Organisation of the International Geneva Motor Show

Introduction

The purpose of this essay will be to critically assess the effectiveness of public relations and relationship marketing strategies in the successful promotion of an international event. Relationship marketing is a form of marketing that is mostly focused on customer retention and satisfaction. Relationship marketing differs from other forms of marketing in that it focuses on establishing customer relationships by extending communication rather than using intrusive advertising and sales promotional messages (Egan 2008). The International Public Relations Association (IPRA) defines public relations as a deliberate and planned action that is directed towards maintaining the image of a company. The planned actions are usually directed towards the various publics of a company who include customers, suppliers, investors and employees. (Wilcox and Cameron 2007).

The international event that will be focused on in this essay will be the International Geneva Motor Show for 2011 which is an annual event that features various car brands displayed every year in the month of March at the Geneva Palexpo. The international auto show displays the latest internal combustion car models along with cars that are powered by steam, benzene, electricity and other alternative sources to fuel. Car prototypes as well as new auto equipment produced to enhance the maintenance of cars are also on display in the International Geneva Motor Show (Jordan 2008).

Findings

The purpose and goal of the 2011 international motor show will be to premier the latest car designs manufactured between the period of 2010 and 2011 as well as showcase the latest car technology and car accessories. The goal of the event will be to increase car sales during the show where various car consumers will have the opportunity to purchase or custom order car models they are interested in (Jordan 2008). Nine car categories will be featured in the seven exhibition halls of the Geneva Palexpo where 260 exhibitors representing over 700 car manufacturer brands will display their brands. The motor show will also feature 170 premiers of car models for both the production and concept cars category of the motor show event (Geneva Palexpo 2011).

The main organiser of the International Geneva Motor show 2011 is the Organization Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles (OICA) otherwise referred to as the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers which is based in Paris. OICA coordinates the activities of major car manufacturers around the world and it represents the interests of the global car industry. It also organizes various international car shows around the world such as the Auto Expo which takes place in New Delhi, India every year, the Seoul Motor Show which takes place in Seoul, the Hanover Motor Show in Germany and the Tokyo Motor show that takes place in Japan every odd year in November and the Geneva Motor Show (OICA 2011).

OICA will collaborate with the Comité Permanent du Salon International de l’Automobile which is the permanent organizing committee for international motor shows in organizing this year’s 81st edition of the International Geneva Motor Show (OICA 2011). The main stakeholders of this year’s 81st International Geneva Motor Show will include major car manufacturers from around the world: Tata, BMW, Rolls-Royce, Fiat, Kia, Toyota, Ford, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Audi, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Porsche, Jaguar, Opel, Jeep Cherokee and Peugeot. Other important stakeholders of the event will include car owners and collectors of both vintage and modernised car models manufactured by the various auto mobile brand names in the car industry as well as the public, the media and car enthusiasts (Geneva Motor Show 2011).

Relationship marketing has been used to identify car consumers and motor show enthusiasts who are interested in finding out the latest car model designs available in the auto mobile market. This form of marketing nurtures and manages a company’s interactions with its various stakeholders as it is based on the overall goal of finding, attracting and winning new clients while at the same time retaining the clients that the company already has (Little and Marandi 2003). The main goal of relationship marketing is to build and nurture customer relationships through the use of a combination of marketing efforts such as social media, public relations and strategic content (Christopher et al 2005).

Public relations on the other hand deals with maintaining a company’s image by building relationships with employees, customers, investors, suppliers and other individuals who have a vested interest in the company. Companies that want to maintain a clean image usually invest heavily in public relations activities where various strategies are used to building positive relationships (Hall 2007). As one of the purposes for conducting this study was to determine whether a link exists between public relations and relationship marketing, this paragraph will be devoted towards establishing that link.

Given that the definitions of the two concepts deal with establishing and maintaining relationships with the various clients of an organization, a possible connection or relationship between the two concepts might exist. The activities of public relations usually involve planning and sustaining efforts that are usually directed towards establishing and maintaining relationships with the various publics of an organization (Watson and Noble 2007). Relationship marketing on the other hand is focused on attracting, finding and retaining customers who form the public’s of public relations (Luck and Lancaster 2003).

Various researchers like Curtis (2000, cited by Luck and Lancaster 2003) have noted that public relations strategies have over the years changed their focus to developing long term relationships with the customers, employees and suppliers of the organization rather than developing short term strategies that will create a positive image for a company. Curtis believed that this long term strategy led to the creation of relationship marketing as a concept and framework that would be used for persuasive communication. While the general conceptual frameworks for the two were similar, their applications in the real world context were different where the strategies used for both concepts involved used different tools (PR: press releases, Relationship marketing: cross selling, cross promotions).

Marconi (2004) held the view that while public relations and relationship marketing were trying to achieve the same goal of building and maintaining relationships, they incorporated totally different strategies in achieving these goals. This perceived link between the two concepts leads to the next stage of the essay which is the public relations and relationship marketing activities that will be used in marketing and publicising the 81st annual motor show.

The Geneva Motor Show introduces various car models as the main attractions for the show. The major attraction for this year as has been noted by many car enthusiasts and bloggers is the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive which going by its name is a car model that allows the driver to read emails, download music, view real time displays in 3D and find a parking spot all at the same time. The 2-seater roadster will make its debut in the auto show and there has been a lot of hype created for this car model. Bloggers, Twitters and Facebook users have all commented the BMW Vision Connect is the car to look out for during the international motor show (Lienert 2011).

To ensure that the other car models featured in the event are not overlooked, the organizers of the event usually release photographs of the various car models that will be featured in the event to auto car websites, car bloggers and social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace as well as a list of the cars that will be featured in the international event as well as links to these cars. The availability of 3D technology over the Internet will also make it possible for Internet users the world to view the various dimensions of the car models without having to view the cars physically (Geneva Motor Show 2011).

Another public relations strategy that the event organizers, OICA, will use to publicise the event will be the two press days set aside for various media houses in Geneva and from the international world to take photos of the various car models and designs on display in the auto show. These photo ops for the press are meant to increase more awareness for the motor show as journalists and car experts provide an analysis of what to expect in the event. International newspapers such as the Daily Telegraph and the New York Times have provided a description of what to expect from the international event.

The Daily Telegraph has for example identified the Audi A3 sedan and the Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet to be the main car attractions for this year’s annual event and also the Chevrolet Cruze hatchback to be one of the newest introductions by Chevrolet to the international motor show (Gover 2011). The New York Times on the other hand identified car models from Fiat such as the Grand Voyager minivan and the Chrysler Lancia models to be the major crowd pullers during the event. The newspaper also noted that the BMW i and the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive were some of the car models that would be featured in the attractions category of the car show (Garrett 2011).

The relationship marketing strategy that will be used by OICA and Comité Permanent du Salon International de l’Automobile to market the show to both the domestic and international audience of the show will involve using major websites such as Yahoo and Google to identify online customers who will be interested in going for the motor event. The Geneva Motor Show website has also incorporated Facebook as part of its website links which provides an opportunity for millions of users who have an interest in cars and car technology to take part in the online forums for the show. According to Razmerita et al (2009) social networking sites and commonly used websites add value to a company’s marketing strategies enabling it to personalize its products and services so that they can meet the individual needs and preferences of customers.

The next section will involve identifying the various public relations and relationship marketing models that will be used by the event organizers. The four public relations models developed by Hunt and Grunig in 1984 that the organizers of the Geneva Motor Show can use to gain more publicity and awareness include the press agentry or publicity model, the public information model, the one-way asymmetrical model and the two way symmetrical model of public relations (L’Etang and Pieczka 2006). The most preferable model for publicising the 2011 edition of the Geneva Motor Show will be the press agentry or publicity model that will be used to persuade and influence the car enthusiasts to participate in the show.

