Social media has changed how people consume and share information. It allows widespread communication and sharing of content globally. Research identifies the main uses of social media as social interaction, information seeking, entertainment, passing time, relaxation and self-expression. However, excessive social media use of over two hours per day has been linked to poor mental health in teens. While social media provides benefits if used appropriately, excessive unregulated use can negatively impact well-being.
2. Phones are no longer just for making calls.
TV sets no longer pull in content just from antennas, satellites
or cables. ［1］
The media world has changed.
3. One of the most
essential part of
media is
social media.
4. Current examples of social media platforms include social networking
sites like Facebook, photo sharing sites like instagram, snapchat，
video sharing sites like YouTube, business networking sites like
LinkedIn, micro blogging sites like Twitter, and numerous others. Social
media sites are inexpensive and, more often than not, completely free to
use. ［2］
5. The current study identifies ten uses and gratifications
for using social media. ［3
］
social media
useful & joyful
7. -social interaction（88%）
-information seeking（80%）
-pass time（76%）
-entertainment（64%）
-relaxation（60%）
-communicatory utility（56%)
-convenience utility(52%)
—expression of opinions(56%)
—information sharing(40%)
—surveillance and
watching of others(20%)
[3]
8. Uses and gratifications theory is relevant to social media because of its
origins in the communications literature. ［
4］
9. Social media is a communication mechanism that allows users to
communicate with thousands, and perhaps billions, of individuals all
over the world . ［4］
10. The basic premise of uses and gratifications theory is that
individuals will seek out media among competitors that
fulfills their needs and leads to ultimate gratifications. [5]
11. Social media includes a multitude of sources of online
information that are created, circulated and used by
consumers to educate one another about products,
services, and brands available in the marketplace. [6]
13. Recent research has shown that 88 percent of marketers are using
social media and that they are spending over $60 billion annually
on social media advertising.[7]
19. What’s more,study found that teens who are on social media for
more than two hours a day, a full one-quarter of students in
the study, report poor self-rated mental health,
psychological distress, suicidal ideation or unmet need for mental
health support. [9]
20. Various health bodies recommend children and
adolescents limit their screen time to two hours a day,
something that is increasingly difficult especially with
cellphone-carrying teens for whom social media is a fully
integrated part of their lives. [9]
21. Social networking is not
necessarily bad for teens, he
said, "but it depends on how we
use it and kids need to know how
to use it safely." [9]
22. To conclude, social media will bring more benefits then
problems as long as we use it in an appropriate way.
24. REFERENCE
1.Four ways Canadians are consuming media differently
SUSAN KRASHINSKY - MARKETING REPORTER
The Globe and Mail
2.Anita Whiting, David Williams, "Why people use social media: a uses and gratifications approach", Qualitative Market
Research: An International Journal, Vol. 16 Iss: 4, pp.362 - 369
3.Anita Whiting, David Williams, "Why people use social media: a uses and gratifications approach", Qualitative Market
Research: An International Journal, Vol. 16 Iss: 4, pp.362 - 369
4.Williams, D.L., Crittenden, V.L., Keo, T. and McCarty, P. (2012), “The use of social media: an exploratory study of uses
among digital natives”, Journal of Public Affairs, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 127‐136.
5.Lariscy, R.W., Tinkham, S.F. and Sweetser, K.D. (2011), “Kids these days: examining differences in political uses and
gratifications, internet political participation, political information efficacy, and cynicism on the basis of age”, American
Behavioral Scientist, Vol. 55 No. 6, pp. 749‐764.
6.Murugesan, S. (2007), “Understanding Web 2.0”, IT Professional, Vol. 9 No. 4, pp. 34‐41.
7.Gil‐Or, O. (2010), “Building consumer demand by using viral marketing tactics within an online social network”, Advances in
Management, Vol. 3 No. 7, pp. 7‐14.
8.Teen Researchers Defend Media Multitasking; Doing Homework With Music, Texts, Tweets Works Better for Some
Reddy, Sumathi. Wall Street Journal (Online) [New York, N.Y] 13 Oct 2014: n/a.
9.Teens’ poor mental health linked to social media use
Payne, Elizabeth. The Ottawa Citizen [Ottawa, Ont] 08 Aug 2015: A.1.
