Response to Community Forum

1.) Social media sites do offer a platform and opportunity for people to shame people and hide behind the cloak of a computer screen. I agree that even the positive elements about social media, from advertisement to simply posting a vacation picture, can be opportunities for shaming. However, on some platforms it is not about shaming but simply about sharing pictures and updates. While some people can comment and shame others for their posts, in some “private” circles on Facebook and Instagram people only surround themselves with their close family and friends and those who hopefully, and most likely would not intend to shame them. So while I would agree that some social media sites, particularly those with public accounts, might provide people the opportunity to become “shaming interns”, there are more private circles where I do not think this shaming occurs as frequently.

2.) Social media sites provide a platform for people to voice their ideas and opinions on a variety of subjects. Social media sites like twitter and Instagram are free to download and are thus accessible to a wide population of people with access to technology. A benefit of social media is that it is relatively easy for a regular person to be given a voice. A post can reach thousands of people with the simple addition of a hashtag, even if the poster has relatively few followers. Social media gives marginalized groups and those who might not always have an opportunity to speak, the space to do so. It also keeps powerful groups and people in check, by allowing a space for journalists and regular people to voice their agreement or dissent on policies or actions taken by these powers.

3.) There are lots of ways to meet “nice people” on social media! Social media can bring together student groups, classes, and teams as spaces to provide more information and to plan events. It can also bring people with common interests together with no intent of demonizing anyone else. For example if someone likes to bake and tweets about baking using a hashtag, they could find people who used the same hashtag and find a baking community! I personally have found a fitness community and coach using social media. I have skyped with the coach a few times and she is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I would never have gotten to know her had it not been through Instagram.

I really enjoyed reading your thoughts particularly where you spoke about the enabling aspect of social media: the space to provide someone a voice. The opportunity to have a voice and share our ideas is what creates community and a sense of social cohesion. For those living alone, or who find making friends quite a challenging tasks, such opportunities can mean the difference between alone-ness and loneliness. I also enjoyed your examples of how communities can come together, through social media, around fitness and baking.