Entertainment & Media

Introduction

Video games are a form of entertainment whereby players or participants interact with the objects displayed on a digital interface or a screen. Personal computers, arcade machines, and consoles are usually used to run video games for entertainment. In most cases, video games are popular amongst children who find it enjoyable while engaging themselves in the games. Therefore, video games have significantly affected the way children play, interact, and live with others, implying that the form of entertainment plays a considerable role in shaping up their lifestyle. After the introduction of video games in American society with the primary aim of providing entertainment to children in the early 1950s, there was no controversy as it is today (Egenfeldt-Nielsen, Smith, & Tosca, 2013). In this respect, the industry thrived into a multi-billion sector as more technological advancements favored the penetration of the video games in various households. Thus, more children use video games as part of their lives owing to the ever-developing digital world, thus abandoning the traditional indoor and outdoor games.

Over the past three decades, video games have developed into an integral part of people’s culture since the values, attitudes, behaviors, and approaches to various aspects of life can be linked to gaming. Therefore, the frequency with which children engage in gaming activities cultivates addiction that in most cases, have detrimental results in their life. In this light, video game addiction could be likened to impulsive control disorder that is not associated with intoxication but has similarities to a pathological disorder. Therefore, video game compulsivity, especially among the young population, should be considered as a serious problem that requires attention to curb its negative impacts on an individuals’ life, relationships, and health, among other aspects (Ferguson, 2007). In this concern, this paper seeks to delve into the exploration of video game addiction and its effects on individuals.

Background

The development of video games can be traced from the early 1950s when computer science researchers started creating simulations and simple games. However, the form of entertainment gained popularity after the development of game consoles, computer games, and arcade video games thanks to the growth of digital technology in the early 1970s. Nutting Associates developed the first video game arcade, Computer Space in 1971, thereby paving the way for the development of other video games like Pong and Odyssey. From then henceforth, video games became part of the modern culture as technology supported the development of new games that display graphics of high quality, resulting in enjoyable interaction between the players and the interface (Ferguson, 2007).

Currently, the gaming industry has seen the development of eight generations of consoles that continue to undergo upgrading due to the increased needs of the market, especially the new generation target. X-Box, Wii U, and Play Station 4 that were developed by Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony respectively, are the popular games played by individuals, especially those in the younger age bracket. Additionally, smartphones have enhanced the accessibility of games through easy download processes implying that more people involve themselves in gaming activities (Carnagey & Anderson, 2005). For this reason, the pathological and compulsivity aspects of the activity have unceasingly affected more individuals resulting in adverse effects. In the context of this paper, the growth of the video games sector since the early 1950s up to date, making it a multi-billion dollar industry, has also contributed to negative implications on people’s life due to the issue of addiction.

Problem statement

In the recent past, several studies have portrayed that a considerable number of video gamers have developed a problem with controlling their urge to play the games. Excessive involvement in video games activities has the potential of seriously disrupting an individual’s psychological, physical, social, and health aspects of their wellbeing. Therefore, the issue of video gaming addition has turned out to become a worrying issue for children and adults. Drawing insights from the gambling industry that is also characterized by issues of addiction, the sector is highly regulated to curb the detriments of the activities that mainly manifest in the form of dependency. Conversely, gaming developers lack social responsibility provisions that prevent excessive engagement in the form of entertainment leading to addiction (Carnagey & Anderson, 2005).

Compulsivity and isolation from alternative forms of social contact besides video games interaction could result in addiction similar to that acquired through drug abuse. Because video game addiction develops at an early age, especially during early childhood and the elementary school period, obsession with the activity roots itself in the life of the players thereby, controlling their life (Skoric, Teo, & Neo, 2009). In this light, the players focus on in-game success instead of fostering their personal growth and development through beneficial activities. The aspect of gaming addiction manifests when it affects the player’s mood due to the preoccupation developed by video games. Therefore, understanding how video games affect an individual is necessary for mitigating the detriments on the person’s well-being.

Furthermore, video game addiction is prevalent in modern society as more children and adults depict symptoms that suggest the severe effects of too much time spent while playing. More children and young adults are preoccupied with games implying that they find it hard to carry on with their daily activities like schoolwork and their professional engagements (Skoric et al., 2009). Additionally, compulsive video game playing has resulted in repeated attempts by the players to stop the addiction but in vain. Players also spend more time in the game than they originally intended thereby, triggering feelings of depression, restlessness, and irritability as they put efforts to try and cut down the rate at which they game.

At school, video game addicts portray weariness and the tendency to fall asleep. Late completion of assignments and tasks is also an effect of the video gaming problem leading to declining grades. In worst cases, video game addicts have been reported to engage in violent activities at school or even dropping out. In the household setting, the pathological effects of gaming manifest in their behavior, as they prefer to be isolated and lie that they do not engage themselves in too much video gaming (Greenfield, 2014).

Objectives of the Study

This inquiry focuses on the attainment of specific objectives that would make the endeavor meaningful to the audience. Thus, the research seeks to analyze the addictiveness of video games. Further, the study purposes to identify the harm that results from video game addiction. Additionally, the essence of controlling the time spent in playing video games also attracts attention for this study as a means of combating the addiction. The background of video games as explained earlier is also an aspect of consideration for this paper.

Evaluating the importance and helpfulness of video games among teenagers in the current society would also be an area of focus regarding this paper. In this case, the individual experiences about video games and arguments that counter the issue would be addressed. Therefore, the paper’s objectives would facilitate the exploration regarding the addictiveness of video games, its detrimental effects, and essence of reducing time spent in video games, its importance to teenagers, and its relevance to an individual.

Research Questions

The research endeavor is based on the following research questions.

1. How can video game addiction be harmful to an individual? What happens after a person gets addicted?
2. How can video games turn out to be addictive?
3. Why is it essential to regulate the time spent in video gaming?
4. How did video games emerge and how significant is it for teenagers in the contemporary society?
5. How helpful can video games become to an individual?

Significance of the Study

Any research endeavor should have considerable importance to the society as it seeks to find solutions to a particular problem. In this case, video game addiction is the problem that requires exploration to identify its fundamental aspects and develop the means of mitigating the problem. Therefore, understanding how addiction to video games develops is essential for the formulation of measures that would curtail its effects among the players.

Further, this study would foster comprehensiveness regarding the potential harm that can be induced by compulsive video gaming activities. An in-depth view of the results of addiction to video games would also promote the identification of the manifestations of the problem through an approach that is similar to the one for other addictive conditions. Since addiction is characterized by an individual’s involvement in a particular activity for an extended period, raising awareness regarding time regulation would facilitate in fighting video games addiction among teenagers. Moreover, controlled engagement in gaming activities could result in beneficial aspects that could assist in personal growth and development.

