Sarah Marzouk -

I respectfully disagree, people go on social media with a mindset on one point of view and once they get informed on other information they slowly start to get the other side or at least get to choose because at this point they are informed on both sides and that is important for democracy. Usually people join social media and the side that they choose to support is mainly someone that they blindly followed but with other people giving there point of view and side in the story with evidence people begin to understand.

Sarah Marzouk -

I disagree with this because social media isn't the only place that fake news, news channels also tell fake news or be bias, that is why it is important to get your information from different places to be able to hear the stories from different points of view.

Sarah Marzouk -

I disagree because

“a majority of millennials had posted in the past week on social media about the issues they cared about.”

That is the main point that people get to voice out there opinions.

Sarah Marzouk -

Blind following the blind is a real thing and that is why it is important to have social media, social media gives a chance to voice out a variation of people's opinions.

Sarah Marzouk -

Social media is not just an effective aggregate of mainstream media and news sources — it can empower the underrepresented and serve as a magnifying voice for underrepresented issues.

Sarah Marzouk -

I disagree with this because social media has actually brought lots of people together by a greater amount of number,

For example The Women's March is an example of this, where a grandmother with an internet connection wrote a post that led her friends to start a Facebook event that eventually turned into millions of people marching in cities around the world.

This is a very good point because we don't need social media. If people need help with stuff they can go to therapy or call a hotline. This will get them the help they need and they can stay safe while getting it. Our democracy will be able to run better because there will not be the risk of getting attacked for sharing their views.

I agree with this a lot because in a democracy people are supposed to be able to share their ideas with the world. But, social media has began to lead this downhill. As people share their thoughts and ideas with the world they start to get harassed and torn down, just for not having the same views as other people.

There are lots of fake news sources that people do not know about, which can lead to false information spreading everywhere.“In the final three months of the US presidential campaign, the top-performing fake election news stories on Facebook generated more engagement than top stories from major news outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post etc.” This can definetley hurt our democracy because people could think something is good, but in reality it could be bad. Social media is hurting democracy. Lacey Compas

I agree with this because democracy needs to be a safe and kind enviroment to thrive at its best. Now with social media in the way, it can cause a dangerous and harmful place for people. Lots of people are getting bullied just for saying their ideas and that's not right. Lacey Compas

Social media can persuade people into thinking something that they do not fully agree with.Russia persuaded Americans in the 2016 election. Social media allowed many posts from Russia to reach millions of people in America. Lacey Compas

Also, because these movements are happening at such a rapid rate, they might not have the longevity or organization they are looking for

Saya: With misinformation being spread there are chances of violence, but social media should not be blamed entirely for this. Social media can be used for positive benefits, which can over-weigh the negative. Social media can and is used for simply correcting misinformation. It really can depend on the users, and if information is spread and people are educated, violence can be reduced as a result of social media.

It's all about clickbait right? Often times fake stories sound more appealing or exciting to people.

Ryan- Some may view the fact that anyone can say anything on social media as a negative, however, this is a perfect example of democracy, everyone is able to express their opinion. Sometimes you will see someone posting outlandish claims, but that is no different than if you saw them holding up a sign on a street corner, you just walk/scroll past them.

Saya: even with the algorithms in place, there is still multiple sides in the media. if someone decides to explore politically, there is a place to be educated and learn about the positives and negatives of other parties.

kaimia: Social media is good because it helps people get in touch with family, friends, and anyone they need to talk to and it also creates an opportunity to keep in touch with people on many levels.

Ryan- Social media can also be a way to gather and look at other people's perspectives on different topics. In the real world you are often surrounded by friends where you tend to think alike, where as on social media, you are able to see how different things effect different people and their response to those actions.

Saya: Social media can introduce new ways of seeing things politically. It can allow people to educate themselves on what they are voting for, and give them resources that will help them figure out what they want to support.

Ryan- Social media is a way for everyone to express their feelings and opinions on a subject, and to get their concerns out there to others.

Saya: Media has it's ways to combat fake news, especially in political spaces. With incidents like these, we know that it if fake news because media spreads that fact.

kaimia: Helps people know what's going on in the world and people can engage with one another

Saya: Social media can have positive effects to democracy. It helps coordination by giving a platform for people to communicate and respond to each other, making interaction with representatives, planning and reminding people of events easier.