Social Media and Globalisation

27/04/2010 Amir Millson 20 comments

SOCIAL MEDIA AND GLOBALISATION

By Amir Millson

Applications of the internet, distinctively the ‘World Wide Web’ over the past two decades has evolved dramatically. The shift from Web 1.0 to the present Web 2.0, from stagnant to highly interactive web pages recognises the cogent turning point in the use of rational internet. Web 2.0 which allow individuals personal input or ‘user generated content’ to a public cyber arena allowing the ability to engage with others beyond geographic confinements. Therefore, this paper will argue that ‘social media’ allows an amplification of human potential benefiting individuals, businesses and communities and serves as a catalyst for globalisation.

Social media contains the community ideal, and can be defined as a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, that allows for the creation and exchange of user generated content. (Kaplan & Haenlian, 2009) Applications such as YouTube, Facebook, My Space and Flickr are just some examples of Web 2.0 and social media in action. Although, there is no systematic way in which social media applications can be categorised and with new sites appearing in cyberspace every day, the nexus of social media websites rely on two key elements. These elements pertain to a set of theories in the field of media research; the first element being social presence and media richness. “Social presence”, according to the social presence theory of (Short et al, 1976) states that media differ in the degree of social presence. This ‘presence’ discerns itself with the acoustic, visual and physical contact achievable through two or more communicative partners. In relation to social media, presence is influenced by propinquity through the medium, whether or not communication is asynchronous or synchronous. Therefore, “The higher the social presence, the larger the social influence that the communication partners have on each other’s behaviour”. (Kaplan & Haenlian, 2009) This social presence concept is strongly connected to the concept of media richness.

Media richness according to (Daft & Lengel, 1986) theory is based on the assumption that the objective of any communication is to resolve vagueness resulting in a reduction of ambiguity. It recognises media that carries higher amounts of information that can be transmitted in a given time interval, resulting in less ambiguity, hence has greater media richness. In the sense of social media, the higher social presence combined with media richness allows websites the ability to connect the world on a much higher level than former communicative tools such as telephones.

The second element pertaining to social media is social processes, which is the combination of self-presentation and self-disclosure. The concept of self-presentation lies in any form of social interaction with the manner in people’s desire to control the impressions formed by others towards them. (Goffman, 1959) This concept is either used to influence others to gain rewards such as popularity or it is used to create an image according to one’s personality and identity. More often than not, self-presentation is done through self-disclosure; that is, the conscious or unconscious revelation of personal information (e.g., thoughts, feelings, likes, dislikes) that is consistent with the image one would like to give. (Kaplan & Haenlian, 2009) With the combination of the two elements Web 2.0 is one of a number of platforms used for social media. Depending on the diversity of a social media, for example, the choice to upload pictures and videos to the web page, will contribute to determine how much social presence, media richness, self-presentation and self-disclosure it projects.

The focus of this paper is to pinpoint the areas of social media and how it amplifies human potential. First and foremost the internet and Web 2.0 allows individuals and businesses to overcome geographical, cultural and logistical barriers and improve the way humans live their lives. (Gates, 2000) An example of such barriers being overcome is evident through Facebook. Through Facebook people are able to connect simultaneously no matter where they are in the world, as long as they have access to the internet. They have the ability to stay connected with friends and family on a much higher emotional level by sharing photos or videos of current events they recently attended. By means of photo and video sharing, people are breaking down the geographical barriers and can participate, on a higher degree, visualising surroundings by what they see in the image. Although the senses of smell and feel are still restricted to image presentations, a deeper notion of place has made viewers more aware of others and their locations.

Web 2.0 allows images and videos to be viewed throughout the world simultaneously and this cogently brings people closer together. It allows people with disabilities the ability to overcome restrictive barriers giving them access to view the world and connect with those who share similar disadvantages. Therefore, Web 2.0 amplifies human potential and creates new forms of life, more productivity and breaks down cultural barriers.

Everyone is an individual and Web 2.0 allows the expression of individualism and this is one of social media’s strongest criterions in breaking down cultural barriers. By having the ability to express oneself to the world, prejudices and stereotypes are diminishing. Social media gives people the ability to represent oneself with personal interests rather than stereotypes of the area they are from. Therefore, the world is connecting more towards a sense of interests rather than cultural stereotypes, breaking down the cultural barriers the world traditionally operated in.