Literature Review

A vast array of sources contains information regarding the different aspects of video game addiction. In this regard, the literature review will be based on the particular dimensions of the problem on the research questions.

How video games become addictive

The development of video games purposed to foster aspects of education, entertainment, and challenge. However, after video games gained popularity in the 1970s, developers shifted from the educational and entertainment aspect as they introduced violence in the form of military force combats and police chases. The trend implied that the developers had to promote their sustainability in the industry by creating gaming consoles that could quickly gain popularity. In the 1990s, the notion that video game that entertained violence would significantly promote sales (Egenfeldt-Nielsen et al., 2013. All-time best sellers in the 1980s like Double Dragon and Mortal Kombat revolutionized the video games industry as more companies. Gaming companies like Nintendo who some of their games were labeled “No excessive blood and violence” later introduced video games involving violence. The move was after Nintendo lost its competitiveness in the industry since children were more addicted to violent games that its competitors invested in (Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007).

Additionally, addiction to video games is triggered by the difficulty aspect that requires the player to accomplish some task to move to the next level. The high score is a hook that ties the video gamer to keep on playing until they reach it as seen in games like Grand Theft Auto. Beating the game by leveling up all the stages or finding the next clue also cultivates addiction. Besides, addiction to video games could be fostered by the role-playing feature whereby the player acquires a unique character that has the capability of achieving a particular task. Furthermore, the discovery feature of modern video games keeps the player exploring imaginary world thereby encouraging compulsivity (Greenfield, 2014).

The negative effects of video game addiction

The addictive aspect of video gaming could be very harmful to the gamer concerning their daily life. Therefore, taking note of the manifestations that suggest the existence of the problem among the gamer is crucial for intervention measures to take place (Van Rooij, Schoenmakers, Vermulst, Van Den Eijnden, & Van De Mheen, 2011). Video game addiction occurs in a way that it affects the emotional and physical well-being of the player.

The emotional symptoms associated with the problem portray the emotional imbalances that the players experience. When the player does not engage himself or herself in gaming, they experience restlessness and irritability. Video game addicts go through thoughts preoccupation as they think about their previous and next gaming sessions. Further, isolation from other social groups, especially in the family setting to create more time for gaming, is also an emotional depiction of the process of addiction. Physically, video game addicts show fatigue and poor hygiene due to the time spent in gaming activities. Due to eyes strain or intense concentration, the users could develop Migraines. The Carpal tunnel syndrome could develop due to excessive use of the controlling pad or mouse (Van Rooij et al., 2011).

Video games are harmful due to several effects that they cause not only to the individual but also to the society in general. Specifically, the harmfulness of video game addiction is depicted by the greater tendencies of the player’s involvement in violence due to the development of aggressive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Social isolation is harmful to an individual sine it undermines healthy relationships with other individuals. The problem of separation could also imply that they hardly allocate time for schoolwork, sports, and learning activities (Skoric et al., 2009).

Addiction to video games could instill inappropriate values to the player owing to the rewards they get from playing the game. Since most video games reward vengeance, violence, and aggression, the players are socialized in a way that they uphold such values resulting in poor psychosocial development. For instance, women are depicted as weaker personalities and in most cases, sexually proactive. The adoption of bad language and behavior from other players especially from the online platform could expose them from online dangers vulnerability. Additionally, the confusion between reality and fantasy due to gaming activities could deter the individual’s sound approach to various engagements (Xu, Turel, & Yuan, 2012).

Video games pathological effects among children and teenagers negatively affect their academic performance. This aspect is attributed to the divided concentration in educational matters, as the participants are preoccupied with video games. The outcome could be attributed to skipping homework and adoption of video game habits at school. Furthermore, gaming compulsivity has the potential of inducing detrimental health effects. Health problems like video-induced seizures, obesity, and postural (Anderson et al., 2007). Video game addiction also causes muscular and skeletal problems like tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and nerve compression. Weinstein (2010) identifies auditory hallucinations, elbow and wrist pains, encopresis, and peripheral neuropathy as some of the health effects of video gaming. Moreover, depression and higher anxiety levels could develop from excessive involvement in video game activities thereby affecting the psychological equilibrium of the players, especially teenagers.

Essence of regulating time spent on video games

The amount of time spent while playing video games is a major determinant of whether one will be addicted or not. Recommendations for combating video game addiction provide that teenagers should only engage themselves in gaming for an hour in a day. The relevance of the strategy is that it reduces the chances of pre-occupation and compulsivity. Additionally, shorter sessions while gaming foster happiness among the players due to the ability to escape the hooks by limiting their time. Besides, controlling the time facilitates the reduction of hyperactivity thereby balancing their emotional state. Additionally, the essence of regulating time spent on video manifest in the players’ improved social life as they spend less time in isolation. In this respect, regulating the time used in video gaming has significant implications for children and teenagers especially in preventing addiction.

The significance of video games to teenagers in the contemporary society

Despite the addiction aspect of video gaming activities, teenagers in the modern society can benefit from the form of entertainment in several ways. One of the benefits entails following instructions since most games require the play to observe certain provisions before leveling up (Anderson et al., 2007). Video games also enhance the problem-solving and logic aspects of life among children and adults. For instance, games like Angry Birds require the player to come up with creative ways that require logic to reach the next level.

Video games enhance “hand-eye coordination and improve the motor and spatial skills of the player” (Gee, 2007, p. 114). The aspects of decision-making, planning, logistics, and resource management could also be fostered through video gaming as the player decides and plans what move to make using the available resources. Moreover, video games enhance an individual’s multitasking capabilities whereby they could track various shifting variables and the management of different objectives (Xu et al., 2012).

However, the degree to which an individual benefits from video gaming varies concerning the type of games they play. For instance, teenagers who engage in violent video games have lesser chances of solving problems in the most amicable way since they perceive violence as the solution.

Recommendations

Video game addiction should be treated like any other form of addiction that requires intervention. In this regard, addicts could seek medication that inhibits cravings for video games. Bupropion is one of the drugs recommended for video games addiction since it alters the brain’s chemistry (Ferguson, 2007).

Reducing the number of hours spent in gaming and strictly observing the limits is crucial in fighting video game addiction. Further, pathological video gaming could be avoided through asking family members or significant others concerning their perceptions regarding one’s video gaming trend (Gee, 2007).

Active parental monitoring is also advised to ensure that children do not engage in compulsive video gaming. The move would ensure that the player accepts the responsibility, and the parent intervenes in helping them to combat the adverse results in their daily living (Xu et al., 2012). Therefore, addicts of video games should consider the recommendations mentioned above to combat the problem that has impactful effects besides the benefits.

