Is Social Media Good For Democracy? Pd. 6
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I agree that social media can be hectic, but in this day in age social media is such a big platform that people can share opinions and views they have, also Point of view that could be or very well be false or untelling, false facts create false opinions. For example, Mental illness, chronic pain, loss of employment, vulnerability to crime, drugs in the family – information about all these spread via social media, and they can be reduced with sensible policies. For many people social media brings them together with long lost family members and similar traumatic event. Social media helps people understand they aren't the only ones that have had a hard times and might even help feel not feel depressed or angry, but understand that they are not alone. 1
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I understand where you are coming from, however according to Mark Zuckerberg, “Building Global Community,” Facebook, February 16, 2017, "we built tools so millions of people could commit to becoming organ donors to save others after accidents, and registries reported larger boosts in sign ups than ever before." 3
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While social media can help different causes it also can cause more problems for example Misleading images claiming to depict violence in Myanmar and being being shared on social media are sowing distrust and undermining the work of human rights group, say campaigners...Circulation of misleading images follows an eruption of violence in Rakhine state that has killed more than 400 people and triggered an exodus of 40,000 Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh. 3
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Democracy was made so it wasn't base on one opinion. The definition of democracy is "a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives." Representatives are picked to represent people's opinions and make a change about it. Social media can actually show us what one side is wanting compared to the other side or what one believes in compared to the other. This is because both sides make "public posts" that allows you to see the other side of the table 2
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I think social media is negative since it causes addiction, especially in teens which can lead to depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and obesity. For example, Depression - A 2018 University of Pennsylvania study found that the less time people spend on social media, the less symptoms of depression and loneliness they felt. A 2015 study found that Facebook users who felt envy while on the networking site were more likely to develop symptoms of depression. Sleep disturbances - This research found that the more time adolescents spent on screen-based activities (like social media, web surfing, watching TV, and gaming), the more trouble they had falling asleep and the less sleep they got during the night. These sleep issues were then linked with increased symptoms of insomnia and depression. Increased alcohol and tobacco use - In general, experts believe that social media plays a notable role in encouraging negative behaviors such as substance abuse. Obesity - Extended screen time and the overbearing presence of unrealistic body ideals on social media as well as an individual's physical or body dissatisfaction can reduce self-esteem and increase stress levels (both of which are proposed to be antecedents to obesity). All of these can result in a poorly working society which eventually leads to a poor government. All of these examples and many more are primarily targeting teenagers and young adults. This will lead to a weak future society and powerless citizens. Eventually resulting in failure. 2
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Social media addiction is a problem but it breaking away from the addiction is more reliant on the person. Addiction isn't caused by a specific thing being " addicting" but is instead caused by a person not having enough restraint against said thing or activity. Obesity can be avoided and sleep disturbances can easily be avoided by addicts learning self-control. Fake news is an issue however, there are features to report fake news as untrue. There are also experts who speak out on social media about certain issues to raise awareness and inform the people. According to "Building Global Community", "To rebuild after a crisis, we've built the world's largest social infrastructure for collective action. A few years ago, after an earthquake in Nepal, the Facebook community raised $15 million to help people recover and rebuild -- which was the largest crowdfunded relief effort in history." Social media is used to help those in need as well. It can be very helpful, more so than it is harmful. 1
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If social media harms the kids and teenagers of americas future it can lead to a poorly working society and with how democracy works through the people and people vote on topic and important factors in everyday life causing these problems at such a young age can lead to failure, violence, sadness, and laziness within Americas future. 2
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according to studies, the average teen checks there favorite social media platform 10 times a day. this provided many chances to see different point of views and get reliable information to counter others, social media also provides fact check with the ability to flag things such as false information. 4
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for example YouTube doesn't need a broadcast license, so literally anyone can post on the site whether it's true or nor.YouTube isn't the only one there is Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. So why why use information from a site when the difference real and fake is unknown on there. 2
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There is always going to be fake news roaming around but research can help find out if it is true or not, taking the time to find out if its true or not on sites like .org or .edu. Making sure fake news in social media is only causing troublesome situations when people don't research if it is true or not. 0
