Social media
is redefining
virtually
everything,
including…
(but not limited to)
How we work
How we play
How we learn
How we share
How we discover
How we create
How we complain
How we celebrate
How we influence
How we collaborate
How we investigate
How we evaluate
And communicate
So what exactly is…
SOCIAL
MEDIA?
“Social media are internet powered
platforms that make it easy for
individuals, groups of people and
organisations to converse and
participate with one another in a
wide variety of social activities”
Source: http://www.blastmedia.com.au/social-media.html
Social Media is a group of Internetbased applications that build on
the ideological and technological
foundations of Web 2.0, and that
allow the creation and exchange of
User Generated Content. (Kaplan
and Haenlein, 2009)
Social media includes web-based
and mobile based technologies
which are used to turn
communication into interactive
dialogue among organizations,
communities, and individuals.
Another way
to explain
various social
media sites…
The concept of social media has been
around for thousands of years – even
early caveman posted on each other’s
walls. However, the internet has scaled
social media to a whole new level. Today
more than 2 billion people have
signed up to a social network, and that
number is increasing every day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SuNx0UrnEo
Source: http://www.acewebdesign.com.au/blog/2012/05/05/social-media-stats-infographic-april-2012/
What are the pros and drawbacks of
social media?
Reconnect with former colleagues, alums,
friends from childhood, relatives, etc.
Meet new friends
No geographical boundaries
Keep in touch with friends and relatives
Pros
Send, share and receive videos,
photos and messages
Connect with people who have similar
interests and likes
Build employment contacts
Easily accessible
The Pros of Social Networking
Without a doubt, the best reason to join any social
networking site is that it lets you make connections
with other people. You can use social networking
sites to stay connected with what your friends are
doing. If the social network is popular, you may be
able to track down old friends and acquaintances
and renew friendships.
The Pros of Social Networking
You can also use these sites to network
professionally. For example, one friend might
mention on his profile that he needs a electrician
to come to his house. You might know someone
who's perfect for the job. All you have to do is
send a couple of messages and you've helped
two friends out at the same time!
The Pros of Social Networking
Many social networking sites like MySpace and
Facebook make it easy to organise an event and
invite your friends. Some sites allow you to
group friends using different criteria, including
family, friends and common interests.
The Pros of Social Networking
Community Outreach – Kony 2012
The Pros of Social Networking
Community Outreach – Kony 2012
The Invisible Children organisation, released a
30-minute video in order to bring attention to
and call for the arrest of Ugandan warlord
named Joseph Kony. Within hours of the videos
release, the video went viral.
With almost 85 million views on YouTube the
Invisible Children organisation successfully
brought about the attention they were looking
for.
The Pros of Social Networking
Community Outreach – Kony 2012
Kony 2012 has shown us the POWER of SOCIAL
MEDIA. Kony 2012 would have never reached its
viral success without social media sites being the
vehicle to the Invisible Children organisation’s
message.
Social media have made us more networked
than ever. Yet for all this connectivity, new
research suggests that we have never been
lonelier and that this loneliness is making us
mentally and physically ill.
Cyberbullying
Misuse of information,
visuals (photos and videos)
and passwords
Malicious software
Drawbacks
More connections,
less meaningful relationships
Shorten attention spans. causes
people to become more self centred
Promoting need for instant gratification
Identity theft
Drawbacks to Social Networking
Perhaps the biggest online social networking
drawback is that it makes identity theft easier. In
order to create a profile on a social networking site,
you have to share some information about yourself.
Many sites allow you to decide how much
information to share. Some give you options to hide
information like your e-mail address or birthday -information that could give individuals the chance to
send you spam or steal your identity.
Drawbacks to Social Networking
The problem is that if you don't share any
information, none of your friends will be able to find
you on the site. That defeats the purpose of a social
networking site in the first place. On the other
hand, if you share too much you may discover that
someone else is attempting to access your e-mail or
financial information.
Drawbacks to Social Networking
Sites such as Facebook and Twitter are said to
shorten attention spans, encourage instant
gratification and make young people more selfcentred.
Drawbacks to Social Networking
Another danger is that scammers use social networking
sites to trick people into downloading malicious
software (malware). A common tactic is to use social
engineering. Social engineering plays on human nature
to get results. For example, you might receive a link
from a friend claiming that it leads you to a funny video
that you appear in. Following the link brings up a
message saying you need to install a video player
before you can view the clip. But the video player is
actually a virus or Trojan horse program that can harm
your computer.
