Does Social Media Promote Freedom - Case Study Example

Does social media promote freedom MODEL CASE a) Tom is 12 years old. He had an accident and is resting at home. He has an account on Facebook, YouTube and MySpace. He was able to open these by changing the year of his birthday. On Facebook, he chats with his classmates about the lessons he had missed since his accident. On MySpace, he listens to uploaded music shared by other users because he does not have money to buy the new albums of his favorite bands. He also posts his thoughts about a teacher in school he does not like very much on his MySpace blog. With his alias, he uses profanity and posts disturbing pictures. On YouTube, he watches videos with content unsuitable for young people. On all his accounts, he posts comments, shares and likes on photos, videos, music, etc. he finds worth his attention. b) Facebook, YouTube and MySpace are ways to interact with other people on the Internet. Tom was free to lie about his real age in creating the accounts. Tom was still able to study the same lessons as his classmates even when confined at home. Tom is limited financially but he is able to enjoy media others pay for. Tom is able to express his negative thoughts without fear of reprimand. Tom is able to express his personal opinion without restriction. c) SOCIAL MEDIA FREEDOM Interaction on the Internet Ability to physically perform task Perform physical activities virtually Allows fearless expression Allows sharing of paid media Acquire things others have Real-time communication Allows uninhibited expression 2. CONTRARY CASE a) Lucy is 10 years old. She can only use her mother’s iPad after she is done with her homework. Using her information, Lucy’s mother created a Facebook account for her daughter. On Facebook, Lucy plays with free applications such as Farmville, Chefville and Pet Society. Some things she wants to get for her pet in Pet Society need to be bought with gold. Lucy’s mom doesn’t want to buy gold so Lucy is starting to be bored with this app. One time, Lucy posted a picture on Facebook. The picture did not appear on her Facebook page. Also, she got a message that the picture was offensive. Her mother had to help her reply to the message and adjust the settings of her profile. b) Lucy could not create the account alone. Lucy’s use of social media was only after her school work was completed. Lucy could do only certain activities on the social network. Facebook had a content policy for posting offensive materials. The apps Lucy played had a requirement in order to be enjoyed fully. At a certain level in the apps she was playing, Lucy’s freedom to do what she wanted stopped. Lucy had to pay to go to a new level where she could do more things. c) SOCIAL MEDIA FREEDOM Only available to certain age group Not absolute Ultimately controlled user content Can be bought Limited user’s activities Is given in stages Use is based on a condition 3. BORDERLINE CASE a) Vien is 18 years old and a student majoring in film-making. She has a YouTube account and primarily uses it to upload her home videos and do research for her distance learning classes. Since opening an account on YouTube was free, Vien didn’t need to figure it into her tight budget. Right now, she is very upset. The film her teacher assigned for a research paper was indeed available on YouTube. However, only a few minutes of it was uploaded by the user. There was a link to the full video but, when Vien went on the site, it asked her to pay $10 to access the full video. b) Vien meets the age requirement to have an account on YouTube. Posting videos can be done any time without cost. YouTube can facilitate learning. Generally, viewing is free. User decides what content to upload. c) SOCIAL MEDIA FREEDOM Limited availability Not constant Accessibility of content not absolute Dependent on source Educational Helps with a tight budget 4. RELATED CASE a) Adulthood = independence b) Like social media & freedom, an independent adult can interact with whoever he wants to, do and say whatever he wants An adult has more means to communicate with others like social media provides Like joining social media, anyone can be an independent adult The freedom of an independent adult can only be to the extent offered by society As to how user content is to social media, the exceptions to the bill of rights is to the independent adult c) Is independence the same as freedom? 