...Social Media: Information Technology Abstract Social Media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, are universally known and present in parts of the world in today’s society. Social media have become such a part of many people daily activities that most couldn’t image living without it. It has brought many benefits to us, but also some pitfalls. Facebook monitors how third parties use your personal data, however, they also state they cannot guarantee “that third parties will follow Facebook’s privacy policy, if you don’t want your privacy violated, then you probably want to reconsider joining Facebook or other social networks. The definition of “privacy” is subjective, however, things like personal information such as name, living and working locations, job, career, education, income, relationship status, contact information, and bank information should be safeguarded at all costs to prevent things like stalking, identity theft, fraud, and other attempts to undermine a person’s life. It’s not all bad, Facebook has reunited family’s, long lost friends, and is helping police officers catch the bad guys, however, like anything, too much can be bad for you. More recently social media has been known as the tool that facilitated many uprising in Middle Eastern countries. It helped kick start a revolution known as the Arab Spring. Facebook was used to schedule activities such as gatherings to protest, Twitter was used to coordinate an array of events at a moment’s notice...
Words: 3397 - Pages: 14
...contemporary society, social problems must compete for attention. To the degree that one problem gains media coverage, moves to the top of politicians' agendas, or becomes the subject of public concern, others will be neglected. Advocates find it necessary to make compelling cases for the importance of particular social problems. They choose persuasive wording and point to disturbing examples, and they usually bolster their case with dramatic statistics. Statistics have a fetish-like power in contemporary discussions about social problems. We pride ourselves on rational policy making, and expertise and evidence guide our rationality Statistics become central to the process: numbers evoke science and precision; they seem to be nodules of truth, facts that distill the simple essence of apparently complex social processes. In a culture that treats facts and opinions as dichotomous terms, numbers signify truth--what we call "hard facts." In virtually every debate about social problems, statistics trump "mere opinion." Yet social problems statistics often involve dubious data. While critics occasionally call some number into question, it generally is not necessary for a statistic to be accurate--or even plausible--in order to achieve widespread acceptance. Advocates seeking to promote social problems often worry more about the processes by which policy makers, the press, and the public come to focus on particular problems, than about the quality of their figures. I seek here to identify...
Words: 4114 - Pages: 17
...provide grounds for a more independent public sphere Name: Christian Michael Kramer Student ID: 6050586 E-mail address: cm.kramer.student@maastrichtuniversity.nl Course code: ACU2900 Group Number: 07 Tutor: Ruud Hendriks Assignment name: Exam Assignment: 00 Attempt: Regular Academic year: 20132014 Date: 31.1.2014 Words: 4034 Filename: 20132014-ACU2900-00-REGULAR-6050586.pdf I Contents Page I: List Of Contents Page II: Introduction Page III: Problems with mass media Page V: Can the internet as we know it today be a remedy for these problems? Page VI: Activism & the Internet Page IX: Conclusion: What does that mean for society? Page XI: Bibliography II Introduction In the last decades one cannot but see that the distribution of the internet was more than rapid and by now influences the daily life of billions of people. According to the internet journal ZDNet, the number of people who use the internet amounts to 2,1 billion people worldwide. The number of websites is continuously growing every year. This has an impact on many aspects of life. Writing emails, reading online journals, being active on social media platforms and going shopping online belongs to the daily routine of many people nowadays. Manuel Castells describes the era we are experiencing right now as the time of the 'Network Society'. In this society the exchange and currency of information is broader, faster and more varied than ever. This affects not only private or economical areas of life, but also the political...
Words: 4324 - Pages: 18
...A food activist can be defined as one that cares about where food comes from and who makes it while consciously supporting the local, sustainable agricultural practices. Food activists exist across the area, but it is easy to identify food activism at a local farmers’ market. Jessica Fischer and I chose to attend the last farmers’ market of the season at the Fisherman’s Memorial State Park in Narragansett. In addition to seeing what these farmers had for sale, we uncovered who is consciously challenging the hegemony of the food system and who views their participation as a leisure activity. Personal conversations with farmers and attendees exposed which people view themselves to be food activists. As we approached the destination, the market was visible from the main road and there was a large sign identifying that the event was a farmers’ market. It was the last market of the season and the weather was not in our favor, so there were not many people around. In addition to the twenty or so consumers at...
Words: 722 - Pages: 3
...we come for you now? (. . .) McDonalds, fuck yeah! Wal-Mart, fuck yeah!" Pictures of cats that look human are accompanied by the request, "I want to start a collection of my fetish catboys so post moar!" There is a link to a live cam on Times Square. One also finds an image showing a burning American flag that is accompanied by the logos of McDonald's and images of a can of Mountain Dew, the Statue of Liberty, a guitar player and a screaming bear. "You should kill yourself, fucking AMERRRICCAAA, you little fag- got." A rapper writes a new song and says that the first few minutes of the discussion in his thread will become part of the song. There is a story about a brother who tries to seduce his sister, but it turns out that his sister is a large arthropod. There is a thread with images of female but- tocks, accompanied by an announcement that one of the portrayed girls receives prank phone calls. One sees a picture of a couple having oral sex accompanied by the text "PORNO FUCK YEAH!" as well as a picture of a drunk sleeping man accompanied by the text "buddy passed out after 11 Coors lights and 2 bud lights" and the suggestion that a game will decide what the person who posted the picture will do to the drunk. There is a screenshot of a female teenager's profile on Facebook, suggesting "54, 72, 37 or 00 decides what I write," meaning that the fifty-fourth, seventy- second, thirty-seventh or hundredth posting determines what the person will write to the girl...