The organizers of the event in collaboration with the press manager and exhibits manager have made a 2 day provision for members of the media to view the various car exhibits on display without members of the public. The media will be able to take photos of the newest designs of car models on display which they then use later to write stories and articles addressed to the public on what to expect in the event. The media will therefore act as the publicising agent for the event as it will provide a glimpse of the Geneva Motor Show to the general public (OICA 2011).

The relationship marketing model that will be used for the event will be the six markets model of relationship marketing developed by Christopher, Payne and Ballantyne in 1991. These three researchers identified the six markets that were central to relationship marketing to include supplier markets, internal markets of the organization, markets of influence, referrals, customer based and recruitment markets (Buhler et al). Appendix A depicts a diagrammatic representation of the six models approach to relationship marketing (Peck 1999). The application of the six markets model in marketing the Geneva Motor Show will be used in the social networking sites Facebook, MySpace and Twitter and also in You Tube and Yahoo online car shop to target the millions of users who tune in to these sites every day.

These users make up the customer, influencer and referral markets as they have the power to affect the choices and decisions of other users in social networking forums (Toney and Throgmartin 2009). As mentioned earlier in the essay, the Geneva Motor Show 2011 website has a link for Facebook users who can view the premier of the motor show online through their Facebook pages. The website offers its users a panoramic 360 degree view of every car model that has been featured in the 2011 edition of the motor show where users get to click and drag the pointer to view every part of the car (Geneva Motor Show 2011).

Relationship marketing will be used for the supplier markets (international car manufacturers), recruitment/employee markets (arena workers, exhibitors, guides and lady models) and internal markets (the organizers of the event; OICA and the permanent organizing committee) to gain enough member audiences that will participate in the event. According to media releases, the 2011 edition of the Geneva Motor Show is meant to showcase over hundreds of car models and accessories by leading car manufacturers in the world (Geneva Motor Show 2011).

To measure the effectiveness of the public relations models in publicising and creating awareness for the motor show event, Macnamara’s macro model of evaluation will be used to determine whether the models will be effective in successfully promoting the international event. The model will evaluate the inputs that the organizers of the event have put in to publicising and marketing the show which might include the contents of the Geneva Motor Show website, media releases and press coverage (Fairchild 2006). The output stage of the model evaluates the amount of publicity that was gained from the motor show which is measured by attendance and also online viewers who logged on to the Geneva Website. The outcomes section of the macro model will be used for observable results which will only be possible once the event is complete (Fairchild 2006). Appendix C provides a diagrammatic representation of Macnamara’s macro model of evaluation.

To evaluate the effectiveness of relationship marketing strategies, the return on relationships (ROR) evaluation tool will be used to determine the financial outcome of establishing relationships with the stakeholders of the event. The evaluation of ROR for this study will mostly be based on the success of this event in previous international motor shows which have recorded a huge attendance from thousands of motor car enthusiasts since the inception of the show in 1905. The organizers of the event predict that the turn out for this year will amount to over 700,000 visitors (OICA 2011).

Conclusion

The purpose of the essay was to assess the effectiveness of public relations and relationship marketing strategies in the successful promotion of an international event. The discussion identified the various public relations and relationship marketing strategies used by the organizers of the International Geneva Motor Show 2011 publicise the event to international car enthusiasts around the world. The public relations and relationship marketing strategies have been evaluated for their effectiveness as large numbers of people are expected to attend the event which is the 81st installation to be held since its inception in 1905.

References

Buhler, A., Chadwick, S., and Nufer, G., (2010) Relationship marketing in sports. Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Egan, J., (2008) Relationship marketing: exploring relational strategies in marketing. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Fairchild, M., (2006) Evaluating public relations: a best practice guide to public relations planning, research and evaluation. Journal of Communication Management. Vol.10, No.1, pp 113-115.

Garrett, J., (2011) So many cars, so little time. The New York Times. Web.

Geneva Motor Show (2011) 81st International Motor Show and accessories.Web.

Geneva Palexpo (2011) The exhibitors. Web.

Gover, P., (2011) The future’s clear as crystal at Geneva. The Daily Telegraph. Web.

Hall, P., (2007). The New PR. New York: Larstan Publishing Jordan, F., (2008). Small is beautiful at the Geneva International Motor Show. Web.

L’Etang, J., and Pieczka, M., (2006) Public relations: critical debates and contemporary practice. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Lienert, P., (2011) BMW Vision ConnectedDrive concept to debut at 2011 Geneva auto show.Web.

Little, E., and Marandi, E. (2003) Relationship Marketing Management. London, UK: Thomson Learning Luck, D., and Lancaster, G., (2003) E-CRM: customer relationship marketing in the hotel industry. Managerial Auditing Journal, Vol. 18, No.3, pp. 213-231.

Marconi, J., (2004) Public relations: the complete guide. Mason, Ohio: Thomson Higher Learning OICA (2011) Event information: Geneva, 81st international motor show (2011). Web.

Peck, H., (1999) Relationship marketing: strategy and implementation. Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann Razmerita, L., Kirchner, K., and Sudzina, F., (2009) Personal knowledge management: the role of web 2.0 tools for managing knowledge at individual and organizational levels. Online Information Review, Vol. 33, No.6, pp 1021-1039.

Toney, M.S., and Throgmartin, R.T., (2009) Make a fortune selling DVD’s on the Internet: start making money now! New York: Michael Toney Publishers.

Watson, T. & Noble, P. (2007) Evaluating Public Relations: A Best Practice Guide to Public Relations Planning, Research and Evaluation. 2nd Edition. Philadelphia: Kogan Page Limited.

Wilcox, D. L. & Cameron, G. T. (2007) Public Relations: Strategies and Tactics. 8th Edition. Boston: Pearson Education Limited.

Appendices

Appendix A: The Six Markets Model of Relationship Marketing

The Six Markets Model of Relationship Marketing

Appendix B: BMW Vision ConnectedDrive

BMW Vision ConnectedDrive

Appendix C: Macnamara’s Model of Evaluation

Macnamara’s Model of Evaluation

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Social Media Marketing for Generation Y

Introduction

How does the use of social media such as Facebook effectively help in the development and awareness of a commercial ad towards generation Y? Modern businesses intensively integrate social media in their operations, particularly in marketing because of its uncountable benefits. Many brands have grown from a domestic level and are currently the world’s leading brands because of social media marketing (Olson, 2012). Generation Y, also called the echo boomers grew up with technology. They also depend on it in everything they do in their lives. This generation is armed with mobile technological devices such as laptops, BlackBerry’s, and mobile phones among other devices. Currently, the use of social media marketing is the most effective marketing strategy. It helps organizations to develop and create awareness of their commercial ads towards generation Y.

The effectiveness of social media marketing towards generation Y

Many organizations reach, create awareness, inform, and persuade generation Y to buy products or service through the social marketing strategy. Generation Y is fond of visiting the social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Blogs among others (Botha & Reyneke, 2013). Firms easily connect or engage with generation Y efficiently through the social media. Firms create awareness and inform the Y generation about products or services offered through the interactive media platforms. They in return share the information with their friends through the social sites, and hence increase awareness of the product or service.

Social media marketing increases the opinions of the Y generation through the sharing of content. Social media ads increase awareness by covering a wide area, and hence influence the branding of products and services. This in turn, leads to higher sales, profits, and revenues. As Gastwirth (2007) stated, businesses which targeted the echo boomers enhance their branding and allow satisfied customers to testify and praise them through integrating social media marketing (Gastwirth, 2007). The author emphasizes on interactive promotions through social media marketing.

