We
live in an ever progressing society of social media. Some consider this to be a
very important asset to our lives, while others prefer a life void of
continuously emerging technologies. Social media, however, has created a
plethora of unique jobs and opportunities for an evolving workforce. Due to the
progress of social media, we are seeing a growth in a job market that caters to
the new social media and networking hubs such as Facebook, Twitter, and
LinkedIn. Social media sites are used all over the world, every single day, by
children and adults. So it’s no wonder why social media has proven to be such
an important tool in society today.
There
are some downsides to social media such as the lack of privacy and misuse of
personal information. If someone posts a comment, picture or video none ever
knows exactly how many people might see it and how it could be misused. Posting
information on media sites about personal schedules or trips that can leave a
person vulnerable to attacks or theft, and the information posted could
potentially be harmful to a career if the content is judged to be of poor
taste.
In
contemplating these ideas, I interviewed a young lady who frequently uses social
networking and social media on a regular basis. Not being part of the networked
generation, I am unfamiliar with social media hubs, so my questions were very generic
in nature.
Question
#1: What social networking sites do you most often frequent?
Response:
Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, and email.
Question
#2: How often do you use them, and why have you chosen these particular sites?
Response:
Pinterest gives me new ideas for projects I am interested in and what are some of the new trends. Instagram helps me to
keep in touch with friends and family and allows me to post current pictures.
YouTube is merely for viewing entertainment. Email is used for contacting
teachers, colleges, family and friends who do not have Instagram.
Question
#3: Do you have any parental controls on your usage of these sites?
Response:
Yes. My parents do periodically check to see who I let into my world. It is not
a big deal, because I do not do anything that would worry them.
Question
#4: Do you see changes to your choices based on peer input and their
social networking uses?
Response:
Not really. I am not a follower of others input if it does not pertain to
anything of importance to me. I do see quite a bit of improper conduct by many
I go to school with, so I try to avoid too many of these extras.
Question
#5: What hazards do you encounter, and have you ever encountered any severe
infringement on your privacy?
Response:
Well, I have not had any problems too big. I do not like the continuous pop up
ads that are inappropriate. I also worry that my accounts will be hacked and
that I could end up with a virus or something like that. I have also noticed an
increase in cyber-bullying from what my friends have told me. So far, I have
not had to deal with any of that though.
Overall, my interviewee
showed to be a responsible young lady who is aware of the dangers that are
present with her networking use, and avoids all possible pitfalls present in
using these sites with regards to personal information that could prove
damaging. I learned an immense about current, new, and upcoming social media
outlets, and am more aware of the issues that our youth will be facing.
Of all the topics presented
to her that were covered in this course, she was most interested in the
“generation lap” that Don Tascott discussed in his you tube video titled
“Growing Up Digital.” Her realization that she is the subject matter expert in
discussing emerging social media sites and current media outlets proved to be a
boost in morale and self-awareness. Jenkin’s idea that “when children are deep at play they
engage with the fierce, intense attention that we’d like to see them apply to
their schoolwork” was thought provoking and helped her validate her own use of
games as learning tools. (2006) The ferocity applied to learning games proves
how attention is better focused when learning is fun and engaging.
References
Jenkins, H.
(n.d.). Fun vs. Engagement: The Case of the Great Zoombinis. Retrieved November
9, 2014, from http://henryjenkins.org/2006/06/fun_vs_engagement_the_case_of.html
Lack of privacy is a huge issue as a direct result of social media use (or overuse). Personally, I don't use social media. I don't feel a need to put all of my business out there. Growing up, I never knew what 250 people ate for lunch on a given day; I didn't know 250 people! It seems that on Facebook and Twitter, people have hundreds of "friends" and "followers" who are given glimpses into every meal, every emotion, make up, break up, etc. It becomes a gossip fest and a catalyst for trouble at times. On the other hand, I know that it is a way to keep in tough with loved ones who live far away.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. My spouse uses it to keep in touch with her sisters and friends from home, while also using it as a tool for her small business. The business aspect of it I approve of because it has become the way of the future for brides ordering their wedding cakes from her, and for returning customers to just shoot her a quick message with a new order.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, her accounts get hacked quite often, and the act of un-friending someone is like cutting off a limb. Privacy has always been an issue here with this, and it has become a way to self appreciate in other ways. Saying online that we are going to train to run a marathon gives great self satisfaction and allows for us a way to not train for it ever and eventually to just come up with another prospect for self appreciation later. The gossip issue, I agree, is trouble. I have seen several divorces occur as the result of online indiscretion or rumor. Truly sad.
It's interesting to me that the very first social media that comes to this young lady's mind is Pintrest. I do not use Pintrest myself, but I know plenty of people who do use it and love it-- every single one of them is a woman between the ages of 20 and 40. Pinterest seems to be a social media that has far more female users than male users, and I'm not exactly sure why. Also, I had assumed that Pintrest was geared towards females of my generation or older. Typically, I've seen it used for Wedding ideas, hair, make-up and nail ideas, and recipes. It's very interesting to learn that adolescents are also using this media.
ReplyDeleteI had to look it up, and I asked my wife about it. My wife said it is not that uncommon if the girl is into crafts and fashion, because both of our daughters use it? I found out it is where my wife gets a lot of ideas for home projects that keep me extra busy though. :)
ReplyDelete