Words: 9207 - Pages: 37
...Police brutality is something that has been affecting our culture for many decades. From police dogs set to attack protestors during the civil rights movement to the slayings of countless black individuals in the past year alone. Police brutality has become such a big problem that it seems like an epidemic. And regardless of all the grief that this “epidemic” has caused Black Lives Matter seems to be doing a great job at supporting not only the families whom lost loved ones, but also letting the world know that police brutality is something that is effecting us more than we think. According to ‘Black Lives Matter’ published on ProQuest, some students from the University of Minnesota joined together to march for the awareness of police brutality and the murders of defenseless black people. During this march, thousands of people showed up for this 4-mile protest. They chanted “black lives matter” as they marched down the streets of Minnesota. Standing up for one’s self or as a group against police...
Words: 1590 - Pages: 7
...Whom it May Concern, I want to begin by congratulating you on your success with the Nike Company. I believe that Nike will continue to grow and be successful in the future. However, with the recent concern of foreign labor abuse growing, I accept your request and would be happy to share with you my opinion on what Nike should do next. I will start by elaborating on the general, specific, and changing environments Nike is facing right now and will continue to face in the future. I will then share my recommendations in how to keep Nike afloat and out of the negative public eye. First and foremost, the general environment for many large corporations in the United States have moved portions of their factories overseas to avoid the working regulations in the United States. In the past, Nike has outsourced to several low-income countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, and currently has manufactures in China and Indonesia. As we both know, the purpose in doing so is to receive readily available, cheap labor. Revenues have reached over $9 billion and until recently, Phil Knight’s (Nike CEO) plan to outsource to the poorest countries has worked. However, it has recently become common knowledge to the public that the working conditions in these foreign factories are below the ethical standards. More specifically, the press is beginning to criticize Nike’s offshore exercises and advocacy groups are beginning to emerge. Jeff Ballinger, a labor activist and Nike’s original critic...
Words: 760 - Pages: 4
...management Contingency Plan 1. Problem analysis 2. Course of Action 3. Strategic Communications Plan 3.1) Communication Infrastructure 3.2) Nestlé Communication goals 3.3) Target Audience 3.4). Image Enhancement Message 3.5) Communications Channels and Outlets 3.6) Facebook as Communication Channel 3.7) Strategies for Social Network Communications 3.8) Strategic Communications Plan Key Performance Indicators 4. References Problem Analysis Nestlé has established itself as a leader in the world of nutrition and foods. However, the attack by Greenpeace that Nestlé fell subject to has taken its toll on the company image, as well as on the market price of company shares. The purpose of this document is to highlight the course of action that was taken, the problems that occurred as a result of these actions as well as solutions. Also included in this document is a proposed strategic communications plan that can be implemented by Nestlé to manage all its online & social media communications. The environmental awareness group Greenpeace claimed that Nestlé was contributing to deforestation by using palm-oil because suppliers expanded oil-palm plantations, paying no heed to the lives of the orangutans which inhibit the forests which would be lost. Greenpeace then proceeded to lead its attack on Nestlé by posting an altered version of Kitkat’s “Have a Break” video...
Words: 2626 - Pages: 11
...Traci Vander Hoeven 3 December 2014 Zanele Muholi: Take note, Shelby Adams, this is Activist Photography Photographs are one of the most powerful means of advocating for environmental and social change. One’s images can influence one, or influence many; all with the click of a button. As a photographer, Zanele Muholi, provides the viewer her own personal take on her queer community; specifically, the black lesbian community, and their oppressed status in her home country of South Africa. A country struggling to move forward from their colonial past and embrace their post-apartheid vision of collectiveness and unity. Her passion as an activist photographer serves to record a history of a community and its undermined existence and to provide a heightened awareness of the violent acts surrounding that community. Her black and white, portrait style images are a mainstream medium that present her subjects in a neutral manner. Activist photography, a subcategory of documentary photography, often pushes the lines of presenting a point of view or cause and ‘othering’. I first became interested in activist photography when we studied Shelby Adams. I believe his activist intents are clouded, maybe even completely discounted, by his personal motivations as an artist and the cultural stereo-types documented in his subject matter of the Appalachian people he claims to be a member of. Adams stated in his book, Appalachian Legacy, that his “Photographs do not constitute a documentary...