Social media marketing is also efficient in the development and creation of awareness on a commercial ad targeted at generation Y. The members of generation Y love fun, and hence tally with what the social media offers (Lippe, 2001). This generation enjoys sharing photos, ideas, videos, likes, and dislikes among other things offered by the social media (Media Preferences of Generation X and Y, 2006). Businesses understand the need of interacting with customers. The use of the social media provides them with a chance to interact with consumers, and hence produce goods and deliver services that meet their specifications. One of the primary goals of using social media is to research about what consumers think of a certain business. This helps them to adjust and comply with their needs.

Generation Y takes the largest portion demographically. According to researches, this generation takes the highest percentage compared to the baby boomers and generation X. It also takes the highest percentage in terms of internet consumption (Horn, 2011). Therefore, marketers targeting this generation effectively reach them through social media marketing. This helps them to increase their sales, profits, and revenues. They also get to satisfy them fully, and hence enhance branding.

Conclusion

Social media marketing is the most efficient strategy in developing and creating awareness of a commercial ad towards generation Y. It promotes interaction between marketers and consumers, and hence leads to increased sales and profits. The interactive media also enable marketers to know what customers want. They produce goods and deliver services that meet the needs of customers (generation Y). This enhances the attraction of new customers, retention of the existing customers, and branding.

References

Botha, E., & Reyneke, M. (2013). To share or not to share: the role of content and emotion in viral marketing. Journal of Public Affairs (14723891), 13(2), 160-171.

Gastwirth, D. (2007). Reaching the connected generation. New England Journal of Higher Education, 22(2), 26-27.

Horn, L. (2011). Online marketing strategies for reaching today’s teens. Young Adult Library Services, 9(2), 24-27.

Lippe, D. (2001). It’s all in creative delivery. Advertising Age, 72(26), S-8-S-9.

Media preferences of generation X and Y. (2006). Journal of Sport Management, 20(4), 573.

Olson, E. (2012, December 26). To Reach younger buyers, Vintners think outside the bottle. New York Times. 1(1), p. 3.

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Mapping Digital Media Process in the UAE

Routine operations of commercial terrestrial TV stations pay less attention to public service provisions. Matters on public service provisions are less known and only particular departments are versed on these: news and programming departments. Terrestrial radio and TV focus on providing the media with the best selling story, sometimes without paying attention to governing objectives, rules and regulations. The digital media is meant to improve the living standards of the people, and the means of doing so are very important and require a lot of scrutiny. According to UAE’s government strategic framework for 2011 to 2013, electronic transformation is to be realized within this period of 3 years. The government aims at doing this by using existing systems and infrastructure that will also help in building trust and confidence in digitization. This paper therefore seeks to discuss the public service provisions of mapping digital media.

It is very important that the public is made aware of the government’s provisions for the digital media as outlined in its strategic framework and vision. The UAE is listed among those countries with advanced and world-class ICT infrastructures. The eGovernment strategy revolves around three domains: eServices, eReadiness and ICT. The fundamental objective of eService is to increase the rate of attaining eTransformation in government organizations and ensuring the availability of high quality electronic services through innovative channels of delivery, for example, the internet and phones (Al-Khouri, 2012). The digital media should envisage an eReadiness domain that aims to reinforce the federal agencies: organization structures, readiness for eTransormation, ICT and HR capacities. Policies and legislations to govern execution of eGovernement initiatives are encompassed in the ICT domain.

The UAE government has made the first step of formulating a strategic framework that is meant to guide in mapping digital media in the country. Currently, public service provisions in UAE take a dynamic approach when compared to those of other states like Lebanon. In Lebanon for example, there are guiding principles which seek to outline the mandate of terrestrial media. According to the Audio visual law, article 30, terrestrial media should broadcast averagely one hour in a week without imposing any fee. This broadcast should focus on “national guidance, culture, education, tourism, and health awareness” (Melki et al., 2012). In addition, article 7 stipulates that licensed individuals should respect people’s freedom, acknowledge democracy of ideas, embrace objectivity during news and events broadcast and ensure that the interest of the public is protected. The media is a very powerful tool that can either make or break a nation. This is because of the sentiments that emanate from what is broadcasted. Media institutions are also obliged to abide by the Book of Specifications, which govern programming.

The ICT infrastructure in UAE is complex and entails geo designing e-Government, which is a methodology monitored by the Abu Dhabi Spatial Data Infrastructure program (AD-SDI) to partially enable ubiquitous transformation of government services. This is meant to improve the way in which the UAE government operates so that its services are received all over UAE. The result is optimal use of available resources which is achieved by better quality of services, reduced costs, improved utilization, and sustained capacity building (Abu Dhabi Systems & Information Center, 2012). The policies, regulations and systems of the UAE government focus on a participatory approach that gives the citizens a chance to participate in improving the functioning of the government. This shows that that digital media is meant to upgrade and improve the living standards of the people. By so doing, the UAE government will also reduce overheads by a large margin of 90%. This will be achieved by streamlining communications and integrated systems. The figure below further illustrates this:

Mapping Digital Media in the UAE

The social media has been very popular recently in the entire world. It is one avenue used by the government to encourage citizens’ participation in the government’s delivery of service: His Highness Shiek Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum leveraged social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. This was perceived as a sign encouraging communication between the government and the people. Nonetheless, policy guidelines on the usage of these social media sites are lacking. Therefore, an effective and safe presence in the social media is somehow not guaranteed. In tandem with the national agenda contained in the country’s vision and strategic plan, eGovernment components of transforming UAE economy towards a knowledge-based economy, offering citizen-focused government services, encouraging good governance and ensuring the maintenance of an efficient financial management system (Ibrahim, n. d.). Digital communication tools have played a major role in building and promoting this trust and confidence. A social media site like Facebook neutralizes the formality coupled with government authority that manifests itself through government figures such as His Highness Sheik Rashid. As a result, people are able to relate to the government.

Various stakeholders in the digital media world are involved in executing UAE’s public service provisions related to the media. Last month (June 23rd), the Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE, His Highness Sheik M. Rashid issued a resolution on fees for media services as structured by the National Media Council. Forty-nine media licenses that are commercial-based were issued to sectors involved in the importation and distribution of publications. The resolution stipulates that a penalty of AED 50 should be imposed on any resolution grant holder who does not renew the same 30 days after expiry (Stakeholders, 2013).

The government entity, Sharjah Media Corporation, was established in 2009 based on the Amiri Decree No. 25 and its intention is to mould media talents of the locals keeping in mind the changing demands of the contemporary world. Individuals eyeing the media world come up with innovations that are meant to fill up gaps related to current preferences and ideas. For example, in the current computer age, 3-D animations have gained momentum and a favourite to many. In the same way, local talent that seems auspicious is captured and nurtured through this media entity in efforts aimed at making the media a more intriguing and interesting mode of entertainment (Stakeholders, 2013).

The functions of the media are consolidated through the Sharjah Media Corporation. This it does by paying attention to family development, something greatly treasured by the Arabs. The family is a very important institution since Arabs are guided by the Quran that preaches the essence of familial ties. In addition, this government media entity refines media practices on the basis of “excellence, creativity, professionalism, responsible freedom of speech, media ethics without prejudice to others’ rights and reinforcement of Sharjah’s competitive position in the media industry” (Stakeholders, 2013). The Sharjah is also mandated to come up with rules and regulations that guide the media industry in relation to what the corporate seeks to achieve. This way, discipline is enhanced in the media and the interests of the public are protected as in the case of Lebanon.