References

Anderson, A., Gentile, D., & Buckley, K. (2007). Violent video game effects on children and adolescents. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Carnagey, N., & Anderson, A. (2005). The effects of reward and punishment in violent video games on aggressive affect, cognition, and behavior. Psychological Science, 16(11), 882-889.

Egenfeldt-Nielsen, S., Smith, H., & Tosca, S. (2013). Understanding video games: The essential introduction. Oxford, UK: Routledge.

Ferguson, C. (2007). The good, the bad, and the ugly: A meta-analytic review of positive and negative effects of violent video games. Psychiatric Quarterly, 78(4), 309-16.

Gee, J. (2007). Good video games+ good learning: Collected essays on video games, learning, and literacy. New York, NY: Peter Lang.

Greenfield, P. M. (2014). Mind and media: The effects of television, video games, and computers. Oxford, UK: Psychology Press.

Skoric, M., Teo, C., & Neo, R. (2009). Children and video games: addiction, Engagement, and scholastic achievement. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 12(5), 567-572.

Van Rooij, J., Schoenmakers, M., Vermulst, A., Van Den Eijnden, M., & Van De Mheen, D. (2011). Online video game addiction: identification of addicted adolescent gamers. Addiction, 106(1), 205-212.

Weinstein, M. (2010). Computer and Video Game Addiction—A Comparison between Game Users and Non-Game Users. American Journal of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, 36(5), 268-276.

Xu, Z., Turel, O., & Yuan, Y. (2012). Online game addiction among adolescents: Motivation and prevention factors. European Journal of Information Systems, 21(3), 321-340.

Introduction

Nowadays, many medical dramas and comedies are typical of American television, and it is important to understand how Northern Exposure (1990-1995), created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, influenced the development of not only these genres but also ‘dramedy’ in general.

Northern Exposure became one of the first medical dramedies that are defined as TV shows with the elements of both dramas and comedies, where the development of a character is present, inner conflict is discussed, and the plot includes a lot of comedic elements (Armitage; Hilmes 112; McGregor et al. 32; Mittell 8-12).

Thesis statement

Northern Exposure significantly contributed to the development of medical comedies and dramas, including dramedies, typical of American television while demonstrating specific ethnographic aspects or cultural and ethical issues that became actively discussed on other medical TV shows.

Ethnographic Elements in Northern Exposure and the Issue of Identity

The setting of a small town in Alaska allowed the creators of Northern Exposure to drawing the audience’s attention to aboriginal health and rural medicine problems.

The reference to Joel Fleischman, a young general practitioner, and his relationships with patients allowed for concentrating on specific problems that Native Americans and other people in Alaska face while supporting their health (Comelles and Brigidi 18-19).

Northern Exposure is important to demonstrate what problems different ethnic groups face in supporting their health because of their background.

Depicted diversity and ethnographic elements accentuated the question of identity that is important for Americans and attracted the audience to following dramatic and comedic episodes of the characters’ life because these features became viewed as familiar.

The Value and Impact of Accentuating Ethnicity in Northern Exposure and Ethnographic Aspects in Later Medical Dramas

Northern Exposure was among the first TV shows that demonstrated the life of rural general practitioners in contrast to urban professionals.

Northern Exposure focused on the ethical and medical problem of using alternative medicine that was later developed in other American medical dramas and comedies (Hansen 141).

In Northern Exposure, the ethnicity factor typical of American society is emphasized from different perspectives. Following its depiction here, the focus on ethnographic elements became typical of many other medical dramas because of the audience’s interest.

The Depiction of Cultural Issues and Traditions in Northern Exposure

In addition to ethnicity, Northern Exposure also focused on cultural visions of health. Cultural views of Native peoples are depicted almost in every episode of the show (Hirt et al. 238-239; Kendal and Diug 37).

The audience tends to view the depicted health problems, disease processes, proposed treatments, and certain habits and traditions through the perspective of their cultural construction.

The Role of Northern Exposure in Affecting the Representation of Cultural Aspects in Later Medical Dramas and Medical Comedies

Northern Exposure demonstrated how cultural stereotypes could influence the practice of medical professionals. The theme of cross-cultural obstacles and the path to mutual understanding and support is represented in many medical dramedies that follow the example of Northern Exposure.

This TV show also presented the example of how protagonists can culturally identify themselves (Hansen 141). Northern Exposure became the first medical dramedy to focus on cultural issues and emphasize differences in cultural identities.

This TV show significantly affected the representation of various cultural aspects in all other medical dramas and comedies that ran after Northern Exposure.

Ethical Issues as they are Depicted in Northern Exposure

Northern Exposure was among the first medical TV shows to discuss such ethical issues as teenagers’ pregnancy, the absence of healthcare professionals’ assistance, mortality, and personal relationships between physicians and patients.

For instance, the representation of Holling and Shelly’s provocative love story in the Alaskan context and its rules of life made the audience sympathize with the characters despite the ethical nature of the issue.

The characters of Northern Exposure also resolved such moral issues as the treatment of terminal illnesses. Viewers are interested in watching how different ethical dilemmas are resolved; therefore, medical dramas are focused on demonstrating how patients and physicians cope with serious ethical questions.

The Impact of Northern Exposure on Discussing Ethics in Medical Dramas

As a dramedy, Northern Exposure demonstrated ethical problems through both dramatic and comedic aspects.

The approach used in Northern Exposure to present ethical issues and make the audience empathize and choose morally right solutions was followed in other medical TV shows (Hirt et al. 238-239; Kendal and Diug 37).

The impact of this TV show on discussing the questions of morality and ethical issues in medical dramas and dramedies can hardly be overestimated.

Northern Exposure as an Example of a Dramedy in American Television

The main protagonists of Northern Exposure were portrayed in the show as people who needed to overcome certain problems of their past and adapt to a new reality while becoming, or remaining, part of their community.

This approach is typical of many medical dramas, and dramedies in particular, that are focused on representing protagonists’ characters, feelings, and inner conflicts (Armitage; McGregor et al. 32).

By concentrating on presenting both dramatic and comedic episodes of the lives of the main characters, Northern Exposure became one of the first popular medical dramedies.

The Development of Elements of Medical Dramas and Medical Comedies in Modern American Shows concerning Northern Exposure

Northern Exposure demonstrated the evolution of Joel Fleischman as a young physician in terms of his ability to provide patient-oriented care.

