Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was the initial promise of the internet and social media?
What was the initial promise of the internet and social media?
- To make traditional media outlets obsolete
- To promote collective speech over individual voices
- To limit free expression and individual control
- To allow anyone to speak and tailor their online experience (correct)
What is the actual experience of social media for many users?
What is the actual experience of social media for many users?
- A platform for only well-informed opinions
- A flood of unwanted ideas and opinions (correct)
- A space for objective news and information
- A sense of control and tailored experience
Why is it difficult to escape the reach of social media?
Why is it difficult to escape the reach of social media?
- Because it has become an integral part of everyday life (correct)
- Because it is heavily regulated
- Because it is not widely used
- Because it is only used by a few individuals
How is speech perceived on social media?
How is speech perceived on social media?
What has social media effectively done to speech?
What has social media effectively done to speech?
What is the current perception of social media in the world?
What is the current perception of social media in the world?
What has coincided with calls for restrictions on speech?
What has coincided with calls for restrictions on speech?
Where can you see screens open to Twitter and Facebook?
Where can you see screens open to Twitter and Facebook?
What has President Trump's tweeting led to?
What has President Trump's tweeting led to?
What can make it difficult to avoid social media entirely?
What can make it difficult to avoid social media entirely?
What can devolve into ugly political arguments on social media?
What can devolve into ugly political arguments on social media?
What is a significant fraction of mainstream political journalism about?
What is a significant fraction of mainstream political journalism about?
Study Notes
The Promise of Social Media
- Social media was expected to allow anyone to speak and tailor what they read, see, and hear online, free from mediation by newspaper editors, TV producers, and other gatekeepers.
- It was seen as a new frontier for unregulated free expression and individual control.
The Reality of Social Media
- For many users, social media is not about control, but rather a virtual bombardment of ideas and opinions that can be irritating, dull, and offensive.
- Despite options to block, mute, unfollow, log off, or delete accounts, social media's prevalence makes it difficult to escape its reach.
The Socialization of Speech
- Social media has made speech feel like a public act, contributing to the collective, rather than an individual right.
- The rise of social media has led to calls for restrictions on speech, both online and offline, and increased demand for limitations on speech.
The Omnipresence of Social Media
- Social media has become an integral part of everyday life, filling in the cracks of our time.
- The feeling of inescapability is amplified by politics and traditional media, where social media is always present and influential.
The Impact on Journalism and Politics
- Twitter and Facebook have become essential tools for journalists and political reporters.
- President Trump's use of Twitter has created a feedback loop with the media, leading to a significant focus on what's happening online in mainstream political journalism.
- Even for those who aren't news junkies, social media's connective power and habit-forming nature make it difficult to avoid entirely.
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Description
This quiz explores the role of social media in shaping our access to news and information, and how it has changed the way we consume media. From direct access to individual voices to the rise of unregulated free expression, test your knowledge on the impact of social media.
