Social Wellbeing Q1-Q3

Question #1. Social media sites present people with a myriad of opportunities beyond becoming, as Ronson says, “Unpaid shaming interns?” For instance, some people do not even really interact much with others on social media. These people may only post their own content as a form of expression, but they do not look at what others post or communicate with other people on social media. Furthermore, there is usually a way to turn off the comment feature on social media posts.

Question #2. Social media offers many benefits in terms of providing opportunities for the democratization of justice. Since most social media sites are free to sign up for and create an account on, essentially anyone with access to a device and internet connection can use these services. Thus, presenting platforms for people to express themselves and voice their opinions. This can facilitate individual connections, support communities, and empower marginalized groups. Additionally, the public nature of social media encourages an ethos of accountability.

Question #3. There are definitely ways of meeting “nice people like us” on social media. In fact, a lot of groups/communities/forums/threads on social media have guidelines that users must abide by or risk having their posts removed and their access blocked. Such guidelines enable these online spaces to maintain environments that are friendly rather than demonizing.