Words: 3780 - Pages: 16
...Josephine Baker Freda Josephine McDonald, more commanly known as Josephine Baker, was an African American dancer, comedian, entertainer, activist, World War II fighter, and fashion icon who ended up changing history by defying the social laws that prohibited blacks and women at the time. Josephine spent her early childhood in St. Louis, Missouri, born to a mother who was a washerwoman, and a father who abandoned her. Her family was so poor that she was forced to abandon school from ages 8-10, in order to help support them, and eventually had to live on the streets. She cleaned houses, babysat, and waitressed, all the while being exposed to the the strong ideas of racism within America, which would later change her from a hometown girl to...
Words: 401 - Pages: 2
...stated “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has”. In this paper I will discuss my thoughts on the video and how it supports Margaret Mead’s statement. I also will discuss social change, progressive organizing, and community organizing. I will then discuss some ways in which citizens can respond to social problems. Last I will consider the quote, “Activism is living out one’s values” and how it relates to how social changes align with people’s values. The video 21st Century Enlightenment discusses the process of people’s consciousness and our belief systems, what ones serve us and which ones our outdated, and our awareness of oneself. Understanding human behaviors with an evidence base such as how humans have bad long term decision making skills is an important aspect to the 21st century enlightenment. The video also discusses the importance for improvement in a worldwide need for more empathy towards others. The video also talks about many different dynamics that go into solving the problems today and also look ahead to sustainability for the whole world. I feel that by looking at our values, norms, and lifestyles we can understand better what may need to be changed in us and hence will give us a better understanding of ourselves. I feel that the video supports Margret Mead’s statement because working collectively together to change our thinking, behaviors, and attitudes towards how...
Words: 1117 - Pages: 5
...Arab Spring: Ben Ali and Hosni Moubarak knocked out by Mark Zuckerberg Source: Egyptian Internet Revolution, crazyjunkyard.com 26 years old Mohamed Bouazizi supported a large family selling fruits on the streets of Sidi Bouzid. For years, corrupted local officials who demanded backhander at every term have tormented him and other sellers in the market. On Friday December the 17th Mohamed set up his tools near the central mosque. This day, he did not have the money needed to pay the bribes to be there. The corrupted police officers arrived and took everything from him. They stood in front of him smacked him in the face and kicked him on the floor. Humiliated, Mohamed got upset and started to cry. He headed to the town police station and tried to press charges against those who assaulted him. No one listened to him. He was terribly upset and disappointed by the fact that he could not rely on his authorities for justice to be done. He then went to the closest shop and bought a bottle of fuel. He returned in front of the police station with the fuel, chose a spot in front of the building, poured the fuel over himself and then set himself on fire as a sign of protest and disagreement toward those who refused to listen to his complaints. Horrifically injured, Mohamed was taken to the hospital. Bouazizi hopeless act quickly became popular throughout the city and across the Arab world. The next day, hundreds of people gather at the spot where Mohamed had set himself alight....
Words: 3793 - Pages: 16
...What led up to the assassination of a man and his impact after. Medgar Evers a man born on July 2, 1925 and died on June 12, 1963, was a civil rights activist in Mississippi. His full name was Medgar Wiley Evers and lived in Mississippi who grew up in a farming family in Decatur Mississippi. In 1943 Medgar Evers was drafted into the American Army to fight in World War II in France and Germany. In 1946 Medgar Evers received honorable discharge. Later on in his life he would become a Civil Rights Activist who would fight to end injustice. Medgar Evers took a stand for an end to racial injustice by becoming one of the first blacks to apply for admission to the University of Mississippi Law School, helped integrate “Ole Miss.”, and was NAACP’s first field...
Words: 1705 - Pages: 7
...1983, friends and social activists Gary Hirschberg and Samuel Kaymen started out with a great yogurt recipe, seven cows and a dream. They set up an organic yogurt company in Wilton, New Hampshire, to capitalize on baby boomers’ growing concerns with pure foods and health, and to revitalize the New England dairy industry. Stonyfield Farms has grown to become the third largest organic company in the world, with more than $50 million in annual sales in 50 states. It produces more than 18 million cups of yogurt each month. Stonyfield Farm’s phenomenal growth is in part attributable to its ability to provide a product for a special niche market - people who treasure healthy foods and want to protect the environment. These values have become embedded in the company’s “personality”. Stonyfield pledges to use in its products only natural ingredients and milk that have not been produced with antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, and toxic pesticides and fertilizers. The company donates 10 percent of its profits each year to efforts that help protect or restore the Earth. As the company expanded, management feared it would lose touch with its loyal and committed customer base. Traditional media-based advertising was expensive and wouldn’t really help the company “connect” with the kinds of people it was trying to reach. This company prefers word-of-mouth approaches that get its message to customers in ways that are more compatible with its grassroots, organic, activist people-friendly image...
Words: 1241 - Pages: 5
...years old. This lack of participation of young Americans place a strain on issues that affect the young population, such as allowing officials to ignore concerns involving student debt and funding for higher education. Young Americans have the power to voice their political, social, and economic opinions to make a difference, but they ignore the opportunity to act during election day due to two misconceptions: their vote does not matter and the election does not concern them. Today, I am going to explain how every vote matters, express the importance of voting, and...
Words: 782 - Pages: 4