In the UAE, digital media has found its way in the transport sector, and this brings about efficiency in this sector. Digital map have been developed by the Customer Service Centers Department of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA); the public transport network is greatly encouraged on these digital maps. The public transport is ubiquitous and this enables tourists, residents and visitors to plan in advance using the RTA journey planner. A statement by the CEO of RTA justifies this “Following its launch on 09/09/2011, the Metro Green Line has been uploaded on Google Maps to enable used plan in advance their daily travels on all RTA public transport means.” This kind of digital mapping boosts the transport sector making it fast, reliable and credible (Information of Dubai public transport network fully uploaded on digital Google Maps, 2011).

The Google maps portal is readily accessible and it enables users of public transport to easily and successfully plan their journeys at any hour and at their convenience. This portal provides users with all the public information on routes of the intended journey, schedules and fare per journey that is dependent on time of the journey, the point of origin and destination point. In 2009, RTA and Google Inc agreed on paper that information on public transport of Dubai Emirate would be made available online. This made Dubai to be the first city that made transport information: bus information, available on Google Maps and it became part of major cities that Zurich that were making use of this king of technology (Information of Dubai public transport network fully uploaded on digital Google Maps, 2011).

UAE is leading globally in provision of ICT in classrooms. The education curriculum is altogether digitized and there is integration of Microsoft’s Kinetic technology in classrooms. The making of a digitized education system is an essential based towards a knowledge-based economy. UAE policies ensure the use of ICT in schools to shift perceptions of the education system. Nowadays learning is better perceived as learner initiated as opposed to the earlier perception of being teacher oriented. Integration of ICT in education is crucial for research because it makes use of extensive online resources. In addition, online learning has been developed to allow individuals at different locations to meet in a common virtual space (We expect growth in elearning to continue unabated, 2013).

Digital media gives the public sectors a chance to develop and compete in customer service and general organizational performance. Digital mapping in the public sector of core capabilities is embraced as a means to striking a balance between the private and public sectors. Implementation of eGovernment strategies is based on trust and confidence, which are the fundamental elements guiding participation in the eGovernment process (Al-Khouri, 2012). The objective of eGovernment was to improve government operations and one of the means to do so is by engaging the citizens, failure of which would lead to failure of the eGovernment process. Regulations and laws are deemed enablers of supporting eGovernment and strengthening security, privacy of data and reliability. A strong governance structure is bent on integrating the digital media through facilitating communication between the involved stakeholders to grasp needs that can be translated into electronic systems.

Progress of provision of digital media as per the government strategic framework will be evaluated based on two factors: efficiency and effectiveness and citizen centricity. The UAE has got one of the most sophisticated national identity management systems, which makes use of smart identity cards. This system is another strategy aimed at building trust and confidence in the eGovernment strategy. This card gives access to services shown in the figure below:

This card gives access to services shown

This card contains identification parameters that are securely fitted into the smart chip. With this card, a person’s physical and virtual identity is easily determined. Any person’s identity is validated, verified and authenticated using this smart card. As shown in the figure above, all citizens of UAE, 9 million, are provided with these cards as a means to facilitate government transactions based on the identity based services. The use of these smart cards avoids the essence of maintaining discrete user credentials in differentiated systems. The National Identity Validation Gateway influences UAE’s federated identity management (FIM system) in order to authenticate users and permit their access to services. The biometric authentication enables cardholders to pass immigration control points in places such as the airport. This identification system also allows users to login to online government portal to access eServices and make utility payments. A person is able to monitor their personal traffic profile and make any changes if need be such as modifying one’s address in case of any change of residential location (Al-Khouri, 2012).

It is evident that stability and reliability of the media are essential elements that are part of successful governance of any nation. The UAE’s strategic framework for 2011 to 2013 categorically states how digital media will contribute towards achieving efficiency and reliability within the government. The media is a tool that individuals in a country rely on to get informed about the current events taking place in the state in relation to political, social and economic domains.

References

Abu Dhabi Systems & Information Center. (2012). Coordinates. Web.

Al-Khouri, A. M. (2012). eGovernment strategies: The case of the United Arab Emirates. European Journal of ePractice, 17, 126-150.

Ibrahim, E. (n. d.). Case Study-Social media policy guidelines for UAE Government. Web.

Information of Dubai public transport network fully uploaded on digital Google Maps. 2011. Ameinfo.com. Web.

Melki, J., Dabbous, Y., Nasser, K., Mallat, S., Shawwa, M., Oghia, M., …Hajj, S. (2012). Mapping digital media: Lebanon. In Open Society Foundations. Web.

Stakeholders. 2013. In tview. Web.

We expect growth in elearning to continue unabated. 2013. In ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN. Web.

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The Internet and Social Media: the Impacts of Twitter

Introduction

Modern technology has made life bearable and transformed the way people manage various issues and. It is necessary to explain that people have invented simple, efficient and faster ways of doing things and this has promoted efficiency at the work place and in various activities (Flynn 2012). The introduction of computers and the internet has revolutionized communication and changed things that would not be possible using traditional technologies. Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo and other social websites have offered fertile grounds for human interaction and today they are household names in every society. This essay explores the role of the internet as a tool of social media and how Twitter has transformed the lives of people in the modern society.

Definition

Social media refers to all means of communication that encourage interactions among people. Facebook and Twitter are the most common social websites that promote sharing of information, education and interactions among people (Bilton 2013). Twitter is the easiest and most developed social website because it allows users to post messages, videos, audios and pictures within a very short time and this makes it very influential. However, there are several issues that a person must know about this website before enjoying its benefits (Bieller 2009). These are issues about user policies and awareness of its functions to ensure an individual uses the features provided in this website for their intended purposes.

The Structure of a Twitter Account

Internet accounts are created by signing up on various websites. This means that the sign-up process involves submitting personal information like names, date of birth, residence, occupation and contacts that are used to create accounts (Comm 2010). However, it is necessary to explain that people must be very creative if they want to make their accounts active and differentiate them from those of other people. Some people share names and addresses and this means that it is not easy to identify them. Therefore, this may cause confusion and make people to send wrong information to others because of lack of identification (Flynn 2012).

In addition, a post on a Twitter account is called a tweet and those that comment or track conversations are called followers. A good discussion will have many tweets as people contribute their opinions regarding the topic and generate heated debates that support or oppose a view presented in the first tweet (Comm 2010). However, it is necessary to ensure that an individual has many followers to stand high chances of getting comments from others. Once a Twitter account has been set the user can search and add his or her friends to ensure they are connected. In addition, a ‘hashtag’ is a trending topic about a recent occurrence that is of significant political, social or economic importance to the society (Bilton 2013).

The Impacts of Twitter

The use of social networks underwent significant changes in the last decade and today almost all adults have Twitter accounts (Bieller 2009). It is necessary to explain that most people living in urban areas get traffic updates through their Twitter accounts and this has helped motorists to avoid roads that are impassable and know what is happening in their destinations. In addition, students share various information about the events that unfold in their schools and this helps them to plan for their future (Comm 2010). Changes in examination timetables and other school programs are also shared through Twitter accounts and this helps learning institutions to reduce their expenses and avoid inconveniencing learners.

In addition, the world is facing serious challenges from terrorist groups like Al-Qaida and Al-Shabbab. Twitter accounts are helpful in raising alarms about suspicious activities and people in the society. Moreover, people get updates about security plans to fight insurgent groups through this website and this helps to reduce panic and anxiety in the society (Flynn 2012). For instance, in September this year a cosmopolitan shopping mall in Kenya was attacked by terrorists that held the country hostage for four days. Local and international media channels used their Twitter accounts to update the world about the progress made by the Kenya Defense Forces and other security departments to rescue the hostages and arrest those that were behind this inhumane activity (Bieller 2009).

