2200073-CS220AU-portfolio-2022

What is the impact of social media influence on its audience, and how can it be prevented?

I chose this topic because I don’t like social medias, and I think this point of view is quite rare nowadays, especially for someone of my age. So I think I could have a critical and constructive approach without being biased. Social media have filled our daily lives for years. It is therefore useful to focus on one social network, in order to keep the examples concise and clear. My sources are quoted at the end of the GitHub repository. My essay plan will follow the headings below,

The concept and creation of the social media Instagram

Instagram was founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. The two co-founders met when they were both working at Odeo, a software development company that also launched Twitter. They decided to create Instagram after finding it difficult to share photos quickly and easily on existing social networks. They developed a mobile application that allowed users to take photos, filter them and share them on social networks in seconds.

The first version of the app was launched on the App Store in October 2010, only for iOS, the app was an immediate success, and within two years it reached a user base of 30 million. In 2012, Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion.

Instagram was acquired by Facebook in 2012 for $1 billion. Instagram’s business model is primarily based on advertising. Advertisers can buy advertising space to promote their products and services to Instagram users. Ads can take the form of sponsored posts, video ads, sponsored stories and ads in stories. In addition, Instagram has recently started offering e-commerce features for businesses, such as the ability to add buy buttons directly to posts.

The societal benefits it has brought

Here are some examples of using Instagram for social causes with sources to support them:

Mental health awareness has seen many Instagram users share messages of support and awareness for mental health, with hashtags such as #mentalhealthawareness.

For example, actress Jameela Jamil launched the “I Weigh” initiative on Instagram to promote self-acceptance and combat stereotypes of thinness.

Supporting green initiatives, many Instagram users share information about green initiatives and sustainable projects, with hashtags such as #gogreen or #sustainability.

For another example, actor Leonardo DiCaprio uses his Instagram account to raise awareness about climate change and biodiversity protection.

Supporting artists and creators: Instagram allows users to discover new talent and support them by sharing their work, which can help promote cultural diversity and creativity. This has enabled many artists to emerge or survive the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, the @artistsupportpledge account was created to support artists and creators during the health crisis in 2020, encouraging people to buy art.

These examples are just a small selection of the use of Instagram for social causes, there are many others. Users regularly use the platform to share messages of awareness and support for different causes, through hashtags, campaigns, dedicated accounts, etc.

The intangibility of social media

Awareness of the virtuality of social networks refers to the realisation that interactions and relationships on social networks are not real or authentic in the sense that they do not occur in real life. Users may present an idealised version of their life on social networks, which can lead to comparison behaviour and mental health problems. It is important to understand that social networks are only a part of people’s lives and should not be taken as absolute reality. It is important to maintain a healthy perspective and not to become too involved in virtual relationships.

Users can post pictures of their holidays that look perfect, but have actually been carefully selected and edited to give the appearance of an ideal trip. This can lead others to feel dissatisfied with their own lives or their own holidays.

People may present a very positive version of their life on social networks, sharing only the happy moments and hiding the problems or difficulties. This can give others the impression that their own life is less satisfying or successful.

Relationships on social networks can be superficial and may not reflect the genuine and deep relationships that develop in real life. People may have hundreds of friends on social networks, but feel lonely and isolated in real life.

Social networks can be used to compare oneself to others, whether in terms of wealth, beauty, career or relationship, which can lead to self-confidence and mental health issues.

It is important to remember that social networks are only a part of people’s lives and do not reflect everyone’s reality. It is important to maintain a healthy perspective and not become too involved in virtual relationships.

How should they be educated, and who should do it ?

Social media have a huge impact on their audience because of the reach and virality they offer. Social networks allow users to easily share information, opinions and ideas with a large audience, which can have positive consequences, such as raising awareness of social causes or promoting self-expression, but also negative consequences, such as misinformation, cyberbullying, manipulation of public opinion.

We need to be critical of the information we encounter on social networks, it is important not to take all information encountered on social networks at face value. It is important to check the source and accuracy of information before sharing it. It is also important to consider the reliability of the source and seek alternative opinions before making a decision. It is also important to remember that social networks can be used to spread misinformation or propaganda, so be critical of information that seems too good to be true.

