Social Media and Social Issues Essay Example for Free

loving Media and Social Issues EssayA study on the role of social media in shaping and publicise Social issues Mohana Sudhan Mayilsamy, Assistant Professor, School of Communication, Dr. G. R. Damodaran College of Science, Avinashi Road, Coimbatore 641014. e-mailemailprotected com, Mobile 9944223455, Fax 0422-2591865. Abstract Social media, especi wholey social Networking Sites argon turning up as an inwrought mode of interactive and informing media in the recent past. Especi altogethery, it is being considered as a platform for both promotion and publicizing social issues. al atomic number 53, the credibility and the loyalty of the word of honor travelling in the networks as blogs and plazas is a debat suitable issue. The paper starts with examining the powers enjoyed by the social networking grades and social media in the get overling the mass, uncategorized audience as well the informed citizens. Focus collection rumination method has been employed and digest of th e media in subject field handling have been done despite the rules and regulations im prepare by the self-regulatory bodies in India and the loopholes present.With the findings the author concludes the motif for a regulation of theme in social media and a decree of conduct for limit management in Indian scenario. Key Words Media, Social Networking Sites, Media effects, Social Media, Opinion seeking Introduction to the study Do we rule the media or the media rules us? Has al demeanors been the interrogate of researchers in media and in common users of media as well.The prophecy Medium is the message by Marshall McLuhan, gives a clear picture of how media has been legal opinion us and is ruling eventide so now though the parley tools change, and he has emphasised this in many of his works including the Global village concept to technological determinism, where media plays a major role in deciding the content and ideology of users and non the users. But with the advent of advanced technologies and interactive devices, wiz, computer, mobiles and the increasing usage of Internet and other communication technologies, communication has got a radical change.Each and every day, yet another new technology is being diff apply into the minds of the plenty every day and even commonwealth keep on getting used to all the technologies. The gratifications approach has been found valid for the day, as people select media in a abundant spread manner. Social Networking Sites, an emergecome of interactive services offered by social media and communicative tools like Internet and intranet have brought the world too handy, enabling people to interact and discuss virtually. A sh be in a social networking site potbelly reach hundreds even millions in time depending upon the connectivity of the users.This makes people getting flattered on the networking sites and makes them spend hours and hours hanging over the net. It offers different services like e-mailing, ins tant messaging, sharing photos and videos, make friends and so on. With the increase in its direct and usage, the entropy flowing in the Social Networking Sites is unpredictable. The content travelling in the social media is very vast and in an uncontrollable way, on that pointby creating a non-centred authority to control news. The news gets its profess form in the media as it delineates to people and gets a different perspective and form as it reaches the end user.This makes Social Networking sites, a brat to harmony in society. Maybe they ar perceived as elements of social elevation, but it depends on the audience it reaches. If the audiences are well informed and are able to take a good decision, then the flow of news would not be a problem, but since social networking sites are being used by modify audience, at that place should be a control imposed over the content to have a good and healthy environment in the soil and make it stable in bring outment. Social MediaThe termSocial Mediarefers to the use of web-based and mobile technologies in communication and making it interactive. Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein, define social media as a group of Internet-based applications that allow the creation and exchange ofuser-generated content. Social media is rather a media for social interaction, than social communication. Equipped with modern technologies and speedy Internetworking, social media has changed the way of communication between people, groups and organisations too.thither are various categories of social media which includes online magazines, Internet forums, weblogs, social blogs and Social Networking forums. Further Kaplan and Haenlein categorises Social media into six types, namely, collaborative projects, besides Wikipedia, blogs and microblogs likewise twitter, content communities like Youtube, social networking sites like Facebook, Orkut, virtual game worlds and virtual social worlds. Among them Social Networking sites have beco me the close to popular and highly used media as it provides more chances for Interactivity and presence.It is likewise being used as a marketing tool to market ideas, products, as well business. Social Networking Sites Social networking sites, usually abbreviated as SNS, are the interactive websites and forums that allow users to maintain an account, manufacture a profile, find friends, chat, interact, conduct discussions, ask questions and so on. They act as a platform between users to share ideas of their own to the known and unknown, as per their wish. Social Networking sites, hit India with the increased number of Indian immigrants to the entire globe for employment.It arose as a tool for communicating with their families, and later on with the increased usage of technologies, it became a part and parcel of day to day life. We can easily say that there are hardly 10 out of 100, without at least an account in any of the social networking sites. Facebook a general introducti on Facebook presents a bunch many features and