This evolution of the protagonist based on overcoming inner conflicts and external barriers was also later depicted in other similar dramas and comedies. Northern Exposure demonstrated how it is possible to combine humor, lyrical episodes, and the discussion of dramatic issues in the limited context of a medical dramedy while making the audience discuss the depicted issues and feel close to them.

Conclusion

Although Northern Exposure was broadcasted from 1990-1995, the elements and approaches used by the authors for the development of the dramatic plot with the culture-specific and comedic elements are actively used by other creators of medical dramedies even today.

Thus, the TV show significantly contributed to the development of medical comedies and dramas because it was the first one to demonstrate specific ethnographic aspects, as well as cultural and ethical issues, that became used as patterns in other medical TV shows, leading to the development of the genre of medical dramedy.

Works Cited

Armitage, Matt. “Northern Exposure: Welcome to the Alaskan Riviera.” 25 Years Later Site. 2018, Web.

Comelles, Josep M., and Serena Brigidi. “Fictional Encounters and Real Engagements: The Representation of Medical Practice and Institutions in Medical TV Shows.” Actes D’història De La Ciència I De La Tècnica, vol. 7, 2014, pp. 17-34.

Hansen, Anders Høg. “Time Is but the Stream I Go A-Fishing in: Present Pasts in 20 Years of American TV Serial Fiction from Northern Exposure to Mad Men.” Continuum, vol. 27, no. 1, 2013, pp. 141-159.

Hilmes, Michele. Only Connect: A Cultural History of Broadcasting in the United States. 4th ed., Cengage Learning, 2013.

Hirt, C., et al. “Medical Dramas on Television: A Brief Guide for Educators.” Medical Teacher, vol. 35, no. 3, 2013, pp. 237-242.

Kendal, Evie, and Basia Diug, editors. Teaching Medicine and Medical Ethics Using Popular Culture. Springer, 2017.

McGregor, Michael A., et al. Head’s Broadcasting in America: A Survey of Electronic Media. 10th ed., Routledge, 2016.

Mittell, Jason. Genre and Television: From Cop Shows to Cartoons in American Culture. 2nd ed., Routledge, 2013.

Introduction

Playing video games is a common past time for many high school and college students due to the gameplay mechanics, the storylines, and the fascinating graphics. In fact, video gaming has grown to become a multi-billion dollar industry with dozens of companies involved in hardware and software production (Ciută, 2016). In light of its popularity, it must be asked if playing video games causes more negative than positive effects on a person. As such, this paper will examine the opinions of students on the impact of gaming.

Literature Review

Negative Impact of Video Games

Many educators believe that playing video games is a waste of time since the hours spent on a game could have been better utilized in studying. Other contributing viewpoints to this train of thought bring up the growing problem of video game addiction. Video game addiction has repeatedly been pointed out as a one of the main adverse effects of playing video games (Davies & Blake, 2016).

This often results in people preferring to play a game than to engage in actual social interaction and is cited as one of the reasons behind the lackluster results of some children in school. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games such as World of Warcraft have been blamed for many cases where teens and young adults forego societal contact so that they can play games. In fact, it has gotten to a point where video game addiction has resulted in children eschewing their academics so that they can play more games (Davies & Blake, 2016).

Positive Impact of Video Games

Various supporters of the video game industry point out that addicts represent only a small percentage of actual gamers. Many of them live productive lives and even mention that video games had helped them immensely when it came to hand-eye coordination, establishing friendships and having a means of entertaining themselves cheaply.

One of the positive effects of video games is the social aspect that has been connected to it. Games like World of Warcraft, Call of Duty and other online role-playing games allow players to communicate and collaborate with one another. This has led towards the development of numerous online communities where like-minded individuals debate with each other and even form friendships (Ortiz de Gortari, Pontes & Griffiths, 2015).

Aside from creating a whole new social dynamic, video games have also contributed in altering society as we know it through the creation of an entirely new platform of entertainment. Before the popularization of video games, easy to access entertainment came in the form of television and books. With the advent of video games, people were able to find something equally as entertaining resulting in more options for entertainment.

Research questions

Is the positive impact of video games worth the negative outcomes that they cause?

Research population and sample

The study population that will be utilized in this paper will consist of various high school and college students within the local area. The age range will be 13 to 20 years old since this was determined by the researcher as the prime age that most people start playing video games extensively.

Data collection methods

The data collection methods will consist of a short survey that will be conducted by the researcher using the following questions:

1. What is your opinion on the impact of video games on a person’s life?
2. Do you think that video games are a waste of time or do they have positive benefits?
3. Have you experienced any harmful effects from playing video games and, if so, did you stop playing video games because of them? Please elaborate and explain.

Research findings

First Question

The results from the first question revealed that 80 percent of the research subjects did not consider video games as having a negative impact on a person’s life. They stated that the impact is often based on how a person prioritizes activities.

Second Question

The results from the second question are mixed since the respondents indicated that they did not gain any skills from playing video games and, as such, considered it a waste of time; however, they stated it was worth it due to the entertainment value.

Third Question

The respondents indicated that they were able to handle their video game addictions as they grew up since they learned how to set priorities. Many of them continue to play video games to this day and state that it is not harmful at all.

Recommendations

All in all, the study showed that video games are not harmful so long as a person understands how to establish priorities when it comes to what activities they should be doing. Further studies that investigate this topic should attempt to determine if online role-playing games can be used as a means of helping shy students become more outgoing.

Reference List

Davies, B., & Blake, E. (2016). Evaluating Existing Strategies to Limit Video Game Playing Time. IEEE Computer Graphics & Applications, 36(2), 47-57.

Ciută, F. (2016). Call of Duty: Playing Video Games with IR. Millennium (03058298), 44(2), 197- 215.

Ortiz de Gortari, A. B., Pontes, H. M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2015). The Game Transfer Phenomena Scale: An Instrument for Investigating the Nonvolitional Effects of Video Game Playing. Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking, 18(10), 588-594.

This paper aims at the thorough analysis of the social media influence upon American society in the framework of social construction. One of the most significant functions of social media is the social-orienting one that is associated with a profound impact on the ideological basis, value orientation of the population, the identity of people, and their ideas and aspirations, including the motivation and religious formation.

In today’s world, people are faced with the development of tools, methods, and data transmission capabilities. The pace of information exchange increases using satellites, TV, and the Internet. On the one hand, the result of this process is the development of the media and along with it – the emergence of the ability to influence people using different types of images and reporting. Based on this, some scientists call the media “the fourth power” of society, along with legislative, executive, and judicial ones (Castells 78). This topic was chosen by me in order to study the influence of the media on the social sphere.

