Future Gaze of Social Media!

As each day passes, new technologies are being discovered and implemented in the world of social media. Technology is becoming an ongoing cycle of revolutionizing and growing. People use social media to share experiences, develop, connect and maintain relationships.  So what are the predictions for the future of social media for the following?

For mobile  users social media usage continues to soar. Director Jeffery Sachs, director of the Earth of Institute at Columbia University describes the mobile being the ‘single most transformative tool for development’.    (Jones T 2011 p. 38)

Some predictions state suggest that there will be 6.5 billion mobile phone subscribers by 2014 . (Jones T 2011 p. 39) In my opinion there will be still be a rapid growing rate of mobile apps emerging to cater all mobile users. An alchemist named Brian Sketee states that people will use their mobiles to ‘’enhance content consumption’’  by experimenting with social applications in relation to people’s interests.  (Dewey C 2013) A PR Principal named Mary Ann Sabo states that more businesses are investing to develop and introduce apps ‘’ to be highly engaged.  (Dewey C 2013)

Other research suggest that GPS-based technology will continue to skyrocket; not only by allowing users to check in on Facebook and notify friends of one's whereabouts  but using location-based marketing to change how consumers interact with brands.  This particular video explains the future of mobile media and communication.  It highlights that by 2018 the US will start initiating security by using data derived from location streams to track and analyze what people are doing as well as  there being an estimated 8 billion people worldwide using mobile phones. A must see! (MontyMetzger 2009,)

Studies show that  Instagram will continue to be  a huge social media trend of 2013 by allowing users to post visual content to visually communicate with people around the world. Personally being somebody who posts personal and motivational photos on a daily basis , its definitely been a remarkable tool to connecting with others around the world and getting inspired. In the past when taking photographs one had to use a standard camera , now once you have your phone with you anybody can be a photographer. Instagram has built communities like never before.   CEO of Instagram Kevin Systrom talks about what’s next in store for the APP.

(Forbes 2011)

As there are many  gazes to the future of social media there are also certain implications on society of using certain media communications. As more individuals are connecting to the Internet everyday and uploading content faster like never before  a challenge arises to monitoring commentary on websites.  The internet has become a place where  a number of spammers post illegal comments.  However this video explains the limitations that social media has upon a rock artists perspective.

(TheGrammys 2011)

There’s still a never-ending list as to how social media will be changing. It is all dependent on how people choose to use it that will shape the outcome of it .

References:

1.      Jones T 2011, Future Agenda: The World in 2020, Future Agenda, United Kingdom
2.      Dewey C 2013, Social Media Pros predict the future, grbj.com, accessed on 12^th Febuary 2013, http://www.grbj.com/articles/75926-social-media-pros-predict-the-future%27
3. 3.      MontyMetzger 2009, MOCOM 2020- The Future of Mobile Media and Communication, YouTube, accessed on 12^th of February 2013,  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FScddkTMlT
4. Forbes 2011, Instagram : CEO Kevin Systrom on App’s Future, YouTube, accessed on 12^th of Febuary 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1RphstinZw
5.      TheGrammys 2011, Social Media Limitations- Grammy 2011 Social Media Rock Stars Summit, YouTube, accessed on 12^th of Febuary 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMYPS0J3REM

The Dark Side

Being a victim of traditional bullying at school as a little girl is a terrifying experience and one that I won’t ever forget. The names I would get called, the amount of pushing, gossiping, rumour spreading that would occur was horrendous. I was just an ordinary girl that wanted to have fun and learn amongst other students, why was it that I felt constantly isolated and picked on, was it because I was different? Who knows. All I remember was feeling scared to go to school every day and pleading my parents to let me take the day off. I didn’t want to go back to a world of darkness where I was scared to be seen, or a place that I was getting left behind and not respected. And the funny thing is I didn’t do anything wrong. An example was when I was in sixth grade. I was somebody who loved to give gifts of all kinds to a group of friends who thought cared for me. But it turned out that they complained about the quality and the condition they got their presents in. Some broke it, others threw it in the bin in front of me. They retaliated and said how I always bought things that were of cheap quality, and was of value equivalent to a devils curse. Doing a good deed and having that happening is certainly darkness at its finest. But the thing is  bullying doesn’t only occur at school, it can happen when you’re at work,  or in a public place, or when you’re talking to a family member , it’s all around us. We have all become a victim of forms of bullying and its certainly one of the worst feelings in the world.   Have you ever thought about why bullying even occurs?  Traits of anger, revenge , frustration, entertainment purposes, boredom and to have a laugh why people pursue it.

Three common types of Traditional Bullying consist of (Hines N H 2011) :

•   Social - results in harming an individual’s psychological state  and social connections’
•   Verbal - bullying consists of teasing, taunting, or mocking the victim in a direct face to face manner.
•  Physical- bullying taking the form of hitting, punching, kicking, shoving, pinching, or any other behavior that can inflict physical pain on an individual.

However as technology has progressed forward it has changed how people interact.  We have taken bullying and harassment to a whole new level through technology. 

