November 16-20 is Social Media Week in Chicago, when the Twitterati gather to learn about using social media to inspire action, perform search engine optimization (SEO) and try to predict the future of digital data. The theme this year, "Upwardly Mobile: The Rise of the Connected Class," focuses on what we can all achieve in a global, connected world. Here are five articles about social media and its impact, past, present and future.
You can read these articles through CPL's Online Resources, but I also included any versions of these articles available freely on the web, accessible to anyone!
"Feed Frenzy" by Jon Ronson
New York Times Magazine, February 12, 2015 (also available on the New York Times website)
Have you ever said something you regretted? Me too! But I try to keep a low profile online. You never know when a bad joke can ruin your life. And the Internet never forgets. Just ask Justine Sacco.
"AOL vs. Microsoft vs. all of us" by Cathryn Baskin
PC World, October 1999
The first social media I ever used was AOL Instant Messenger. This blast from the past explores a new entrant into the instant messaging arena: Microsoft! Take a look and see if any of the predictions from this 1999 article have come true.
"The Witnesses" by Jay Caspian King
New York Times Magazine, May 4, 2015 (also available on the New York Times website)
The #blacklivesmatter hashtag was used for the first time in 2013. This social media civil rights movement is still going strong and shows no signs of giving up the fight. Read about two members of #blacklivesmatter in this powerful depiction of their daily lives.
"The Fall of Facebook" by Alexis Madrigal
The Atlantic Monthly, December 2014 (also available on the Atlantic Monthly's website)
Did you know that over a billion people visit Facebook every day? But there are many other social media services out there. And unless Facebook learns how to harness some of the qualities of these other networks, they could be destined to go the way of Myspace. (View more Facebook statistics at their website.)
"How Facebook Actually Helps You Look on the Bright Side of Life" by Janice Kaplan
Adweek, September 23, 2015 (also available on Adweek's website)
There's a lot of negative talk about social media and Facebook in particular. This article puts a positive spin on the social media service. Posting uplifting messages, even when you might be having a bad day, can make you feel better and help you spread the gratitude. Who knew?
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