The role of the media in the social life of the country is rather significant. In the modern social system, the media perform some critical functions such as information, socialization, education, criticism, and others. The existence of a democratically organized media objectively covers social events that are one of the most significant guarantees of the democratic stability of society. Conversely, failure to comply with the mentioned functions can radically distort its goals and values, disrupt its efficiency, and undermine the viability. The social impact of the media is carried out through its impact on the human mind and senses; in other words, social construction (Cheong 85).

The rational model of social media is designed to convince people through information and argumentation that are built in accordance with the logic. This model corresponds to the established mentality and culture of a particular society. It also involves a variety of adversarial media struggling for the attention and trust of people. The illegal use of the media to incite racial, ethnic, class or religious hatred and enmity is prohibited by law. However, the visual image is a great power of emotional impact on the person that can overshadow rational reasons and arguments. Saturated with the emotional content, the media can have a decisive influence on the social behavior of citizens.

Historical experience shows that social media can serve a variety of social goals: to educate people, to develop their self-esteem, the desire for freedom and social justice, to promote and help their informed participation in social life.

Nevertheless, the media impact on social construction is carried out not only directly through social communication providing participants of the social life with the necessary information and allowing any concerted collective action of groups of people, but also as a result of the formation of social entities themselves (Gillespie, Herbert, and Greenhill 82). Modern sources of information influence the psyche of people, ways of perceiving, and understanding of social events, as well as their moral values and social attitudes.

Considering the influence of the media, it is essential to examine two of its components, such as the information and communication technology and professional editorial practices (Granholm, Moberg, and Sjö 116). The first component includes marketing, for example, PR-activities and non-marketing, for instance, manipulation, propaganda, or disinformation. The second component comprises the methods of editing and publishing of materials along with professional standards of media companies and the subjective characteristics of the members of the media.

From my point of view, the most important to define is the non-marketing media. The shift from the use of propaganda techniques in pure form and turn to the use of various methods of persuasion is one of the modern trends of the media impact.

According to the research, there are three trends in the development of the media:

• Activation of the scope of promotional actions;
• The formation of social consciousness through the media;
• Globalization and the unification of the media.

Relations between church and state Religion has always played an important role in society.

As it was stated before, a religious segment of the media has a strong impact on the religious life of the society as it facilitates the dialogue between religion and people and contributes to the development of missionary activity. It is essential to point out that the study of religious construction allows providing an in-depth analysis of the current activities as well as interactions between religion and society. The use of religious organizations and media for missionary purposes becomes one of the key trends. Moreover, there is a system of religious media, including print periodicals, radio stations, TV channels and programs, and Internet resources.

However, the impact of the media is not always positive. For instance, let us consider the television. It seems that the mere presence of television has had a subtle yet profound effect on religion in general so that the representation of religion will never be the same again in the consciousness of people. In his provocative book “Amusing Ourselves to Death,» Postman expresses the idea that television radically changed the whole life of the population virtually.

Religion is an area that has undergone severe changes concerning the Sunday sermons and televangelists. Postman points out that since the TV, in fact, is entertainment, a preacher acts as a “film stars” and his “God appears as a magician in a banana” (Reid and Hogan 117). Although Christianity has always been a serious religion, its TV version can count on the necessary audience, only showing those things what people want. This version is hardly a biblical Christianity.

Thus, the television preachers have become “stars” as attractive and rich as a movie star. In television worship, there is no complicity: viewers sit at home, watch TV, and do not share common singing, praying, and liturgy. Church is considered to be a “holy land”, where people behave with more deference. When a person watches TV worship, he or she can sit in dirty underwear, drink beer, and eat pizza. Postman states that the more religious services are broadcasted on TV, the more pastors get better acquainted with the techniques of television (Reid and Hogan 123).

In this connection, there is a “danger consisting not in the fact that religion becomes the content of television shows, but that TV shows can become the content of religion” (Reid and Hogan 124). In their turn, pastors worry that people expect TV worships more than the real ones. People are attending worship quietly gets used to the fact that it is entertained and amused. Worships are held at jazz or rap and accompanied by computerized representations.

Therefore, plenty of places of worship no longer have the aura of sanctity, because the person can perform it sitting at home before the television. Some groups of believers regularly meet at the former site for skating; another group came to the old laundry; and the third one rents a large audience at the University for Sunday morning prayers. In other words, one might note a loss of a sense of holiness that exists in the Gothic cathedrals and churches of the Renaissance. The behavior in the church ceases to differ from human behavior elsewhere.

Scientists in the US are beginning to suppose that there is a direct link between the growth in the number of the Internet users and fall of religious preference. In his article «How the Internet Is Taking Away America’s Religion», thorough the scientific research, Allen Downey answers the question of why Americans are losing their faith.

In 1990, only about 8 percent of the US population had no religious preference. By 2010, this number has more than doubled and amounted to 18 percent (“How the Internet Is Taking Away America’s Religion” par. 1). It is nearly 25 million people who somehow lost their religion. The researcher carefully analyzes the data and concludes that the extinction of religion is the result of several factors while the most essential of them is the increase of the Internet use.

Downey states that the growth in the number of Internet users during the last two decades has led to a crucial fall in people’s religiosity. The research task was also to determine the fall of religiosity linked to other survey items such as religious education in the family, socio-economic status, and education level. Likewise Wuthnow, he found that the most serious impact on religious meaning has religious education: people who grew up in a religious atmosphere are more likely to retain their faith in the future (78).

In the 1980s, the Internet usage was close to zero, but in 2010, 53 percent of the population was carried out two hours a week online, and 25 percent – more than 7 hours per week (“How the Internet Is Taking Away America’s Religion” par. 11). The growth of the Internet use is closely associated with a decrease in religiosity. According to the calculations of Downey, approximately 25 percent of the fall of religiosity occurred due to the Internet.

The connection between the phenomena cannot work the other way around. Religiosity in adulthood cannot be the cause of the preceding religious education, although it can affect a person’s views on education.

Also, it is possible to imagine how the time spent on the internet could affect the loss of interest in religion. The Internet makes it possible to find information concerning people of other religions or not practicing religion in general, as well as gives an opportunity to communicate with them. However, it is much more difficult yet not impossible to imagine a plausible reason why the fall of religiosity may cause an increased use of the Internet. Therefore, it remains a very little doubt that Downey’s conclusions are correct.

In conclusion, it should be emphasized that the social media impacts the religious meaning of the population. The effect might be both positive and negative. On the one hand, it educates, socializes, and integrates people. On the other hand, media tends to decrease the very sanctity of the religion.

Works Cited

Castells, Manuel. The Power of Identity the Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. Print.

