The use of social media has never been more apparent than in today's society. Almost everyone I know has a facebook site, a twitter account or blog. The notion of social media is one that is talked about reguarly and the phrase "social media" is one which is thrown around regularly, and I like to define it as social instrument of communication which is a two way street where people can produce and consume as much as they like.
What amazes me these days is the prominence of social media. I, like many others I know, reguarly are checking, updating and communicating via Facebook. It is such a significant apart of many lives, and I find myself often checking Facebook to gain insight on news and affairs within society. A recent example was when I was extremely interested in where National Basketball Association basketballer Lebron James was going to sign for the upcoming season. He was a free agent, and was holding a press conference to announce his decision. I was unable to view the press conference due to the fact that I was at work, and thus, instead of listening to the radio, or checking the NBA.com website or ESPN.com website, I chose to check Facebook to see where he decided to sign as I knew people would be making status updates about it.
Naturally, people had been talking about it on their Facebook pages and I was able to be informed that he had signed in Miami. To think of social media as an outlet for news and information a few years ago would have been unheard of, however now you are able to gather news and information through peer to peer networking.
The joys of Facebook!
Did those who updated their status get it from online news sources?
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm asking - wouldn't have you found out more quickly by checking a US sports news site?
Either way, you do make an interesting point. FB's often the first place I hear certain types of news. It isn't where I go to look for it, though. Yet.
You do make a valid point, I easily could have checked a US sports news site, but I knew my friends would have already, and I guess I wanted to see what they were saying about it and their thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI checked a US Sports Site after to confirm the news, however I wanted to see the opinions of people who I had discussed the issue with all week.
I do not seek all my news from Facebook, in saying that though, like you, I go to it for some forms of information.