Moreover, Twitter debates feature prominently in local and international politics and newsrooms collect their information from this site (Bieller 2009). It is amazing how people react to news events through presenting their dissatisfaction or happiness in their Twitter accounts. Today, all media channels use this account to get responses from their audiences regarding what they present to them. It would have been impossible to know what people think about news items without getting their responses through Twitter and this means that this social website has promoted sharing of information among people from different backgrounds.

Conclusion

The need to have a Twitter account has become a necessity in most homes and learning institutions. There is a quick flow of information from various places through Twitter accounts to other regions and this has ensured that people know what is happening in their society. Learning and research activities have been promoted by this website that allows people to share information about academic discussions. Therefore, Twitter has helped transform the way people communicate and interact without inconveniencing them from doing other activities.

References

Bieller, E. (2009). The Twitter Effect: How to Increase Your Follower Count and Gain Exposure on Twitter. New York: Wiley.

Bilton, N. (2013). Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal. London: Portfolio Publishers.

Comm, J. (2010). Twitter Power 2.0: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time. New York: Wiley.

Flynn, K. (2012). How To Tweet, The Basics: Dos and Don’ts for Using Twitter. New York: Wiley.

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Social Networking Sites as a Positive Society Force

Computers and the internet have become an essential part of modern living over the course of the last few decades. Software programmers have created numerous applications to increase the usefulness of these two inventions. One group of software applications that have emerged because of the growth of the internet and computing is the genre of social software (Selwyn 2009). This category of software is utilized by Social Networking Sites (SNSs) to connect individuals in the online environment. Boyd and Ellison (2007) observe that in the last ten years, many social networking sites have emerged and gained a significant number of users.

SNSs provide users with an online space where they can share and manage personal content and connect with other users on the site. Selwyn (2009) reports that the popular SNSs, which include MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter each have hundreds of millions of users from all over the world. The number of users is increasing even as computers and internet access become more prevalent in society (Boyd & Ellison 2007). The increase in SNSs popularity has led to a number of criticisms being leveled against them. Critics argue that these sites are harmful since they promote negative psychological effects, increase the risk of child abuse, and violate individual privacy.

On the other hand, proponents assert that there are significant benefits obtained from using SNSs. They state that SNSs promote interaction among individuals, increases the level of innovation in society, and encourage people to be politically active. This essay will argue that social networking sites make a more positive contribution to the lives of individuals and societies since they bring about more benefits than drawbacks.

Looking at this from the perspective of people who favor SNSs, we see supports from SNSs as they claim it increases the level of interaction among individuals and promotes innovation by fostering collaboration. By their interconnectivity, SNSs encourage people to stay in touch with their friends and make new friends (Himelboim 2012). Sites such as Facebook make it possible for people to be involved in the lives of their friends and family members through features such as photo sharing and status updates. This enhances the social lives of people who would otherwise find it hard to keep in touch with their friends or make new friends (Albrechtslund 2008).

SNSs also promote interactions among individuals who want to share knowledge. As such, it is possible to build knowledge communities using SNSs. Selwyn (2009) mentions that SNSs encourage collaboration among students as it provides a platform for them to work together on various projects. Innovation is promoted by SNSs since they give individuals an opportunity to benefit from the ideas of others. The sites bring together individuals who share interests in a certain subject. However, critics assume that SNSs lead to alienation by decreasing the frequency of face-to-face interactions. A report by the BBC (2009) states that as people become engrossed in socializing through sites such as Facebook and Twitter, the level of real personal interaction decreases. The popularity of SNSs has also led to people dedicating less time to face-to-face interactions.

The BBC (2009) documents that people have increased the number of hours spent interacting through electronic media often at the expense of physical contacts. While SNSs promise to enhance the social lives of individuals, they are, in actual sense displacing traditional human interactions, therefore, making people more isolated (BBC 2009).

People become more isolated, and this might lead to adverse health conditions such as depression and dementia. The innovativeness of individuals can be hampered since SNSs do not encourage critical thinking among students. There are fears that SNSs have a detrimental effect on the acquisition of traditional skills and literacy. Selwyn (2009) notes that SNSs have promoted the growth of a “Google generation” of learners who cannot engage in critical thinking on their own. Innovation cannot occur when students rely on their SNSs to obtain information instead of carrying out their own research. While it is true that SNSs have offset the traditional learning structure by providing channels for informal and unstructured learning, this might be an empowering thing for students.

Selwyn (2009) concedes that SNSs provide students with access to useful knowledge and ideas that can spark novel research on topics of interest. The networking services provided by these tools enable the student to link up with students who share similar interests. The exchanges between learners fostered by SNSs are a desirable outcome among educators since it leads to better-motivated students (Selwyn 2009). The learning outcome of students and their innovativeness is therefore enhanced when they make use of SNS tools for their studies.

A significant benefit of SNSs is that they promote political activism and, therefore, foster change in society. SNSs serve as an important forum for people to discuss political issues and share their opinions. Himelboim (2012) notes that the intriguing political discourse held by others can make an apolitical person develop an interest in politics. In addition to this, SNSs are a cheap and efficient tool for mobilizing people to engage in the political process in their country.

SNSs have been used as potent tools for political activism in various countries. In the US, campaign strategists for the 2008 Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, made use of SNSs to organize and prioritize their campaign efforts (Barras 2009). SNSs were also used to motivate voters to turn up at the polling stations. More radical use of SNSs to promote political change was witnessed during the Arab Spring. In Tunisia, social media was the primary way through which popular uprising was initiated and subsequently encouraged. Activists made use of Facebook and Twitter to encourage Tunisians to protest against government oppression in the country (Alqudsi-ghabra 2012).

According to Beaumont (2011), SNSs were used to marshal the uprising that led to the fall of the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak. Activists used these sites to mobilize protesters against the oppressive Mubarak regime. Due to these efforts, the country was able to overthrow the regime, and a democratic government was elected by the people. On the other hand, critics think that SNSs can promote low-risk activism that does not lead to any changes in society. This accusation is valid for the type of activism encouraged by SNSs does not require people to make any real sacrifices to bring about change (Joseph 2012). Most individuals only share political material or sign up to causes from their computers and take no action to achieve the political objectives. The ease with which any person can engage in online activism leads to the presence of many apathetic activists. As such, a certain cause might have thousands of supporters on the SNS, but this might not translate into any real action on the ground since the supporters are, in most cases, not committed to the cause.

Sokari (2010) warns that SNSs are likely to create armchair activists who do not engage in actions that make a real difference in the world. While SNSs might create some armchair activists, they also lead to the dispersal of information on a previously unprecedented scale. Sokari (2010), who expresses skepticism over online activism, admits that an ordinary block can be used to spark social change by providing information that forces people to focus on issues of importance. He also notes that when used as part of a strategy that incorporates real work on the ground with communities, social media can be a potent tool for political and social change in society.

There are some dangers that SNSs pose to children, but they can be mitigated or completely eliminated. The negative impact on psychological development occurs when children are allowed to use the sites for extended periods of time and without adult supervision. Wintour (2009) acknowledges that children who are confined to the home every evening with unlimited access to the internet are more likely to overindulge in the online world. With restricted access, children can be able to use the SNSs in a healthier way (Kiss 2009). Concerning the risk of exposure to sexual predators, steps can be taken to increase online safety for children.