Cheong, Pauline Hope. Digital Religion, Social Media, and Culture: Perspectives, Practices, and Futures. New York, NY: Lang, 2012. Print.

Gillespie, Marie, David Herbert, and Anita Greenhill. Social Media and Religious Change. Berlin, Germany: De Gruyter, 2013. Print.

Granholm, Kennet, Marcus Moberg, and Sofia Sjö. Religion, Media, and Social Change. New York, NY: Routledge, 2015. Print.

“How the Internet Is Taking Away America’s Religion.” MIT Technology Review. N.p. 2014. Web.

Reid, Robert Stephen., and Lucy Lind Hogan. The Six Deadly Sins of Preaching: Becoming Responsible for the Faith We Proclaim. Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 2012. Print.

Wuthnow, Robert. “The Princeton Lectures on Youth, Church, and Culture.” The Princeton Lectures on Youth, Church, and Culture. N.p., 1996. Web.

Social networks have become an indispensable part of many people’s lives and an important platform for companies. Businesses can develop strong relationships with their customers through various social media, including but not limited to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, What’s Up, LinkedIn, and so forth. Social networking is one of the major ways people communicate, develop and maintain social ties, as well as pass their time and get information about their favorite brands (Phua, Jin, & Kim, 2017). This paper includes a brief analysis of some social networks and their value for a social media marketer.

Facebook is one of the most popular social networks in the world, and the number of its users is almost two billion people. This network has the most diverse platform as its subscribers can share text messages, pictures, video, and audio files. In the USA, almost 70% of adult people used Facebook to communicate as compared to other social networks. The network was created as a channel for the communication of students, but the audience expanded dramatically.

At present, Facebook users can be of different ages, although young people are still more active. However, adults and older adults also use this platform. This diversity has led to the wide use of this social network in the business world. Companies create Facebook profiles to share information about their new products and services, get feedback from their customers, and develop relationships with their customers. One of the things learned about Facebook was related to gender differences or rather no difference in the frequency of the use of this social network (Thelwall & Vis, 2017). Another thing acknowledged is the way Facebook is used by small-size companies that manage to create communities, which is highly valued by their customers.

Instagram is another popular social network used throughout the globe. This social media network is mainly image-based as people share pictures. The platform is mainly used by young people, but there are also many older people. One of the recent changes introduced was the text-based communication option. Instagram subscribers can share their ideas and emotions through the specific backgrounds and fonts, which is a mixture of visual and textual components. Instagram can be used by many companies in various industries. The age of people is very diverse as well as socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds of its users.

Therefore, potentially the vast majority of businesses can use this platform for the promotion of their products and services. However, companies should remember that the focus is on images, so their promotion should be shaped accordingly. The two things learned about this platform are associated with the use of Instagram. First, females have more privacy concerns as compared to male subscribers (Thelwall & Vis, 2017). Secondly, it is not used for the maintenance of relationships but focuses on certain image development.

Snapchat is also a valuable social media network that can be used by many companies. This application is aimed at active mobile phone users who like sharing and using the most recent advances, such as augmented reality. The target audience is mainly adolescents and young adults, but older people can also be quite active. This application is perfect for the most urgent messages, such as information concerning sales, new products, quick updates, and the like. One of the things learned was rather an unexpected high rank among social networks that have a positive effect on people (Welch, 2017). Another interesting fact learned is related to the way the application can be used. The histories developed can be shared and used to remind customers about the way brands or companies evolved and communicated with them.

Finally, YouTube is one of the most famous platforms to share videos. This social media network is also used as a search tool or source of information (Phua et al., 2017). YouTube also has a very diverse array of users as these can be people of different ages, ethnicity, socioeconomic backgrounds, educational background, and so forth. This application is widely used in numerous industries and spheres. It has been acknowledged that video messages are becoming more popular than textual or image-based. This information is valuable for social media marketers and companies. It is clear that YouTube and video messages can become a strong promotion tool as well as a platform for effective communication with customers.

The increasing popularity and effectiveness of video messages are some of the important things learned so far. Another valuable discovery is the fact that YouTube has a positive effect on users’ development and wellbeing (Welch, 2017). This platform is my favorite as the educational component of this platform makes it relevant and reliable, as seen by customers. Social media marketers can help companies promote their products and services. Besides, it is possible to study customers’ preferences and needs through the analysis of search results and inquiries, as well as the content of people’s posts.

In conclusion, it is possible to note that Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat are popular social networks that can facilitate communication between companies and their customers. These platforms are acquiring many similar features as they follow recent trends, such as the increasing popularity of video messages. Facebook is one of the central tools to be used to create strong relationships with customers through the development of communities.

YouTube can be mainly used to share important or interesting messaging concerning new products or services as well as possible ways to benefit from the use of the things the company offers. At that, Snapchat and Instagram can also be useful as a platform for sharing quick visual-based messages. Importantly, businesses should use all these networks to the fullest with their products and services in mind.

References

Phua, J., Jin, S., & Kim, J. (2017). Gratifications of using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat to follow brands: The moderating effect of social comparison, trust, tie strength, and network homophily on brand identification, brand engagement, brand commitment, and membership intention. Telematics and Informatics, 34(1), 412-424.

Thelwall, M., & Vis, F. (2017). Gender and image sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp in the UK. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 69(6), 702-720.

Welch, A. (2017). This social media site ranked worst for mental health. CBS News. Web.

In this essay, I will be exploring the ways in which Social media helps to bridge the gaps between us and how it positively and negatively reflects on the people and me.

What is social media? Social media, to me, is a way of connecting people from all over the world together. It is growing so fast that we are keeping up to date with everything. Web 2.0 gave the Internet such power in which everything we want to know about is available and so easy to share it with other people on so many media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and finally, my favorite, Snap chat. Snap chat provides live broadcasts snaps, which makes it interesting to use. Many celebrities are using it to snap their lifestyles in which some of them are inspiring and fun to watch. Some may find it addicting in a way that they feel that it is a way of escaping reality and relying on what social media has to offer to them every day.

The use of social media made it easy to achieve activities like interaction, sharing, connecting, networking, building, and creating. In other words, it is shown that we are learning better through using social media as working with others makes it supporting and beneficial.

The flexibility of the social media tools made it easy and powerful to use, which allows the students to build their own websites and learning places. Students are taking part more actively and creatively in their education and studying as many media platforms gave them many opportunities in this field.

Social media provides us with new platforms for communication. It allows us to share and network and collaborate with each other.

We do not normally use all the social media services available; we choose to use only one or two main functions of each service and get away and ignore the others. Many will watch YouTube clips, but not many will actually share and upload them. Sometimes when we need to know about something, we use Wikipedia to gain some knowledge about a specific matter or subject.