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PPl who are for a side are getting into social media groups and agreeing or disagreeing on subjects that they choose for which can cause divides on the internet. Example: In Nov. 2012 Isreali-Palestinian clash found that only 10 percent this conversation was between supporters of the opposing side. PPl can still enter these meetings and try to get ppl on their side of the story. Yes, it does promote fake news some of the time, but it also promotes real news as well. Looking through articles or posts from credible sources, then checking other various (also credible) sources helps you prove that what you see is true. Social media can also let you share videos that might help you understand if something happened. An example of this is, referring to the riots at the Capitol in Washington, when we saw videos of everything people did. This helped people better understand what really happened there and helped the authorities catch the people who committed crimes. 2
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Social media has allowed people to be more connected positively with representatives, those in their communities, and worldwide. Others may say that social media has not been a way to connect with others positively due to discrimination or bullying. However, “A few years ago, after an earthquake in Nepal, the Facebook community raised $15 million to help people recover and rebuild -- which was the largest crowdfunded relief effort in history. We saw a similar effort after the shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando when people across the country organized blood donations to help victims they had never met.” 2
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i think that social media can be used positively like the money raised for that. but at the same time there are too many people making bad decisions on it or causing drama and ruining reputations. a lot of people will see false information or see something they dont like and start bullying and harassing the people who support it. more people use social media to spread negativity than to spread positive things. -marcelo 1
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While your argument is seen and understood, according to Jeff From, “New Study Finds Social Media Shapes Millennial Political Involvement And Engagement” Forbes, June 22, 2016, "Thanks to social media and the greater access to resources and education, millennials are the most informed generation of voters to date." Additionally, "According to a study by the American Press Institute, a majority of millennials had posted in the past week on social media about the issues they cared about. With millennials being 2.5 times more likely to be early adopters of technology than other generations, it is no surprise that social media is playing such a large role in this election. This is, after all, a generation where a majority agree their life feels richer because they are connected through social media." People are going on the internet to attempt to drive ppl apart. Example - Russian agents were causing a disturbance on google’s youtube, and Twitter according to Facebook counsel general Colin Strech most of the posts were focused on gun rights, race, religion, and gay and transgender issues. 2
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Social media can spark a movement from a action People all over the world can see what happened and can actually do something about it. A example can be the BLM movement. People all over the world supported this movement through social media which is how it grew to be so well known -austin Social media is a great and effective protest tool because it facilitates mass organization and communication between people. “Twitter has been a valuable tool for activist movements around the world. With usage of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, activists were able to share photos and videos of the excessive police force and militarization” 2
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Social media is effective for building a community to combat major crises. A virus in one nation can quickly spread to others. A conflict in one country can create a refugee crisis across continents. Having a group or platform where people can communicate and discuss ways to prevent further contagion has proven to be beneficial. 2
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Although social media can be effective for building and supporting communities it can also be the downfall. For example, government officials can spread fake news which can cause fear and violence. Take the covid vaccine for example, many people are scared to take it because they have been told fake news such as it gives you covid, or can cause females to become infertile. 1
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I disagree with you because while social media can cause harm such as bullying, depression, etc., social media also can be beneficial. While many people have been fearful to take the COVID-19 vaccine due to fake news, so many more have used social media to get real information from people who have received the vaccine already to converse about the effects it had on them, to get answers and ask questions about the shot, etc. Additionally, virtual communication about other important topics has been key during the pandemic for receiving and sharing accurate information about things like the 2020 presidential election. 2
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Social media is very beneficial to democracy because it gives a voice to the unheard which is the whole point of democracy. America has had only one black president and only two partially black vice presidents. in no way does that show representation of the american people. The biases that the american government are strong because of the lack of voice from people of color. social media provides a platform where posts and videos can be seen and herd by everyone and people can educate them self on string issues that are unfortunately pushed aside in political situations. 0
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All information can be spread fairly easily. Like you said social media like youtube and Instagram don't require anything to broadcast. However, all of this information can be clarified from an original source by using social media. Social platforms allow us to contact reliable sources to credit the "real" or "fake" information. 1
