Judy Nicholas
English Comp. 2 Section 18
23 April 2012
Social Media… Beneficial or Harmful? If I asked students in class to raise their hands if they have a Twitter, Facebook, or any other social network site, I could assume every hand would be in the air. I wrote this as an example on how society, especially my generation, has become drastically dependent on technology. We crave new information, which many seek through technology. However, face to face interaction is just as important. In Public Relations (PR), the main goal is promoting and establishing a favorable connection to the public. Social networking can create problems but PR practitioners can use this to their benefit through promotion of important causes such as animal rights or abuse. The main target audience for this issue would be professional Public Relations Organizations because they maintain the media outlets and what is produced through them. I would also include as a target audience is my generation and younger, since we constantly use technology. Even 10 year old children have an iPhone or iPad. The problem of over-usage is continuing to expand and we have to start thinking of solutions to help keep the issue maintained. I am proposing the use of the PR career field to create a positive spin and outlook on issues, emphasizing how technology can be beneficial. This topic has a personal and career related interest to my life. On an academic level, I am currently attending Oklahoma State University (OSU) and majoring in Public Relations. While the personal aspect is based on a couple of reasons, one is to promote something that should be thoroughly acknowledged which I would be able to do with my future career. The other reason is from my constant networking through technology, and how it affected my life. This topic is important because it not only relates to me but it also involves everyone who has a phone, laptop, or any other electronic device. Social networking
Cited: Ana Diaz-Caneja. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2011. 65-96. Print Gladwell, Malcom Sacks, Michael Alan, and Nikki Graves. “How Many Friends do you Need? Teaching Students how to Network using Social Media.” Business Communication Quarterly 75.1 (2012): 80. ABI/INFORM Global; ProQuest Research Library. 30 Mar. 2012. Thelwall, Mike. “No Place for News in Social Network Web Sites?” Online Information Review 32.6 (2008): 726-44 Underlying Mechanism.” Journal of Marketing Communications 18.1 (2012):39. ABI/INFORM Global. 30 Mar. 2012.