Some lecturers assume that it would be easy to use the significance of media tools in the field of studying as students are comfortable using them every day for communicating with family and friends. But, a study in the US states that 87 percent of students said that face-to-face interaction with their teachers is extremely important (EDUCASE 2012).

Parents, on the other hand, worry about their children spending time online while being isolated as they might experience addiction to using social networks and gaming sites. Children are also exposed to aggressive and sexually explicit materials, which affects them mentally. Communicating with their friends is now mostly through texting through social network sites and mobile phones (Livingstone 2009).

On the other hand, digital media is seen for its wonderful potential to bring families together, yet seen as capable of interacting and disrupting children’s school and family life, so they put restrictions on their children’s access to social media or gaming until homework and housework are completed.

Despite all of that, many parents are happy to share media use with their children, and that new media is used to bring families together ( Livingstone 2011).

Long-distance communication is considered, which involves the management of relationships due to the increase in global migration. They often leave for employment, and who leaves behind her children. This leads to distant mothering. (Hondagenu and Avila 1997)

Mothers use the technology to keep in touch while they are away. At the same time, this can create conflict between parents and children. Mothers prefer to communicate with their children using voice-based communication such as Skype. Yet children prefer email as they find phone calls are distracting.

Many different types of bonds are enabled through social network sites. Significantly, their social network sites are often used to maintain contact with the family overseas, so they post photos that allow an individual to keep in contact with family through shared social events in posts like on Instagram or Snapchat.

The risks of social media use for children are on top of every parent’s list. They are anxious about the effects of excessive use of this matter on their education and well being.

Parents who seem to be inexperienced in the usage of social media often anger children. Conversely, some families take this chance to bond together to learn about this with their children.

Social media is also known for its political view as Twitter gained prominence as a powerful media outlet. People thought the world is not just listening and reading, but they are responding and participating in many social movements. News is not always at the center of a Twitter user’s attention; the user is freely participating in any particular story when they are interested. Just like the radio, you choose what you hear; if you don’t like the song, then you just skip the channel. (DHIRAJ MURTHY)

Facebook, one of many social platforms, is the most popular networking site. The easy communication with one another online and offline made it interesting to use with the members. Through posting and sharing, the distribution of information is easily spread amongst members. Furthermore, Facebook has an application that you can easily download to your mobile phone, ensuring users get easy and fast access from their devices. Like any other social networking site, you expect to see inappropriate feeds online in which we tend to see minor negativity of people’s experiences, some may wish to help, and the others just skip and ignore it if they wish.

I believe that social media has brought us together and pushed our part; without it, I do not believe we would be as close as we think. Using Skype and Snapchat really makes it easy to contact whoever and whenever you want. It comes down to balancing our lives by putting restrictions and not spending too much relying on it.

Discussing social media in terms of the divides in society, it is important to remember that apart from bringing people together, they also increase the level of loneliness and isolation in the society. For example, there is no need to conduct research to see how people’s life has changed after the Internet and social media became an important part of their daily lives. Namely, the contemporary people started to spend much more time alone brewing the web or checking their social media pages instead of going outside and live more active lives.

It goes without saying that the initial intention behind the social media platforms was to facilitate communication and bring together people from different parts of the world by means of live chatting, content sharing, and instant messaging. Being too busy building our social media profiles and maintaining connections, we tend to get distracted from reality and the people who are close. Thus, spending hours in chats contacting one another via the computers, we grow lonelier due to the lack of actual face-to-face communication.

Besides speaking of the creation and maintenance of social media profiles, it is important to discuss how self-representation on the Internet impacts people. Researchers notice that spending a lot of time on social media such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook causes people to have mental health problems such as depression, paranoia, apathy, and stress (Hunter 2015). In reality, this effect is created because the users of social networks tend to post only the positive news, flattering pictures, and interesting events of their lives.

That way, the users create a false impression of really exciting and happy lives, which is not always true. At the same time, the people who browse these profiles tend to compare their own daily lives to the perfected and artificially created profiles of the others. As a result, the users begin to feel bad about their everyday lives being not as exciting and eventful. Accordingly, the feeling of their own unsuccessfulness and loneliness increases because they begin to think that their lives are dull, unimpressive, and boring.

This phenomenon is similar to the pressure on women created by the false beauty standards promoted in commercials and magazines where the faces and bodies of the models are photoshopped heavily to look perfect, which makes the real women inadequate and bad looking. In other words, social media create social pressure for everyone to either lead extremely successful and full of events lives or fake success on social networks in order to fit in with the masses.

Another issue closely related to social media is the problem of privacy. It is true that social media allowed better and faster communication between people all around the globe. At the same time, as people became easier to access, so did the information. In other words, the things that are private and secret may easily leak to the Internet and then quickly become viral because everyone can see them and share them with others. Fast Internet connection makes images and news fly around the world in seconds, no matter who they belong to. I think it is possible to state that in the contemporary world, privacy is very limited and instead is replaced by publicity. For example, the subjects that used to be considered as very personal (diseases, deaths, accidents, divorces, and couple breakups) are widely spoken about on the Internet.

The problem of privacy affects the well-known people the most. While in some European countries, the celebrities still have the right to prevent their accidental pictures from being published by not giving such permission, in the United States, everything is made public, and nobody cares to ask the celebrities whether or not they would like certain pictures of themselves being available to everyone (Jones 2010).

Besides, it is important to mention that the problems of privacy do not only concern famous and rich people. The average users of social media face this risk as well. First of all, unflattering or personal photos of people can be published by others. Also, personal data in the profiles online can be hacked, stolen, and used for various purposes. Modern society is obsessed with revealing secrets and mysteries of people, hidden facts, and shocking truths. As a result, none of the social media users are absolutely safe from violations of privacy.

People online are often bullied and threatened. In fact, cyberbullying is a very serious issue for both children and adults. It is complicated by a number of factors. First of all, cyberbullies can hide easily and never be punished for what they do. Secondly, cyberbullies can access anyone because profiles are available to everyone. Thirdly, threats and bullying online are not easily punished because, in many cases, they are not taken seriously – in other words, they are not treated as actual crimes but just angry words on a webpage that can be viewed as someone’s free speech.