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according to studies, the average teen checks there favorite social media platform 10 times a day. this provided many chances to see different point of views and get reliable information to counter others, social media also provides fact check with the ability to flag things such as false information. Social media can increase voter turnout. People see ads on social media that inform them on why they should vote. A study was done that showed an ad that let people know if their friends voted and information on voting as well as an I voted button. It was found that "those who saw the social messages were 2% more likely to click the 'I voted' button and 0.3% more likely to seek information about a polling place than those who received the informational message, and 0.4% more likely to head to the polls than either other group. The social message, the researchers estimate, directly increased turnout by about 60,000 votes. 280,000 people were indirectly nudged to the polls." Social media convinces people to vote by showing them people they know that are voting and the benefits of voting. (source: “Facebook experiment boosts US voter turnout”) 1
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but here is the thing wrong with this. people spread rumors and false information. like back towards the end of the 2016 election news outlets began spreading false information about trump and other candidates. people will also spread false info obviously but social media amplifies the spread because people with higher following can say something and then that word gets spread faster. -marcelo 2
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Social media also provided a chance for voters to understand the flaws from certain candidates. For example, as presidents such as trump run for presidency they put on a show for people making people think they're a great candidate. however they're own social media sites and posts will show they're true colors. candidates like Trump show no support for true issues of america. he did not care about police brutality and his own actions on social media lead to him to fairly loosing the election because social media provided the inside of what type of person he really is, which is a person who has no business bringing his bad energy and rude bias views into democracy. 1
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While this is possible, people have the ability to learn more and gain more information on social media. People share informative articles and important messages on social media to make people aware. There are also features in place to report fake news as untrue. According to "Facebook experiment boosts US voter turnout", "those who saw the social message were 2% more likely to click the 'I voted' button and 0.3% more likely to seek information about a polling place than those who received the informational message, and 0.4% more likely to head to the polls than either other group." Social media makes voters informed about voting as well as convincing them to vote. Informed voters are necessary in a democracy. PPl who are for a side is getting into social media groups and agreeing or disagreeing on subjects that they choose for which can cause divides on the internet. Example: In Nov. 2012 Israeli-Palestinian clash found that only 10 percent of this conversation was between supporters of the opposing side. 1
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Social media gives a platform for everyone to speak. It helps empower minorities and bring people who are facing similar issues together. According to "Social Media Can Be Good For Democracy" "Under the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, activists were able to share photos and videos of excessive police force and militarization. Not only did activists use Twitter as a platform to publicize the use of tear gas, but activists in Palestine were actually able to provide them with real advice. Social media facilitates mass organization and communication. The much derided Ice Bucket Challenge actually raised millions of dollars which helped scientists with breakthroughs in ALS research. It can empower the underrepresented and serve as a magnifying voice for underreported issues." Social media raises awareness and informs people of social movements. 1
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I don't agree that it prevents negative things from happening. In a country called Myanmar, people there had lots of problems with social media interference. When people began to post pictures that had misinformation in them about what was happening with the religions and cultures in that country, there was a lot of violence in the community from the social media, and 400 people were killed. Following this EVIDENCE, 40,000 Rohingya Muslims were sent to Bangladesh. Social media does lead to problems in other countries and since it doesn't help their democracy, how is it going to help ours? We could someday face the same situation. Even though I am belive that social media is not that great for everyone BUT My counterclaim: 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. Social media plays a big part in a social movement. There are many movements that social media have helped encourage people share there story. Peoples story's such as George Floyd's and Brianna Taylor have made movements more powerful and brought more attention to the matter. 1
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While it may seem as though social media does not play a huge role in social movements, I disagree. Social media brings people together. For example, Issues & Controversies, “Social Media: Does social media have a positive impact on the world?”, August 5, 2016 states that "Arab Spring—a wave of pro-democracy uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East in late 2010 and 2011 that led to the relatively peaceful ouster of long-standing dictatorships in Tunisia and Egypt, as well as the outbreak of violence in Libya, Syria, and other countries. Protesters used Facebook and Twitter in Tunisia and Egypt to organize, plan demonstrations, and publicize their movements. "This revolution started on Facebook,"" Technology is good for a democracy, because it helps people share story's, ideas, and helps people to communicate more. Technology also helps to encourage people to vote as said in (AFFIRMATIVE EVIDENCE, google doc). Technology also helps all types of audiences communicate, to understand topics like voting, and help start movements such as the BLM movement. 1