Through Web 2.0, social media’s are allowing individuals the ability to create and be apart of ‘new age communities’, bringing new sense to identity. People are able to have multiple identities and be a part of multiple communities. Again, Facebook for example, gives people the option to create or join groups concerning just about anything. By accepting or joining a group, it allows you to see who are in these groups and who are actively opinionated people sharing common interests concerning the topic of these groups. This gives people the ability to identify themselves with others who share common interests. This also gives people the ability to be a part of online communities throughout the world who may disagree or agree with particular issues concerning just about any subject. Whether it is current events, music, charities or films, a group can be made on anything, anywhere at any time, allowing people to connect with others around the world without concerning race, religion, gender or age.

As mentioned earlier social media enables humans to connect throughout the world bringing them closer together. For this reason the trend of using social media to create higher awareness of current events is transcending other forms of news media. Social media pertaining to current events allows people the ability to share ideas, opinions and thoughts towards current events. People are becoming more emotionally attached to current events and can follow others who are involved or directly attached to any particular event. Rather than turning off the T.V after watching a devastating earthquake, social media amplifies human potential giving people the ability to follow up on such tragedies and become a part of a community who wish to help.

On the 12^th of January, 2010 a catastrophic earthquake measuring 7.0 Mw hit the country of Haiti, by January 24^th at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded. (2010 Haiti Earthquake, 2010) The devastating earthquake affected an estimate of over three million people. The Haitian Government reported that an estimated 230,000 people had died, 300,000 had been injured and 1,000,000 made homeless.They also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged. What did this mean to the world and how did social media play a role, allowing the world to share in the emotions of those who suffered in this tragic event?

One of the most proactive persons to this tragedy in Haiti is singer songwriter, Wyclef Jean. Mr. Jean’s platform of choice seems to be Twitter, where the former Fugee’s star is urging people to donate $5 to his Haitian charity. (Clark, 2010) With over one million followers on twitter (Wyclef, 2010), Wyclef shares his experience with his fans on his journey to Haiti. This is made possible by posting up comments and activities on Twitter, linking to his website; yele.org, YouTube and other social media websites. “Yele has given 400,000 Gallons of filtered water in over 100 locations across Haiti.” (Yele Haiti, 2010) Celebrities throughout the world pleaded through social media to donate and with compelling images and stories, the world responded. Americans alone donated over $800 million US dollars to more than 23 different charities. (Yele Haiti, 2010) It is evident that through the internet and social media, logistical barriers are broken down allowing greater flexibility and power allowing people to contribute to the needs of others. Not only are celebrities using social media to gain attention for causes but businesses are cashing in on social media as well.

Social media is one of the new ways businesses attract potential leads to target its market. It helps shrink time and distance, simplifies complex research processes and enables more effective communication to its potential consumers. An example of where social media has benefitted a business is with Kim Kardashian and her official store. (Kim Kardashian Official Store, 2010) Kim Kardashian is one of the sister’s from the reality TV show Keeping Up with The Kardashian’s (E Online, 2010) This gave her worldwide recognition, but it is social media, such as Twitter that allowed fans to truly connect with the star. What social media has done and how it benefited her business, is that fans feel a stronger emotional connection when they get to interact with her through Twitter. This creates stronger brand awareness and loyalty through her online community. Kim Kardashian is now worth an estimated $20 million USD. (Kim Kardashian’s Net Worth, n.d.) This has been generated through her T.V exposure but primarily on her connection to fans through social media.

The advent of globalisation is now highly driven by the internet and social media allowing cultures to spread throughout the world. From here, a new type of capitalist enterprise was born. The term ‘globalisation’ was generated by technological innovations, such as satellites and fibre optic communications. Many businesses seized on this advancement and technological breakthrough to reach truly global markets. (Shimizu, 2004) Product popularity is no longer confined to territories, rather sent to places of high demand. Globalisation has allowed ideologies to spread throughout the world. As a result sports, movies, music, books, food and much more are no longer confined to locations and the world is now sharing cultures. An example can be seen through sports, where baseball is just as big in America as it is in Japan. (Shimizu, 2004) This opened the doors for all major sponsors of baseball and a whole new market was created because of high demand. Baseball has become so popular it is now a part of the Japanese school’s sports curriculum, thus becoming a part of Japanese culture.

