The Battle for Public Opinion

 Hi guys! Welcome to my sixth blog post! 

Today I am going to be discussing how online communication, and the media have shaped how we form opinions and communicate. I think this topic is especially interesting to talk about around the time of presidential elections because social media and the news play huge roles in campaigning. Let's dive into it!

First, some key factors that contribute to the online battle for public opinion. When thinking about this, a big thing is algorithmic personalization. Social media platforms and other websites are able to figure out what we seem to like and use that to push similar content onto our feeds. This can lead to us enclosing ourselves in an echo-chamber, where all the information we see is partial to what we think or believe. For example, if I like posts on social media that have to do with one of this year's presidential candidates, I will continue to see information and posts based around that person. Echo-chambers, to an extent, can be dangerous because if we are only seeing one side of the story we might run into misinformation and believe it because we don't view any opposing sources. Speaking of misinformation, because of how rapidly news travels on social media platforms, we have to be really careful about what we believe because false information can be spread just as quickly as accurate information. Two last key points that I think we should acknowledge are the ability for anyone to share their ideas, values and opinions online and the influence of celebrities or leaders and what they share online. Diversity in perspectives and ideas is amplified when anyone can share how they feel with the world, and this can help break up the echo-chamber that the algorithm might create. When thinking about the role of celebrities or leaders on social media we should understand that, because of the potential perceived authority, their thoughts and opinions may sway others. 

Relating back to some of the key factors I talked about, the rapid disseminjation of information can quickly mobilize different important issues and spread awareness of different social matters. The power that social platforms have on campaigns can represent democracy in online communications through giving people a platform to participate in political discourse and a form of activism. We have talked a lot about how online communication and social media have benefitted our interpersonal connections by giving us new ways to stay in touch and feel like a part of people's lives if we can't be present with them all the time but when we bring up the topic of differing opinions this bring to light some complications. If we are sharing strongly opposing ideas to people, it is almost a given that conflict can occur. I even think it is more likely that people will decide to face people with opposing views because it can be easier to hide behind the screen then talk in person. 

A couple examples I thought of that convey influential online campaigns are the "#MeToo" movement and the Black Lives Matter movement. The Me-Too movement kicked off during 2017 and helped spread awareness about SA and allowed a space for survivors to share their stories and experiences. This global movement used hashtags on media posts, and helped viewers empathize through listening to true stories. The Black Lives Matter was also a significant movement that gained momentum through social media platforms. This movement did a similar thing, using hashtags, personal stories and even support from leaders and celebrities to spread awareness about the racism, whether personally mediated, or systematic that is still present in our country today. If you want to learn more about the Black Lives Matter movement and how important of a role social media played, click here.

Now, let's talk ethics. I feel like the ethics behind public views aren't always considered, but they should be. Some important things to think about are, avoiding content that could cause others harm on someone's mental or physical well-being. You should also make sure to do your own un-bias background research before sharing information. This can help prevent the spread of fake news. Remember to always respect others' privacy online as well. Not everyone has the same opinions as you or chooses to share their opinions and that is ok. 

As always, thanks for listening! See you next week!