‘Social media’ is a phrase we hear a lot. It refers to Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and many other sites. Social media allows users to create and share content online. They may also interact with each other through comments or shares.
Social media websites have created a whole new world. People are free to share ideas with friends and followers. So much information is being created and shared. Anything can be found on the internet! It might seem that nothing useful comes from social media. Believe it or not, it is not just a place to share memes. 20% of people learn about breaking news on social media! It is clear that these websites have a lot of power.
Perhaps the most famous social media domain is Facebook.com. It was launched in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and his roommates. It was originally just for students at Harvard University. As it grew, other students could access it. By December 2005, Facebook had 6 million members. To this day, it is the most used social media website. 2.7 billion people use the website every month.
Social media is a great tool for people to stay in touch with friends. In the past, time and distance stopped people talking. With the Internet, people can stay in touch from anywhere. You can even share pictures and videos with loved ones from across the world! If you are on vacation, you can post a picture and tag the people with you. Their loved ones can even see them too. Effortless!
Social media makes people more aware of the different views in the world. Ideas spread due to the sharing of opinions on social media sites. For example, a tweet in 2011 with the hashtag #occupywallstreet started the American Occupy movement. People were angry about the gap between the rich and the poor in the world. They were angry that big companies had so much power. They were angry that banks were being irresponsible.
This became a global movement. It all started in New York. Protesters took over the financial area from September 17 to November 15, 2011. But the protests did not stay in New York. They spread to 82 countries and 951 cities. There is no doubt that social media made this possible.
Police Departments use social media to encourage the public to provide information on criminals. When the Vancouver Canucks lost the 2011 Stanley Cup in Vancouver, riots started in the downtown area. Social media was used to catch rioters that were breaking property and stealing from businesses. Many of these acts were captured on video. Through social network sites, people were tagged and charged with breaking the law.
Sadly, social media does not come without its problems. 95% of teens are online in the USA. 37% of those between the ages of 12 and 17 report experiencing cyberbullying. Some people may think that it is not a problem, but with the Internet being such a big part of our lives, we must take it more seriously. Some argue that being anonymous on the internet can lead to problems. People feel more comfortable trolling others online because nobody knows who they are in real life.
Social media has transformed and embedded itself into our culture. It is changing the world beyond just socializing. But we must remember that it can be a dangerous tool, too. It is important to stay safe online.
Note - Twitter was rebranded to X on July 23rd 2023.