Final Blog Post/Presentation | My Relationship With Technology : How Online Technologies Changed Mass Communication

Mass communication is exactly what the words mean-communication to the masses. Mass communication has evolved from a more crude capability to the online format of today. Oral histories were one of the first forms of mass communications. Beginning in prehistoric times, writings were how people communicated. Communicating heritage, lore, and traditions were necessary to a society. Then printing technologies led to the development of the printing press which evolved into newspaper publications, radio, and then television. In more recent times, media has been communicated either through print (newspapers, magazines, etc) or through television, ads, and radio. When the internet was developed, new technologies were developed that allowed online communication like email. This need to know and need to share attitude led to the development of technologies that could deliver communication and information to the masses in an efficient and global way. 

Most young adults use some form of technology every single day. It is pervasive in our lives and consumes a tremendous amount of our time. Laptops, iPads, and cell phones are nothing more than travel size computers. Access to information and resources is just a click away. Growing up, my dad was always a huge Apple fan so he was always quick to have the newest gadget. Although exposed to all these technology products,  I was a little delayed and even restricted in having access to online technologies like social media apps until I was almost out of high school. I was not allowed to have Facebook or Instagram until after I was already driving and then once allowed, I had to become 'friends' with my parents, teachers, and coaches on all platforms. (My mom's way of making everyone accountable I guess). I grew up with what I believe was healthy limits. I was not allowed to have certain apps at all and had Facebook a long time before I was allowed to add Instagram. Some online technologies like blogs were popular long before I was even born. In high school, I took a writing course where we wrote using an online blog much like this platform.

Blogs are, "regularly updated website or webpage and can either be used for personal use or to fulfill a business need." (Hubspot, 2020) It allows users the ability to post content quickly. Whether that involves voicing an opinion or publishing information, the potential to reach a global audience is easy. Blogging allows you to post and create the content you want to consume and communicate. Today businesses use blogs to market to their audiences. Including a blog on a company website helps create a personal connection with customers. Commenting on posts is expected and welcomed because it has the potential to drive traffic and sales. 

Today there are blogs about a great number of topics. There are food blogs, lifestyle, travel, personal, business, news, and more. Everyone is a writer and everyone can participate in mass communication with a hit of the 'publish' button. Blogging allows us to connect with others we may have not otherwise. Access to other ideas and and endless amount of information is a real advantage. Blogging has helped promote our freedom of speech. Because people can publish anything they want, blogs allow such freedoms on a large platform where people can openly express themselves. Blogging has allowed society to stay better connected. Whether that is posting vacation photos, or family events, blogs connect people across the globe. It allows a sharing of ideas and culture that may not otherwise be easy to do. 

Blogging has opened up an entire industry where people can make a good income from posting blogs. Becoming a 'blogger' is a legitimate career path where income potential can be enormous. Bloggers make money by writing for companies, promoting products/services or from selling advertisements. Bloggers today help to build online communities, they share knowledge, and help build an online websites visibility. Blogging has the potential to reach a large audience. Blogging was the precursor to social media applications like Facebook and Twitter.

Following the blog came the introduction to social media technology. Facebook launched in 1994 by Harvard students Mark Zuckerberg. According to a recent poll, "seven-in-ten U.S. adults (69%) say they ever use Facebook." As the chart shows, no other platform outside of YouTube comes close to the number of adults using the platform. (Pew, 2021) 

Users on Facebook

With so many people using Facebook, it is not surprising the platform has certainly changed how we communicate and changed the worlds communications. The platform allows us to connect globally while sharing our ideas in a quick and efficient manner. Families in different parts of the country or world can be totally engaged in each others lives on a daily basis. No longer are the days when telephones are needed to communicate.

This form of communication provides most of us a sense of community where we share our personal lives with others. It is also a place where we gather news and information. Connecting with others can be very personal and the platform enables users to form groups so connecting with those who share similar interests or causes is easy to do. Engagement on this platform acts as a silent communicator. When we post a photo or upload a video, it is human nature to anticipate the response we may get from others. Will they like our post or comment or share an emoji with us? 

Facebook was the very first social media app I was allowed to have. I enjoyed posting photos (under strict mom guidelines) and would get so excited when my 'friend' count would increase. As ridiculous as that seems now, it mattered and I definitely took note. Questions of why someone unfriended me or how was my friend count compared to others? That was the unhealthy part of using such technologies and as we all know, those 'friends' aren't all friends. I can't imagine being a young teenager today given all the social media technologies available. 

