Ross 1

Nicole Ross
Mrs. Recktenwald
History 1H
15 January 2016
The Social Media Revolution
Over the past few years, advances in social media have shaped, changed, and impacted
our world immensely. These technology platforms have accelerated the rate at which
relationships form and information is shared. People all over the world now use social media to
help shape the worlds events and culture, and it has taught us new ways to communicate and
collaborate with others. Recent breakthroughs in technology provide us instantaneous access to
information from any location, and it has redefined the way people use computers, phones,
tablets, etc. Social media is extremely powerful in todays society and its effects have a strong
correlation to our nations views, beliefs, and attitudes.
It is hard to believe that only a decade ago, social media was nothing more than an
evolving trend. Back then, Facebook was only in its early stages of becoming widespread.
Twitter appeared around this time as well, but many thought it was pointless and some only used
it for fun. More of these types of networks were forming, but our population did not value them
as much as we do today. Now, it has become a key part of the modern lifestyle and a successful
marketing channel for various businesses. Our world has become entirely dependent on social
media for many different reasons. We can rely on social media to bring us immediate access to
information, staying connected with people all across the globe, voice our opinions and thoughts
to share with the rest of the world, and excel in our own businesses. However, there are also
many negative effects as a result of these networks in todays society.

Ross 2
Social media has caused people to hide anonymously behind screens, become involved in
political, religious, and other types of tirades, and it has increased the rate of cyber bullying
amongst children and teens. People have become accustomed to saying things online that they
would never say in person, which results in arguments, problems, and severe consequences.
There are many posts online that highlight hateful and ignorant information, which causes much
commotion between people and may lead to others being hurt by opinions or false accusations.
Much of our population use social media to their advantage which brings nothing but negative
outcomes.
There are both positive and negative examples as to how social media has influenced our
society. It can be used as a way to gain support and spread awareness over a several topic. The
ALS challenge, a viral campaign by the ALS association, led to an explosion of videos or
donations to the organization which generated a large amount of awareness and funding. Social
media has also impacted the way we respond to and learn about natural disasters. It can be used
to mobilize rescue efforts, search for family and friends, and get updates on the current
situations. However, the Arab Spring uprisings have proven that social media can be used to
transform politics and society on a global scale. People use various networks to organize
protests, highlight and argue about their opinions towards injustices and the government, and
rally others to their cause. This often leads to violence and controversy, and many see social
media is a tool that allows people to organize criminal acts. It has also greatly affected elections
in the U.S. and around the world, by allowing people to voice their own opinions. However, this
causes people to bash on others for having opposing views and it brings much unwanted and
unnecessary hatred and disagreement.

Ross 3
Social media has reflected both positive and negative effects towards our society and the
whole world. By making communication and connecting to others much easier and faster, it has
prompted much global change. I believe that social media can be helpful and enjoyable if used
correctly, but a person can become vulnerable to the many negative consequences that are a
result from incorrectly interpreting the way social networking should be used. People all over
the world have very different views over this controversial topic. Many believe that it will help
us succeed as well as excel in the technological world, while others feel that it has damaged our
society and corrupted our generation. Even though not everyone agrees with the new
breakthrough of social networking, it has already impacted and changed our world forever. Our
world is growing more and more in the technological realm each day, and there is no way to
reform, undo, or erase the mark that this revolution will make in future history.