1.) Model Case a. 21-year old Mark works as a freelance consultant. When meeting clients, Mark is available any time of the day. He lives alone in his comfortable & spacious apartment and pays all the bills from money he has earned. His consultancy fees vary, depending on the case. There is no curfew in this building so he can come and go as he pleases. This is perfect for his job which is the reason he decided to stay here. When he does not feel like meeting a client, he calls and tells them he is sick or has a sudden emergency. b. * Mark works on his own time. * He is able to live and survive by himself. * He can do whatever he wants whenever he wants. * He doesn’t have rules to follow doing his job. c. Independence Freedom Able to act without assistance No restrictions Survival depends on oneself Allows one to make decisions Promotes being responsible Activities satisfy the doer 2.) Contrary Case a. Lorna is 35 years old, single and working at a law firm as a paralegal. She had lived away from her parents since starting university. She shares her apartment with a friend who is studying to get a master’s degree. Lorna and her friend share payments for all the bills. If her budget is unexpectedly short, Lorna borrows money from her roommate/friend. One time, Lorna had met her friends an hour after the time they had set because her boss had wanted her to complete some documents before leaving the office. So, she had gotten home very late as well. Lorna had to be very quiet entering the apartment because her roommate was already asleep. Although she didn’t feel like going to work the next day due to lack of sleep, she got up and got to the office at 7:30am. Their company observed a flexi-time arrangement so she can come in any time she wanted. However, she had documents to prepare for a meeting at 8:00am. b. * Lorna earns her own keep but needs financial help sometimes. * Sharing an apartment requires each individual to adjust when needed as a sign of respect for the other person’s space and time. * Lorna’s job must follow the company rules on attendance. * She cannot stay home even if she wants to because she had a responsibility at work. * Her work interferes with her personal time. c. Independence Freedom Is not consistent Level can be modified Actions must conform to etiquette established by society Enjoyment is dependent on the situation Negatively influenced by responsibility Is not absolute 3.) Borderline Case a. Four tourists (A, B, C, D) are visiting for a week. Only A can speak English well enough to ask around when the group needs help. On their fifth day, A got sick and had to stay at the hotel. On a scheduled tour for that day, B, C & D worriedly joined the tour group. Around lunch time, B went inside a shop while the C & D went back to the tour bus. When the tour guide saw them, she told the driver they could go to the next stop. C & D started trying to tell the tour guide to wait because B was still shopping. After almost 5 minutes of trying to get their message across, D called A who explained to the tour guide. The tour bus went back to the lunch stop and they saw B also trying to ask help from the shop owner. b. * The tourists were going around a new country by themselves. * B, C, D were able-bodied individuals but needed A in communicating in English. * A could help them but was confined in the hotel. * B was able to shop alone but couldn’t go back to the hotel without help. * C & D needed the tour guide to get back to B even if they knew where to go. * B was asking for assistance from the shop owner even if he was an adult. c. Independence Freedom Ability to do what one desires No restrictions in one’s actions Presents new experiences Have different kinds – physical & expression Can be influenced by culture Can be limited by sickness Not absolute Can be limited by culture 5. INVENTED CASE a) In a land called Rosi, people have not heard of the Internet. They communicate the old-fashioned way using phones and post mail. Mona lives in Rosi but wants to study in Pusan, a highly advanced country that uses the Internet. She is in contact with her cousin who lives in Pusan. She waits eagerly for the mailman to pass by her house with her cousin’s letter because it contains documents she needs to complete. She then sends her reply, marking her calendar for the days it takes for her letter to arrive to her cousin’s home. Mona’s cousin calls with bad news. The university had announced that they have to end the application process two days early because of an emergency. Mona checks her calendar. It will take at least 3 more days for her cousin to receive the documents Mona had mailed. She was frustrated but couldn’t share it with her friends and family right away. b) * The absence of social media limited Mona’s source of information to her cousin’s viewpoint. * The absence of social media made communication difficult and slow. * Mona’s freedom to go to a school of her choice was negatively influenced by the school’s decision to end applications early. * The person’s need to unburden their emotions or share their thoughts was restricted by time. c) SOCIAL MEDIA FREEDOM Efficiency Influenced by outside factors Speed of communication Encourages initiative Internet-dependent Readily available for enjoyment 6. SOCIAL CONTEXT: a) Proponents of freedom of speech Researchers of the effect of social media on the behavior of an individual People who take issue with the privacy policy of social media sites People who take disagree with the policy on offensive material or pornographic content of social media sites Groups who cannot access social media (i.e. those with physical impairments significant to using social media or the Internet; those who do not have access to Internet or a computer because of social class, etc.) b) They would ask it - Proponents of freedom of speech, people & the privacy policy /offensive material or pornographic