Social and Cultural Issues of Interactive Digital Media Essay

This essay explores the multifaceted impact of social media on humanity, examining its effects through both utopian and dystopian lenses. The assignment defines these perspectives and then analyzes how different aspects of social media, such as communication, information sharing, and social interaction, can be viewed under each lens. The analysis considers the positive aspects, like increased connectivity and democratic participation, as well as the negative consequences, such as privacy concerns, the spread of misinformation, and potential for social isolation. The essay draws on a range of academic and popular literature to support its arguments, providing a comprehensive overview of the complex relationship between social media and society.

Running Head: IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON HUMANITY
Impact of Social Media on Humanity
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON HUMANITY
As it is considered to be an understandable part that several operational aspects that are
associated several applications of social media basically runs and operates under numerous
innovative and advanced form of technology on a complete basis. According to the current
world internet directs in a particular manner under which the forms of communication can
be systematically carried out effectively form one place to another, person to person and
from culture to culture (Rambe and Nel 2015). Under this respective part there are several
expectations that, internet will generally become a ubiquitous part. Compared to this respective
segment scholars and researchers have different opinions regarding the impact of new media
technology and internet in the current world functioning.
Their opinions under this respective part is expressed generally in utopian and
dystopian perspectives and cover all features of life which the technology have experienced.
Several operational and functional aspects that are associated with the forms and platforms of
internet technology is strongly appreciated by the utopians where they consider this to be the
most valuable and potential tool with more advanced beneficial factors (Gerds and Chan 2017).
Some of the major positive possibilities that are associated with the side of internet basically
include supportive practice for democracy, education, intensive political action, human
interaction and many others.
On the other hand, as per several views identified form the side of dystopian who are
the alarmists and cyberpunks regarding the operational aspects that are associated with the
internet technology, they generally believe digital platforms to be a danger part which can
generally lead to the loss of humanity complete basis (Tench and Jones 2015). Compared to
several forms of text messages, comments from Facebook and twitter which pour in to television
and radio programs every single day, according to the viewpoint of the utopians supporters

2IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON HUMANITY
are suggestive of the internet allowing ordinary citizens for the part of participating and
having their own voice heard in discourse on issues which affect their lives in the particular
community they basically live in. However, apart from this respective part, it can be stared that
stories like girl murdered by friend whom she met through Facebook can create a strong form of
news.
Dystopian Proponents on the other hand, have certain causes for the part of
warning the dangers that are related to the system of dangers that are associated with the
application of internet technology (Roesler-Keilholz 2016). Several understandings that are
related to the system of internet and its associated applications and technology requires a basic
identification of several dimensions under which the functional aspects of internet can be
studied. According to several statements valuated and explained by the author Bell there
are three major ways and methods through which a brief study of internet and cyberspace can
be made which involves experiential, symbolic and material (Tiidenberg et al 2018). Under this
respective part the author cites several statements demonstrated by Stanley Aronowitz for the
part of providing the basic terms related to phenomenology, pragmatics and ontology as other
major part of synonyms for the part of discussing the methods of thinking about internet
technology on a complete basis.
Several materials stories that are associated with the system of internet technology gives
a clear historical understanding regarding how internet technology came to the part of existence
along with numerous forms of transformation it has basically undertaken. Thus, under this
respective part, the advent of ARP net which is a network that is completely based and is
related to computers which are geographically separated and that has the capability for the
part of exchanging the information among military installation is considered to be the core part

3IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON HUMANITY
of material understanding of internet technology. On the other hand, symbolic stories that are
associated with the system of cyberspace or internet give generic and literary accounts most
notably in cyberpunk but also under science fiction and other speculative fiction. According
to the viewpoint associated with the author Jordan offers strong explanation to symbolic stories
associated with cyberspace as the methods under which the realm of applications associated with
the system of cyberspace is basically depicted under fiction and films (Kerr et al 2018). For
example, Robocop matrix where Robocop treats symbolic depiction of good cop and bad
cop which basically are considered to be the ongoing debates under material world.
According to several statements demonstrated form the side of author Bell is related to
several intersections that are associated with symbolic and material stories associated with
the system of cyberspace in everyday life. An individual’s daily interactions with the
application and system of internet technology can provide a clear and accurate understanding
about several aspects related to the function of internet and other forms of new media
technology on a complete basis (Zhao and Liu 2015). Apart from this respective factors
several forms of benefits that are associated with experiential forms of new media
technology where it avails individuals in the area of working more easily from their homes, to
the part of sustaining and forming friendship and romantic attachments, to engage and vote
in social issue and political based discussions (Foust and Hoyt 2018). This also offers adaptive
platform for shy individuals under the area of communicating and strongly participating to
several discussion associated with the issues in an adaptive manner.
On a complete basis, it can be stated that as compared to viewpoint of dystopian, it
sees the advent of theft related to personal information, significant reduction under the area
of maintaining personal contact with face to face form of communication. They also belief that

4IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON HUMANITY
intensive connection with several application based on internet can also lead to several
virus threats to information storage and data which can also lead to strong lack under work
productivity. As compared to operational aspects associated with forms and system of social
media platforms, it can be stated that utopians are much supportive to the internet and social
media technology whereas dystopian believe this to be more danger and harmful segment to
the part of humanity on a complete basis.

5IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON HUMANITY
References
Foust, C.R. and Hoyt, K.D., 2018. Social movement 2.0: Integrating and assessing scholarship
on social media and movement. Review of Communication, 18(1), pp.37-55.
Gerds, A.T. and Chan, T., 2017. Social Media in Hematology in 2017: Dystopia, Utopia, or
Somewhere In-between?. Current hematologic malignancy reports, 12(6), pp.582-591.
Kerr, D., Axelrod, C., Hoppe, C. and Klonoff, D.C., 2018. Diabetes and technology in 2030: a
utopian or dystopian future?. Diabetic Medicine, 35(4), pp.498-503.
Rambe, P. and Nel, L., 2015. Technological utopia, dystopia and ambivalence: Teaching with
social media at a S outh A frican university. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(3),
pp.629-648.
Roesler-Keilholz, S., 2016. Utopia/Dystopia–Identity and Connectivity in Social
Media. Journalism and Mass Communication. Vol, 6, pp.607-614.
Tench, R. and Jones, B., 2015. Social media: the Wild West of CSR communications. Social
Responsibility Journal.
Tiidenberg, K., Markham, A., Pereira, G., Rehder, M., Dremljuga, R., Sommer, J.K. and
Dougherty, M., 2017, July. " I'm an Addict" and Other Sensemaking Devices: A Discourse
Analysis of Self-Reflections on Lived Experience of Social Media. In Proceedings of the 8th
international conference on social media & society (pp. 1-10).
Zhao, H. and Liu, J., 2015. Social media and collective remembrance. The debate over China’s
great famine on weibo. China Perspectives, 2015(2015/1), pp.41-48.