BusinessDictionary.com defines social media as, “Primarily internet or cellular phone based applications and tools to share information among people” (BusinessDictionary, 2011). Social media also allows users “to gather and express themselves in a much more simple and immediate fashion” (Pizano, 2010).
There is no doubt that social media has had an impact on our culture. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter has changed how we connect with each other and how we connect with businesses. Facebook began as a way for college students to stay in touch with each other and share their college experience. That idea has grown into a site that is bigger than its creator imagined it could be. The site now serves over 500 million users that visit the site on a daily basis. But, has this growth in social media been a good thing for culture?
I think the answer to this depends on your personal beliefs and opinions. Some people see social media sites as a waste of time. Others see it as an opportunity to reach out to friends and family members they may not see on a regular basis. As Josh Rose puts it “Social media simultaneously draws us nearer and distances us” (Rose, 2011). I think this is an interesting and somewhat true statement.
Let’s look at Facebook, the site allows us to connect with people from around the world. The site allows us to stop by friends, wall and say hello or share an old picture and story about them. You can stay in touch without actually talking in months when you consider how often users update their status and let the Facebook community know what you are doing.
While it is nice to login and see the pictures from an old college classmate’s recent vacation this also happens with people we associate with on a daily basis. Facebook has made it possible to be up to speed with people that we could easily talk to at work or in our backyards. This explains Rose’s belief that social media can bring us close and distance us. If you have checked Facebook and are up to date with your co-workers or neighbors life what do you have to talk about when you see them later.
While it is evident that social media has changed society has the effects been positive. Personally, I think the changes have been both positive and negative. Social media sites have introduced a new way for users to communicate with one another. It has also changed how businesses can and do communicate and reach consumers. I think the negative aspects revolve around the miss information/gossip that ends up on social media sites. These sites end up being the source of cyber bullying which has become a major problem within school systems around the country.
I believe that social media will be here to stay in some shape and form. Many businesses have begun to embrace social media and at this point have marketing dollars invested which would be wasted if they were to stop their marketing efforts. Businesses and consumers need to find a way to successfully use social media sites now and in the future.
References
BusinessDictionary. (2011). Accessed on March 14, 2011. Retrieved from <http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/social-media.html>
Pizano, G. “How Much Has Social Media Changed Society?”. (2010, May 29). Accessed on March 14, 2011. Retrieved from <http://www.shoutmeloud.com/how-much-has-social-media-changed-society.html>
Rose, J. “How Social Media is Having a Positive Impact On Our Culture” (2011, February 28). Accessed on March 14, 2011. Retrieved from <http://mashable.com/2011/02/23/social-media-culture/>
