In connection with the launch of Web 2.0 we got a more interactive use of the Internet than ever before. Many people produce texts, statements, music and movies and publish them on the World Wide Web.
I have an impression that most youngsters are users of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, and MSN. In statistics about members of Facebook in Norway, we can see that many of the younger grown-ups are members (25 - 44 years old). Now we can post our opinions in blogs (like mine), videos on Youtube, share files through file sharing networks, write facts on the online encyclopedia Wikipedia and many other possibilities. This wasn’t possible before if you weren’t a musician on a contract with a record company, a journalist or working for a publisher.
Here's a video that explains Web 2.0 in an informative way
I have an impression that most youngsters are users of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, and MSN. In statistics about members of Facebook in Norway, we can see that many of the younger grown-ups are members (25 - 44 years old). Now we can post our opinions in blogs (like mine), videos on Youtube, share files through file sharing networks, write facts on the online encyclopedia Wikipedia and many other possibilities. This wasn’t possible before if you weren’t a musician on a contract with a record company, a journalist or working for a publisher.
I think that the use of social media is a more democratic way for people to speak out their mind. Before this era started, in the eighties and early nineties, we had only a few TV stations and radio channels, and there were a few people on the top who decided who would get a chance to speak or perform.
Now you can make a video of yourself and broadcast it on Youtube. On this video sharing site everyone can see your contribution. Some people are smart and choose a song that is very popular at the moment (for example Lady Gagas “Born this Way”), and people will make a search for that song. Then maybe some people will check at your version of the song. If it’s good you will get good comments on your performance and many “thumbs up”. This will maybe make some “important people” aware of you. This happened to a girl in Winnipeg in the US recently. She was invited by Lady Gaga to perform on stage with her. Take a look at the video of the girl when she gets the message from Lady Gaga:
With the aspect of blogging you have the chance to broadcast your opinions on what you feel for. If you have an engaging blog you will have many followers, and then you have the possibility to influence a lot of people in for example political views. Blogs can maybe help developing democracy in countries with dictators. Maybe that’s already happening in countries in the Arabic world…?
The concept of social media is a good thing in the democratic aspect, as I have pointed out earlier. People can participate in discussions and influence the public opinion, and that’s a good thing. A challenge with social media could be that youngsters are not aware about the consequences of publishing private stuff on the internet. Many don't understand when they publish something online, it's public. When it's online maybe people who wasn't supposed to see your post actually can. Another aspect is that it's easier to be a bully when you're not facing a person, and you also have the possibility to be anonymous. Digital bullying is happening on arenas like Facebook and other social medias. So I can see the back side of the use of social media as well, but this is new for us, and I believe that we can fight back the bullying with making good rules for proper use of social media.
Short video that explains the concept of blogs (weblogs)
The concept of social media is a good thing in the democratic aspect, as I have pointed out earlier. People can participate in discussions and influence the public opinion, and that’s a good thing. A challenge with social media could be that youngsters are not aware about the consequences of publishing private stuff on the internet. Many don't understand when they publish something online, it's public. When it's online maybe people who wasn't supposed to see your post actually can. Another aspect is that it's easier to be a bully when you're not facing a person, and you also have the possibility to be anonymous. Digital bullying is happening on arenas like Facebook and other social medias. So I can see the back side of the use of social media as well, but this is new for us, and I believe that we can fight back the bullying with making good rules for proper use of social media.
