Social Media Affect Culture And Community

Culture and customs are at the centre of the social order in every community. Therefore, most things in the social surroundings are entrenched in some basic laws that are not only obeyed by social systems but also unlimited number of networks. However, social systems are one of the most powerful examples because man understands and relates to them in everyday life. Among these networks are mass media. There exist two diverse types of mass media. This includes the written and the non-written. The written media are composed of magazines, journal, periodicals, and newspapers. With newspapers printed daily, they inform the public of previous occurrences. Therefore, the public is acquainted with the information and events that are occurring all over the world (Loch et al, 45-63). The non-print media consist of broadcasts that are made via the television, internet, and radio. The teens and adults have adopted and utilised the social media in a fast manner. This is in reference to information technology that has rapidly grown in the last decade. A community is defined by people’s culture. This is because; this culture enables them to create social norms that are acceptable by culture. The Arab spring is as a result of the impact social media has had on culture and community. The six neighbourhood necessities included health, safety, economy, environment food, and children. Therefore, to harmonise all these, social media come in handy. The creation of a virtual community has resulted into myriad results. In some, it eliminates the five senses present when talking to someone personally. Meanwhile it makes some people become more outgoing because; they are comfortable communicating through the net. I will, therefore, emphasize on the effects of mass media on culture and community by explaining and define this theme for greater understanding.

Background

The Arab Spring is a groundbreaking wave of demonstrations and protests that have been witnessed in the Arab world since late 2010. This has resulted into rulers being forced from power in countries such as Tunisia and Egypt. This is, in addition to, Libya that faced the same with the death of their president late 2011. Social media were so significant in the organisation, communication, and creation of awareness of these uprisings. The Arab awakening in Egypt started in January 2011, and it resulted into the Hosni Mubarak’s government being overthrown and later Mubarak charged in court.

Statement of the problem

Mass media participates and assumes a vital responsibility in people’s lives. We are, therefore, manipulated in the preferences and aspects that we always perceive as crucial in daily lives. With the development that has occurred in the media following globalisation, one would wonder if it Is beneficial to the community. There are numerous views concerning the mass media acting as a means of for rational debating featuring the scope of biased and cultural viewpoints (Dubai school of government, 1-30). Therefore, the study of versatile dimensions of film, internet, and broadcasting continues to convey extensive control and global reach that is characterised by many effects and impacts (Dubai school of government, 1-30). After witnessing the powerful nature of media and how it has been in the Middle East, this has resulted into this significance of social media being held on a pedestal. This has propelled the Arab spring forward, in addition to, the function it has played in bringing a formidable change to the ordinary people in the street. This is because of the availability of mass media among people that have seen a large percentage of people own mobile phones. This has resulted into free and fast flow of communication leading to exposure of anomalies in the society. The research will thus be a step forward in determining the extent of social media on culture and community.

Purpose of the study

By focusing on the effects of mass media on culture and community, we will be able to unravel the positive impacts social media has had on bringing out the deeper happenings to light. This is because by bringing them to light, then the world learns of it and offers their support. The reason of the study is to show the enormous impact social media on the global society. This is in reference to the Arab world. To achieve this, I will concentrate on the Egyptian part of the Arab world but with references to Tunisia, Yemen, and Libya. I will thus look for the online information in Newspapers of the region. I will also look for online references on how the people in the street got to use social media to spread the news. I will also look for information on what the social media is saying today, a year after a significant change begun.

Literature review

The major reasons for the massive revolutions and uprisings that have been witnessed in the Arab World have been due to the social media. This is because passionate young adults connect trough mass media (Loch et al, 45-63). According to (Dubai school of government, 1-30), the Arab people have finally stood up against tyrannical governments. However, Ayish (139) points out that it is true that many Arab people have been oppressed and disenchanted with the many dictatorial regimes. The youth were the champions for these uprisings with the social media enabling them to rise against political powers and country leaders. This was a thing there parents had been unable to accomplish. Therefore, through the social media, they were able to form groups on face book, report injustices on their blogs and demand change. They, therefore, used all kinds of social media to coordinate times for outstanding protests.

