But social media has a downside, too, and this is something we've been more aware of as as country since the 2016 election. This New York Times video (CLICK HERE) explores the danger of trusting social media, especially as a news source. Near the end of the video the author explains, "These bad actors are trying to polarize the American public by exploiting existing tensions in our society. The goal: make Americans see each other as enemies."
Is there a better technological example of both a figurative "bridge" and "border" in our country today than social media? Does anyone have any examples of social media that is clearly designed to divide us as Americans? And -- perhaps most importantly -- what are the steps citizens need to take in order to become better readers of social media? How do we determine truth from fiction and right from wrong?
Beware the trolls, my friends . . .
I don’t think there is any better example of a “bridge” or “border” than social media in our world. Social media is a good way to communicate and connect with people of similar interests as yourself or communicate with family and friends, but it does, in a way divide us. For example, on apps like twitter on instagram, as they are a good way to connect with people, they can also divide others by giving out fake news or starting fights between people, that are usually political. A way that citizens can be better readers of social media and avoid these fake news sites is further researching the sources and the claims that these sources put out.
ReplyDeleteI agree, social media is both a huge bridge and border. It can be a good way to communicate with family and friends, but also may have some negative effects as well. Some social media sites can cause fights through both posts, and direct messages. Most of the posts are political, and I agree that sometimes people don't fully research the subject they are posting about, which can be one of the reasons a fight breaks out. Even though there is a bad side to social media, it is still a great way to communicate with both family and friends that you don't get to see regularly.
DeleteI think That there really isn’t a better “bridge” or “border” than social media. It can be used in pretty terrible ways, like hate speech and false information, but the positives, in my opinion, outweigh those negatives. Social media is a way for people from all of the world to interact with each other. People in social media have to be able to discern whether or not something is obviously fake. People should not be using it to spread more hate, and should instead be used to spread constructive criticism instead of hate and arguing.
ReplyDeleteI think social media is the biggest bridge and border we have. Depending on how it is used it can be both. For example on the internet you can learn almost anything, talk to people across thousands of miles. However people will still try to steal, annoy, and just make people mad. This is just like real life there are good people and not so good people. I think we don’t really need to take any steps because what you end up doing is your business. If your political view is affected, you can’t blame someone else for that.
ReplyDeleteHale, I also think that social media is the biggest bridge and border in our country. I think that social media can have many positives and negatives to it but it just depends on how you use it. I agree that we shouldn't take any steps because what you do is your business but also if we try to improve this, it will end up hurting us more and making things worse. Also, to spot right from wrong, you should be aware of the risks of social media and the positives and negatives.
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ReplyDeleteI think social media can’t be beaten for the biggest “bridge” and border” technology wise. Social media can help connect people from across the world and creates cultural exchanges. But social media does create a division in many ways, for example it creates divisions with people of different ages. Older people usually have phychological differences in a negative and positive than younger people creating a border. Younger people may be more untraditional while older people are the opposite. to become better readers of social media we need to be aware of signs of that tells us what is good and bad in social media.
ReplyDeleteSahil,
DeleteI agree with you that social media is the biggest technological "bridge" and border". I do believe that just plain communication is the biggest "border/bridge" in general. For instance, people communicate in many different ways. Some in different languages while others talk in slang. This causes communicating and talking to people sometimes difficult since they might not understand what you're saying. Not only that but, different age groups use different abbreviations making it another border. Communicating, when it does work, especially if it is in a different language, makes one feel more accomplished and part of that group. Communication truly causes the most "bridges" and "boarders".
I think social media definitely is a huge “bridge” and “border” in our country because when we have a profile on ourselves it often makes us connect with people, and when we see people follow or share something we dont agree with or find wrong it will create a huge “border” between the person reading the action and who committed the action. However, I think something else that mainly divides the media and created borders is differnet News Channels. CNN and Fox, two very big news channels are known for creating borders in the political world even more so then just stating facts, because both of these news channels are biased and will create division in certain communities. The steps to become a better social media reader I would belive would be to simply not belive everything you read. Take everything with a grain of salt, understand some of the things stated are factual, yet some are simply feelings and or thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that social media is the biggest bridge and border in America. While some use it to connect with family and keep in touch with people long distance, it can also be a breeding ground for fights between users. It also serves as a place where users could feel anonymous enough to cyber bully others. While being able to join with family members and friends all around the globe and learn about what is going on in their life is important and creates a bridge, the fake news and disagreements serve as a border.
ReplyDeleteANNIE HAYES' COMMENT:
DeleteI agree with Bella in that social media can be used as both a great bridge and border that separates us. I do feel like there is a spectrum regarding which sites are more like bridges and which are like borders. For example, I think that Instagram is more of a border because you can comment publicly and like other people’s posts, which allows for more cyberbullying. In the case of Snapchat, you can comment on somone’s post but the comment can only be seen by them, which makes it more of a confrontational face to face interaction. This would case less people to cyberbully on Snapchat because there is less of a feeling of anonymity.
