The rapid development and widespread and increasing use of Social Networking sites is arguably one the most significant developments in contemporary human communication over the past two decades. Indeed, perhaps comparable only to development of mobile communication technologies, social networking may well be one of the most important and visible forms of human interaction since the invention of the Internet. In this paper, we examine and highlight the enormous potential of these fairly recent technological developments and highlight opportunities they present to humankind as platforms for democratic and participatory communication and governance-especially in grassroots social movements activism. While doing so, we use cases to show the important potential and actual contributions that social media hold out and represent for democratic communication. The paper also casts a critical look at the potential risks and examines proven and theoretical shortcomings and challenges that these new advances in human communication may pose or represent for society, and identify cybercrime, cyber bullying, their effects on human physical and emotional health, their impact on productivity and other workplace complications, and potential societal disorder and dysfunction of certain social norms among the list of concerns that we suggest require further reflection and redress. The paper concludes by depicting social media as a potentially useful tool from which much social and societal capital can be derived; but also draws attention to their many problematic aspects that make them seem like doubleedged swordwith enormous opportunities and benefits on the one hand, and risks and threats, on the other, depending primarily on the uses to which they are put. Global, regional and national initiatives should be taken to maximize the benefits of social media while minimizing, or at least containing the threats through incorporation of independent but limited guidelines and regulations that would safeguard people's freedoms and rights while protecting users from abuses and adverse effects often inherent in new developments.
Purpose A number of studies have documented the use and popularity of social networking sites among Millennials and late Millennials, especially in Western countries. However, the usage of these sites by non-Western young adults/late Millennials has just barely begun. Informed by literature and findings of recent research on audience information-seeking behavior and principles governing the usage of social media to obtain and disseminate crisis-related information, the purpose of this paper is to employ survey research to examine how senior PR-track non-Western late Millennial university students use social media to obtain and/or disseminate information on issues they perceived as “crises.” Design/methodology/approach A combination of survey research and critical communication methods were used to gather and analyze data from a sample of future non-Western budding PR professionals. Survey research was designed and used to investigate social media use among PR-major students studying at a large State University in the Mediterranean region to probe their perceptions of these media as forums for activism during moments of crisis. Questionnaire was designed to elicit responses on social media use and perceptions on a range of crisis-communication related issues, and their responses on the Likert scale that were later analyzed using the SPSS (version 21) program. Findings These future PR professionals appreciated the suitability of social media in disseminating crisis-communication messages. They also highlighted challenges that unethical use of such platforms pose to PR professionals. Social network sites were reported to be the most popular social media platforms used during crisis communication. Even though the respondents widely reported using social media to disseminate information during crisis situations – and answered in the affirmative that the use of social media at such times could positively contribute to social change, they did not consider themselves as activists who actively contribute to fostering of peace and justice. Originality/value A number of studies have documented the use of social networking sites among Millennials especially in Western countries. However, the usage of these sites by non-Western late Millennials has just barely begun. This paper attempts to do this. The study explored social media usage by the non-Western late Millennial PR-track university students. Attempts were also made to elicit such PR professionals’ perceptions of whether social media contribute to activist movements and social change during crisis, and whether they physically acted as activist on social media to contribute to the improvement of societal ills, and to bring local/global peace or not.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.