As I was reading through MediaShift's various blurbs from different social media experts about the pros and cons of social media, I found myself agreeing in some way with (almost) every expert. I wouldn't say I'm on the fence about whether or not social media resources are good or bad for our culture, economy, intelligence, etc., but rather that, as with any issue, there are positives and negatives no matter which social media user's patterns you observe.
As an example, I'll admit that I find myself quite often using social media sites as a jumpoff point when learning about something. This isn't to say that Facebook is where I go to get my news--if I'm seeking news, I typically go for the printed and online versions of credible news sources like my local newspapers and national and international newspapers and magazines. However, social media sites are where I often find myself learning about something I wasn't previously aware of, if I haven't seen it on television news or learned of it by word of mouth already. Once I am made aware of the situation via social media, I then seek out more reliable and credible sources so I can begin to form an educated knowledge of the story or blurb. In the end, social media hasn't dumbed me down one bit, in fact, it's oftentimes made me seek out more credible information so I can teach myself a few things.
Just a few minutes ago, I read an article that a friend posted on Facebook (alongside the link was her opinion on the issue) that really got me fired up (because I disagreed with her opinion about it)... so I went to a couple news sites to widen my knowledge of the subject and I felt better, more informed and relieved to discover that the link she chose to post was highly influenced by her religious beliefs rather than journalistic credibility (but I didn't respond either openly or privately on Facebook... she tends to be argumentative at times and I don't use Facebook as a forum for such heated disagreements!). I think this is a great example of social media [indirectly] facilitating information hunting!
Those who use social media as their steadfast go-to source for information may have been the very people who wouldn't be reading the news anyway if social media sites did not exist. But hey, even if some people are getting their information strictly from social media, it's better than the alternative of not having any information at all... sometimes.
Maggie said, "I'll admit that I find myself quite often using social media sites as a jumpoff point when learning about something."
ReplyDeleteThat is so true, and your continued comment about taking some information you happen upon through social media and continuing your search through "more reliable credible sources" is a satisfying and trustworthy tactic. I only lament the amount of TIME I find myself spending on such pleasurable roaming. I wade in, dive and snorkel, and resurface at...2:00 a.m.!
I'll end this comment with a quote, thanks to stumbleupon.com:
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be."
Douglas Adams
I do the same thing. Many of my friends on Facebook, constantly link to news articles that excite them, frustrate them or even enrage them. From those links I travel the information seas to find more information that is reliable and accurate. I actually subscribed to 'I Like Weird News' through facebook, that offers just that, weird news. When I read something on there that interests me, I look all over the place to gain a greater and more complete understanding of the topic.
ReplyDeleteI also agree on the point that maybe those retrieving information strictly from social media are the same who previously retrieved none at all. Great Post!
Maggie, the description of your web-surfing habits (which, by the way, are quite similar to mine) reminded me of something I read about "Sesame Street". When the show was first released, it sparked some controversy because some parents and educators believed it would make children unable to focus on one topic for an extended period of time, due to its short segments. Clearly, they had nothing to worry about! Perhaps social networking as a jumping-off point is the same way!
ReplyDeleteI must admit that I use social media in the same way. It's where I get a lot of my breaking news and then I too go to other sites to delve deeper when I want to. Among my Facebook friends I have noticed that the news they post about is usually local news or celebrity news. I can't think of one celebrity whose passing I have not learned about first on Facebook. What's missing, though is the national and international news (unless someone wants me to sign a petition about something). For that I have to go elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteIf the type of news I learn about through social media is similar to that of others, I fear that we'll have a lot of people who don't know all that much about what's happening outside their own social media circle if they don't get news elsewhere.