Drawbacks to Social Networking
Cyberbulling
The Social and Psychological Impact of Online Social Networking
APS National Psychology Week Survey 2010
A key finding of this report showed
reports about cyber bullying and
risks to children have led to
increased fears about the impact of
online social networking, particularly
on children and young adults.
The survey asked people about any
“bad experiences” they have had as
a result of using social networking
sites. A considerable number of survey respondents (28%) indicated
that they have had a negative experience. An analysis of open-ended
statements to describe this experience found that bullying,
unwanted contact and the posting of inappropriate or distressing
information to be the most cited events.
Drawbacks to Social Networking
Anyone can hide behind the text, the e-mail, the
blog post or the tweet, projecting any image they
want. They can be whoever they want to be.
And without the ability to receive nonverbal
cues, their audiences are none the wiser.
Drawbacks to Social Networking
More connections, but less meaningful
relationships
• In an op-ed for the New York Times, Sherry Turkle, a
professor at M.I.T., wrote of the sad state of affairs in
that “we have sacrificed conversation for mere
connection.”
• Many people now find it much easier and more
convenient to message, e-mail, and friend others
online than to take the time to truly get to know
someone in person. The result may be that we have
more connections, but the relationship is shallower.
(Source http://moneyland.time.com/2012/04/27/why-face-to-face-networking-trumps-socialnetworking/#ixzz22HzaVZFv)
What specific elements do we miss out on when
we trade face-to-face communication for
connecting through our computer?
It may seem obvious to some, but we tend to
forget about the importance of body language,
voice inflection and the simple act of looking
someone in the eye during a conversation.
Our facial expression, physical gestures, and the
emotional tone in our voice alter the meaning of our
words, which is why it is very difficult to express
ourselves fully and authentically in an email or text.
So when we forego face-to-face encounters in favour
of on-line, our friends receive only a partial message.
What's missing are the feelings that inform the words.
Is social media destroying real world
relationships?
Is it making us “socially awkward”?
Consider these research findings…
Source: http://mashable.com/2012/06/14/social-media-real-world-infographic/
Source: http://mashable.com/2012/06/14/social-media-real-world-infographic/
Source: http://mashable.com/2012/06/14/social-media-real-world-infographic/
Source: http://mashable.com/2012/06/14/social-media-real-world-infographic/
Source: http://mashable.com/2012/06/14/social-media-real-world-infographic/
So how do we reconnect words to feelings?
Fewer texts, less Facebook,
and more face time.
Catholics and Social Media
Pope Benedict XVI raises some interesting questions and
points to consider in relation to social media and
relationships
The new technologies allow people to meet each other beyond the confines of
space and of their own culture, creating in this way an entirely new world of
potential friendships. This is a great opportunity, but it also requires greater
attention to and awareness of possible risks. Who is my “neighbour” in this new
world? Does the danger exist that we may be less present to those whom we
encounter in our everyday life? Is there is a risk of being more distracted because
our attention is fragmented and absorbed in a world “other” than
the one in which we live? Do we have time to reflect
critically on our choices and to foster human
relationships which are truly deep and lasting? It is
important always to remember that virtual contact
cannot and must not take the place of direct human
contact with people at every level of our lives.
(Pope Benedict XI, MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI
FOR THE 45th WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY Truth, Proclamation
and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age, 5th June, 2011)
On a final note...
As global citizens, we must find a way to take advantage
of all the amazing benefits of our technologicallyenabled world while ensuring that we aren’t losing
touch with the most important relationships, personal
and professional.
Sources:
http://cyberpsychology.eu/view.php?cisloclanku=2009111101
http://uahuntsville.academia.edu/PavicaSheldon/Papers/150149/The_Relationship_between
_Unwillingness_to_Communicate_and_Students_Facebook_Use
http://webtrends.about.com/od/web20/a/social-media.htm
http://socialmediatoday.com/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/sep/10/socialnetwork
http://www.acewebdesign.com.au/blog/2012/05/05/social-media-stats-infographicapril-2012/
http://www.psychology.org.au/Assets/Files/Social-and-Psychological-Impact-ofSocial-Networking-Sites.pdf
http://moneyland.time.com/2012/04/27/why-face-to-face-networking-trumps-socialnetworking/#ixzz22HzaVZFv
Sources:
http://www.blastmedia.com.au/social-media.html
http://socialstrand.com/2012/02/08/social-media-explained-in-6th-grade-englishinfographic/
Source: http://mashable.com/2012/06/14/social-media-real-world-infographic/
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/communications/docu
ments/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20110124_45th-world-communications-day_en.html
By: Suzanne Symonds and Renee Taylor