Kiss (2009) notes that the major SNSs, including Facebook and MySpace, have signed pacts aimed at increasing the safety of young people in the online environment. The major Social Networking Sites have banned sex offenders from using their services and limited the ability of adults to search for the profile of children (Kiss 2009). There are tools available to report abuse and any inappropriate contact from other users. With such tools, children are empowered to remain safe in the online environment. However, critics have the opinion that these tools are detrimental to the psychological development of children, and they impose the unnecessary risk of abuse to children.

SNSs such as Facebook and Twitter present the user with short messages that are sometimes of a sensational nature (Wintour 2009). This lack of cohesive narrative encourages short attention spans in the user and creates a taste for sensationalism. Wintour (2009) notes that children are especially at risk since their minds are in their formative stages. The conditioning created by exposure to SNSs is, therefore, likely to have a long-term impact on their lives. Wintour (2009) reports that, according to Lady Greenfield, who is a leading neuroscientist, SNSs decreased the ability of children to empathize and lead to the development of a weak self-identity.

In addition to this, SNSs Critics of SNSs declare that these tools have made the world more dangerous for children by increasing the likelihood of children being preyed upon by sexual predators. This assertion is reinforced by reports indicating that child molesters use sites such as Facebook and MySpace to lure and groom children for sex (Minchin 2010).

The online predators use SNSs to stalk children and establish a relationship with the aim of making the children perform sexual activities online or in the real world. Without a doubt, children are exposed to some risk when they venture into the internet. Minchin (2010) confirms that malevolent individuals can use SNSs to gain the trust of children and then abuse them. However, this risk can be significantly minimized by increasing parental supervision to children’s activity on SNSs (Kiss 2009). In addition to this, children can be educated on how to avoid exposing themselves to online predators. Major SNSs such as Facebook have embarked on safety campaigns that are aimed at educating children and their parents on how to increase their protection while online (Minchin 2010). Through such efforts, children can make use of SNSs to enhance their social and academic lives without subjecting themselves to danger from online predators.

This essay argued that social networking sites have a greater positive contribution to society in spite of the negative effects that these entities have. It began by highlighting how SNSs have gained popularity over the last decade. It then set out to discuss some of the most important benefits of SNSs to Society. Increase in social interaction, promotion of innovation, and fostering of political activism. These positive aspects of SNSs have major benefits for society.

However, the essay has also mentioned that SNSs can impede on the psychological development of children and increase the risk posed to children in the online environment. However, these risks can be mitigated through parental supervision and safety measures implemented by SNS companies. This would lead to the individual and the society enjoying the benefits accrued by SNSs without suffering from the negative effects. In the end, it would be fair to conclude that with the negative effects of SNSs countered, SNSs could play a very positive role in society.

References

Alqudsi-ghabra, T 2012, ‘Creative Use of Social Media in the Revolutions of Tunisia, Egypt & Libya’, International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, vol. 6, no.1, pp. 147-158. Web.

Barras, C 2009, ‘Innovation: How social networking might change the world’, New Scientist Magazine. Web.

BBC 2009, Online networking ‘harms health’. Web.

Beaumont, P 2011, ‘The truth about Twitter, Facebook and the uprisings in the Arab world’, The Guardian. Web.

Boyd, D & Ellison, N 2007, ‘Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship’, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, vol. 13, no.1, pp.45-56. Web.

Himelboim, I 2012, ‘Social Media and Online Political Communication: The Role of Interpersonal Informational Trust and Openness’, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 56, no.1, pp. 92–115. Web.

Joseph, S 2012, ‘Social Media, Political Change, and Human Rights’, Boston College International & Comparative Law Review, vol. 35, no.1, pp. 145-188. Web.

Kiss, J 2009, ‘Social networking sites sign teen-protection pact with EU’, The Independent. Web.

Minchin, R 2010, ‘Parents warned as paedophile postman is jailed’, The Independent. Web.

Selwyn, N 2009, ‘Faceworking: exploring students’ education-related use of Facebook’, Learning, Media and Technology, vol. 34, no. 2, pp, 157–174. Web.

Sokari, E 2010, My shadow of a doubt over online activism. Web.

Wintour, P 2009, ‘Facebook and Bebo risk ‘infantilising’ the human mind’, The Guardian. Web.

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Should Phones and Social Media Be Banned in Classrooms?

Introduction

Social media refers to web-based, as well as, mobile phone technologies/ applications used to facilitate interactive communication between communities and individuals. Advancements in information and communication technologies have significantly improved access to internet and mobile phones in the last decade. Studies on internet access reveal that nearly 94% of adolescents and young adults use the internet for communication (Pujazon-Zazik & Park 2010, pp. 77-85). This has led to the emergence of social media networks such as Facebook which are increasingly being used as communication tools in business, education and social life. This paper focuses on the use of social media and mobile phones in education. In particular, the positive impacts of social media and mobile phones on the education and health of young people will be discussed. Additionally, the risks associated with the use of social media and mobile phones will be discussed.

Benefits of Social Media and Mobile Phones in Education

The use of social media and mobile phones can promote learning among students in the following ways. First, social media enhance learning by facilitating real time sharing of information between the teachers and their students (Pujazon-Zazik & Park 2010, pp. 77-85). Teachers can form learning communities that enable their students to access academic material or information. Additionally, social media and mobile phones can enhance school-wide communications, thereby improving coordination in learning institutions (House & Churchill 2008, pp. 295-307). For instance, text messages can be used to remind students to wake up early for their classes. Second, social media provides the engagement that students need to achieve better learning outcomes. Since most students spend most of their leisure time on social media, better learning outcomes can be achieved through social education. In this case, assignments can be posted on social media networks so that students can complete them at home. For instance, blogging can be used to improve student’s writing and reading skills.

Third, social media promotes collaboration rather than cliques among students and their teachers (Simon 2012, pp. 3-5). Using social media as a teaching tool enables students to work in teams and to critique or comment on their colleagues’ assignments. Additionally, it enables students to obtain instant help from their teachers and fellow students. Online discussions enable students to engage in critical thinking and to develop self-control by acknowledging other people’s opinions.

Fourth, social media plays an important role in improving students’ self-esteem. Social media enables students to strengthen relationships among themselves and their teachers. Similarly, mobile phone communications enable students to maintain strong relationships (Rettberg 2009, pp. 451-465). This promotes peer acceptance and cohesion among students. Empirical studies have showed that adolescents use social media to create their identity and to improve their self-confidence. Students are likely to perform better in academics if they have high self-esteem and confidence. Finally, the use of social media and mobile phones improves access to quality education. This is because social media and mobile phone technologies are readily available and are inexpensive. These technologies also enable students to acquire skills at their own pace (Zakaria, Watson & Edwards 2010, pp. 17-29). For instance, slow learners can follow lessons on social media networks during their free time. Additionally, mobile phones and social media have become an integral part of business. Thus, learning how to use them in school enhances the student’s employability, life skills, as well as, work practices.

Health Benefits

Social media and mobile phones can be used to improve the health of young people through behavior change programs. Such programs require effective communication systems that can reach the targeted audience at the least cost. Social media and mobile phones can be used to promote disease control. They can be used by young people to access health education materials (Lefebvre 2009, pp. 490-493). Such materials include health alerts, medical news videos and healthy living tips. Health care providers can also use social media and SMS services to convey the information about disease control and how to access existing health services. For instance, an online symptom checker can be used by individuals to assess the severity of their health condition. Similarly online first-aid guides can be used to provide detailed tips on treatment, as well as, response to medical emergencies.