I think that social media is undoubtedly both a "bridge" and "border" in our society. While some use social media to connect with others and build relationships, others use the platform for asserting their views or hurting others. Many people are anonymous on social media, which allows them to hide from their actions, serving as a border. However, many people can be figuratively bridged together through social media as they can connect with old friends, and even meet new people. In my opinion, social media is the biggest technological bridge and border in our country, as it is a place for opinions to be expressed as well. Sites exist that display biased views on issues, or even news. It can become hard for the ordinary viewer to decipher this as either fact or fiction. In order to become better readers of social media, we need to be able to identify these sites, as well as stay informed with the facts. Overall, social media is a platform that divides and unites us as a country. Through connections and opinion, different people are able to obtain new information and maintain friendships.
ReplyDeleteAs many have said already, I too believe that Social Media is one of the best examples of a bridge and border in today's world. Social media is a great way to stay connected with friends and acquaintances that you may not see on a day to day basis. Coming from personal experience one of my best friends who lives across the world can only communicate to me through social media. These platforms bridge communities from all over the world, bringing people together that in any other case never would of met. Besides the benefits social media brings there are some negative aspects that act as borders too. Social media has created a lot more bullying, as people now have the option to go online anonymously and harass people with little to no consequences. As well as being able to deceive people with fake stories or photos, that influence young and old media users. Overall I believe that the bridges outweigh the borders and that the more time one spends on social media, the more capable they are of deciphering what is real and what is fake
ReplyDeleteI think that social media can be a bridge or a border. It helps us connect with people from all around the world, whether it be family members or friends. We are able to share photos, likes and dislikes with people who also share similar likes and dislikes. But one major downside of social media is that you are vulnerable to many things, once you post something it never goes away. Many times people get cyber bullied because when you are online people are anonymous which allows people the chance to say and write things that they would never do face to face.
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that social media can be a bridge and border win our country. Many aspects of the platform, constantly used by people around the world, are beneficial and can be a means of communication. However, it is also a border in the case that it can divide people based on their views and opinions: when articles compare people (in fashion polls titled "Who wore it Best?") or simply when newspapers claim a controversial idea. Whether one sees social media as a bridge or a border is their own decision, based on the way they perceive the information. Along with this, it is important to not always believe the givens on social media as anything can be posted by anyone.
ReplyDeleteSocial media I feel can serve as both a bridge and a border. For example one could get too caught up on the opinions of another and essentially get rid of their own way of thinking, just because society says one thing. They border themselves with the opinions of others, and shut themselves out from the things inside their lives. But technology can also bridge together people. Technology can help people connect from different parts of the world, and makes communication faster, easier, and more efficient. How other people see technology and social media is completely their opinion because everyone’s story and how technology affects it is different.
ReplyDeleteSocial media was first designed to be a bridge, the first being Facebook. It evolved and we as american people used it to connect with others from further away places. Places such as different city's, states, or even countries. However with the growth of social media, it has also become a border. People and young adults specifically spend so much focusing and worrying about what others think that they forget about inrteracting with others in person. Having a face to face conversation is so much more valued now because of how much more personal it is than the border of communicating through socail media even though it may be easier to talk to somebody through a screen.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you in that social media bridges people together. Social media allows you to share other aspects of your life with people as well as bring you closer to those who might not be geographically close. Social media gives people the freedom to share who they really are. It connects people with common interests, beliefs, and opinion as well as provides a free space for people to share that. Not always is your voice heard, but with social media, you can say your piece and feel heard. Not only does social media bring you closer to people of similar mindsets, but it brings together people from all over. The technological world closes the gap of distance to do so. In saying all this, this technology has a lot of downsides as well. Due to our focus on looking perfect for the social media world, we often forget to live in the moment. We must be careful with what we do because if it's online it could be with us forever. As humans, we need human interaction, and with social media, we lose some of the interactions to shape us as people because we are so worried about the virtual world.
DeleteLots of great comments above, class. There are clearly benefits and drawbacks to social media. We probably can't say categorically that it's all "bad" or all "good."
DeleteDoes anyone have thoughts on HOW we best read social media so that we can be thoughtful, critical readers?
Social media was intended to be a bridge that connects people, however it is both a bridge and a border. With social media you can connect with people easier, especially people who live in different parts of the world. However, it can also be a border as it can create a rather inclusive community that can lead to others being left out or even cyberbullied. With social media, you are able to find people who have similar interests or beliefs and create relationships you might not have otherwise made. Social media is a huge platform that allows people to be who they really are and expresses their beliefs and opinions on issues going on today. However some could argue that it also allows people to spread negativity just as easily. Differentiating between this truth and fiction is often very difficult, and in order to do so you have to look at other perspectives to understand what is credible versus what isn’t. Social media can create a bridge that connects people all over, but it can also create a border that separates us from making connections in real life.
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