Abstract

Without doubt or any question if anyone or single innovation has changed the world it is the internet technologies and especially social media. It has transferred and converted the world into one digital village totally making geographical isolation a meaningless argument. Initially considered to be a tool for conveying and sending messages it has immersed itself as a source that has made a mark in all spheres of life, whether healthcare, education and knowledge sharing, economic development, or political decision making especially in changing of opinions. No aspect of life has been left without a mark on it by social media. It conveys messages on poverty eradication, environmental degradation, poor quality of work, corruption, and good governance, etc. It has made the world a small place to live and share knowledge. This paper aims at highlighting the impact of social media on different aspects of life and argues that its benefits and positive usage are far better and helpful to the overall development of a society as a whole. It connects and has brought the world community closer and developed a sense of oneness and globality. It further advocates using of social media through its different tools like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc. All of these are contributing to the development of society and having an immense impact on the community as well.

Keywords: Changed world, innovative technology, information friendly, economically interdependent, digitalization`s impact on community.

Thesis statement: Social Media as an Agent of Global Change has revolutionized the world by making it economically interdependent, knowledgeable and more information friendly thus converting it into a global community.

Introduction

Social media is a platform that binds people all around the world into one platform. (Omar, 2020) It is a place where people connect and interact with each other share and exchange ideas and opinions. (Akram, 2018) The most vital benefit of social media is communication, information, and entertainment. Where you can have all these three in one single platform is “social media”. As mentioned above social media has become the choice and preference of people to use for communication, entertainment, sharing of information, source of knowledge, a tool for tourism especially in planning trips, a guide to education and health, etc. However, the effective use of it can be done by the people in the community who are educated and organized in building it into a global village (Omar, 2020). Social media is the only weapon that can change the world into digitization there is no other way in this era of modern technology which can do it.

Social media towards World as a Global Village

In the era of globalization where almost everything is digitized social media is an important tool (Anthony, 2015). Advancing of technology has created new pathways for building communities (Niven, 2011). The online community has grown so big that it is considered a global village that connects the whole world on one single platform (Anthony, 2015). This all is happening because of social media. But as it has connected the world, increased communication meantime it has made the world to be interdependent on it (Omar, 2020). Nowadays everything in life is dependent on it because of its various benefits. But when you see the contribution of social media to the world and globalization you must ignore its negative aspects (Anthony, 2015). Because the use of social media will rapidly increase as it has become both a necessity and desire.

The 21st century has seen rise of social media thanks to technology it has not only changed the thinking, but this has forced us to call it as the era of digitalization where everything works through the internet, social media, and its different apps (Akram, 2018). YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc are the most profound apps of social media that people especially today’s generations use a lot (Prakoso, Yuliarti, and Anggreni, 2017). Even if the people are not educated or belong to rural or underdeveloped areas, they know how to use social media and are well connected and aware of what is going on in the world.

Social media impact on Society

As rightly said by (Forgeard, 2021) that social media’s impact on society is so huge that it is beyond one’s imagination. It has both its pros and cons. People are aware of its sides and are still influenced by it a lot. He further supports his point by elaborating more and says social media has impacted society as a whole and helped a lot in building communities. In every sector of a country which includes education, health, politics, and business social media plays a vital role in its development and growth (Akram, 2018). Its benefits are for longer times. It is also responsible for attracting the masses for the common good because we shared the same ideologies and objections irrespective of which country color ethnicity etc they belong to (Omar, 2020).

Connection

The most beneficial impact of social media is connectivity (Forgeard, 2021). People can talk and share ideas with each other face to face through it even if they are in a different location. Even if they belong to different countries, religions, or communities they can still communicate with each other’s (Akram, 2018). Moreover, thanks to social media people are closer and well informed than ever before. The geographical distances do not mean anything as they have squeezed into one community. The sharing of knowledge, information etc in all spheres of life have made world interdependent not only economically but socially as well. This has created a strong connection between the people and infect have jelled them into one global community.

Education

Education has become easy and effective online. The knowledge or information you get from social media can be easily and fastly learned and shared (Forgeard, 2021). Secondly, it increases and updates your knowledge about anything whenever you use it (Akram, 2018). It helps them to get prepare for the future through the new trends in the world, also by knowledge and information given and updated (Prakoso, Yuliarti, and Anggreni, 2017). Social media is a platform that gives opportunities to students to express themselves especially the understudies who lack in their classes can achieve here (Akram, 2018). It’s an alternative and attraction for students who get bored from learning through the normal learning method of in-class and books which they like because it is easy, effective, advanced less boring (Akam, 2018).The time is coming close where the whole education of students will be online like the covid times it happened that all around the world the education of schools, colleges, universities became online even the exams.

