So...this week the theme is social media.
Claim of Reality: Social media helps spread information faster.
I’m sure many of my other classmates will be debating whether social media is good or bad for relationships and how it impacts them. Meanwhile, the more obvious shall be written here.
When a natural disaster hits people scramble to get new and answers of loved ones, friends or just news. After the Great Earthquake 2011 in Japan, many phone networks were down. People visiting used Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to contact loved ones and give them news.
Also when Hurricane Sandy hit social media helped spread information on what residents should do. Information about closed roads, power restorations, and school closings could be accessed on Facebook and Twitter. The people of Morris county really found it helpful as well as the police. It made their job easier to keep the town orderly and get advice on what to do in certain situations.
Social media can not only spread news about disasters currently happening but also about disaster prevention. Southeast Asia Disaster Prevention Research Institute has a lovely facebook page and so does the Association of Natural Disaster Prevention Industry. This is really wonderful for people who hear a tornado, for example, is coming and don’t know what to do. They can find out quickly and easily.
Unfortunately, this also means bad new can be spread faster too. In the essay Electronic Intimacy, the author admits that it only took her eight minutes to find a picture of her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend on his facebook wall. Also, a detective’s daughter found out her father had died on facebook before relative could tell her.
There’s no denying that information can now be spread faster whether it is good or bad news.
Sources:
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-10-20/news/bs-md-ci-breaking-news-of-death-20101019_1_social-media-social-networking-sites-city-police-union- detectives daughter
(318 words)
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