Social Media Revolution

            To learn more about social media as a whole, I read a study by Hellekson about this new idea of “Web 2.0,” which focused on the increase of technology and accessibility to media. In particular with digital interactive media, social networks have developed a connection and normality with this particular form of media, unlike any other previous generation. This new platform of communication can be used for a plethora of reasons mainly self-expression to participate in social and recreational activities online. Today, the Internet has gone through a complete transformation because it has the capacity to fulfill countless tasks, mainly with social interaction. This new kind of Internet has been described as Web 2.0. Web 2.0 is described as an “…interactive, networked Web, not a static, read-only Web” (Hellekson 1).

            The Internet has the capacity to spread content throughout the entire world, which is why it is such a powerful medium. In fact, renowned scholar Herbert McLuhan was famous for stating that the “medium in the message.” He argued that the medium controls everything from how widely it’s distributed to how we consume the media. In this particular case, the medium is social networks, predominantly Facebook. After being created in 2004, by 2007 Facebook was reported to have more than 21 million registered members generating 1.6 billion page views each day. These numbers are clear evidence of the social networks significant impact. In addition, a 2007 study on Facebook found that a typical user spends roughly 20 minutes a day on the site, and two-thirds of users log in at least once a day. Media users constantly use social networks like Facebook to keep friends, family and even sometimes strangers updated, multiple times a day. The accessibility of Facebook and other social networks on smart phones has only added to the necessity of becoming a member of a social network.

            In addition to this study, I came across a YouTube video that shared some impressive statistics about the impact social media has on our world today. The video depicts the "Social Media Revolution" that we are currently involved in. To put it simply, Everyone is somehow influenced by the power of the Internet. 

Hellekson, K. ‘Fan studies 101’. SFRA Review 287 (Winter 2009): 5-7.