Impact of Social Media Essay Example

Comparing the past to the present, the media has left a massive spark nationwide. Nobody can go about their day without having to overhear the same conversations about a high school party on Instagram, the latest drama on the news, or the number-one hit single on the radio being played. It is simply inevitable for it to come up at any place at any given time. But most people these days do not seem to realize how much of a positive impact the media brought to all users. The positive effects of the media towards society are how it allows everyone to communicate with one another socially, being able to be informed on current issues and problems as quickly as possible, and it grants people with the opportunity of expressing themselves. 

Positive Effect

Thanks to the media, it has never been this simple to connect with other communities someone might be a part of. “Positive self-disclosure on social networking sites appears to induce social attraction, perceived intimacy, and psychological well-being, while negative self-disclosure is associated with lower social attractiveness and is considered less appropriate” (Pentina and Lixuan 484). Considering this, it is clear that the media grants users the opportunity to interact and chat in a social platform with the masses. Here, they have an unregulated, global platform in which everyone can connect with one another and converse about whatever comes in mind.

Without it, it would be quite the burdensome process to find ways to establish communication with anyone. Additionally, it not only benefits a single user, but it also helps small businesses trying to make a living out of what they produce. With the media, they can try to advertise their business and what they make to the community they are close to. It will be helpful for them in the long run, because many people would become fully aware as soon as they notice. It is all thanks to the media that smaller businesses are able to thrive. “Whether it’s on a personal, B2B or B2C level, social media is no longer simply a networking platform - it’s fundamental for increasing brand awareness, sharing information and storytelling” (Ku 32). 

Additionally, the media can help people stay alert on the current news or updates from anyone, which includes reminders on what issues society needs to deal with, notifications on what kinds of goods and services are on sale, and so on. “This includes a move toward encountering traditional news in online formats mixed together with less traditional information from blogs and social media” (Robertson 348). Back then, society did not have the media to rely on. All that they had at the time were newspapers and publications made by journalists, usually costing at around a dollar or two. To this day, the media lets users to browse through the news for free at any time and place. If it were not for the media, society would have had to rely on those printed articles. 

The Best Point

Furthermore, the best part of the media is how it allows people to express themselves in a creative, contemplative way. “Self-presentation, content sharing, relationship formation, meta-voicing, and communication affordances help users fulfill their need to express self-identity by allowing them to present and communicate their identity to others through their profile pages” (Karahanna 750). Whether someone is an artist, a live-streamer, a writer, or a content creator, having the ability to demonstrate a passion of theirs can lead to something much greater.  It may not seem like much, but no one knows whether it actually inspires someone else to become just like them. If this was not allowed, how would people show off what they are capable of without having to deal with something restricting them to do so? Not only that, but the majority of users online seem to be happy whenever they get to share their content. “Multiplatform social media users’ attitude toward sharing content will be positively associated with the intention to share content across social media platforms” (Ham 161). Seeing this, it can be realized that if restrictions to share content were to take effect, people who do this would certainly be outraged. 

Conclusion

To put it simply, although it is utilized on an everyday basis, the media is like a one-way ticket to paradise with tons of tools at their disposal. It is a symbol for freedom of expression and speech, as well as a gateway to all kinds of global news and information to be aware of. “It provides access to information that was previously unobtainable, and therefore contributes to the discovery of truth and the progress of society” (Coe 18). As a matter of fact, it is also a kind of way for people from obscure or unconventional communities to find and communicate with one another. Regardless if what someone uses the social media or some other media, society gained so much from it that it might be impossible to revert back from it. At the end of the day, people might think that it is just another means for communication and nothing else; but in actuality, it brought more than that. In a way, it is like an adventure since media consumers these days like to explore their types of media. Even words would not be able to describe how much of a positive impact the media delivered to society. 

Works Cited 

Coe, Peter. “The Social Media Paradox: An Intersection with Freedom of Expression and the Criminal Law.” Information & Communications Technology Law, vol. 24, no. 1, Mar. 2015, pp. 16–40. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/13600834.2015.1004242. 

Ham, Chang-Dae, et al. “Exploring Sharing Behaviors across Social Media Platforms.” International Journal of Market Research, vol. 61, no. 2, Mar. 2019, pp. 157–177. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1177/1470785318782790. 

Karahanna, Elena, et al. “The Needs–Affordances–Features Perspective for the Use of Social Media.” MIS Quarterly, vol. 42, no. 3, Sept. 2018, pp. 737–756. EBSCOhost, doi:10.25300/MISQ/2018/11492. 

Ku, Daniel. “4 Steps To Improve Your External Communication Strategy Using Social Media: Social Media Is Transforming the Way We Communicate.” HCM Sales, Marketing & Alliance Excellence Essentials, vol. 18, no. 7, July 2019, pp. 32–33. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=137580088&site=eds-live&scope=site. 

Pentina, Iryna, and Lixuan Zhang. “Effects of Social Support and Personality on Emotional Disclosure on Facebook and in Real Life.” Behaviour & Information Technology, vol. 36, no. 5, May 2017, pp. 484–492. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/0144929X.2016.1258086. 

Robertson, Scott P., et al. “Social Media Mixed with News in Political Candidate Judgment: Order Effects on Knowledge and Affect.” Information Polity: The International Journal of Government & Democracy in the Information Age, vol. 21, no. 4, Oct. 2016, pp. 347–365. EBSCOhost, doi:10.3233/IP-160388