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Social Media Shaped Society Essay

¶ … Social Media Has Had on Society Social Media has had a particularly influential power over society during recent years as more and more individuals start to guide themselves in accordance with principles put across by such devices. However, it is difficult to determine whether social media has had a positive influence or a negative influence on the social order, taking into account that many are unable to filter information they are bombarded with and end up having a distorted understanding of the world as a whole.

Internet has revolutionized the way information is being sent across the world and this means that it would be impossible for particular events happening in the past to happen in the contemporary society. By simply looking at how the radio and the television have brought significant change to particular environments, one is more likely to understand the degree to which internet can bring change to the world. Websites such as Wikileaks have damaged the reputation of certain communities and have enabled the masses to look at international relations from a whole different perspective. It would have been impossible for the world to have access to such information several decades ago when the internet was still in its incipient stages.

Blogging and social networks have been identified as new tools that...

As a consequence, a great deal of individuals who were unable to express themselves freely through traditional devices resorted to using social media as a strategy to raise public awareness. Blogging and social networks have proved to be particularly effective in restrictive political conditions as members of the opposition have taken advantage of these concepts with the purpose of criticizing particular politicians and in order to have the masses learn information that was hidden from them.
The 2011 Egyptian revolution is probably one of the most significant events demonstrating the power of social media. The event could not have taken place the way it did if it were not for media devices that directly contributed to starting it. Even with the fact that its causes were deep-rooted, the public lacked the resources and the feeling of unity it needed in order to embark on a journey to fight for their rights. "The turning moment had come -- but it was the instant and widespread nature of the new media that made it possible to recognize the moment and to push it into such an effective manifestation" (Nunns & Idle 9).

In spite of the fact that there news channels documented the Egyptian revolution 24/7, people came to live directly through the event as a result…

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Works cited:

Blossom, John, "Content Nation: Surviving and Thriving as Social Media Changes Our Work, Our Lives, and Our Future," (John Wiley & Sons, 14.09.2011)

Duhe, Sandra C., "New Media and Public Relations," (Peter Lang, 2007)

Nunns, Ales and Idle, Nadia, "Tweets from Tahrir: Egypt's Revolution as it Unfolded, in the Words of the People who Made it," (OR Books, 2011)
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