Social Media: A Shooting Range of Opinions

Social Media provides everyday people with the power to share their thoughts and doings. Twitter, Facebook, tumblr, Instagram, and Snapchat all bear the stories of others, and it is these apps that make it easier than ever to create your story. Now, with the use of social media, information can travel from a small town to the other side of the world in a matter of minutes. However, false, or even private information can now surf the web at unimaginable speeds. Even though there are many good things about social media, like how it actually improves relationships, it can still easily be used for less kindly things.

Many social media apps provide users with usernames. These usernames (as well as avatars, profile pictures, and bios) can change a person’s behavior online, often giving them a false sense of security behind a screen name. This is part of the Proteus Effect. Of course it’s easier and often more acceptable to speak your mind online than it is in real life, yet this opens the door for someone to be personally targeted online. This is especially seen on Twitter where tweets are directed at others, without any name attached.

 

So, aiming a tweet at someone else brings up the question, can a targeted tweet be justified? To clarify, a targeted tweet isn’t the same thing as bullying, it is only to suggest something, instead of an outright attack. After all it is just speaking your mind, sharing your ideas, exactly what social media is used for. Most targeted tweets aren’t aggressive, and are usually very implicit and cryptic. Although they are left without context, leaving them to be open to interpretation. Frequently, these aimed responses are what everyone else is thinking, but afraid to say. Personally, I enjoy finding these kinds of tweets because it shows that kids are still willing to voice their true opinions, even if it isn’t the popular view. Today, everything has become so politically correct, it can be crude to flat out say what you think, so I believe in the importance in not being afraid to get your stance out there. That’s not to say just be rude about everything, but if you have an opinion about something you shouldn’t be afraid to support and fight for your side. While, in the end, you still are going to have to be careful about what you say. Just remember, you have to say what you mean and mean what you say.

~Tyler

 

Think Before You Post

      Do you want your career to be ruined just because of some stupid picture you posted on Instagram when you were 15?  Do you want to get rejected from your dream college because of some stupid tweet that you tweeted 5 years ago?  Nearly 10% of relationships are ruined because of social networking sites.  These sites are taking over our lives!  People are tweeting about whatever whenever and they are not thinking before they hit that little blue button.

     Obviously, I am not into the whole Facebook, Twitter and Instagram stuff.  I am 13 years old and I have a Twitter and Instagram account that I occasionally look at.  When I do, I see teenagers posting pictures with a bottle of Vodka in the background.  They are not realizing that one picture can hold them back from pursuing their dreams.  When you think that you delete a picture and it is gone, it really isn’t.  I can guarantee to you that that picture is somewhere on the internet, or someone may of gotten a screenshot of it.  So, think before you post.  Would you want your parents to see it?

~Bailey Cunningham

Social Media has Distorted Truth about Newtown Shooting

 

On Friday, December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza forced his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Newtown Connecticut.  He shot and killed a total of 28 people, including himself.  He killed 8 boys and 12 girls, who were all between the ages of six and seven.  He also killed his mother, Nancy Lanza, plus six other adults.  As soon as this tragic event occurred, news, both official and completely made up, began to spread around the world like wildfire.  Many rumors were spread that were later found to be false beyond doubt.  Many sources say that this may partly be due to social media sites, such as Instagram and Facebook.
I’ve had a personal experience with this already, when someone posted something on instagram about the Newtown shooting.  The post showed a picture of a crumpled letter, containing a scrawled out note in a young person’s handwriting.  The letter said “I love you mom and I am happy and well, sorry for not being a good son and not being happy if I ever was.  I love you in heaven. -Brian” The caption read “One of the victims in Connecticut, Brian, wrote this during the shooting.  He was shot and killed.”  However, I have checked the “Newtown Shooting Victims: Names, Profiles of the 27 people killed”, and I discovered that there was no one killed named Brian.  Other such rumors have been circulating around the world of social media since the massacre.  I’m very upset by these made up posts because they are about a true event.  Twenty seven people were really killed, so I don’t understand why anyone would want to create false information about them.  It also disturbs me how many people believe these posts and then repost them.  Some more serious false and misleading statements have also been posted and noticed by authorities, who say that “the misleading statements on social media could lead to arrest.”  As you can see, this matter is very serious, and I wish that people wouldn’t post fake information, because I see no reason for it.

~Miura Wiley

Instagram- Photo sharing!

Have you heard about the new photo sharing app.? Well, if you haven’t it is called instagram. Instagram is a app that allows you to take photos and share them with  your friends. If you have never heard about instagram then I will tell you all about it. When you get an instagram you will be able to take pictures ( flowers, friends,pets) and share them with your friends. The set-up is almost like Twitter, you can have followers, and follow people. But, instagram is also like Facebook. You can like and/ or comment on peoples pictures. This site allows you to take  picture, chose a filter for it, and then share! Instagram is called what it is because it is instantly sharing photos and almost like a telegram in the way pictures are sent over wire. Any more questions about instagram? check out their FAQ part of their website. http://instagr.am/about/faq/

I have an iphone and was confused when people first started to tell me about this new app instagram. They told me I should get it and would love it. When one of my friends installed it, I realized that I would have to learn how to use it. It took me forever to finally use it. As soon as I  started to follow people and people followed me back then I realized I loved the app. I don’t normally put pictures up but I enjoy scrolling through the dashboard and looking at everyone else’s pictures. Most people put nature pictures or embarrassing pictures of their friends up. In my opinion I love the app and the way it’s set up. I love how it’s not too hard to understand how to use and easy to use.. Instagram is one of the best apps. in the store today!

~Julie Marino