Project 2: Institution Analysis

SOCIAL MEDIA
By: Shelley Quema
History of the Internet
The internet evolved from a computer system by the U.S Defense Department in 1962.
This computer system was called ARPAnet
This system was created to enable scholars and military researchers to continue their
government work.
Though the internet is assessable to many people around the world, back then you had
to have held a position in a university or a government research laboratory.
Tim Berners-Lee, from Switzerland, introduced the World Wide Web in 1962.
The World Wide Web: is an Internet that was not simply a way to send files from one
place to another but was itself a web of information that anyone on the Internet
could retrieve.
Berners-Lee created the Internet that we know today.
History of the Internet cont.
In 1992, a group of students and
researchers at the University
of Illinois developed a sophisticated browser
that they called Mosaic. (It later became
Netscape.)
This program allowed users to see words and
images on the same page and to navigate
using scrollbars and clickable links.
After, the Government stated that the
internet could be used for commercial
purposes.
Companies and entrepreneurs began
setting up their own websites.
Most recently, social media became a
popular way for people around the world to
stay connected.
The emergence of Social Media
A website called Six Degrees was the first social media site.
Six Degrees allowed users to create a profile and then friend other users. It even
allowed those who didnt register as users to confirm friendships and connected quite
a few people this way.
From here, the internet moved into blogging sites and instant messaging.
ICQ, America Online, and AOL were all created for instant messaging.
By 2000, over a 100 million people had access to the internet which made people
more engaged in social media.
In 2003, a popular social media site called Myspace became very popular. From there,
many social media sites were invented throughout the years such as Facebook, Twitter,
and Instagram.
 Changes over time
Social media has advanced in
many ways.
Social media has been used to
spread awareness (ex. The Black
Lives Matter Movement)
Social media is now built on
customization of the personality,
people can alter it to fit their
personalities.
Social media has become a
place for engagement and also
advertising.
Causes of change
Social media has changed over time due to technology. Because new technology is
always being invented, so is social media sites.
This institution changes due to the high demands from humans. Humans always want
something new, so new social media sites are constantly being created.
The likelihood of being scrutinized is greater because of anonymity.
Cyberbullying has become more apparent, so social media sites have consequences
sometimes.
New Technology
Better ways to share, communicate, and market to others (Twitter has new features vs
Myspace)
People use social media as a platform for social change so social media sites build
new ways for people to spread awareness and companies fund these new projects
 Causes of change cont.
Because the demand for technology is
so high, companies are always coming
up with new ways to improve it.
Our generation lives in a world run by
algorithmscomputer programs that
make decisions or solve problems for
us. Media companies are using
content algorithms to drive readers to
a lot of highly emotional content that is
triggering human behaviors meant to
accentuate our differences and stoke
our fears.
The number of social media
participants is increasing daily, so
companies need to keep up with the
advancements of the websites to keep
the people using it.
Stable Features of Social Media
The purpose of social media has not changed:
Communication
Facebook and Twitter are platforms used to socially interact and
connect.
Pinterest is a collection of peoples inspirations to send
messages/inspire others
LinkedIn is a virtual BNI (Business Network International) best used for
reputation management, live demonstration of superior expertise, and for
networking in the traditional business sense.
Overall, all these sites are used to help people communicate with one
another.
The content of social media has not changed.
Social Media Participants/Users
Who uses social media? 7 in 10 Americans use social media.
Social Media Users Roles/Statuses
Because social media is assessable to a
majority of people around the world,
many people of different statuses use Examples: Twitters social roles can be
it. advertiser, company supporter,
On social networks, people behave content contributor, information
differently in social situations because receiver, etc.
they carry different latent social roles
and statuses, which entail various The social roles in the professional
expectations that society puts on network LinkedIn can be engineer,
them.
salesperson, recruiter, manager, etc.
There are diversified roles and statuses
on different social network platforms.
Some users are celebrities, some are
adults, and some are just teenagers.
Social media users can have a higher
role than others. Their statuses can
range from a President to a normal
student.
Americans View of Social Media
As of February 2014, 53% of Americans agree it would be very hard to "give up" the
internet.
- 42% of Americans use social media sites.
-Americans aged 18-64, on average, spend 3+ hours on social media sites.
-Americans view of social media is polarizing.
36% of internet users say email would be very hard to give up, similar to the 34% who
said that in 2006.
11% of internet users say social media would be very hard to give up.
Some people think negatively of social media, saying that it makes us unproductive
and is a distraction. While others say that it can lead us into the future.
Perception of social media users of themselves