content of social media sites – to further their cause Researchers – to explain certain human behaviors Groups who cannot access social media – because they disagree with the idea c) This would be an excellent context to place the question in because people with disabilities are not physically free to enjoy social media. The group may not have the necessary skills or means to be a part of social media. This circumstance directly negates the premise of why social media has become very popular – the convenience of real-time communication around the world without moving from one’s seat. Social media cannot give this group the same kind of freedom it offers to its users. SOCIAL MEDIA FREEDOM Only available to certain people Is limited in some aspects Can be used for research Is a luxury for some people Can be utilized to support a faction Is not available to all people 7. PRACTICAL RESULTS a) Does social media promote freedom? (YES!) People would spend more time on social media expressing their thoughts and emotions and may not have time to do other tasks. People from different cultures would be able to know more about each other’s cultures. Social media companies would have to find a way to manage the increase in users. Social media would be used in propaganda. People’s moral values may be corrupted because anything and everything can be posted on social media sites. b) Does social media promote freedom? (NO!) Social media companies would lose users who feel restricted. Eventually, people would not be interested in using social media. Social media would lose income from advertisers because the market the media is available to will be limited. If creating an account requires payment, social media would be exclusive to the rich. Social media would be popular (or unpopular) because it is revenue-generating and not because it is a means to communicate with others. c) SOCIAL MEDIA FREEDOM Income-generating Time-consuming May result to negative & harmful behavior of users Used for propaganda Can be bought by money Exclusive to a social class Encourages learning Unmanageable growth/popularity Brings about alienation 8. RESULTS IN LANGUAGE: a) Social Media: 1. Interaction – People think social media is a method of interaction with others. 2. Communication – People associate social media with communication because the content of social media manifests the user’s emotions & thoughts 3. Readily accessible – Because the presence of the Internet is prevalent and social media requires the Internet, social media is deemed readily accessible to people. 4. Convenience – People think social media facilitates ease of interaction because using it is not very difficult Freedom: 1. Available to all – People believe they are free 2. Limitations – To have freedom is to not be restricted in one’s actions. However, there are instances where freedom is only enjoyed up to a certain point. 3. Can encourage negative behavior – Since it is not restricted, people often do whatever they want even if the action is not proper 4. Can be bought by money – At times, people “buy” the freedom to do what they want b) Concept: Social Media 1. Virtual – Social media is designed to be on the Internet, thus making every activity hindered by time and space possible to do. 2. Real-time communication – Communication on social media is immediate so getting in touch with other people does not take time. 3. Educational – A lot of information can be acquired on social media and these can be used in school or for personal insight. 4. Efficiency – Because it operates in real-time, responses to urgent matters is received right away. 5. Worldwide reach – Social media is present almost everywhere in the world. As such, it can be used to promote humanitarian causes or those that need the attention of all societies. 6. Income-generating – Because of its worldwide reach, people are able to talk about their businesses and communicate with their clients Concept: Freedom 1. Capability – People who are free are able to do what they want 2. Expression – Freedom allows individuals to speak out their thoughts 3. Access to otherwise paid or unavailable media – Freedom encourages individuals find ways to get they want even if it is not readily available to them 4. Helps with economically challenged people – Freedom empowers people to look for other methods of meeting their needs c) Q: Does social media promote freedom? A: Yes. Social media encourages people to be free because of how it is designed. First, the social media websites do not require a fee to register and have an account. YouTube, for example, do not even require a person to register. Content on YouTube is available for everyone. Second, social media operates on a virtual platform. As such, a person does not have to leave his home to “meet” his friends. A child can replicate famous tourist sites in a matter of seconds. Third, users of social media sites are free to give their thoughts or feelings on the contents that catch their attention. Lastly, because an aspect of social media is sharing content with others individuals who would otherwise be limited in acquiring the information due to financial or physical constraints would get the same from their friends or the people who have shared it on their social media profiles. 