research paper

Social media plays a huge role in the distribution of information. It is used to get civil participation in running the state(Zhang et al., 2009). Leaders inform their followers or the countrymen about the projects the government is undertaking on their behalf. According to Khalil &KarimSajjad (2013), social media is used to invite them to participate in state events. Therefore, social media is vital for increasing the support of the people for the government (Zhang et al., 2009). However, social media can be disastrous in equal measure; it is increasingly being used as a tool for change. Opponents to Authoritative Leadership Regimes have used interactive media as a means of getting their agenda out there (Khalil & KarimSajjad, 2013). It has been vital for certain peoples in discovering their inner selves: their identity (Skoric & Poor, 2013). For example, the revolutions in the Arab Spring were enhanced by self-expressions through social media or phone messages. The youth shared their frustrations and toyed with the idea of protesting heavily against the inefficiencies in their governments. Some of the countries affected were Syria, Egypt and Tunisia. While social media has been instrumental in achieving sought after democracy,it brought instability to those countries (Khalil & KarimSajjad, 2013). In Egypt, the revolution started after the ouster of Mohammed Morsi; in Tunisia, it started after the assassination of then opposition leader.

Social media is a useful platform for interacting. Individuals can reach friends and relatives through the social media at a low cost. They can share pictures, files and exchange communication. Social media helps add value to people’s lives. Sometimes, individuals will visit the social media to research about what is going on in the society. It has enhanced social inclusiveness of people who use augmentative and alternative communication (Schneider, Davis, & Wyner, 2012).Top of Form

Bottom of Form

As it tends to be unregulated, social media may bring disastrous effects. For example, individuals intending to pass discriminating or spiteful agenda may use the social media to influence their followers.

Social media has not only been a tool for expression of religious and political standing but has also been used as a way of expressing one’s own fundamental opinions. People are also expressing themselves in new ways without necessarily using words. For example, they can ‘like’ or ‘share’ pictures of places, comments or quotes (Fleur, 2014). However, social media has enabled some groups in society to be corrupt and ill-mannered. For example, some girls and women have tried to prove their identity by posting naked selfies or photos of their drunken selves in a bid to bolster their approval rating an acceptance. Some of these actions have helped paint the tool in bad light.Social media has been used to reveal rebellious attitudes and corrupt morals (Fleur, 2014). Images, texts and other objects are used to show the reader or online visitor the ideal lifestyle, clothing, car, college, job, social status among others. Consequently, more young people have been found trying too hard to obtain certain statuses. This has led to low self-esteem. It has been the youth gullible to events or actions that should seem manipulative. For example, young people are falling easily for cheap but heavily advertised beauty and energy-enhancing products. Such products do not meet the standards and rarely produced results the way the adverts promise. They may lead to destruction of the skin or complicated health conditions. Gullibility has also been seen in the way young people are desperately used through social media to connect with strangers who then manipulate them. Such strangers are often criminals, intending to do criminal acts such as solicitation of money, kidnapping and rape (Fleur, 2014).

A study undertaken by Curtis et al. (2010) revealed that social networks are commonly used for managing the customer relationship. Social media is used in communicating to consumers as well as receiving feedback.Enhancing public relations through social media is often accompanied by the mix-ups and blunders that are committed while trying to influence consumers what they buy and believe (Elliott, 2011). For example, some companies have tried to discredit others through the social media. Facebook has at one time, for example, engaged in extensive criticism of the rival practices of Google (Elliott, 2011).

Conclusion

Social media has been used to obtain and encourage civic participation and in customer relationship management. It increases youth gullibility as they tend to value beauty, money, fashion and ideal lifestyles. The desperate need to connect with others and to go with societal standards makes them vulnerable to fraudsters, kidnappers and rapists. Without proper regulation, social media may be used to plan criminal activities that may harm the increasingly youthful population that seeks online interaction. There may be a need to penalize companies that illegally collect information about the public and reach them intending to persuade them to seek their services.

References

Curtis, L., Edwards, C., Fraser, K. L., Gudelsky, S., & J. Holmquist, K. T. (2010). Adoption of social media for public relations by nonprofit organizations. Public Relations Review, 36(1), 90–92.

Curtis, L., Edwards, C., Fraser, K. L., Gudelsky, S., Holmquist, J., Thornton, K., et al. (2010). Adoption of social media for public relations by nonprofit organizations. Public Relations Review, 36(1), 90–92.

Elliott, S. (2011, November 20). Redefining Public Relations in the Age of Social Media. Retrieved March 16, 2015, from www.nytimes.com: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/21/business/media/redefining-public-relations-in-the-age-of-social-media.html?_r=0

Fleur, G. (2014). Sexting, Selfies and Self-Harm: Young People, Social Media and the Performance of Self Development. Media International Australia, 151, 104-112.

Khalil, A., & KarimSajjad, S. (2013). Social Media and Youth Participatory Politics: A Study Of University Students. A Research Journal of South Asian Studies, 28(2), 353-360.

Schneider, J., Davis, B., & Wyner, A. (2012). Dimensions of Argumentation in Social Media . Knowledge Engineering and Knowledge Management, 21-25.

Skoric, M. M., & Poor, N. (2013). Youth Engagement in Singapore: The Interplay of Social and Traditional Media. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 57(2), 187-204.

Zhang, W., Johnson, T. J., Seltzer, T., & Bichard, S. L. (2009). The Revolution Will Be Networked: The Influence of Social Networking Sites on Political Attitudes and Behavior. Social Science Computer Review.