Social media has created expectation of people so many see themselves differently.
This idea of self image, not in a narcissistic way, has become important. People use
social media to define who they are and present themselves to others.
We rely on others perceptions, judgments and appraisals to develop our social self
Why?
- The concept of the looking glass self, which is based on the perceptions from those
with whom we interact
- We rely on others judgments to develop our social self
- A group of passionate people can influence others who are slightly more reticent.
Social Media isnt for everyone
Social media appeals to members of the
society, but not to all. Because many
social media sites such as: Twitter,
Instagram, Snapchat, etc., were
introduced to the younger generation
while growing up, it appeals more to
them because of the familiarity.
As for the older generation, they usually
tend to be a bit more cautious and
reluctant to join social media sites since it
is a new experience to them. A majority
of the older generation tend to like the
old fashioned ways better like writing
letters, talking on the phone, and
meeting people face to face.
In some cultures and areas around the
world, the use of the internet may not be
applicable to them.
How to improve Social Media?
According to Hills Social Media, Sociality and Survey Research there are
three social hierarchies:

1) Broadcast--send messages all at once

2) Conversational--connect with new and old people

3) Community--build or expand upon social circles

These social media hierarchies help sociologists know how to improve social
media
How to improve Social Media?
From these social media hierarchies, sociologists formed particular methods to improve
social media, including:
Broadcast hierarchy:
Passive data collection from now casting and streaming

Detection of trends Better produced commercials and

campaigns;
Great tool for companies who want
to appeal to others
How to improve Social Media?
The second method, developed from the social media hierarchies, which is used to
improve social media is:
Conversational hierarchy:
Crowd sourcing, content analysis, recruitment

Respondent driven samples Real-time data collection

Better produced sites like Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook and online panels.
How to improve Social Media?
The third method, developed from the social media hierarchies, which is used to
improve social media is:
Community hierarchies:
Cognitive interviews, methodological research

Building research communities Getting hard to reach population

Better community structures--from real life to the virtual world.

Functionalist Perspective
Social media users follow/connect with one another to further their development as
individuals and to contribute to society.
On every social media network, each person plays a certain role in order for it to make
it a functional society. People share their opinions which creates diversity, and some
share information that others may learn about. Social media is like a society.
Just like society, social media has its dysfunctional parts such as the cyber-bullies,
hackers, and stalkers.
But through the dysfunctional parts, social media progresses to greater order.
Through social media, social movements/protests enable us to see the dysfunctions of
the system and thus facilitate positive social change.
Conflict Perspective
Social media networks are ruled by those who are more popular, those with more
followers and likes, just like celebrities in our society. People who have more money or
authority are usually the ones higher on this list.
The people with more followers will gain more because of their power and authority.
The content that they post shapes the beliefs and thoughts of people. On the other
hand, people with less followers are usually the normal people (the people who do not
have as many resources and the power).
Because the popular people of social media continue to become more popular, this
helps maintain their privilege.
Though new technology can provide tools that facilitate greater freedom, those in
positions of power can use it to exert greater control and surveillance.
Works Cited
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in Their Lives. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, 26 Feb. 2014,
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Haesmeyer, Dana Delapi. Four Ways Social Media Has Changed in Five Years. Social
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Hale, Benjamin. The History of Social Media: Social Networking Evolution! History
Cooperative, History Cooperative, 26 Feb. 2017, historycooperative.org/the-history-of-
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Hill, Craig A. Social Media, Sociality, and Survey Research. Hoboken, NJ, Wiley, 2014.
Works Cited
History.com Staff. The Invention of the Internet. History.com, A&E Television Networks,
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2017.
Johnson, Juliet McEwen. Use Social Media Sites For Their Original Purpose And You Will
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