In conclusion, the internet and Web 2.0, with social media applications has amplified human potential and has changed the world we live in today. People have the ability to connect with anyone just about anywhere. Cultures are shared and find themselves becoming a part of other cultures. People can share in the experiences of others and have a deeper notion of those experiences. The humanitarian efforts of the world have been amplified and more people are aware resulting in greater personal contributions. Celebrities are not just recognised for their talent but are followed and supported. This allows them to influence their fans to give to those in desperate need. Celebrities have also cashed in on the phenomena of social media by interacting with following fans, creating million dollar enterprises through their emotional connection with the world. New communities are formed based on common interests rather than common location. This has all been made possible by means of globalisation, technological breakthroughs which have created a true global market.

Communities and Web 2.0 none

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Comments

Written by Kelvin Entrepreneurs Discuss about 2 months ago. Reply

Thank you for your paper…. I’m speaking on a topic “Breaking the barrier- Social media network and global change, how to participate”. And I’m finding interesting facts here and hope to share some at the conference with reference of course…
Written by Ollie Varquera about 2 months ago. Reply

This is acquiring a bit extra subjective, but I significantly prefer the Zune Marketplace. The interface is colorful, has much more flair, and some cool features like ‘Mixview’ that let you easily see associated albums, songs, or other customers linked to that which you’re listening to. Clicking on among people will center on that product, and an additional set of “neighbors” will arrive into view, allowing you to navigate all around exploring by comparable artists, songs, or end users. Speaking of people, the Zune “Sociable” can also be excellent pleasurable, letting you discover others with shared tastes and turning into buddies with them. You then can listen to a playlist developed dependant on an amalgamation of what all your mates are listening to, which can be also enjoyable. Those uneasy with privacy might be relieved to be aware of it is possible to avert the public from seeing your personal listening habits in case you so opt for.
Written by aziz about 4 months ago. Reply

wow, I really enjoyed reading ur paper
Written by Lee-Ann Khoh about 2 years ago. Reply

The internet has definitely allowed the world to become “smaller”, in that geographical distance is no longer the huge barrier it once was, and people can connect more readily on the basis of common interest, consume different cultures, etc. Hopefully that will enrich cultural experiences rather than homogenize them. I note with interest that Bon Jovi has had four number one albums in Japan, which is more than the Beatles*, but I can’t think of a foreign language pop artist with the same record in the US or Australia.

*Article is in Japanese but there are sites that will provide broken translations.

I myself have been able to “meet”, communicate with, and learn from people around the world, as well as accessing new information, content and products that would have been beyond my reach or knowledge without social media.
Written by matthewh about 2 years ago. Reply

Hi Amir,

I enjoyed reading your paper, there was a lot of you paper I agreed with though one aspect of the increased social interaction between cultures that you did not seem to mention is that of language. did you feel that the increased social interactions between cultures was only within language groups or did you feel that people were using a global language such as as English to communicate outside their culture.

Matthew
Written by SheilaM about 2 years ago. Reply

An interesting paper Amir.

I agree that the internet and Web 2.0 have “amplified human potential”. I think it is true to say that “the humanitarian efforts of the world have been amplified and more people are aware resulting in greater personal contributions”.

Recently, I did some research into social networking sites and disaster relief, in particular the disaster relief effort for Haiti. Wyclef Jean, a Haitian musician managed to raise $1 million by appealing to his 1.3 million followers on Twitter. Zynga, the developer behind Facebook’s popular FarmVille game were able to raise over a million dollars in just 5 days for their Haiti relief fund by selling virtual white corn seeds to FarmVille players.

Sheila
References:

Farmville Freak (2010) Zynga raises almost 1 million for Haiti relief fund with the help of FarmVille players. Retrieved 20th January, 2010 from http://farmvillefreak.com/

Chubb, P (2010) Twitter and Facebook Haiti Earthquake Appeal: Power of Social Media PR News Retrieved 19th January 2010 from
http://www.product-reviews.net/2010/01/16/twitter-and-facebook-haiti-earthquake-appeal-power-of-social-media/
Written by KayeE about 2 years ago. Reply

Hi Amir,

I really enjoyed reading your article and like others would have liked to have seen your reference list to follow up on a few interesting comments/quotes.

I think your comment “Web 2.0 allows images and videos to be viewed throughout the world simultaneously and this cogently brings people closer together” is very true. I know of a few examples of this actually taking place. I have a friend who has grandchildren in England – because of the Internet she is able to have a weekly story time with her grandchild on the Internet. She is also able to see photos on a daily basis and remain ‘connected’ even though they are separated geographically.