Privacy settings on social networks allow users to protect their privacy by using privacy settings. It is important to understand how these settings work and to use them to protect personal information, such as email address and contact details. It is also important to think about who you give access to your profile and personal information, and not to hesitate to block or report users who break the rules.

Limit the amount of time spent on social networks, not spending too much time on social networks can have negative consequences on mental and physical health. It is important to limit the amount of time spent on social networks, to avoid being overly influenced by the information you encounter. It is also important to remember that social networking can be a source of stress and social pressure, so it is important to take regular breaks to disconnect.

Use the reporting features: Social networks offer reporting features to flag inappropriate content or behaviour. It is important to report content that goes against the platform’s rules or is violent, hateful or illegal. It is therefore important to report users who break the rules, to help maintain a safe and respectful environment on social networks.

Learn about the algorithms used by social networks: Social networks use algorithms to sort and display information. It is important to understand how these algorithms work and the biases they can introduce into our view of news and information. Algorithms can favour certain content or users over others, and this can lead to a distortion of reality. It is therefore important to be informed about the algorithms used by social networks and to use them critically in order to have the most objective view of news and information possible.

Social media are not recommended, or even forbidden in some countries, for people under 13. But are these restrictions not really respected, in fact, parents and guardians have a form of responsibility towards them and must respect or educate their children in the use of social networks. Wouldn’t it be better to educate instead of forbidding? As in many cases, education about the danger is better than its omission. Indeed, humans and all living beings are by nature curious and learn from contact with danger, or via the transmission of knowledge from their peers. One might also ask who should educate new users about the dangers, and the methods of using their social media? Parents or guardians? The school? The companies themselves?

In my opinion, they all have to offer some form of education but at different scales.

Parents can face different problems, their political conviction or education. Prevention of the different dangers seems to me to be essential, but we are not all equal on this point, our parents are not necessarily aware of it and are therefore not always able to carry out this education. We don’t all have the same critical abilities.

Should schools include lessons on prevention and proper use in the curriculum? What would be the key points? Yes ! Depending on the country, the state and the school may not have the same education programme, but every child should have received “prevention” and “awareness”. All this in order to guard against the major risks of social media and their potential impact on the lives of future users.

What responsibilities do social media have towards the deviations that arise from the use of its platform ?

Let’s take the example of Donald Trump, and the Capitol scandal in the USA. He used Twitter to mobilise the ‘gullible’ and politically like-minded population to protest arduously on Capitol Hill (continue via critical study of this case from three perspectives, Donald Trump (or his Twitter teams); the disruptive protesters; the rest of the US population.

Donald Trump has maintained that the 2020 election was rigged and that his victory was stolen. He has repeated these allegations of voter fraud on Twitter and at rallies, including the protest that led to the invasion of the Capitol. He also called on his supporters to march on the Capitol on the day Congress met to certify Biden’s victory. In terms of the defence he could undertake, he could argue that he did not incite violence at his protest, and that he was simply expressing his views on the election. He could also argue that he did not intend to provoke the invasion of the Capitol, and that the demonstrators who did so acted on their own. Finally, he could invoke freedom of speech to defend himself.

Members of Congress who supported Trump’s allegations of voter fraud could thus be charged with inciting violence or supporting the protesters who invaded the Capitol. The protesters themselves could be charged with participating in an insurrection, committing violence, or violating rules of conduct inside the Capitol.

Who is responsible, Donald Trump? The social network Twitter? The election? The protesters? What are the pros and cons? There are several people and entities that could be considered responsible for the January 2021 invasion of the Capitol.

Donald Trump could be seen as the main culprit, as he repeated false allegations of voter fraud and called on his supporters to march on the Capitol. He could also be charged with inciting violence or inciting insurrection.

Twitter and other social media platforms could also be held responsible for allowing the spread of these allegations of voter fraud. They could be accused of contributing to misinformation and violence.

It is also possible to hold the election responsible if irregularities were committed, but the election results were confirmed by several independent bodies and the Department of Justice and no evidence of massive fraud was found.

Finally, the protesters who invaded the Capitol could be held responsible for their illegal actions.

It is important to note that each of these individuals and entities could put forward arguments to defend themselves, and it will be up to the courts to determine the exact responsibilities.