After the creation of Facebook, another social media platform was established. Twitter was founded by Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Biz Stone, and others as a microblogging site. A Pew Research study done in 2020 showed that 23% (one-in-five) of U.S. adults were active on the platform. Users on this platform can learn about what is going on with the biggest news events today. Twitter allows users to follow and engage with celebrities and political figures. Because the content is limited to a lower character count, the platform is quick and easy to skim. The famous hashtag (#) was born in 2009 when Twitter formally adopted the hashtag. The creation and use of the hashtag added to how we communicate by creating hyperlinks to additional information. Want to promote a cause? Just use the # symbol and attach the name of your cause for the most up to date news and information. 

Companies use Twitter to promote their business and to connect with their audiences. Used as a marketing tool, Twitter can help a business grow their follower base. The platform allows for 'likes' or 'retweets' of posts. This type of engagement and re-sharing of information helps to put that information in front of a larger audience. Because information on Twitter is done in a more conversational format, the networking possibilities are endless. Building a brand, connecting with customers, and getting your message to the masses has been made easier and more efficient because of this platform. 

Earlier this year a poll was produced by Pew Research that examined trends in tweeting? I found this report surprising because over a three month examination period, it was determined that one quarter of Twitter users are producing the vast majority of all tweets. Of all the adult users on the platform only "the top 25% users by tweet volume produce 97% of all tweets." (Pew, 2022) I have to ask myself what are the ramifications of this? Are a select few controlling what information is consuming our Twitter feeds and if so, what relationship does this have to mass communication? Does the minority comprise the majority of what information is communicated? All questions we should consider when jumping on the bandwagon of the various social media platforms. 

When I created my Twitter account I didn't even have a need for the account but opened it because my friends had one. Today, I feel like there are so many technologies available and we feel inclined to have them even if we don't use them. I am certainly guilty of this. I have apps that I never use but feel this almost psychological pull that I can't get rid of the app because what if? What if I need it or someone needs to contact me using the app? Is this unhealthy? Yes! These technologies hold power over us, they make us 'fit in', they make us feel included, current, and connected. That human need for connection is very powerful. Whether that is in-person connections or online connections, the psychology is the same.

Blogging, Facebook, and Twitter have all brought many advantages to our daily communications. With faster access, instantaneous reach across the globe, and potential exposure and reach to millions of people who we would not otherwise have connections with have made our lives richer. Online technologies have simultaneously changed how we communicate and even the language we use to do so.

Communication is now shorter (due to character counts), is more targeted, and filled with symbols (👍😍💜🙏😡🎄) like the thumbs up, heart, or smiley face that convey certain emotions. Today our written language consists of such symbols. Lazy? Perhaps but they make communicating quick and easy. When platforms like blogging, Facebook, and Twitter are used with integrity and for the good, they offer a voice to the voiceless, a sharing of ideas and cultures, connections with past friends, and a way to maintain the relationships we value most. We can promote our new business ventures, make announcements, voice our political support/opposition, join a cause, advertise, market, find a significant other, explore travel options, shop for goods/services, form groups, and document our lives by a simple click. Today, the world of mass communication is more efficient but with this efficiency comes real life problems. 

There is a price for that efficiency. The price comes with privacy issues, cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, only receiving half the story, content control, it is addictive, effects on mental wellness, effects on literacy skills, isolation, and the list goes on. Life as we know it is unimaginable without mass communication. There is no shortage of ways for us to communicate today and do so in an instant. These mass communication resources have changed how we think, how we interact, and even the written language we use today. We should not underestimate the power that new technologies have over us and should use these resources in an informed way.  

Like most young adults, the bulk of my online presence is on Instagram and Tik Tok. I think I probably spend too much of my valuable and very limited free time on these technologies but probably still less than most students my age. As a competitive rower the last eight years, I don't have a lot of free time. Being on the water four hours every day doesn't provide a huge amount of time for me to be online and for that I am thankful.

As seen in the infographic below, the evolution of mass communication has undergone significant change. People have long had a desire and need to stay connected and mass communication has allowed that. Today, online platforms like blogging, Facebook, and Twitter are allowing those connections in a far more efficient and grandiose way. With the ability to reach millions of people, the power to communicate information, ideas, and news are endless.

INFOGRAPHIC OUTLINING MASS COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT HISTORY

History of Mass Communication