In addition, communication on social media is available to everyone; it is not as fast and effective as it is perceived. The online chat takes a much longer time than a conversation on the phone or a real life conversation. Also, it lacks the emotional aspect and thus may lead to miscommunication or misinterpretation. Chats on social networks cannot replace talks with close people such as family members, partners, and friends. They are able to provide a temporary replacement, but the individuals are still left with the feeling of emptiness and isolation (Hunter 2015)

In other words, it is possible to conclude that social media serve as the bridge in society and minimize multiple divides by means of bringing people together, helping them find one another, connect, communicate, maintain friendships and relationships. At the same time, enhancing the positive and useful sides of social interaction, the media also bring out all the negative and disturbing aspects of it. That way, because communication has become more active and available, it started to reveal many social issues that have been in place for many years or new ones that only appeared with the emergence of social media. In other words, social media create more opportunities but also establish more boundaries and limitations.

In other words, the modern individuals who are known for the heavy use of the Internet and social networks need to be aware of the advantages and threats presented by the latter in order to make the correct choices and coexist safely with the other users without exposing themselves to the dangers of social networks but enjoying their benefits and positive sides.

References

Hunter, M 2015, Why Social Makes Us Even More Lonely. Web.

Jones, SD 2010, The Price of Fame: Celebrities and the Right to Privacy. Web.

Introduction

Mass media has significantly changed over the past two decades. The development of information technology and Internet resulted in appearing of online news services and social networks with user-generated blogs related to political news. Many people use such sources as Twitter and Facebook to get information on political issues and election. In their book, Parmelee and Bichard state that some politicians tend to use Twitter to communicate with their electors and write messages that sometimes are meant to influence policy (2011). Despite the opinion that such online sources as Twitter might be used to spread unreliable information, it is possible to say that it is a good source of political information because it presents an opinion on news and political events at first hand.

Description of the Assigned Position

In the modern world, internet sources are believed to compete with such traditional sources of information as newspapers and TV news. At present, most of the people with higher education who are interested in political events and issues prefer to use online sources as they are easy to access from tablets and mobile devices. It is generally recognized that many Americans prefer the internet as the main source of election news. The development of Wi-Fi free hotspots made it possible to access favorite online sources almost anywhere, which is very convenient for internet users. Therefore, the popularity of online newspapers and news blogs written by independent journalists in social media, as well as Twitter accounts of politicians has increased rapidly over the past decades.

Twitter was developed in 2006 as a microblogging service. It allows users to exchange short messages using their mobile phones to share the events that are happening at the moment. There is no need to write long stories in Twitter. It is a convenient service for those who lack time but want know the current news. It might be the main reason for choosing Twitter by many politicians as a medium to communicate with their electors.

Primarily, this decision was based on the principles of democracy to let people feel closer to the government. Tweets from the politicians are believed to help electors to have insight into the world of politics and get news from an insider, which makes this information more valuable. Politicians also have an opportunity to influence minds of their followers and create the atmosphere of trust to raise their ratings. Politicians usually make their tweets open and use photos and links to other sites such as petitions and official government websites that provide more information about new laws and events. Twitter is regarded to be useful during the election campaign to make a decision. It also helps to gather feedback from the electors.

Arguments to Support the Position

The last election campaign in the United States proved that the number of Americans who searched the news related to the election on the internet increased greatly since the previous election race. It might be caused by the increasing number of people who have the internet access nowadays. Some researchers note that “within the broadband population, the internet is by far the second-most important source of campaign news, behind only television and well ahead of newspapers, radio and magazines” (Smith, 2009, par. 9). Most of the internet users prefer online versions of newspapers and magazines. They also watch newscasts using their mobile devices or computers and utilize social networks to reach like-minded people and even their favorite politicians who tend to use social media as well. Thus, it is possible to say that traditional media sources have to adapt to requirements of their consumers, which makes social media almost equal actor among possible sources of information.

The development of social networks resulted in the appearance of official pages of popular newspapers and news channels on Facebook and Twitter. It made possible for ordinary people to share news from their regions that might appear on TV and in a newspaper if they are important enough. It is stated that social media is found very helpful during disease outbreaks as people share recent information that can help them to avoid the disease. During rebellions, social media might be used to get information about places of riots. It is also stated that in unordinary situations even traditional media uses information from eyewitnesses to make breaking news (Westerman, Spence, & Van Der Heide, 2014). Therefore, such sources as Twitter may be very helpful in some situations to get information, which is required to keep one safe. Social media also helps electors to make their decision during the election campaign if they follow the information posted by politicians.

It is a widespread opinion that social media greatly assists in gathering people with similar interests to discuss and share political news and issues. There is a big amount of blogs and pages with political content written by internet users. Main social networks such as Facebook and Twitter are regarded as the primary source of political news by many individuals. They create specific communities and groups related to their political ideology to share and discuss news there. Some researchers emphasize that “while nearly all users get a mix of views, those with stronger ideological tendencies are more likely to surround themselves with like-minded opinions” (Mitchell, Gottfried, Kiley, & Matsa, 2014, par. 7). The news presented on social media sites are usually reputed to reflect most popular opinions of ordinary people on the discussed problem. Such social media as Twitter allows users not only share and discuss news but also follow their favorite politicians and members of their team who post tweets on current events. Thus, it gives people the opportunity to get some information at first hand, which makes Twitter very popular as a source of political news.

Standpoint of Opposition

Social media can be used both for good and harmful deeds. There are plenty of fake accounts that are told to belong to famous people and politicians. Some users create groups that support terrorists and illegal organizations. They might also spread fake news and unreliable information to influence the minds of people. It is a general opinion that social media is the main tool in changing of the political regime in a country. In uncertain situations related to danger such as riots or epidemic, people might confuse gossips with news and share it as some reliable information. The credibility of news is very important in such situations. People should learn to distinguish fake news in the information flow that passes through the social media and report them. Therefore, according to the opinion of some people, social media cannot substitute mass media.

Conclusion

It is possible to say that Twitter gives a priceless opportunity to get news from political insiders and eyewitnesses, which makes information more valuable. It helps people to follow the events in a more convenient way. The supporters of the opposite opinion argue that social media is convenient to coordinate actions during riots and protests, which is proved by current practice in some countries. Thus, it can bring both harm and good and should be used carefully. The position that Twitter is a good source of information is stronger because it tends to present an opinion on news and events at first hand. Moreover, the government is trying to control social media to make it a more reliable source of information.

References

Mitchell, A., Gottfried, J., Kiley, J., & Matsa K. E. (2014). Social media, political news and ideology. Web.

Parmelee, J. H., & Bichard, S. L. (2011). Politics and the Twitter revolution: How tweets influence the relationship between political leaders and the public. Lexington Books.

Smith, A. (2009). The Internet as a source of political news and information. Web.

Westerman, D., Spence, P. R., & Van Der Heide, B. (2014). Social media as information source: Recency of updates and credibility of information. Journal of Computer‐Mediated Communication, 19(2), 171-183. Web.