I think that tourists also get the best out of social media as they travel. I know that I have been fascinated by some of the travels of my friends and the fact that I can see what they are doing and where they are through their Facebook page and their photos and comments. Added to this is the perception that “easy and frequent contact with friends and family members was associated with a feeling of being simultaneously at “home”, with continued participation in pre-existing social networks, while also being “away” (White & White, 2007). Staying in touch with family and friends while on the other side of the globe (with social media) enables us to remain connected.

White, N., White, P., (2007) Home and away. Tourists in a Connected World. Annals of Tourism Research, 34 (1), pp. 88-104.
Written by Ran. A about 2 years ago. Reply

Good paper. I enjoyed reading it.

I agree with the argument you stated that internet, web2.0 and social media serves as a catalyst for globalisation to provide an amplification of human potential. It creates new forms of life, more productivity and breaks down cultural barriers.

By using Web2.0, social media provided internet users the ability to having individual expression rather than cultural stereotypes, breaking down the traditional barriers between people. It forms a equal phenomenon of conversation and information sharing with the concept of globalization.

Web2.0 also allows business to overcome geographical cultural and logistical barriers and improve the way human live their lives. This is the exactly same point I have illustrated in my paper. Humans are able to connect each other by using social networking sites to bringing them closer. That is how the SNS’s are able to create the higher awareness of current events is transcending other forms of news media.
Written by jhiroberts about 2 years ago. Reply

Hi Amir,

Great, interesting paper.

You raise some very valid points, that outline the power of social networking to bring together communities and individuals that might have never got the change to meet in their everyday life.

I remember reading an article a few months ago (sorry but i cannot remember the name or where i saw it). It discussed the power of social networking to help school children from different cultures to connect and learn about each others day to day lives. It was a very interesting read. I will see if I can find it and post it here.

A great paper.

Cheers

Jhi
Written by alio about 2 years ago. Reply

I enjoyed you paper Amir, my own paper – “Social networking and the Mobile Internet; picking the pockets of the poor” looks at the spread of mobile Internet into Africa. The widespread availability of fairly cheap mobile handsets and their capacity to be Internet connective, goes a long way to redressing the digital divide that exists upon that continent.

I can relate to your comment that web 2.0 allows “individuals and businesses to overcome geographical, cultural and logistical barriers and improve the way humans life their lives” as this was something that became clear whilst researching my paper. Whilst my argument is centred around the capacity for business to target the poor of Africa, it became apparent that whilst doing so, the welfare of the target group was also likely to be positively affected.

On the one hand targeting the pockets of the poor seems a bit like capitalist exploitation, on the other hand as C.K. Prahalad, an economist at the University of Michigan, tells us: “Expansion by multinationals into new markets creates new jobs – product-distribution networks and shops, for example – and income earned from those jobs ripples through local economies, creating more new jobs, a phenomenon that economists call the multiplier effect” (Prahalad in Johnson & Nhon 2005).

After reading your paper, I would say that the spread of mobile internet across Africa is part of the process of globalisation.

REFS:

Johnson, K. and Nhon, X. (2005), Marketing: Selling to The Poor, Time Magazine, U.S. Edition, April 11, 2005 Vol.165 No. 15, retrieved March 2010 from: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1050276,00.html

“Social networking and the Mobile Internet; picking the pockets of the poor”, retrieved May 2010 from: http://networkconference.netstudies.org/2010/04/social-networking-and-the-mobile-internet-picking-the-pockets-of-the-poor/#comments
Written by Stevie Marshall about 2 years ago. Reply

Good paper.

Whilst I agree that social media is accelerating globalisation I think it, as it is currently I think it tends to reinforce current power heirarchies more than initiating real change.

In my paper I look at the ideas of Robert Putnam who identified a decrease in social capital throughout America from the 1970s until the end of the century (Putnam, 2000). He claimed this was due to generational differences which web2.0 addresses; one in particular, the prevalence of the television, social media turns into an advantage. Putnam’s earlier work (1993) examined social capital in Italy built over centuries of tradition. One of the things he found was that accumulations of social capital were collective goods that could not be owned. Google bought YouTube, an accumulation of social capital in the form of our short videos that had never made a cent, for $1.6 billion dollars.

