Social and digital media have become a vital part of our everyday lives. The internet has made this possible, anyone with an internet connection can communicate with anyone around the world in just seconds. Despite contradictions, social and digital media platforms have created a more connected community. Social media allows the freedom to broadcast whenever an individual chooses to broadcast on their social media page whether it is appropriate or not whether it is positive or negative individuals and users have the freedom to post whatever they feel necessary two their identity. The Internet has created a resource to humans which is something that was once unimaginable to generations before. Social media has in fact influenced and lead to more connectivity between one another it has allowed businesses, payments, health care and relevant information to be available to everyone. With the abundance of technology, we have available today, humans have prioritized their social media use above all else. With this, communication through our social media platforms has taken over our everyday lives. Hence as mentioned previously, despite the contradictions social and digital media platforms have indeed created a more connected community whether we are aware of it or not. We will now take a further look into this to understand how digital and social media platforms have created a more connected community using relevant data from surveys conducted by well-respected academics and scientists.

The first interesting topic we will discuss of social and digital media connectivity is in relation to businesses. Businesses around the world have become more connected to clients and communities through social and digital media platforms. Not only this but productivity in the workplace has improved too. Consumers and marketers have found a level playground where they can connect on a much deeper level. In discussion from Heinonen (2011), it is noted that there has been a growing interest of digital marketing, with connection to consumer activity and information technology which is ‘empowering consumers’ to be ‘active generators of information’. With the algorithms designed for social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, it is almost impossible for a user not to engage with the content provided on their feed or on their ‘for you page’.  Heinonen (2011), proposes that the engagement and activities of consumers on social media is conceptualized based on two dimensions, which are motivation and input. Shao (2009) uses a table which separates consumers social media activities to illustrate consumer’s input on social media platforms. The conceptual model depicted by Shao (2009) separates a consumers’ motivations into three categories; entertainment, social connection and information, and separates consumer input into three categories; consumption, participation and production. Shao (2009) displays his depiction into a 3×3 matrix which shows the six categories with consumer motivation going up vertically, and consumer input going across horizontally. The categories mentioned have been discussed in previous work and studies. Comparatively, Heinonen (2011) takes inspiration from Shao’s (2009) work and combines it with their own study in order to come up with their own conclusion. “Focusing on activities rather than only on motivations or gratifications made it possible to increase the understanding of why consumers are interested in social media” (Heinonen, 2011). By completing a study as such, Heinonen (2011) compared their work to Shao’s (2009), noting that consumer activities are based on several motivations rather than the sole three mentioned by Shao (2009). Heinonen (2011) also notes that classifying individuals as just consumers is outdated, and rather they should be considered as active producers and have a business value. Social connections are made when marketers and companies focus on their consumers and regard them as more than just a simple business transaction. By doing so, companies can connect with their consumers on a deeper level, and this will be followed by consumer loyalty, which will then be followed by a spreading of their network and growth in their community. Hence, social and digital media platforms lead to a more connected business community between companies and consumers.

Another fantastic feature that follows social and digital media platforms is the online availability to complete payments as well as accessing information required in order to safely make these online payments. Online banking has become a vital part of most individuals’ lives, by allowing banks to display clots of information and options on how to access finances on one’s digital devices, the word to stand out is minimal. A user requires minimal effort to find information and to send money to whomever and wherever they need. From discussion from the University Canada West (2021), WhatsApp have designed a new way to make easy and effortless payments from party to another. WhatsApp payments allows one to transfer money to another at easily and efficiently. Having such options to make online payments has contributed to convenience. Even other options like PayPal, which has only grown in popularity. In fact, “in the fourth quarter (2021), PayPal reported a 13.1% year-on-year increase in revenue to $6.92bn, topping Wall Street estimates by about $53mn” (Waters, 2022). The biggest question which floats around online payments is security, how secure and how trustworthy are online payments, and if one makes a transfer or online payment, how can they be sure that it will be received by the other party on time. Digital currency has also become a large part of the world as we know it today, anyone can purchase and transfer digital currencies, to mention the most popular one at the current, Bitcoin. Bitcoin has changed the game and opened a whole new portal for online currencies and how much money one can make from online currencies. Finally, it can be said that online payments have also contributed to the growth of a more connected community, a growth thanks to social and digital platforms.

