Structural Functionalism: Social Media

Social interaction is an important aspect of a society. This is how people develop

relationships with each other; it is the heart of socialization. In todays modern society,
socialization has become easier and constantly available with the help of modern technology.
With the rise of smart phones, also comes the rise of social media. Social media has become a
significant part of our culture. It has made socializing and communicating with friends and
families easier. Since internet access and smartphones are becoming almost readily available to
anyone, more and more people are learning how to use social media such as Facebook, Twitter or
Instagram. According to an online statistics from Statica.com, social media use in the United
States grew from 24% in 2008, to 73% in 2015 (Percentage of U.S. Population). This shows
how social media is becoming a big part of our society. In functionalist theory, it is believed that
every part of the society has a function that contributes to its stability. Social media has become
increasingly useful, and its benefits continue to provide and maintain stability in the society.
One of the main purpose of social media is to promote socialization and interaction with
other people. It creates a medium where users can easily communicate with each other and share
information. For example, before the internet age, people communicate via paper mail and
telephone which sometimes costs money depending on the distance between communicators.
Today, people are able to send and receive messages instantly from different parts of the world
via social networking sites. In addition, social networking sites have features that let users find
people who they may know or related to, which makes it easier to find old friends and relatives.
Because of this, people, according to Social Work writer Maura Keller, are becoming more
social and interactive with each other (par. 3). This shows the positive effects on social
interaction social media provides. Furthermore, social media can also serve the society by

creating a platform for dating. For example, dating websites such as Match.com or smart phone
apps like Tinder allow users to find people who share the same interest as them, meet and go on a
date. Shelley Bonanno, a psychologist and psychotherapist, believes that social media dating
sites can help combat loneliness (par. 2). This shows how social media can benefit society by
helping create relationships and intimacy as well.
Besides networking, social media can also provide entertainment to its users. In Facebook
for example, people can share videos and pictures with their friends. YouTube, which is another
form of social media website allows users to create videos which they can share with their
friends to showcase anything they want. In addition, YouTube has created an opportunity for
users to get discovered for their talents and also make money out of it. In fact, according to
Harrison Jacobs of Business Insider, the biggest YouTube stars are earning more than 1 million
dollars a year in ad revenue (par. 2). This shows how social media has opened up opportunities
by creating a source of income for its users. Speaking of opportunities, business owners are now
able to advertise their business in social media sites that can help boost their sales and popularity.
This illustrates how social media can aid in economy and consumerism.
Social media can also have other benefits besides its intended use. One of social medias
latent functions that has proven really helpful is its ability for users to provide journalism in time
of crisis or disaster. People around the world and eyewitnesses are able to broadcast current
events in their area with their online friends without needing any sophisticated equipment. Wilma
Stassen of Global Media Journal believes that there is a major role to be played by social
networking in modern-day journalism [and that it adds an] in-depth research on what ordinary
people think and feel (126). For example, social media users were able to see videos from the
Nepal earthquake from eyewitnesses and tourists in the area that posted first-hand footage of the

event in their social media website. This is important because it helps spread information faster
that can aid people in times of crisis. The increasing popularity and users of social networking
sites makes it easier to reach a broad amount of people quickly. In fact, government agencies and
corporations are turning to social media for crisis management (Using Social Media). This
shows how social media is helping and providing for the people in the society. Furthermore,
social media has also helped in exposing crime and injustice. People can now post videos or
pictures in their page and this videos can sometimes go viral that can ultimately lead to justice.
For example, police brutality is becoming a major concern in our society and people are
contributing videos on YouTube or Facebook to help stop and expose offenders. In the same
context, fight videos or any crime videos posted on social networking sites are helping police
officers to capture and identify criminals. This makes social media really useful not just in our
everyday lives but crime solving as well.
In functionalist perspective, it is believed that any part of the system that doesnt
contribute, or doesnt promote social order will wither away over time. The fact that social media
continues to evolve and contribute to society proves that it has become a part of our system. It
exists in todays society to serve various functions. It acts as a place or medium for socialization
and interaction with one another. In addition, it also provides entertainment and past time for the
people which may result to lower crime rate and delinquency. Furthermore, it allows users to
express themselves without censorship. This results in latent functions such as journalism,
spreading information or even exposing injustice. Overall, social media contributes to the
stability and order needed to evolve toward greater order within the society.

Resources:
-

Bonanno, Shelley. "Social Medias Impact on Relationships." Psych Central. Psych

Central7, 7 Apr. 2015. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

Jacobs, Harrison. "We Ranked YouTube's Biggest Stars By How Much Money They
Make." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 10 Mar. 2014. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

Keller, Maura. "Social Media and Interpersonal Communication." Social Media and
Interpersonal Communication. Great Valley, May-June 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

"Percentage of U.S. Population with a Social Network Profile 2015 | Statistic." Statista.
N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

Stassen, Wilma. "Your News in 140 Characters: Exploring the Role of Social Media in
Journalism." Your News in 140 Characters: Exploring the Role of Social Media in
Journalism 4 (2010): 126. 2010. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.

"Using Social Media as a Crisis Management Tool." Emergency Management Degrees.

N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.