There is a price we pay for all the power that social media offers. That price is the commodification of the social media itself, in a way that tends to reinforce current power structures.
- Written by Stevie Marshall about 2 years ago. Reply
  
  References:
  
  Putnam, R. D. (1993) Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy, New Jersey: Princeton University Press
  
  Putnam, R. D. (2000) Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, New York: Simon & Schuster
  
  My paper http://networkconference.netstudies.org/2010/04/commodifying-community/
Written by Stephen Harris about 2 years ago. Reply

Hello Amir,
I enjoyed your paper. I spoke about globalization in my paper so could relate to your content. I was particularly interested in your conclusion statement that “Cultures are shared and find themselves becoming a part of other cultures”. I find this fascinating because physical isolation has become one of the products globalization, and this is something that I experience with my own family living in a different country to where I live (Tomlinson 2003, p.269).
You could argue that virtual communities provide a way of overcoming the physical barrier created by globalization (Tomlinson 2003, p.269) In a sense, you could argue we are trying to fill the void from lack of ‘well-defined’ cultural boundaries that used to be contained within geographical locations (Tomlinson 2003, p.269). So now we are left with social networked family contact that does not replace face to face physical contact but rather helps to at least fill some of the void.
Our technology provides a way of realigning us with our cultural ties (Tomlinson 2003, p.269). A persons culture is a strong component of ones own identity ((Ridings and Geffen 2004; Ellison, Steinfield & Lampe, 2007). Hence why I formed my argument within the “Identity in Communities and Networks” stream, as this demonstrates that social networks contribute to our own sense of cultural identity.
- Written by Stephen Harris about 2 years ago. Reply
  
  References
  Tomlinson, J. (2003). Globalization and Cultural Identity. Retrieved April 2nd, 2010 from http://www.polity.co.uk/global/pdf/GTReader2eTomlinson.pdf
  
  Ridings, C. and Gefen, D., (2004), Virtual Community Attraction: Why People Hang Out Online. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 2004. 10(1).
  
  Ellison, N. B., Steinfield, C., & Lampe, C. (2007). The benefits of Facebook “friends:” Social capital and college students’ use of online social network sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(4), article 1. Retrieved March 23rd, 2010 from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol12/issue4/ellison.html
Written by FransiscaMS about 2 years ago. Reply

Hi Im quite enjoying while reading your paper,

what about you? do you think this web 2.0 has change the way you communicate? are you mostly use the online communication to interact with others or still depends on traditional way of communication for examples telephone, letter, face to face etc.
Written by Sky about 2 years ago. Reply

An interesting paper – like Michael, I’d like it if you could provide your bibliography.

I have do have one question about the interaction between social media and globalisation. The examples that you give here seem to imply that the globalising effect of social media is mostly about conversations between relatively privileged individuals, although sometimes these conversations are about marginalised groups. Do you think that social media does anything to allow disempowered groups to gain a voice, or is it just another way of connecting those who are already privileged?
Written by cherrybanana about 2 years ago. Reply

very rich … . using examples of all types… good job.
Written by Ann Sofee about 2 years ago. Reply

Wow Amir! Impressive article!! You’re not only Gorgeous but a Genius too!! You’re a beauty with brains. lol. You deserve the win #16! Congrats
Written by Chea Hwey Yea about 2 years ago. Reply

I agree with what you said about how social media allows representation in terms of identity, community and whatnot. Based on my own experience, I haven’t quite seen a lot of African Americans using Twitter (judging solely on display pictures). But when you look at trending topics like #ThingsIAintDoneYet (2010), #DamnItsTrue (2010) and #DearSomeone (2010), representation of the African American population becomes obvious.

References:
#DamnItsTrue. (2010). Twitter. Retrieved April 29, 2010, from http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23DamnItsTrue

#DearSomeone. (2010). Twitter. Retrieved April 29, 2010, from http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23DearSomeone

#ThingsIAintDoneYet. (2010). Twitter. Retrieved April 29, 2010, from http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23ThingsIAintDoneYet
Written by Michael N about 2 years ago. Reply

I like the way you have structured the paper making use of theorists like Goffman. Do you have a reference list? You also gave some very good examples of how valuable social media’s role plays in Globalisation. The Wyclef Jean Twitter one is a good example.

The conclusion was also good.

I think that one thing about this issue is that some might say that the celebrity is simply trying to cash in, extend their fame and extend the longivity of their career. I think some have that aim, no doubt their managers have that as a strategy. However, the presence of a celebrity to promote a cause helps. Live Aid is the best example that continues in some form to today. So with that in mind, your argument holds up well that social media is one of the catalysts for globalisation.

Comment Pages:

Online Conference on Networks and Communities

Social Media and Globalisation

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