In the face of COVID-19, social media has been a great way for people and communities to stay connected even while physically separated. Just imagine if this pandemic happened 15 years ago. Where would we have been with remote working and schooling from home?
Social media plays a big role in keeping people updated on current events about the pandemic. We have realtime information right at our fingertips in the face of a worldwide event. This information can help keep us safe and provide us with a better understanding of what is happening and how it may impact us. Of course, we have to be careful of spreading false information or getting information from places other than trusted sources.
Until a month ago, most of us haven't heard of the term "social distancing" but now it is becoming the main term used in posts across multiple social media platforms. It has influenced the way we respond to others and how we have prepared for the pandemic. Another term I have heard is "panic buying," which refers to stocking up on things such as toilet paper. People are sharing pictures of empty shelves or carts filled with toilet paper and frozen meals and adding to the panic.
Another role social media plays in during the pandemic is a means for marketing. Some businesses are preying on the mass hysteria or selling things such as hand sanitizer and face masks. However, there have been some positive sides to marketing during this crisis. Many streaming services are offering discounted rates and internet providers are offering free internet for students who need it.
I've also seen a wide array of positive posts in the midst of the pandemic. COVID-19 has put many people especially the elderly, working parents who are losing childcare, and those who are losing their jobs in challenging situations. Many communities are rallying together to support organizations by sharing fundraisers with their followers on social media. People are also doing what they can to help others by picking up groceries and delivering them to people at higher risk. I've also noticed an uptick in cute child and animal photos which has helped lift people's spirits. There have even been more posts about mental health awareness or friends checking in with others to make sure they're okay.
This may be the first time people have experienced a pandemic of this scale, but social media is playing an ultimate role during this time.
I agree with your post. My church, in addition to webcasting services on multiple platforms, has also started Zoom groups where small groups can get together so we can be "physically distance but spiritually close." During the service webcast, I found that I would have the service up on the big screen at home through one service, while having the service also running on Facebook where everyone watching is commenting and saying hello.
ReplyDeleteIt's been interesting to see how communities are using the web, especially Zoom to stay connected. I've seen Zoom birthday parties, dance lessons, book clubs, happy hours, yoga sessions, and more.
DeleteLeah, we had a very similar thought process to our blog posts this week! I also wrote briefly about the pandemic and how we have relied so heavily on social media during this time. I posted some graduate student research that discusses the negative effects of social media on our society, much like the book Networked mentioned, there has been a lot of focus on the bad without thinking about the good. I think you bring up some very good points that even during this pandemic there has been a mixed bag (companies taking advantage to market their products is a great example) but I am wondering if this will bring our online social networks even closer together, and help them function at an even higher level for productivity, collaboration, etc. I think we have already seen some of that with the ingenuity and creativity of Zoom church meetings, Zoom birthday parties, and more!
ReplyDeleteJFoxx, I took a look at your social media blog post and agree with the effects it has had on our society. I think social media has definitely brought our online social networks even closer together during the pandemic. I'm seeing much higher participation levels from my friends and people are using different platforms for video chat birthday parties, yoga classes, and more.
DeleteLeah, you really made me think with this post. I had not considered what our world would look like in the midst of this great unpleasantness if we were not able to be so interconnected through technology and Web 2.0 tools. I mean, can you imagine a '90s house in our situation where 2 parents and 2.5 kids need to all log in to the dial-up or someone needs to make a call? Or an '80s house where kids are literally just sitting at home with a textbook and a fax machine? This all doesn't even account for the isolating feelings of not having social media to maintain relationships and some sense of the world.
ReplyDeleteSocial media gets a bad rap for placing users in a place of constant comparison and taking focus away from social situations, but I think a quarantine life without this connection would lead to greater issues in depression from isolation.
I can't even imagine what my parents would have done if we had a pandemic during the 90s when I was in elementary school. I definitely wouldn't be having video chat meetings with my teacher, and my brother and I would be fighting over the phone line so we could dial in with our computers. We would have definitely had less interaction with our classmates and teachers so I think it's wonderful to see how beneficial social media is during the current pandemic.
DeleteLeah,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post. Thanks to social media, I have been in contact with people who I would not normally contact otherwise. It seems that people are spending more and more time on social media during this pandemic.
How about you? Have you been communicating with some people through social media than you would have otherwise?
I've also been communicating with some people through social media more than I would have otherwise. I'm spending more time on Facebook and Instagram so I'm seeing many more posts and interacting with people through their quizzes and photos they are posting. My cousin even started a group message between a bunch of family members who I maybe talk to once a year but now I'm seeing what they made for breakfast and what they're kids are doing to stay busy. It's been nice to increase communication with them.
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