Social Media Revolution: Global Connectivity in the Digital Age - Research Paper

Introduction

The rise of social media over the last decade has drastically affected how people from all over the world communicate and exchange information. This is facilitated by the rapid advancement in the technology sector that has profoundly spurred the development of web-based digital communication platforms-social media (Gorodnichenko et al.). With the continued growth and development, the world has been made a small place to be in as people can now communicate and exchange information including their respective opinions regarding different issues conveniently and without delay (Gorodnichenko et al.). This has then transformed the online content and information from a raw source of data to a crucial interactive tool, which in this case has capacitated the vast populace from all over the world to take part in projects among other events merely by exchanging their opinions and knowledge. This essay discusses how social media has affected the way public opinion is shaped.

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The consumption of information has changed with the recent transformation and advancement from the traditional mass media to digital media. This has been an important phase in the world today as it has brought everyone on board on matters that affect them while offering their opinions, which in this case are drafted solely based on their knowledge (Gorodnichenko et al.). By bringing everyone on board and allowing each entity to share and express their opinions, the consumers of information have now turned to producers of information. Notably, with such changes, online communities and groups have been formed bringing people with similar interests and opinions together hence contributing to the overall production and use of information through the use of tools videos, blogs, and photo blogging (The Astana Times). Typically, this leads to the establishment of a common ground in influencing the public opinion. In addition, the creation of such groups and communities as promoted inclusivity of not only the people with similar interests but also everyone concerned about the things happening around the world (The Astana Times). In other words, the advancement and the rapid use of social media have shaped the public opinion while creating a new dimension for public relations.

The use of social media has also been a critical tool that has helped in establishing how the public interacts with the sectors of the economy. This is largely as a result of the rapid embracement of the digital platforms in the marketing of the various goods and services. As such, manufacturers among other business entities are capacitated to using the social media users as entities that would help them improve their production of goods and services while attaining their preferred market relevance (The Astana Times). Typically, by the social media users critiquing the distinct pool of goods and services, the producers identify the gaps that the consumers need filled while producing goods and services that suit and complement their respective preference and taste. In addition, the use of social media has also enabled the business sector identify the preferred goods and services hence producing more of those, a factor that increases the entities profit margins. Overall, the use of social media has shaped the public opinion constructively in the sense that it has been used to assess and evaluate the various sectors while offering solutions that help improve the progress of the distinct sectors of the economy.

Ultimately, the use of social media has also shaped the public opinion by acting as a platform that integrated the ideas of different people while critiquing the various issues that affect them in the social and political spheres. The in creased use of social media has thus improved the channels of data collection, which then helps the government to identify the needs of the vast populace, including the level of service delivery. This is achieved through commentaries, blogs, and trends that reflect the voice of the people (The Astana Times). Besides, the continued use of social media has also capacitated different leaders to understand the politics of different parts of the world while emulating those that could be of benefit to their respective jurisdictions (The Astana Times). Essentially, the effectiveness of social media in shaping the public opinion is bestowed in its distinguished characteristic from those of the traditional media. This includes its inclusive nature and the increased turn out from different parts of the world. With such information, It becomes quite easier for the authorities to establish their faults and wins, including the present needs of the populace. Therefore, the use of social media has positively shaped the public opinion through which the authorities can assess and evaluate their performance while offering programs and projects that improve people's well-being.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the rapid technological advancement has positively influenced how information is shared and consumed. This has been made even more possible with the establishment of the social media where users from all over the world join hands in critiquing, appreciating, and offering their opinions based on the issues at hand. As such, public opinion has positively been shaped to be a that expresses the people's needs while reflecting their minds and knowledge. This should be embraced and carefully used to improve the well-being of the global community.

Works Cited

Gorodnichenko, Yuriy et al. "Social Media, Sentiment And Public Opinions | VOX, CEPR Policy Portal". Voxeu.Org, 2018, https://voxeu.org/article/social-media-sentiment-and-public-opinions. Accessed 17 Aug 2019.

The Astana Times. "Social Media: Shaping The Way We See The World Or Shaping The New World Itself? - The Astana Times". The Astana Times, 2014, https://astanatimes.com/2013/02/social-media-shaping-the-way-we-see-the-world-or-shaping-the-new-world-itself/. Accessed 17 Aug 2019.