Healthcare has now become readily available online. Health care providers can now contact and connect with users and individuals through social media. These platforms can also inform them on everything one needs to know about their health care system and what is readily available for them using social and digital media platforms. Health care providers can connect with individuals and provide information on platforms where one can not only access this information but also connect to someone who can help them in their time of need. “Social media has changed the way health care services are carried out. Rather than physically visiting a doctor for your ailments you can now speak to a virtual doctor who will suggest medications based on your symptoms” (University Canada West, 2021). Some doctors even offer Skype calls and there are many websites which offer online therapy where one can connect to an online therapist through video call or through messages. These websites and social and digital media platforms allow individuals to stay connected to their health care providers doctors and therapists which allows an individual more time to stay connected to their loved ones. Even with the pandemic going on if one is feeling unwell or if they’ve been unlucky and caught the COVID-19 virus then they can freely chat to their family and friends via social and digital media platforms. While it is better to see a doctor face to face it is beneficial for one with limited time to be able to access such resources wherever and whenever they need be. Finally, without these resources people would be limited and would fall under stress and pressure and distance themselves therefore being disconnected from their community family and friends. Social and digital media platforms have therefore connected communities and health care systems simply through an Internet connection.

Social media and digital media can also have negative impacts on our ways of communication. Social and digital media can make us feel lonely, self-conscious and insecure. Leaving an effect on one’s mental health, self-esteem and even relationships. Social and digital media can only be negative when it is used for the wrong reasons. The idea of what socializing really is has become blurred. Some may argue that social media has led to our most antisocial and disconnected society, and that there is “nostalgia for a perfect form of community that never was” (Hampton & Wellman, 2018).  People are yearning for the connectedness from decades ago, but how connected really was society? People now can contact family members and close friends at just the tap of a button, all they must do is reach into their pocket for their mobile phone device and connect to the revolutionary discovery we call the internet. There is a closer connection than ever before and it is all thanks to social and digital media platforms, from Instagram and Facebook to WhatsApp and Skype. The options on which platform one chooses to use and communicate with is endless and the choices are grand. Are you looking for a photo and video sharing platform? Instagram. Are you searching for a family friendly platform to reach out to your aunts? Facebook. Are you trying to connect with teens? Snapchat. Depending on what one’s needs are, they can find a platform that suits them. And it is not just these. People can stay connected to their health though these platforms, whether they want to perform ten-minute yoga, or learn some basic boxing moves, YouTube is free and disposable to use to anyone with an internet connection and a device. While this is unfair to some third world countries where internet is not free or where the economy does not allow for some of the population to purchase devices, there are still options available to the population to connect. This however does vary depending on the politics behind the country. Overall, just like anything, social and digital media platforms do have their negatives however, it does allow one to stay connected with others and with the world and what is going on around them.

To bring this to a conclusion, it is evident that social and digital media platforms have indeed increased connectivity between one person and another and has indeed created a more connected community. The use of social media platforms and digital media have increased exponentially. By offering information that one would usually have to search for themselves, social and digital media platforms have essentially lightened the load for users, presenting them with information based on the consumer activity. Online payments have also allowed for greater communication and connectivity between banks and consumers, as well as peer to peer communication and connectivity. Healthcare has also contributed to an increase in connections and communities, users are able to access information and follow the latest news and highlights posted about the health system and their healthcare providers. It is also mentioned that when used incorrectly, social and digital media platforms can have a negative effect and can cause antisocialism in some individuals, however, this can be avoided if control is taken in early stages. As we continue to live through a digital revolution, we will only continue to see social and digital media taking over more and more of our everyday lives. But, if it is for the better, we will welcome it with open arms. Further discussion on this topic is invited.