Social Media

OMG! I just had my Herpes test and it was SO GROSS! What's acceptable online? Has communicating come to this? Could it be the norm in social media, where etiquette, good manners, and decency may be all but forgotten? It's easy to hide behind an anonymous user name, but that is no excuse for boorish, coarse behavior or mean online personalities. Keri White, who writes for the etiquette blog thesocialgrace.com, says that social media etiquette is not that much different from the older forms of communication.

As the confetti fell from the ceiling and President Obama took the stage for his 2012 victory speech, there may have been a factor he forgot to thank - social media. And as Republican candidate Mitt Romney learned of his defeat, there may have been a factor that wasn't foremost in his mind - social media. In a world where people yearn for information at lightning speed, where perception via social media sites like Twitter and Facebook can be a candidate's best friend or worst enemy, it has become increasingly crucial for today's politician to master the information technology of the day. Kevin Arceneaux, an associate professor of political science at Temple University, has watched the use of social media grow from 2004, where they played a minor role, to the present day, where they have become "a central tool for campaigns.

Do you remember the pulsating beat and powerful lyrics of Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, or LL Cool J? Those artists were some of the key figures of old school hip-hop. They had a message, a unique style, a following, and no doubt a contract with a major record label. Today, the pioneer rappers have been replaced by Lil Wayne, Kanye West, and Big Sean. The message, the style, and fans may differ from the past, but the biggest change from old school to new school is the use of social media.

Two years ago, two friends at a Philadelphia high school turned on each other and began a hallway fight sparked by a rumor on Twitter and Facebook. As the fight escalated, onlookers pulled out their smartphones and began recording the action. Shortly thereafter, the "winner" of this school brawl posted the unsettling video on Facebook for all to see. This incident spurred a debate at Constitution High about what role social media have, if any, in conflict resolution. "Social media is funny, in that we can see fights from across the country from somewhere like Los Angeles," said Kathleen Melville, an English teacher at Constitution High.

Gone are the days of just buttons and banners for politicians to reach their constituents. Welcome to the new political arena full of commercials, blog posts, and hundreds of tweets. Through social media, politicians are now able to constantly display their message through endless commercials, see direct responses to their actions via Facebook or Twitter, and connect with a single person at the push of a button. As State Sen. Andy Dinniman (D., Chester) introduced legislation last year that would strengthen Pennsylvania's animal cruelty laws, his camp was overwhelmed with positive feedback from the animal-loving community.

Years ago a dispute would often get resolved through talking it out. That's often not the case today. With the use of social media, conflict resolution can be more difficult for teenagers. A problem can escalate past regular school hours and linger throughout the day. What a face-to-face confrontation could have resolved is now substituted with bullying through social media, which keeps the problem going. Social media have become a big part of an average teenager's life. Websites like Facebook make it easy to see what's going on in your friends' lives, without actually having to talk to them at all. However, this avoidance of physical communication also makes it easier for teens to bully one another through social-media websites.

It's junior year and Ellie Likos is ready to start the college process. The first step: changing her name on Facebook. Since the explosion of social media just a few years ago, colleges across the country have increasingly used them to scrutinize applicants. To avoid being found on Facebook by admissions officers, it is typical for high school seniors to change the last names on their accounts. "I don't have anything that I would want to hide, but I am still going to change my name [on Facebook]

It is not your typical five-minute wait. With each second ticking by, your Facebook page stays the same. Then the red notification flag flashes on your blue screen. Congratulations, you have received your first like on your post. As people post their status, photos, or videos, competition begins with the number of likes or comments they receive. Whether that competition is healthy for teenagers is an open question. For some teens, the problem arises when they realize that their friends get way more likes or comments than they do. Many people have argued that social media websites enhance a person's self-esteem instead of deflating it. Others disagree, saying that social media websites are not a good place for people with low self-esteem.

Most people use social media to connect with friends, share cat pictures, or perhaps play Farmville. But the young protesters who took to Tahrir Square on Jan. 25, 2011, found an essential use for these sites: Egyptians used Twitter and Facebook to orchestrate demonstrations against President Hosni Mubarak's autocracy. Dissidents used the Facebook page "We Are All Khaled Said" as a pivotal tool in the downfall of Mubarak. Protesters shared the plight of Khaled Said, a young activist who was arbitrarily arrested and killed by police.

At Downingtown East High School, teacher Amy Tordone has to compete with Twitter and Facebook for students' attention. She also knows that her students must work on skills often missing from a world of 140-character tweets and minute-by-minute status updates. So Tordone has changed her curriculum by reemphasizing basic concepts, ways of thinking, and note-taking in her Advanced Placement Government class. She always has something for students to read, then follows it up with some form of social media.