Therefore, these mediums allowed several estranged and frustrated Arabs to unite and hold up each other in a way that seemed to be impossible in the past (Dubai school of government, 1-30). It is, as a result, essential to note that, it is because of this unity that there was a commencement of synchronised uprising that has never been seen after the fall of the Soviet Union (Gelvin, 62). Ghannam asserts that the Arab world has experienced the rise of an autonomous, pulsating social media. This increase in citizen engagement on the internet is expected to attract more than 100 million Arab users by the year 2015. The Arab Knowledge report determined that there are approximately million Arab speakers who use the internet. Google that sponsored its first G- day’s conference in Egypt in December 2010 further recognises this potential. As Ghannam (3-5) puts it, this insurmountable significance of social media will continue to be of value to the Arab people. This creation of the virtual community is indeed a step further in try to bring a wider community together. Even, though, this has been a notable achievement, there have been obstacles that are sure to derail this achievement. The authoritarian governments that still exist cause obstacles to this freedom of information that people should be enjoying. Governments have, therefore, resolved to wage widespread crackdowns on boogers, journalists and the civil society. To ensure that such actions never happen in the future, proper functioning legislative rules should be put in order and a further international body established.

Hypothesis

The influence of mass media on culture and community is indisputable in creating awareness of the surroundings

Methodology

Therefore, I will conduct a survey study to find out how media has affected the lives of these people. I will get this information from newspapers of the region that I will find on line. I will, therefore, include the interviews that were conducted involving civil societies and other right groups. This will be an effort to unearth the existing regulations of government on media coverage, and how it is affecting them. I am sure to get this information from periodicals and private newspapers.

Some of the research tools I will need include a tape recorder, a notebook, a laptop, and a modem to compile my findings. After my literature review, I will compile a report that I will get from newspapers and other literature. This is an approximate time I will need to finish the research.

Data collection-two weeks

Compiling- five weeks

Editing-two days

Final draft- one week

Limitations and delimitations

There is a possibility that I will get inconsistent information from the newspapers that talk about the actual happenings of the time. This may be attributed to the numerous people who were reporting the happenings as everyone was striving to get messages across out of desperation. I will, therefore, be faced with the task of trying to get the consistency and field the seemingly true happenings. To take care of this, I have resolved to increase the allocation of time preserved for compiling of my notes.

I will only deal with the positive attributes of social media on culture and community. This is in the advent of technology that to some is a milestone in achieving a globalised world, but to others it is an unnecessary evil. The latter means that the people that should be enlightened about the benefits that come with the spouting of the media.

Significance of the study

To the practitioners, the research will provide them with insights into the obstacles that derail the full potential of mass media. This will enable them to establish the connections between culture, community, and mass media that will work towards creating a clear way through to complete freedom. To the professionals, the research will be a step ahead in trying to reason out what would be next cause of action. This is because the world has changed rapidly, and given the advancement in information technology, something new is bound to happen in the future. Therefore, thinking in those lines, they will be able to mount a positive response and try to shape it in the best way possible.

References

Ayish, I, M. Political communication on Arab World Television: Evolving patterns. Political

communication.2002, Vol 19, No 2, pp 137-154.

Dubai school of government. Civil movements: The impact of face book and twitter. Arab

social media report. 2011, Vol 1, No, 2.pp 1-30. Retrieved on 6/3/2012 from

<http://www.dsg.ae/portals/0/ASMR2.pdf>

Gelvin, J.L.The Arab Uprising. Oxford, Oxford university press.

Ghannam, J.Social media in the Arab world: leading up to the uprising of 2011.CMA

Research report.2011, Retrieved on 6/3/2010 from

< http://www.hirondelle.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/SocialMediaintheArabWorldCIMA2011.pdf>P3-5

Loch, KD Straub, DW, and Kamel, S. Diffusing the internet in the Arab world: the role of

social norms and technological acculturation. 2003. Vol 50(1): 45-63.