-social-media-support-causes

Even though there are good things that come from social media, there are also bad social changes as well. Since everything is easily accessible on the computer, or by mobile device. People have lost the personal contact that used to be there. Instead of picking up a phone to ask a question, you can just throw off a quick text or message through a social media site. The face-to-face contact has lowered due to these changes. Why use the mail to send a letter, when you can just send it through email or a website. Communication barriers are increasing but decreasing at the same time. Everything is quicker and more convenient, but at what cost. I know children, under the age of 12, who have cell phones, and instead of calling up friends to hang out, they just sit on the computer, or mobile device and use it to instant message their friends. When I was 12... To contact my friends I needed to pick up the "home phone" and have a real conversation. There was no sitting at a computer and wasting the day away.

There is always good with the bad. But at the end of the day, it’s all about what you can do. Even though there are bad aspects of this social change, caused my social media, I still think that it can be a great thing. Needed information can get out and reach more people faster than ever before. And when it is in time of need, this can be the greatest thing needed, especially in these changing times.

Quality of news and information on social media

I was asked if I believe that social media has increased or decreased the quality of news and information?

I have to say that I am on the fence with if it is increased or decreased the quality. I do not believe that it is better quality, nor do I think that it has gotten worse.

Social media sites have made it so news can be spread faster. News articles can be posted online right after they have been written, where as traditional news papers are only printed daily. The internet makes it so that the news can be delivered as it happens, rather then when a new paper is published. It is more accessible to readers, like how news articles are highlighted on social networking sites. I don't have to read a news paper personally to know the latest news, I can access the news articles right from the main page of my yahoo account. If it catches my eye or my interest, then I read the article entirely, if not, then I just read the title and the first sentence. Major events, like the Superbowl, NHL playoffs, deaths of celebrities, are all prime examples of social networking news. After the Superbowl, even during, I was being updated on a game I wasn't watching, by just being online and having my friends post about it. Celebrities deaths is a major role with this. Once one person hears it, it becomes spread across facebook and twitter. Even false deaths get spread just as fast. Thus bringing me into the false information factor.

The saying "you can't always believe what you read" comes to mind when ever I read anything from a social networking site. Unless it is a link to an article from a newspaper site, then I usually find myself googling the information until I find if it is true or not. Anyone can write anything on a website, that does not mean the information is true or false. There is a lot of falsified information running through the internet these days. It is hard to find information from a credited, reliable source, unless it is from a news paper website. Take Wikipedia for example. I believe the site was a great idea, easy way to find information. But it is hard to believe everything from that site. It is why I was told from one of my teachers, that if we find information on that site, try and find it from a more reliable, credited source. Anyone can write on Wikipedia, and can edit the information on that site. So not everything is factual.

I understand that social media is a great way to get information across, but it is the information that is presented that isn't always trusted. Since it is online, and not in a book, it's hard to make sure that it is factual. Some times, a little more research into the "facts" that are being presented is necessary. Better to take the time to know the truth, then to make a fool of yourself by helping to spread false information.

Social Media

Dictionary.com defines Social Media as "Web sites and other online means of communication that are used by large groups of people to share information and to develop social and professional contacts: Many businesses are utilizing social media to generate sales."

I think Social Media is a good thing to have this day in age. It is easily accessible for everyone, and from the convenience of your own home. It makes everyday living easier, but also makes people more lazy. Why go out to find the information needed, when you can do it from the comfort of your couch.

It is a cheaper alternative to advertising for most people, and businesses. Social media can be altered almost instantaneously by comments or editing, so, unlike traditional media sources, it can be edited when proven untrue.

It is a great way to get word around, may it be for a good cause, or just your own personal liking. Social Media can reach more people then traditional media, and a lot faster. All it takes is one person to post something, and there can be many people who see it and post it as well.

It is also a great way for individuals to keep in touch with friends and family. It's easier then calling, and cheaper then long distance calling. You can share pictures, and videos with ease, as well. It is almost like, even family who are far away, can be up to date with everything that is happening to you, all with just a click of a button.

My only question to end with is, what is next? There are always new sites, some are hits, some are misses, but there will always be someone trying to create the next big thing (or the next Facebook type of site).

Welcome

Welcoming myself to this site :)