Questions for Social Media

Social Media Use is Soaring—Tine to Reconsider Your 2013 Strategy

·      What did you learn about the growing trends in the use of social media?

Social Media is being used more and more in terms of job searching, as employers are looking at these cites more than they ever have before. Keeping profiles clean, curse-free and filled with important links can aide in getting a job, as, according to the "5 Social Media Tips" article, 86% of employers check profiles of their potential employees.

·      What takeaways do you see from the data?

The data serves to prove the growing importance that social media networks hold in our everyday lives. Not only do they influence us in terms of our connection with others socially, but they influence where we get our information from, if a person gets hired and it helps in forming his opinions. 

Technology & Internet:  10 Social Media Tips Every Business Needs to Know

·      How does business uses social media?
Businesses use social media to promote themselves, connect with consumers if they offer a good or service, and view the social media profiles of potential employees. This is becoming more common than ever among businesses and the call for a clean up of social media should be heard.

·      Where you surprised by what “social media is NOT?”
I was surprised in how seriously employers consider social media to be. They consider it a reflection on one's personality and morals, and keeping it clean is essential.

·      Describe some of the things that “social media IS.”
Social media is a way to network and show off your skills and experience, almost like a casual, virtual resume. 

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Blogging on Politics: The Media's Influence on LGBT* Marriage

Marriage within the LGBT* community continues to be a topic of discussion for political candidates nationwide. Whether one is for or against this issue, there is no doubt that the media plays a large part in forming so many different political opinions, and gay marriage is certainly one of those issues. 

In the video clip above, taken from CCN.com, explains that evidence has shown that media opinion does in fact influence not only the larger populace, but politicians who formerly held contrary opinions. For example, according to the video, when the law in Arizona that sought to put restraints on gay marriage as well as other civil rights for LGBT* couples, right-wing politicians such as former Republican Presidential candidates Mitt Romney and John McCain spoke out opposing the Arizona law.

The two sides of the issue, in their most basic forms, are those that are for marriage in the LGBT* community, and those who are not. Of course, there are many different arguments on either side, such as the argument that marriage comes with many benefits that heterosexuals gain, including financial and federal benefits, while others argue that their religion prevents them from condoning a (religious) marital ceremony between two people of the same sex.

A poll of the last decade's opinions on gay marriage from The Washington Post illustrates that, in just ten years' time, opinions have changed dramatically in favor of LGBT* marriage being legalized, which is largely the opinion that most media outlets agree with. 

Regardless of one's own personal opinion, it is undeniable the influence the media has on our larger culture, and it can certainly be attributed to the increasing amount of technology and digital convergence that has vastly increased in the past ten years.  There is also evidence to support that the generation of technology largely supports LGBT* rights more than generations of the past, and with technology in the hands of that generation, it is not unlikely that the media's opinions would coincide with theirs. 

It is not just the opinions of the media and the people that are changing, but changes are also being made to the statutory and federal governments. According to The Washington Post, "On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court struck down a part of the Defense of Marriage Act, saying the federal ban on benefits to same-sex couples is unconstitutional; it also declined to rule on California’s Proposition 8, which defined marriage as between one man and one woman." Changes are being made to what one would categorize as the oldest, and often times most traditional part of the nation: the government. LGBT* rights are being recognized as an issue of human civil rights and welfare, and less of a political opinion. In ten years time, perhaps this issue will be resolved and in the next generation's history books. For now, we must take part so that progress may unfold.

Sources:
http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2014/03/02/evidence-media-coverage-favors-gay-rights/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/same-sex-marriage/gIQAJ6t6DU_topic.html