The Effects New Technologies like Online Social Media Have on International Communication - Essay Example

Analyze and Assess the Effects New Technologies like Online Social Media have On International Communication. By student’s name Course code +name Professor’s name University name City, state Date of submission Question 3 Analyze and assess the effects new technologies like online social media have on international Communication. There are some occasions or events that have took place in the world attracting and interfering with the public opinion towards the role and use of social media in initiating a societal change. This paper will raise the question whether the new technology in the social media networks can play a key role in enhancing or promoting international communication (West, &Turner, 2004 p 21). In order to answer this question it will be important to focus on the advantages and disadvantages of social networks and then put focus on international political, government or non-profit campaign. In this case, diplomacy would be used to represent a form of international political communication. The social media have several advantages and disadvantages as far as international communication is concerned. Some of its advantages include the following. Media democratization, this is a appoint where there are common reforms that seeks to make sure that the media plays its role in serving, as well as, promoting the accessibility and diversifying among the major media corporations that regulates them. Social media also promotes relationship and conversions; this means that a good relationship is enhanced between people with a common interest in the globe (Fiske, & John, 1990 p 45). It is important to note that individuals are different in one way or the other; however, a large group of people through social media networks have been able to find resembling minded people flocking together and using certain resources in connection to communication. This indicates that social media networks are geared towards different groups of people in the society. Creativity and re-mix culture, it is a point where people who meet opinions and communicate through the social network are from different parts of the world. Therefore, through communication, sharing of different cultures is enhanced. They are also able to share ideas enhancing creativity. Social media networks helps in sharing and connections in the society. This creeps in when people are able to share ideas from different areas in the world. Through sharing of ideas transfer of knowledge is possible across the globe. A boost of transparency in government and organizations is possible to achieve through the new technology or use of social networks (Mohammadi, 1997 p 68). This is a point where people are able to criticize an issue about a certain issue in the world through the social media. For example, a certain country may interfere with the security of another leading to such actions be communicated to large group of people through the social media in the world. A certain message can easily and fast get to reach too many people, the reason behind it is that the number of people in these social networks is large and these networks are accessible to almost every one in the world. This enhances a fast way of international communication. Apart form the above disadvantages analyzed; there are a number of disadvantages that arise from social networks in enhancing international communication is concerned. There is a lot of content that is posted in these social networks where most of it is overlooked. Currently there is lack of good filters to these contents and it’s hard to find the best content that should be appropriate for people to share and read (Maherzi, 1997 p 56). This also makes it hard for writers to have problem in deciding on the kind of content that they consistently put across this media. Through anonymity it is possible to cause polarization and hate. There are no clear measures that have been put in place to trace the owner of certain messages in these social media. As a result, some hate messages may be put across through the network and it would be hard to trace its source. This shows that the social media may be used in causing social unrest internationally. Some other disadvantages include; overload in information, as well as, social media overload, and to have a life and Work balance becomes a hard task to achieve. It is therefore crucial to note that technology and a society as well, moves forward when every one stands a chance of a breaking point instant and history, making it vital and necessary to reach to a halt and reflect about the societal trail. Social media is a new technology and the question whether they aid in the process of supporting or hindering the development of either national or international society sphere is also very important in this case. It is clearly seen that social networks are certain tools that give support to diplomacy. However, through analysis, use of social media by foreign affair ministries as public diplomacy networks does not convince in anyway that they contribute to the expansion of the relational sculpt of public diplomacy internationally. In the beginning of 2011 in North Africa there were a lot of proliferation between Aljazeera and impacts that resulted from social media. All this was possible due to human revolutions that were taking place as a result of implementation of social media (Macnamara, 2010 p 64). Some new technologies used in this case were mobile texting, internet websites, computers and all the conducts contained in the understanding of the patterns of international communication. International communication and public diplomacy is still an important aspect. However, the acting groups include a large number of entities compared to thirty years ago. Therefore, international communication has been narrowed and targeted to mass at role audiences. This kind of new technology has been able to create a great symmetry in the international patterns of communication. It is important to note that the primary revolutions phase in North Africa in 2011 drew the attention of international audiences as a result of the role that the social media in particular text messaging played in the preparing and demonstration of this issue. The old system of global broadcasting seems to work normally; however, text messaging and other social media mainly contributes a lot to the social change logics (Kavoori, 2009 p 23). All the same, clamming that social media enhances democracy would be an optimistic claim. This can be supported by the fact that there are some areas where digital tools where used in the societal and political adjust achievements, for example, Spain in the year 2004 and Moldova in the year 2009. These achievements were later followed by Belarus and Iran failures in 2006 and 2009.It is clear to note that the success mainly depends on the community sphere in a country (Maherzi, 1997 p 25). That is on the opposition position, public dissertation, and availability of oppositional situations for a society growth. Therefore, the impacts that any form of social media may be holding on the social changes simultaneously gives them great implication as far as international relations is concerned. In this case social media can be clearly understood as a form of new communication technology that is able to allow individuals to intensify social contacts while at the same time get involved in content sharing, engage in discussions and be able to put controlling networks through the network that they are able to participate (Macnamara, 2010 p 87). This helps the social media to contribute to the identity construction, which is possible through self presentation. In the case of political aspect social media can be used purposefully in the image construction and more so can not be assumed or disused because they serve as websites image, as well as, identity for deconstruction. Therefore, the social media role in the political turmoil can stretch easily to the international relation more so on public democracy. It is understood here that public democracy is a public appearance of political international communiqué that is aimed at community abroad (Maherzi, 1997 p 14). The key task of public diplomacy is to come up with a countries image that is positive, society, and one which is able to have influence on the public opinion. All this is aimed at shaping the positive altitudes directed to a certain country and thus, making the international strategy goals more easier to achieve In conclusion, it is important to note that social medial can force a person to rethink more on the international communication concept. The already well known patterns are easy to implement to facilitate for an international flow of information. Diplomacy can be one of the foreign policy tools and at the same time be taken as an outline of political international communication. This is what makes the most appropriate case to trail the requirement and to have a clear understanding of the character changes. These changes can be displayed by social media and has affects on the conduct of international broadcasting and communication. Reference List Fiske, John 1990. Communication, meaning, and signs. Introduction to communication studies (pp.39-63).London, New York: Routledge. Kavoori, A. P. 2009. The logics of globalization: studies in international communication. Lanham, MD, Lexington Books. Macnamara, J. 2010. The 21st century media (r)evolution: emergent communication practices. New York, Peter Lang. Maherzi, L. 1997. World communication report: the media and the challenge of the new technologies. Paris, Unesco. Mohammadi, A. 1997. International communication and globalization a critical introduction. London, Sage Publications. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10392718. West, R., &Turner, L.H 2004.what is communication? Introduction to communication theory: Analysis and Communication (pp.3-21).New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Read More