Lack of confidentiality or uncontrolled access to personal health information is one of the major barriers to disease control. For instance, a person suffering from a sexually transmitted disease may fail to disclose his health condition for fear of being stigmatized. In order to ensure confidentiality, mobile phones can be used to obtain medical advice from health care providers. Recent studies have revealed that mobile phones are culturally acceptable and feasible means of providing “sexual health information and service referrals to at-risk youth” (Lefebvre 2009, pp. 490-493). Finally, mobile phones and social media facilitate immediate access to emergency medical response. For instance, a student involved in an accident within a school can easily call for help through his or her mobile phone. Additionally, mobile phones with GPS capabilities can be used to locate the nearest health center during a distress situation.

Risks Associated with Mobile Phones and Social Media

Even though social media and mobile phones have positive impacts on the education and health of young people, they are also associated with several risks. To begin with, the use of social media or access to the internet using a mobile phone can lead to cyber bullying (Pujazon-Zazik & Park 2010, pp. 77-85). Cyber bullying involves using electronic media to harass an individual. The common forms of cyber bullying include personal attacks, threatening text messages, as well as, spreading vicious rumors about an individual. Cyber bullying is more common than traditional bullying since the bully is always able to conceal his identity. Additionally, cyber bullying can take place at any time (Pujazon-Zazik & Park 2010, pp. 77-85). Hence, the victims always live in fear of receiving threats or irritating message whenever they use their mobile phones or social networks. Cyber bullying is an impediment to learning since it impacts negatively on the psychological and emotional well being of the victims. Emotionally disturbed students can hardly concentrate on their studies. Thus, such students often record poor academic performance.

Social media and mobile phones are also likely to promote online risk-taking behaviors among young people. Risk taking behaviors such as violence, substance abuse and unprotected sex are the main causes of deaths among adolescents. Additionally, such risk taking behaviors are the main causes of poor academic performance among high school students. A study on MySpace profiles revealed that majority of users between the age of 14 and 17 years were familiar with adult-oriented behaviors (Pujazon-Zazik & Park 2010, pp. 77-85). Such behaviors included the use of marijuana, swear words and access to pornography. Uncontrolled access to inappropriate content on the internet by young people promotes risk taking behaviors. Such behaviors lead to poor health and low educational achievements.

Sexual predators often use social media and mobile phones to lure minors into sexual activities (Pujazon-Zazik & Park 2010, pp. 77-85). This promotes the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies among minors. Both sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancies interfere with the affected student’s ability to learn. In the classroom environment, mobile phones are often used by students to cheat in exams. In some cases, students concentrate on their mobile phones instead of listening to their teachers. Hence, the students learn very little, and this translates into poor performance in exams.

Conclusions

Social media and mobile phones facilitate communication and interaction between individuals. The benefits of using these technologies in education include effective and efficient sharing of information, enhancing the students’ self-esteem, as well as, effective coordination of the learning process. Similarly, social media and mobile phones enable young people to access health education materials which promote behavior change (Pujazon-Zazik & Park 2010, pp. 77-85). However, the use of social media and mobile phones can also promote cyber bullying, risk taking behaviors and cheating in exams. In order to prevent these negative effects, the use of social media and mobile phones among young people should be regulated. For instance, minors should not be allowed to access inappropriate content in the internet. Thus, the use of social media and mobile phones among students should only be regulated instead of being banned.

References

House, N & Churchill, E 2008, ‘Technologies of Memory: Key Issues and Critical Perspectives’, Memory Studies, vol. 1 no. 1, pp. 295-307.

Lefebvre, C 2009, ‘Integrating Cell Phones and Mobile Technologies into Public Health Practice: A Social Marketing perspective’, Health Promotion Practice, vol. 10 no. 1, pp. 490-493.

Pujazon-Zazik, M & Park, M 2010, ‘To Tweet, or Not to Tweet: Gender Differences and Potential Positive and Negative Health Outcomes of Adolescents’ Social Internet Use’, American Journal of Men’s Health, vol. 4 no. 1, pp. 77-85.

Rettberg, J 2009, ‘Freshly Generated for You and Barack Obama: How Social Media Represent your Life’, European Journal of Communication, vol. 24 no. 1, pp. 451-465.

Simon, D 2012, ’10 Things Twitter Taught me About Media and Myself’, ProQuest, vol.1 no. 1, pp. 3-5.

Zakaria, M, Watson, J & Edwards, S 2010, ‘Investigating the Use of Web 2.0 Technology by Malaysian Students’, Multicultural Education & Technology Journal, vol. 4 no. 1, pp. 17-29.

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The Social Web: Evolution, Power and Challenges

The Emergence of internet revolutionized how people interact. Many people have virtual lives on the internet. The internet came into existence as a medium for sharing information of business and academic value. In time, the internet grew to become a network that fosters all types of human interactions. One aspect of this impact is the social web. This paper examines the global impact of the social web as a platform for human interaction. It looks at how this interaction affects society and human life in general.

Evolution of the Social Web

The invention of the web arose from the need for a social experience in the performance of duty. The need to share information between professionals and researchers led to the creation of a platform to exchange this information (Dixon, 1999). The first networks that facilitated collaboration did not have the versatility of the internet, as we know it today.

Note. From Evolution of Websites, 2009, Peergloble Technology.
Note. From Evolution of Websites, 2009, Peergloble Technology.

Email was arguable the first truly social expression of the social web (Bernoff & Li, 2008). The use of emails date back to the seventies, but the mass adoption of email came about in the nineties. In the late eighties and the early nineties, bulletin boards, basic static websites, and the first generation of interactive websites started appearing (Peerglobe Technology Inc, 2009). Improvements in telecommunication technologies made it possible for people to connect and participate in collaborative ventures in virtual platforms.

Early websites were static in nature. They only allowed people to view information but there was no way of interacting with the publisher. This paved the way for dynamic websites, which allowed increasing interaction between publishers and users. The third stage in the development of the social web was the creation of communities of users interacting not just with the publishers, but also with other member of the community (Owyang, 2009). In the late nineties, blogging became an integral part of the social web. Blogs gave any interested users the ability to publish information online.

The Architecture of the Social Web

The architecture of the social web is organic. The fundamental technologies that support the social web are the same as those that support the entire internet. However, the social web comes from the uniqueness of human needs and human interaction. In this sense, the fundamental architecture of the social web is human relationships, and not technology. Technology provides the platform for the development of the social web but human interaction defines the application of technology.

The hardware platform supporting social web is not separate from the hardware that supports the rest of the web. In fact, people use the same hardware for business purposes and for online social expression. On the software side, there is a separation between the social web and the rest of the web. Some companies do not allow their employees to access social networking sites during office hours. However, there is increasing blurring of the separation between the social web and the rest of the web because consumers rely on the social web to carry out market research and other business functions.

Many companies have a social presence either on social networking sites or in their own platforms (Bernoff & Li, 2008). Companies such as Microsoft have user forums that allow users of Microsoft products to interact with one another based on their user experiences.

Media on the Social Web

The social web relies on various types of media. The basic media used in the social web is text. The use of text is very popular with online users because of the ease of creating textual communication (Mather, 2012). While other forms of media are becoming more popular, text is not declining in relevance. Twitter survives on text only as the medium of communication between different people. Facebook status updates are also text based. The fact that these two social networking sites have a central place for text shows the enduring importance of text on the social web.

Secondly, the use of pictures to communicate is becoming a standard practice in social networking. Sites like Pinterest show that photos are becoming more important in the social web. Twitter and Facebook support photos too. The third media driving the social web is video. Sharing of videos is becoming an important part of the social web. The success of YouTube shows how video is growing in importance in the social web (Bernoff & Li, 2008). The use of videos is still challenging for many web-surfers because videos need bigger bandwidth, hence slow internet speeds may reduce the overall user experience.