Health

The health sector is again an essential part of society and in covid, we have seen how important it is in a country (Akram, 2018). Social media can be used to promote health outcomes and develop a network for creating awareness about new discoveries and information about medical and motivating patients (Akram, 2018). Also, can contact doctors online at any time can get prescriptions and share information about it the doctors or diseases (Rolls et al., 2016). Increasing health forums support health-related causes and the accountability of patients (Akram, 2018).

Business

Social media in business has become the main medium for promoting their businesses, and brands and creating customers for them which makes an online business community (Forgeard, 2021). It has become an efficient easy way to do business and achieve targets most importantly gain customers. because it has made two-way communication easy not just with the customers but also between a normal employee of the company with the stakeholder which creates a healthy professional working environment (Niven, 2011). It gives them knowledge and information on what their clients or other people want their preferences and what is trending in the market, so they update or change it to gain benefit from it (Akram, 2018). Also, the online payment benefit of social media is very beneficial convenient, and profound, especially for the small businesses which are mostly online nowadays (Akram, 2018). It gives them the motivation to do business and, in the future, expand it. Social media helps in checking out your competitors in the business world and market (Akram, 2018). Also, collaboration with other professionals has been a proficient way (Akram, 2018). Moreover, social media is a global platform so you can promote, expand, collaborate, and gain customers all over the world. This working style for doing business is not only beneficial for the stakeholders or customers but if you see it from a broader perspective, it is good for the country because it is helping the development and growth of the country economically.

Economy

Economically social media helps in boosting the economy of the country. The businesses, also make you aware of not only your but around the world economic situation (Fuchs, 2015). The businesses take you into the international market global forum it creates and gives opportunities for your people to go out and generate income (Forgeard, 2021). But also indulges international businesses to invest and people to work in your country. Increases international customers who are willing to buy your country’s product which eventually increases your economy (Fuchs, 2015). Especially in the time of Covid online businesses made boosted the economy which help the country’s stability and growth in those times.Not only this but social media also helps in boosting tourism as more and more people tourists are attracted through it and come to your country it is more beneficial for the economy of a country which helps in the development and growth of the country. Also builds a progressive society in that country.

Political

Politically social media is an eye watcher of the politicians and government. But also helps in building a stable government for the development and growth of the country (Gilardi et al., 2021). It has become so easy to communicate the people especially the youth through social media about the country’s situation and how to run it or deal with any problems through it the people should express their problems or things they are happy with and exchange ideas and help the government for the betterment of the country (Gilardi et al., 2021). So, also social media brings out the truth or gives you a clear picture of the government and politicians. The role of social media in politically aware communities is immense and it changes and decides the fate of elected governments in minutes (Gilardi et al., 2021). Moreover, it can be the same time agent of change for a few whiles for others it’s a nightmare. That is why it is labeled as the fourth essential pillar of the state.

Conclusion

Contemplating on the issues discussed it can be concluded that community building has improved because of social media, as it has played vital role by connecting all the people of the community no matter what their background religion race, they belong to. In one and equal platform which is social media to express and exchange each other ideas. Radio, TV, and print ads have become old for promoting their products social media has become the most convenient and efficient tool for it. Social sites have become the most popular and proficient way for content creators or entrepreneurs. Also helps in collaborating and gaining customers at a faster pace. For students and experts, it has become a medium to gain and share knowledge and information. Social media has made long-distance relationships strong by connecting them also it is the best way to make new friends or even found out about a lost one. It is a global platform for learning, expressing, exchanging knowledge and ideas, connecting, and entertaining people, and getting opportunities to do and promote a business that is the only biggest benefit of it which makes it an “Agent of Global Change.

References

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Forgeard, V. (2021). Why the world is a global village? Brilliantio. https://brilliantio.com/why-is-the-world-a-global-village/

Fuchs, C. (Ed.). (2015). Culture and economy in the age of social media (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315733517

Gilardi, F., Gessler, T., Kubli, M., and Müller, S. (2021). “Social media and political agenda setting.” Political Communication, 39(1): 39–60. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2021.1910390

Niven, R. (2011, December 8). The role of social media in community building and development. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/voluntary-sector-network/community-action-blog/2011/dec/08/facebook-social-media-community-development

Omar, A. M. (2020). Digital era governance and social media: The case of information department Brunei. In A. M. Omar (Eds), Employing recent technologies for improved digital governance (pp.19-35). University of Brunei. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338327431_Digital_Era_Governance_and_Social_Media_The_Case_of_Information_Department_Brunei

Prakoso, S. G., Yuliarti, M. S., and Anggreni, L. S. (2017). The importance of social media literacy for students in globalization age. KnE Social Sciences, 2(4), 191-197. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v2i4.886

Rolls K, Hansen M, Jackson D, and Elliott D. (2016). How health care professionals use social media to create virtual communities: An integrative review. J Med Internet Res, 18(6). https://www.jmir.org/2016/6/e166/

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