We all know what the newspaper, TV and radio, right? If not, then you must’ve at least heard about their existence… right? Well, I’ll just assume that you do. If you don’t, well, you’re the kind of oaf that Google was made for. No offense.
Anyway, we all know that these three are essential avenues for information dissemination, no? It’s helped bring the nation together time and time again. One notable occasion is the first EDSA movement of 1986.
Another special moment is during the battle in Marawi. Since, honestly speaking, if it wasn’t shown on TV, I probably would never had known that it was happening just a couple miles east of my hometown.
So, what about now? Does social media really have any impact? I mean, we’re doing well enough with just the three I’ve mentioned earlier – which’re also dubbed ‘Traditional Media’.
But if so, then why does my teacher want me to do this blog-post?
Well, that question’s easy.
It’s because the School Administration tells my teacher to do it. Even though my strand is STEM. Blog-posting isn’t in the acronym, right? Or is it one of those ‘written in the fine-print’ things.
But, really, let’s be serious.
Social media has been a large part of our world, ever since ‘Six Degrees’, an obscure website that allowed you to put up a profile and post weird shite of days long past – to the giant, time-siphoning monster called ‘Facebook’ of today.
But… what is Social Media?
Well, you get a better idea of Social Media if you break the term into its two components: social and media. The ‘social’ part comes from people interacting with each other. And the ‘media’ part comes from the platforms that make these interactions possible.
So, what are the differences? Well, I’ll let Ms. Sunil Saxena solve that question.
Here’s some basic info-graphics that she made on one of her blog-posts.
Credits : http://www.easymedia.in/7-differences-social-media-traditional-media/
Easy, right? So, basically, both have their own advantages and disadvantages. For one, traditional media is very hard to use for spreading faulty information. Social Media on the other hand, is rife with such disconcerting things. I’m looking at you, Mocha Uson.
But, if we’re asking whether or not, its acceptable as a news or information outlet, then the answer is a resounding: YES!
This fact was especially true during the Yolanda disaster of 2013, when Google put up, the appropriately named, Yolanda People Finder. It was only thanks to the recurring typhoons in recent Philippine history that Google decided to make it.
During the grueling typhoon, the people finder was a vital tool for people across the globe to track the situation of their relatives. This proved to be successful and is now adapted by many more organizations to help people track relatives and friends during calamities.
It kept records of all the people who have been affected by the typhoon. If someone was looking for anyone, ‘they’ will ‘search’ their entire database and will ‘look’ for the person you are finding. Inputting any specific information about the person also helped further narrow down the search. It was also possible to post any information about someone who is affected by the typhoon.
Without a doubt, anyone who was able to utilize this creation to it’s fullest was a very grateful person.
Amazing, no? That some very talented nerds would actually spare the people some of their gaming time, to help. Truly, thank you very much, for your sacrifice. T-T
Anyway, I’ll end this post here. I hope to see you guys again, very soon!
Ceedee's Musings 