We all know how rapid information can be passed on through the use of social media, but can it cause more harm than good? There are millions of users around the world that log on almost every day, Twitter and Facebook are the front runners purely due to its live update through other people’s statuses. However, should certain things be private due to peoples safety?
There have been many live horrid events that tend to be on most social networking even before the news receives info. One prime example is the “Mumbai carnage”; many people around the world were locked into their networking sites trying to get as much knowledge through the live updates from people who were literally in the chaos. Twitter specifically had a user (user@BreakingNewz) who “was apparently interacting with several witnesses, hostages and even military personal that were live at the scene”.
It was only a matter of time when the Mumbai police had to intervene these live social networks to stop sending out updates as it would undermine “military operations underway to thwart the terrorists and rescue hostages” due to the terrorists who were using these live updates to their advantage by pinpointing the location of the military.
Lets not get too far ahead of ourselves, but here is just one example of a good thing turning into a bad thing, which leads me to ask, is the rapid response through the social media destroying traditional news agencies such as the BBC and CNN?
Nowadays the majority of people are now sacking their newspaper subscription, switching off their TV and using the internet for their daily dose of information, why? Most probably because it’s fast and effective. Many users tend to sign up to journalist blogs, to something they are of interest.
What your views, is the social media actually destroying the tradition of broadcasting news?
reference: http://www.sociableblog.com/2008/12/08/how-social-media-is-killing-cnn/
ReplyDeleteTo be honest social media will always beat the news reports hands down. News comes from a source and if that source is already on social media they can get out that message faster than the news can. With twitter especially because you dont even have to be connected with someone as a friend to read what they are tweeting about. Another example is the london riots, I remember seeing tweets about where the next spot where the riots will be taking place, minutes, sometimes hours before the news even reported it. The only thing is if you are not following trends or have a vague idea of whats going on,,you wont be able to follow it on a social networking site, unless one of the people you are connected with, relays the message on.
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