The internet and social media are something that I grew up both with and without. I use the internet for mostly informational purposes and have been since I started using it. Social media grew up with me the same way that I grew up with it, and it has impacted my life since its use became prevalent. I use social media every day for communication as well as entertainment. It is something that will not be going away any time soon, so I continue to work on having a healthy relationship with social media and the internet. Some of my favorite social media are photo and video sharing apps. I enjoy these the most because they are the most visually stimulating and are being constantly updated with new content.Â
The public relations field is something I am very interested in. Public relations were shaped by advances in technology, the growth of the middle class, the growth of organizations, better research tools, and professionalization (pg. 281). All of these influences had made the public relations field both broad and niche at the same time. It has been proven as an essential part of the business and is necessary within the age of the internet and social media. I think the public relations field has to be conscious of every move they make and to be extremely aware of their audience, but also those not within their target market because anyone that is observing can see and judge anything.
Advertising is essential to business. This is a large part of how they make their money. The internet has changed advertising forever. No matter what website I am on there is an advertisement. The thing that is the most bothersome about advertisements is that no matter what I may be considering buying even for a second, I will see hundreds of ads for that item for the rest of my life. I see things that I wanted to buy a couple of years ago still in my advertisements. This is extremely frustrating for a consumer. I also believe that it can bring up a lack of trust within what is being advertised. I know that when I see constant ads for something it makes me not want to buy it.Â
As we have learned, the effect of mass communication is huge! Mass communication has changed every part of the world, especially within the internet. That being said, there are many negative effects that this mass communication can have, such as stereotypes being reinforced and upheld via the internet and the media usage and aggression link. I find this link very telling and it is another reminder to be conscious about what we are consuming. If we are constantly being exposed to harmful and negative media, then we are going to become more harmful and negative. It is similar to the saying âyou are what you eatâ. Essentially, you are what you consume. So similar to the food youâre eating, what youâre putting in your brain matters too.
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