This known as Cyber bullying  takes under many forms examples consisting of : (Hines N H 2011)

•   sending offensive/insulting messages,
• distributing false information about somebody through email or instant messaging, 
•   fighting and abusing through online messages,
• breaking into somebody’s social networking account and posting embarrassing material to others through impersonating.
•  sharing secrets to others,
•   sending threats and cyber-stalking

 In comparison to traditional bullying , the bullies in the cyber world are ‘’anonymous’’ , they have a ‘’unique sense of power and control ‘’.  (Steffgen G & König A 2011).

An international research project led from the Australian Catholic university found differences between cyber-bullying and traditional bullying. 927 students were surveyed in Victoria and results depicted that 15 per cent had been engaged in cyber bullying , and 21 per cent in traditional, and 7 % in both.  Results showed that ‘’exclusion’’ and ‘’spreading of rumours’’ was the key factors for cyber bullying.  (Australian Catholic University 2012)

Here are some media releases that sum up the effects of cyber-bullying, We all need to stand against it, build more of an awareness and put a stop to it.

          

References

Hines N H 2011, Traditional Bullying and Cyber-Bullying: Are the Impacts on Self-Concept the Same?, Western Carolina University, accessed on 6^th Febuary 2013, <libres.uncg.edu/ir/wcu/f/Hines2011.pdf>

Steffgen G & König A 2011, Cyber Bullying: The Role of Tradional Bullying and Empathy, University of Luxembourg, accessed on 6^th of Febuary 2013, https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:vlFBBg_5t4YJ:icbtt.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/COST298-Template-Cyberbullying_Steffgen.pdf+&hl=en&gl=au&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgsEdomh3QzNmlcH_eVmWAgbr_oz2NAHF5XsyUEjd0Cn3_4q11iTHp7OTWlfv409WU6c82BfiVpB5thDIyptghMPv1r3yQTeHEj3Cf_p2As2DEakNPhyBZwALrRRJg8Hv9NQiPh&sig=AHIEtbRPBNLTumMAIecfmRfDRBY2t1eP0g

Australian Catholic University 2012, Research finds factors leading to cyber-bullying different to traditional bullying, Australian Catholic University, accessed on 6^th of Febuary 2013, http://www.acu.edu.au/about_acu/our_university/newsroom/news/media_releases/repository/research_finds_factors_leading_to_cyber-bullying_different_to_traditional_bullying

Struttcentral 2012, The Cyber Bullying Virus , Youtube , accessed on 6^th of Febuary 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5PZ_Bh-M6o

Aussiecriminals 2012,  Olivia Liv Penpraze tells her story, Youtube, accessed on 6^th of Febuary 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzjFf8ywk3c

Produsage

Within the present generation the media industry has changed the way consumers operate. Nowadays people aren’t only creating content and producing  it but are planting ideas with other groups and individuals collaboratively; This leading to further development for news and knowledge.  Social media has developed new ways of producing information, by manipulating content thats already been developed. A  Media nnamed Axel Burns calls this  Produsage which is the ‘’collaborative and continuous building and extending of existing content in pursuit of further improvement’’.  (Jenkins H , 2008).  We have all contributed, shared and connected within networks through photo-sharing  , blogging , tweeting and making of videos this allowing anyone to being a producer., a distributor and consumer of content.

Axel argues that the concept of produsage harnesses the collected, collective intelligence of all particpants, where YouTube, MySpace and Facebook are environments where people come together. This ties in with Henry Jenkins theory of participary culture where ‘’fans and other consumers actively participate in the creation and circulation of new content…involving audience engagement that are shaping cultural and social protocols’’.  (Fuchs C 2011 p.266)  YouTube founded in 2005 allows people to share, watch and discover videos from all over the globe being a prime example of produsage. Consumers can watch a video but then change it to get a point or purpose across. 

 

 Also people using the internet today are changing and controlling the way certain things are viewed. Axel burns point on ‘’collaborative engagement’’ describes how participants come together through discussion to further extend and implement existing material. (Snurblog 2005).   A fine example of this is seen through the computer networked game Sims. A player creates  a character with specific features and enters a world where they can interact with other players. The section of the game has a place called ‘’The Exchange’’ , this  is a place where players can create new items, hairstyles, artworks, and share it amongst other players. (Muse of Destiny 2011).   This being another prime example of how people having the ability to conitrbute, change and share content.  In my opinion the future for Produage is a product that will keep on expanding and evolving as consumers continue to improve on content already made.

References :

Jenkins H 2008,  From Production to Produsage: Interview with Axel Bruns (Part One), Confessions of an Aca-Fan- The Official Weblog of Henry Jenkins, accessed on 2^nd Feb 2013 < http://henryjenkins.org/2008/05/interview_with_axel_bruns.html>

Fuchs C 2011, Foundations of Critical media and Information Studies, Christian Fuchs, New York.

Snurblog 2005, ‘Some Exploratory Notes on Produsers and Produsage’, Snurblog, accessed on 2^nd Feb 2013, < http://snurb.info/node/329>

Muse of Destiny 2011, The Sims-Produsage at its Finest, Wordpress, accessed on 2^nd Feb 2013 <http://museofdestiny.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/the-sims-produsage-at-its-finest/>