is being listed as the first in social networking sites on usage. It is basically a forum started in a university to keep in chase with the friends and alumni and soon the interactive features, that it provided and the regular usage of people made it an eminent site.Soon it fore run social networking giants Orkut and yahoo that where dominant in India and has a membership of more than 800 million active users throughout the world. It allows the users to connect with people they know or do not know, share photos and videos of themselves or general spare-time activity, post comments and update any learning as stories and comments, and comment and give opinions on others inputs. The ethical concerns noticed are incursion of Privacy, dissemination of information without consent, unknown stand and so on. The status in IndiaTaking the caseful of India, the Social Networking sites are taking a new form and are becoming the lobby for peo ple to hang out and discuss on various issues, ranging from sharel to public, make posts and opinions on various social concerns and create pages on whatever issues they wish to. But this is going to a level that anyone can write or post any material on an issue without the approval of either the administrator of the networking site or the Government and transport down to any user of the network despite the user is a friend or not, through public postings.This poses a threat to the privacy of the users and also the news that gets transported. It takes a new form at every users page depending upon the understanding of the user on the issue. This increases the diversion of the perspective of the news. The most important social Networking sites in India based on their usage are Facebook, Twitter, Orkut and MySpace. A recent study in the UK showed that most Britons have a strong desire for the regulation of social network sites like MySpace and Facebook.In fact, 9 out of 10 people said there should be tighter regulation and, according toThe Guardian, 89% said there should be a set of widely accepted rules to care prevent personal information from being abused. An article by Bobbie Johnson, Technology correspondent, The Guardian. With Social Media playing a major role in India, and especially Social Networking Sites, acting as monsters in the media arena, and as catalysts in determining the social issues, people who use these media are not mere demographies and rather perspective targets of the messages travelling in Media.So they need to be approached as careful as possible and since each and everyone differ in ideologies and conceptual, utmost attention should be paid in transferring news that help in decision making. Objective of the study The study aims at understanding the media content that has always been a debatable issue ever since its inception. It is the final take which reaches the audience as the face of media. Various media disseminate the same co ntent at the same point if time in various formats, under various control factors.Here, the aspects various controls and various formats determine the content, controls more on a broad and aspects on a lesser part. Because, the amount of control decides what the message should be and what it cannot be. In the context of social media, which has tremendous feathers waving along 360 degrees, content management is a tedious process. That too, in a country like India, with diversified users of media, with a diversified mindset, content can be a dangerous thing, if it is not taken due care of.For example, we can quote the Anna Hazares IAC campaign, which gained the utmost interest of the social media, and has been listed as the best discussed topic of the year in the Facebook. India, as a democratic country has vested its own citizens with the Right to Speech and expression, but on the other hand, those rights are limited to the extent where the harmony and peace of the country is not di sturbed. Social Networking Sites, because of the freedom they provide, intuit people to s vertex on all the news they wish and give chances for opinion by anyone, no matter whether they are aware of the topic or not.This may account to false perception of any News by the society and can bring in confusions and problems to the society. This does not mean that there should be restriction on using the sites, which can account to anti democratic, but there needs a monitor over the information that flows in the Net, so that there can be a check over what can be discussed and what need not be. Theoretical perspective The study works on the scheme of Media effects finds its impact on the study and in specific, Catharsis effects and Reinforcement theory holds well. The theory goes as followsReinforcement theoryis one of the limited effects media model applicable. The theory generally states that people seek out and remember information that provides cognitive support for their pre-existi ng attitudes and beliefs. The central assumption of the theory stated that people do not like to be wrong and often feel uncomfortable when their beliefs are challenged. The theory of Catharsis effects also applies to the impact of media on user attitude behaviour. The term catharsis is derived from the Greek word katharsis which means cleansing, purging, or purification.In the way, the theory is used in communication research, it implies that the execution of an self-assertive action under certain conditions diminishes the aggressive drive and therefore reduces the likelihood of further aggressive actions. Secondly, the theory of Media advocacy also holds good for the study. Media advocacy is a sort of development communication, which involves the strategic use of media in shaping public opinions, mobilising community activities and in influencing decision makers in policy change.It shifts the focus of an issue from persona frame to social frame. Since Media advocacy stresses on policy change, it always confronts interaction with power vested authorities and hence it has the following advantages i. Since