Social Networking

Corporate entities can use social media technologies to create a closer relationship between their company and it’s stakeholders. A social media platform such as Twitter or Instagram can be the solid foundation of any factual news in relation to what is going on within the company. It is an inexpensive way of building an empire. In 2007 Senator Barack Obama understood that he could use the web to lower cost and create a sense of connection and engagement with the people all while controlling and dispensing any particular information that he wanted to release (nytimes.com). Social media is a platform for a two-way relationship. Social media can also have a dark side. False information can get leaked, accounts can get hacked into, and users (especially users who serve as influencers) have to be very particular at what they say and the image that they portray. An article titled “They’re Back, and They’re Bad: Campus-Gossip Web Sites” explains how students use blog sites to post anonymous attacks on classmates. It says that some of these websites are exclusively built to abuse, harm and embarrass students with personal attack within message boards. I’ve personally seen both sides to social media. I’ve seen viral videos of children getting bullied and I’ve also seen videos of people presenting acts of kindness. When it comes to evolving I think that these technologies are evolving and adapting to the change frequently. I say this because it is hard to tell what kind of harm some of these technologies can cause without experiencing it first. After experiencing it we can see those same technologies evolve and shift as to where they can minimize or prevent the harm that is occurring. For example, there have been videos that have gone viral of people going around randomly punching someone in the face. These videos often catch the attention of law enforcement and in no time the perpetrators are caught and held accountable. Although the damage is already done these social networking platforms help catch “the bad guys”.