Todays Technological

Revolution
By: Ghadeer Lamah

How much has our world changed as a result of social media?

Remember when you had
to watch the news to hear
about the latest tragedy? Or
send a letter to keep in touch
with a loved one? In this
generation none of that is
necessary with social media
taking the world by storm.
News and information is
spread in a second.
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Natural Disaster
Response

Natural disasters are

something that greatly affect
not only the area that they
hit, but the whole country as

aided in learning about these

disasters, and responding to
them quicker. For example.
when the 7.0 magnitude
earthquake struck Haiti,
social media was utilized to
perform rescue efforts and
help support the community.
This was also the cause of a
very successful text-todonate campaign that raised
money for Haiti at the time.
Lets not forget the time that
an earthquake and a tsunami
demolished parts of Japan on
March 11, 2011, that had the
entire world working and
helping to find family and
friends through social media
and update themselves on
the terrors that happened
subsequent the disaster. Or
lastly, when New York had an
earthquake and citizens
relied on social media for
updates before the quakes
reached them.
Organizations like Red
Cross have been especially
successful in using social
media to organize events,
donations, and anything
volunteers can do to help

User-Generated News
The government always
had complete control of what
citizens hear and dont hear
in the news; what pictures
they see and dont see. But
now that social media has
taken over, it has changed
how people hear their news.
People from all over share
their side of the stories
through personal articles,
tweets, posts, pictures, and
videos that it has become
more difficult for the
government to conceal things
from their citizens. This has
caused some major
controversy. For example. in
July 2015 photos submitted of
Sandra Blands mugshot on
the media caused millions to
question what really
happened to her.

The Survivor Times ELA Mary E. Volz School Runnemede, New Jersey

Todays Technological
Revolution
By: Ghadeer Lamah
it becomes a mission to
rebuild and restore that area
once more. Although, as
resources are limited, this
can sometimes be quite a
hassle.
Social medias speed has
aided

these causes. It is clear that

social media has been a big
help with the recovery during
natural disasters.

The Survivor Times ELA Mary E. Volz School Runnemede, New Jersey

Todays Technological
Revolution
By: Ghadeer Lamah

Effects Elections
Social media
has definitely
played its role in
politics as it
change the way
people discuss
politics, hear about
politics, and
organize for
political causes.
Also candidates
can easily use social media to help with their campaign and
self-advertising. During president Obamas election in 2008
and 2012, social media was taken advantage of to organize
supporters and campaigns. Even in the 2016 election,
candidates have taken to social media to spread their ideas
and share with their supporters, and non-supporters.
This, however, does not only apply to US politics. In several
countries, including Iran and Egypt, where political speech is
more limited, organizers were able to use social media to
convey their thoughts, ideas, and influences. Even the political
events and distress that took place in Ukraine show that social
media can be used to organize against a government that
doesnt listen to their people.

What The Editorials Said

Cons of Social Media

Although social media can be very
beneficial to businesses and
marketing, there is always the factor
of using it incorrectly, consequently
affecting a business in a negative way.
Not having a clear marketing strategy
was resulting reduced benefits of a
business, as social media is immediate
and needs constant monitoring.
Negative feedback is always a
possibility, or even hacking.
Also, although social media is a
great way to talk and connect with
friends all over the world, it is
important to consider the fact that
there are always bullies and online
predators. Because it is so easy to
simply hide behind a screen or profile
picture, posing as someone you arent
in order to reach a victim is far too
easy. In fact, over half of young
people report being cyber bullied at
one point (CyberBullyRadar). The
internet is a source that is far too easy
to manipulate, therefore it cannot be
relied on solely.
Bottom line is that social media is
unpredictable. Because of how simple
it is for someone to share their
opinions, this can bring negative
attention.

Editor Nick Bilton wrote an editorial in the NY Times

about how popular GIFs, or short animated videos, have
affected the presidential election and how the public perceives
the candidates. He said that In the same way that GIFs can
humanize candidates, they can also make candidates appear
less appealing (Bilton). Jenna Wortham also wrote an article
in the NY Times on her opinion on social media in terms of
using as a place to mourn the deaths of loved ones. She
explains, Social media platforms have introduced procedures
for handling profiles after their owners die. Families may
decide whether to preserve
a lovedTimes
ones old
accounts;
if they
The Survivor
ELA
Mary E.
Volz School Runnemede, New Jersey
do, the accounts become memorials, designated places to lay
a digital bouquet (Wortham).

Todays Technological
Revolution
By: Ghadeer Lamah

The Survivor Times ELA Mary E. Volz School Runnemede, New Jersey