9. INTERIOR DIALOGUE: a) After a review of my notes, I still think that social media ultimately promotes freedom. b) Q: Don’t you think the restrictions on user content that social media websites have are a limitation to freedom? A: No, I don’t. Limitations on user content apply only to information that may hurt other people. This restriction is applied after the information has been posted. As such, the user who posted the content was free to do so. 10. ESSAY OUTLINE: Introduction: I will answer the question “Does social media promote freedom?” Social media promotes freedom because physical limitations are not an issue. Social media crosses cultural barriers. Social media allows for freedom of emotions and expressions. Some people contest that social media does not completely give freedom to users because of restrictions in their user policy. Body: Paragraph 1 – Physical limitations People do not need to meet face-to-face to exchange ideas. Social media allows for real time communication. Everything on social media is done virtually so activities can be endless. Paragraph 2 – Cultural barriers Social media is designed to reach every person around the world. There are no language problems because people help each other communicate. Because social media’s reach is worldwide, people from different cultures can learn about each other online. Paragraph 3 – Freedom of expression Social media allows people to say what they think. Social media even provides emoticons so people can express their emotions. Paragraph 4 – Objections User policy regarding offensive materials does not encourage freedom of expression Criticism: What is offensive to one may not be offensive to another Conclusion: I believe that social media does promote freedom. Despite restriction policies, social media has been a successful means of providing freedom of expression. It has also successfully bridged the gap created by time and distance. With its virtual platform, social media has allowed people to do many things that they cannot physically do. DOES SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTE FREEDOM? In this paper, I will explain why I believe social media does promote freedom. Indeed, many people complain that social media does not truly give the user freedom because of the content restrictions in its user policy. However, in my opinion, the reason social media has become a phenomenon in today’s society is because it encourages not only freedom of speech but also freedom from cultural and physical barriers. Physical limitations are described as not being able to complete an activity because the person cannot do so with his body. Having a meeting or attending class are some examples. Through social media, a person does not need to be physically present at these situations. Because communication on social media is made on the Internet and in real time when necessary, people are able to discuss things even when each of them is in different parts of the world. There is no delay in the exchange of information. Students who were absent in class today would still be able to complete assignments like their classmates who were at school. In communication, cultural barrier is one of the most difficult to overcome. There are a lot of factors such as language and customs that come into play in understanding a person from another country. Through the help of social media, a person in Asia does not need to travel to Europe to learn more about the people living there. With common friends in their network, language translation apps, pictures and videos on social media, people from various parts of the world are able to learn the culture of others. Freedom of expression is the biggest appeal of social media websites. An individual is allowed to comment on, view, like, post, share and follow another’s content on a social media site. There are also emoticons, a type of graphic art that manifest a person’s different emotions, available on the site so an individual can add visual representations as emphasis. Before, this kind of interaction was only available to people belonging to the same group of friends. Recently, however, even persons who do not share a common friend or acquaintance can interact with each other. Of course, as with all other things, the freedom on social media sites is not absolute according to some people. These websites do not allow a user to post content that is offensive or pornographic. Their systems are designed to review and remove material that has been flagged and are found violating this policy. There have been objections with this rule because as some users point out each person has a different interpretation of offensive or pornographic. Regardless of the issue on content restriction, I am still of the opinion that social media advances freedom. It has made the distance between peoples very small. It has also enabled people to perform a variety of tasks they cannot possibly do in a non-virtual environment. Because of these, social media is able to provide various forms of freedom to people. Read More