The advancements in technology and the evolution and addaption of social media have changed the way people intereact. It has made information so easily diseminated that as things and events are happening, they can be simoltaneously updated and streamed on the internet. In fact, the first image of the US Airways flight that crash landed in the Hudson River was broadcasted through Twitter.
It used to be that news was communicated through a less rapid channel and therefore less flexible and less recent. While the internet and social media have their vast benefits, it also has some disadvantages. Any comment, post or article put on the internet, is out there for eternity and has the potential to be seen by the entire Internet community. With so many "facts" out there, sources are becoming less credible. It is hard for a person to discern fact from fiction and be able to identify credible sources online. Dan Rather discusses such disadvantages and the crisis facing American Media and the Internet.
Another major issue that is currently being faced is Internet bullying. The Internet can be used to promote negativity, prejudice and racism, all masked by the anonymity that the Internet allows. Individuals can share opinions that they otherwise wouldn’t and people can attack other individuals or entire groups from the comfort of their couch. In fact, cyber bullying has become so rampant in some schools that they have led to suicides and a crack down schoolwide on bullying.
However, the Internet does provide positive interaction between minorities through dating websites such as Blackpeoplemeet.com, Asianpeoplemeet.com, Allhispanicdating.com. The internet also allows minorities to interact with each other via online communities and chat sites: Blackplanet.com, AsianTown.net, and MiGente.com. All things considered, given the right mediation, the Internet is a wonderful tool and can improve American and Global media.
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