media advocacy is always focused in gaining access to news than advertising it is highly cost effective and the users need not spend more on promotion of ideas and issues. ii. The effects of public policy are long lasting. They set the standards for the expected change, and transform it down to more number of users for a long period of time.Hence , though Media advocacy is involves planning, acquirement sets, creativity and also long time commitment, it is preferred more in addressing public issues on a major. Sometimes, Media also needs advise where it lags behind and need to be changed. The media academicians stand as the resource providers when media needs an advice and change. Methodology used Content analysis of the social networking sites, has been done to analyse where some social networking sited go wrong and fail to cater to the needs, security an d safety of the data and content of the society.This has been taken as a primary data which is further analysed and some overabundant flaws in the dominant Social Networking Sites were exposed. A panel discussion on The Need for a National Media Policy to regulate the content and functioning of all the media including print, electronic and Internet and Social Networking Sites was conducted to analyse the trend prevailing in Media, and the situations that create the need for a National Policy on Media in India were arrived at.This was carried out with an expert panel of five members from various industries of media with around seventy five media students from various colleges as participants and was also allowed to interact and give their inputs wherever needed. Intensive observation method has been applied for analysis of the transmission of news in SNS. A sample size of fifty respondents comprising of teachers and media students who have a base knowledge of news and society is sele cted and were posted a question and asked to give opinions on that.Then the responses with the comments were again posted in for discussion and the results were analysed based on the parameters set and analysis was done. Outcome of the study The content analysis of Social Networking Sites arrived at the below mentioned flaws prevalent as well with some earlier cases that were stated as the disadvantages of Social Networking Sites. I. Lack of Identity of users There is no strict measure in verifying the real personal identity of the users in all the Social Networking Sites. So, anyone can own any number of accounts in a unmarried SNS, provided they have an appendageal e-mail id.This in turn also does not look for any identity verifications. This shows the lag of control over the identity of the user and hence cannot execute actions or take action on ignorant people, which may lead to causalities. The case carried by The Times of India, reveals that how a genuine person has been un der custody of the court for around 55 days. Lakshman Kailash, employed as software engineer by HCL and a resident of Kodihalli gets arrested in Bangalore on August 31, 2007 under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and spends 50 days at Yerawada Jail in Pune.He is charged with defaming Chatrapathi Shivaji, one of the founders of the Maratha Empire, by allegedly uploading an insulting picture of the latter on Orkut, a social networking site (SNS). This was based on the complaint filed by a Pune resident, Dhiraj Ramchandra Ghate, the Pune Police arrests Kailash apparently based on his IP address through Airtel, his Internet service provider. However, they later learn that one Kiran Reddy, a resident of Bangalore, was the genuine culprit. After the intervention of the State Human Rights Commission of Maharashtra, the police set Kailash free.This can show the level of trauma, the convicted would have underwent, when he was in jail, and this is a single incident and if there would ha ve been identity of the members in all SNS, this would have been avoided. II. Invasion of Privacy Case I Facebook has had a lot many issues regarding Invasion of privacy ever since beginning. You can protect your data to general public users but cannot narrow down to the level of protecting them from being viewed by your friends. Facebook explicitly states their restrictions and user expectations of user content in their terms of use.In particular, Facebook does not allow users to in any way make available any content that we deem to be harmful, threatening, unlawful, defamatory, infringing, abusive, inflammatory, harassing, vulgar, obscene, fraudulent, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable. In January 2006, Facebook shut down a group titled I Hate Jesus after Facebook received complaints from other users about the group. As Facebook explained to the groups creator in an email, Hate groups of any kind are not tolerated on the site, even if they are meant to be comedic. Even then, this has been done after a bombarding of complaints have been filed to the administrator to close the group. Hence, in this way Facebook does not have an automatic control over the management of the content. Case II Also, as per the rules there is no practical way to protect public content so that only trusted friends can view it. Not only does the publisher risk their personal information being used for offensive purposes (identity thieving or otherwise), but if they change their minds, it is nearly impossible to remove something permanently from the Internet.Search engines can keep copies of web pages long after they have been removed. So, one cannot bound that their privacy is secured even if the user has deleted the account. Information Gathering by Social Networking Sites Another major issue that raises substantial privacy concerns is the accumulation of tete-a-tete information by social networking services. Wit h more than800million users, Facebook stores an immense volume of private data that is constantly expanding 250 million photosnew photos are uploaded to Facebooks servers every day.In addition to private photographs, Facebook stores many