Power of the Social Web

The social web is becoming an influential part of human society. The social web gives individuals unprecedented power to influence societies in ways that only powerful corporations managed to do in the past. No one has full control of any narrative anymore, because different people can share their views on the same matter with the same audience. To appreciate the power of the social web, it is important to consider the impact of the social web on e-commerce, politics, and advocacy.

E-commerce was nonexistent two decades ago. Currently, any business that does not have an online presence is danger of extinction. In addition, some businesses exist only because of the web. Google is now one of the largest companies on earth. This company only exists because of the internet. In the area of e-commerce, the impact of the social web arises from the growing number of users who make use of their online social connections to collect information before making purchases (Owyang, 2009). Online shoppers read product reviews as they work towards making a purchase. Sites like eBay and Amazon picked on these trends early in their existence. They provided users with the opportunity to write unsolicited product reviews. The result is that they now have very comprehensive reviews created at no cost to them.

These reviews are highly valued by online shoppers. For companies with good online product reviews made by actual users, the promotion costs saved is very high. In the same vein, consumers can share negative experiences relating to the use of certain products or services. This can damage the brand reputation of any company overnight (Thomas, 2011). Companies no longer have control over their reputation by controlling the narrative consumers receive. Rather, consumers have control over what their friends hear and think about a product.

Politics is also feeling the effects of the social web. The Barack Obama presidential campaign in 2008 harnessed the power of the social web to raise support and to mobilize voters to support him. The role played by social web was very important especially in reaching the younger voters. During the Arab spring, social media provided the communication platforms needed to organize demonstrations. This was clearer in Egypt, which succeeded in toppling the then president. Some countries in the Arab belt tried to limit access to social networking websites without much success. The social web is an effective tool in promoting political change.

The third expression of the power of the social web is in social action. The social web makes it possible for people to organize protests, and demonstrations to press for certain issues (Bernoff & Li, 2008). A common example of a community of people who organized themselves for a cause was the issue involving the discontinuation of the CBS television series, Jericho. Jericho told the story of a community trying to reorganize their lives after a nuclear bomb wiped out a nearby city. CBS took the decision to discontinue the show after its ratings plunged due to a change in scheduling (Bernoff & Li, 2008). The fans of the series banded together in the online forum created by CBS for Jericho fans and started sending packed peanuts to the producer that made the decision to stop the show. They chose peanuts because one of the main actors in the show liked to use the expletive, “nuts”. The producer received twenty tons of nuts as a result (Bernoff & Li, 2008). The station put the show back on air.

These examples demonstrate the power of the social web. The social web allows virtual communities to congregate and take action on certain issues. This power has never existed in its current magnitude. The thought that a single individual can influence the course of issues through the web at a minimal cost is overwhelming.

Challenges Facing the Social Web

Several challenges affect the efficacy of the social web. The social web is a historical social experiment that continues to grow in unpredictable ways. New issues will keep emerging as long as human relationships affect how the social web grows and operates. The main challenges facing the social web are handling of online identities, the question of anonymity, online security, censorship, and legal issues.

Currently, people have multiple identities in various online platforms. Some of them maintain separate identities in the same social networking sites, just as people have different email addresses for various reasons (Owyang, 2009). The problem of multiple identities is that it leads to a reduced user experience in the social web. If a person fragments his identity into a professional identity, a social identity, and a maybe a religious one, then all the people that interact with him can never benefit from the views of the unified person. This problem also extends into the issue of anonymity. Online anonymity robs other users of the full value of a person’s communication. For instance, knowing that a certain comment made in a blog post came from a medical doctor may make it more valuable to users rather than if the doctor uses an anonymous identity.

Online security is also becoming a problem. It is becoming easier to profile individuals based on their activities on the social web. This makes it easy to make them targets for discrimination, extortion, and other criminal activity. On the other hand, cyber criminals can steal someone’s online identity by creating fake online accounts and using them to commit crimes. Other threats include spreading of viruses and other malware that can harm the social web infrastructure.

The social web is also facing increasing risk of censorship especially in authoritarian states. In countries such as China, the government keenly monitors activities on the social web, and arrest people found to criticize the government in the social web. There are strict rules relating to the use of the social web in the country. In fact, the country has its local version of Twitter named Weibo to allow it to control discussions taking place in the social web.

The final challenge facing the social web is legal oversight. The nature of the social web is that members any social web outlet are citizens of various countries. The result of this is that if a member commits a crime, it is impossible to institute legal proceedings against the person. In some cases, an issue may qualify as a crime against someone in one country, while it is not a crime in the aggressor’s country. The issue of legal jurisdiction involving issues such as breach of copyright, libel, identity theft among others will remain a key problem with the social web.

The Future of the Social Web

The future of the social web is very difficult to predict. YouTube and Facebook, which are the most influential players in the social web, are less than ten years old (O’Dell, 2012). Thanks to Moore’s law, it is almost impossible to predict the direction the social web will take (Weichmann, 2009). However, some broad issues expected to define the social web include the growth and spread of more online communities, the rise of social TV, and the defragmentation of websites.

Note. From Social Web 1, 13 April 2012, J. O’Dell
Note. From Social Web 1, 13 April 2012, J. O’Dell

Just as people identify communities to relate to based on their interests, more and more people will join the social web to get access to likeminded communities. The growth of new niche communities will continue online. Some old communities will die out because of age, changing interests, or simply advances in technology.

Already, mobile devices are becoming a force that will determine the future of the internet (Quantcast, 2009). In addition, social networking is becoming a part of television with people twitting as their favorite programs run. The confluence of these two forces is the social TV (Bernoff & Li, 2008). The internet will create unique communities of internet television viewers brought together by a common interest in the program.

From Growth in Mobile Web Consumption, 2009, Quantcast.
Note. From Growth in Mobile Web Consumption, 2009, Quantcast.

Thirdly, to reach niche markets or specific customer groups, companies will defragment their websites to reach unique user communities. Many companies are already realizing that there is a need to separate their corporate website from their blog. Some companies have separate websites for user communities. This trend will inform the future of the social web.

Conclusions

The conclusions drawn from the discussions presented in this paper are as follows. The social web organizes itself around the patterns of human interaction. This means that the social web operates along the general rules that govern human interaction in offline settings. Secondly, the future of the social web will define future technology. As the providers of social web technologies move to answer consumer needs relating to social experiences online, they will allow these needs to define the technologies. On the other hand, technology will play an influential part in the future of the social web. Technological breakthroughs such as the emergence of smart phones inevitably affected the social web. People will find new ways of using emerging technologies in the social web. Fourthly, there is a need to resolve the question of multiple online identities. It is important for all technology providers to find a way of using the same identity per user within their services. Some attempts such as Facebook login and Google profiles exist, but their scale is not sufficient to answer the existing need.

References

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Dixon, D. R. (1999). The Behavioral Side of Information Technology. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 56 (10), 117-123.

Mather. (2012). Print & Digital Audience Pricing Strategies. Roswell, GA: Mather Economics.

O’Dell, J. (2012). Social Web 1. Web.

Owyang, J. (2009). The Future of the Social Web. Cambridge Ma: Forrester Research, Inc.

Peerglobe Technology Inc. (2009). Evolution of Websites. Web.

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Thomas, A. (2011). Strategies for Branding Success. New York: eBooklt.com.

Weichmann, D. (2009). The Impact of Online Music Services on the Music Recording Industry: Opportunities and Challenges. Berlin: GRIN Verlag.

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