HOW HAS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF FACEBOOK AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA SITES? SHOULD SOCIAL MEDIA SITES BE REGULATED?
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How has information technology supported the development of Facebook and other social media sites? Should social media sites be regulated?
Introduction
The change in technology over the years has changed the way of living. Productivity has risen to the highest level, using less time and effort. Technology has changed the way people interact with one another through social media that allow a person to communicate with a wide group of people within a short time. These changes are made possible by the availability of the internet as a key factor. Social media companies continue to invent new ideas that change how people, businesses, schools, and organizations operate. Technology is heading in the right direction with the current release of the iPhone series and the Ios7. Over the years, cell phones were known to make calls only, but a cell phone can perform various tasks with the current technology. The memory of the phone is getting bigger while the size becomes smaller. Computers and tablets are becoming much pretty, thinner, and faster. Facebook and other social media sites have developed over the years with the support of information technology, but they have several weaknesses, creating the need to have the sites regulated.
Areas of interest, activity or Issue
The development of mobile phones and the growth of social media go hand in hand. Information technology has now made it possible to access tweeter, Facebook, and other social media sites using a mobile phone compared to the past where only computers could have such access. Although accessing social media sites using the computer is much easier, mobile phones have become more popular and convenient because of their mobility. Hence, social media sites can be accessed at any location using a mobile phone (Sahlin, 2015).
Information technology has introduced videos and images, reducing the use of text messages on social media sites. Videos and images have made Instagram and Facebook more popular than a tweeter, which is more text messages than images. This is because most people spend more time on Instagram and Facebook than on tweeter. Therefore, information technology has made social media to be more visual than in the past.
Most of the cell phone developed today have a quality camera which supports 4K and 1080p high resolution. The cameras have made it possible for people to take pictures and post them on social media platforms. This has increased the interaction between people in different parts of the world (Sahlin, 2015). Images and videos on social media have changed how businesses operate. Social media sites have transformed to be a platform for advertising, online selling, and product promotion. Facebook and Instagram attract millions of users on the internet, which becomes the target audience for businesses (Thakur, 2014). It is now normal that all firms and organizations have a Facebook page.
Research Findings.
According to a research survey conducted by Bhagwat & Goutam (2013) in 11 developing countries, most countries have rare access to either a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Lebanon has the highest number of people with a working tablet or laptop, about 57%. Most adults have a mobile phone, with Vietnam having 97% cell phone ownership. However, in other countries like Kenya and South Africa, only nine in ten people own a mobile phone. Smartphones are the most popular type of mobile phone, where 53% of adults have a smartphone, making it easier to access the internet and apps (Bhagwat, & Goutam, 2013). Smartphone ownership is most common for young and educated people. People at the age of 18 to 30 years are more likely to use smartphones than those above 50. According to research by Bhagwat & Goutam (2013), WhatsUp and Facebook are the most used messaging apps and social media platforms. About 62% of social media users use Facebook as a social platform. Facebook is popularly used in Lebanon and Jordan, where 90% of the adults use the platform. Despite having a smaller percentage of about 24% of Facebook users, India emerges to have the largest number of active Facebook users worldwide (Bhagwat, & Goutam, 2013).
Proposed Solutions
Social media development can be supported by making it easier to access smartphones, computers, and laptops. Countries should put more effort into educating their citizens to provide them with knowledge on how to read and operate computers and smartphones. When more people are educated, the number of social media users increases as more people buy and use smartphones. Smartphones help in gaining access to applications like WhatsApp, Instagram, and tweeter.
Conclusion
The role of information technology in the development of social media like Facebook is one to be recognized. The most significant is the development of light, small, and thin, making it possible to carry the phone from one place to another. High-resolution cameras with a 108MP give the users quality images and videos for sharing on social media. However, social media should be regulated to avoid sharing harmful information and misusing personal data.
References
Bhagwat, S. & Goutam, A. (2013). Development of Social Networking Sites and Their Role in Business with Special Reference to Facebook. Journal of Business and Management. Volume 6, http://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-jbm/papers/Vol6-issue5/B0651528.pdf
Thakur, K.S. (2014). GLOBAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. Horizon Books (A Division of Ignited Minds Edutech P Ltd).
Sahlin et al. (2015). Social Media and the Transformation of Interaction in Society. IGI GLOBAL.