other types of personal information that users submit, including relationships, political views, sexual orientations, and credit card numbers. Facebook also keeps track of its users purchasing habits through the Beacon colligate program even when users decline to publish stories on Facebook about their purchases, the information is still sent to Facebooks servers. This Information Gathering by Social Networking Sites, has been posing a threat in content management of users.Intensive Observation Method Intensive observation method of Social Networking sites revealed at the following flaws, which cannot be a major issue to discuss, but can become at a point of time. Dissemination of Information without consent The Facebook users can comment, share, l ike and post stories create any blog in Facebook in any of the users links, irrespective of privacy. This can be delivered down to all the Facebook users throughout the world, if posted as a public post.In this the content can become inappropriate to some users, which gives a chance for misleading opinions, deviating audience to a wrong perspective, and even leading to mishaps depending on the intensity of the issue. This has been experimented by selecting a sample size of 50 respondents, segmented in two categories i. General Audience People who are users of Facebook and members of Social Networking sites, but do not have an in-depth knowledge of Media effects and other terms. 25 people comprising of students and college teachers represented the sample. i. Informed Citizenry People who are users of Social Networking sites, equipped with the knowledge of effects of Media were selected. 25 people comprising of students and teachers from the Media Department represented as samples. A question was posted into the Facebook profile of the respondents, and responses for the question is analysed. caput for Response Do you think India is in a need to change its way of governance. What will be your options? Please post your opinion and comments. Options 1. Military governance 2. Monarchy ( Again Colonialism) 3.Communism 4. Leave as it is (Democracy). Analysis and Interpretation of data I. The content analysis of Social Networking Sites revealed up with the following ethical concerns i. No stay of identity of the users is carried out in any of the Social Networking Sites, which can be avoided. ii. Facebook does not have an automatic control over the management of the content. iii. One cannot confine that their privacy is secured even if the user has deleted the account. Hence it raises the possibilities of data being utilised by anyone later on. iv.This Information Gathering by Social Networking Sites, has been posing a threat in content management of users. II. The analysis of collected data of Intensive Observation revealed that a majority of people opining Military regime as the need for the day. If such surveys or opinions can be posted in a site which contains most vulnerable audience likewise, youth and teenagers, that can pose a threat to the harmony of the country. Outcome of the study Although these are serious ethical constraints, there are reasons to believe that, for the most part, social networks are counteracting to these challenges.For example, although large centralized repositories of data are necessarily vulnerable to malicious insiders, social networks have had few reported problems of this variety. This may be the result of an organised content management and highly scrutinized employees. Users post information to social networking services in order to share it with others a breach of privacy that lets anybody view photos that you only think for your friends to view may be damaging, but it is likely less damaging than a b reach of privacy that reveals your PIN number or your medical history, which you intend for nobody else at all to see.Though these advantages exist, Social Networking sites, on a whole are a threat to the society, unless and otherwise, a content management code is defined to manage the content keyed into Social Networking sites, and also a team to monitor the content in sites, and if possible, the real identity of the members of the sites can also be kept in track, so that any mishaps, demeaning of personalitys images cannot happen. Suggestions of the Panel Discussion Committee Indian Media is in the stage of its peak at development, though its in a learning curve on the part of ethics to be maintained and measures in finding newsworthiness. There can be a self-regulatory body to reframe the working nature of the Social Networking Sites and on the content they carry. If media is not ready to go with that, Government can germinate and execute a Media Law, which is still under prog ress since 2003, that can make the Indian Media come under control. The policies cannot be called as controls, but regulations on a moderate level, that cannot curb the working nature of media. Some regulations on governing International media clients operating in India, can be arrived at, because it is observed that more than 50% of the Indian media is under the monopoly of Foreign media organisations. I would like to thank the Indian Government, that i was fortunate they have come up with a notion to develop a code of conduct for the content of Social Networking Sites. To conclude with, we can again remember the quote by Marshall McLuhan, Medium is the message, which states the deciding authority lies in the hand of media, which should look upon the well being of the society as the first and foremost function.References Klaus Bruhn Jensen (2003). A Handbook of Media and Communication Research qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies. Routledge Publishers. Lelia Green (2001). Co mmunication, Technology and Society. Sage Publications. http//www. communicationencyclopedia. com/public/tocnode? id=g9781405131995_yr2011_chunk_g97814051319958_ss9-1 http//www. facebook. com/press/info. php? statistics http//startups. in/view/asides/software-engineer-sues-airtel-for-20-crore-rupees/