Social

Q 1:Social media sites are not JUST opportunities for people to become unpaid shaming interns. Yes, this does happen, but it is not the main reason people use social media. Social media platforms have many different uses. For example, I use Facebook to keep in contact with family members and old friends who I don't necessarily see very often. I can see what my cousins in Ireland are up to. The same goes for Instagram. Instagram allows me to see what people are up to and it is a tool to help communicate with others. I like to DM my friends funny memes on Instagram or Twitter in a way to communicate with them and share a laugh. It would be too much to text or call everyone every day to catch up. This friendly meme messaging allows constant communication without having to actually talk. It keeps some friendships alive. Most of the accounts I have come across that do the "shaming" (cursing, bullying etc.) are fake or "bot" accounts. These accounts are created for this reason - to be a hater. Most of the time, a real name/face is not connected to this account. It is a way for people to be mean without having much accountability. I don't believe that average people do this. I think very disturbed people have an agenda for this.

Q2: Social media is beneficial in the way that it provides a voice for everyone who has access to it. People from all over the world can communicate which allows for the democratization of justice. Twitter is a very powerful tool. I have learned a lot from what has been posted on Twitter. People from different sides of the world can talk about their experiences and create a common stance on subjects including politics and interests. It is truly amazing.

Q3: There are ways of meeting nice people like us on social media. Talking about what you believe in does not mean you have to bash others for what they believe or discredit them. A lot of this hate stems from politics spread on Twitter and Facebook, but when you have a President like Trump, it is hard not to become divided.