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I agree that technology is good for democracy because social media is a good way to help share information and support information or movements, etc. “Social media, with some 233 million users in the US and already a major communications platform, is believed to have taken on a heightened role of importance and ability to influence leading up to the election with people relying more on virtual communication during the COVID-19 pandemic….’For people who are on social media, it is virtually impossible to avoid reminders and encouragement to vote,’” https://research.umd.edu/news/ I agree. If you put the data into a graph, you can see that there is direct causation between the rise of social media and activism. (no idea if you'll be able to access this but I also linked it in the post if you need that) Here's a link to see more: https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/ It can connect people with really helpful resources. For example, my sibling read online articles and social media posts and learned that ‘she’ truly identified as they/he. Without the online influence, they probably would have had no idea why they felt so uncomfortable in their own skin, and their mental health would have plummeted, as it does in many closeted or unknowing people. (and, yes, they are comfortable with me sharing this) 1
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Social Media can promote hostile arguments, when no one can see your face or real name it becomes real easy to say something controversial or unpopular. Since everyone has different viewpoints and opinions and they, too can be anonymous, they can also say something unpopular, which leads to a big argument that doesn't lead to any agreements. People nowadays think they are in the right, so this happens a lot on social media, especially within politics. 2
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Social media allows anyone to speak on whatever they want but there are features to report them. It also does more good than harm by working with public safety organizations to help people. According to "Building Global Community", "To prevent harm, we can build social infrastructure to help our community identify problems before they happen. When someone is thinking of suicide or hurting themselves, we've built infrastructure to give their friends and community tools that could save their life. When a child goes missing, we've built infrastructure to show Amber Alerts -- and multiple children have been rescued without harm. To help during a crisis, we've built infrastructure like Safety Check so we can all let our friends know we're safe and check on friends who might be affected by an attack or natural disaster." Social media is being used to ensure safety and help people. It does more good than harm. I believe that Social media has a positive impact on the world... It has done more good than harm as it can help with mass organization and communications to combat the negative issues. Basically meaning it can push hate out of the world and bring positive things/speech in. Facebook, one of the biggest platforms, is a big help for that. They've been trying to push out hate for years by banning negative people/speech. But that is just one of the many platforms/people that are trying to push hate out and bring positivity in... There's so much more. 1
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Social media has degraded the experience of participating,most people will rely on social media to be the mask behind there actual face and not participating socially. It's most people's "comfort zone" to much so that people are willing to put anything and everything on there. 1
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Claim: Public speakers and influencers ( Youtubers in general ) Have a great big role in involving the public and starting a debate, most of all debate and posts, are about an idea that he/she are right or wrong. Being on the internet you are responsible for yourself and no one else, with everyone coming from different background, etc you should not expect to come to an agreement, additionally, there are people that have taken drastic measures that are simply not right or allowed that has become a problem because of the debate being arisen. Independent YouTubers also have zero obligation to fact-check themselves, provide evidence, or face debate. Unlike Fox News or talk radio, YouTubers don’t need broadcast licenses so they’re immune to FCC rules prohibiting them from distributing obscene or false information; which is why five of the ten most viewed videos about the Las Vegas shooting are conspiracy theories. For example, if you only look at books from one author or under one topic that you’re familiar with, how will you learn about different books that don’t fit under the specific umbrella of books that you usually read. It is true that social media targets it’s users, but to really inform yourself, you have to search for opposing topics and further look into your own personal viewpoints; look beyond what is just recommended. 0
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To start, social media is good for democracy because it helps mobilize supporters for a political cause. Examples of this include the Women's March of 2017, which was to promote a political message. In addition, the Arab Spring was another example of this, which was when millions of users of Facebook and other platforms promoted the protests against oppressive regimes and low standards of living. 0
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Social media also allows for an easy way to reach out to political representatives. “In the last few months, we have already helped our community double the number of connections between people and our representatives by making it easier to connect with all our representatives in one click. When we connect, we can engage directly in comments and messages.”(Mark Zuckerberg, “Building Global Community,” Facebook, February 16, 2017) |
