The Internet and Social Media

            Growing up as a kid in the 90’s, I can remember the big splash the internet made. The internet was the newest craze that would allow anyone to get on a computer and search anything they wanted to in the comfort of their home. This led to a new age of technology for the entire world. The internet would take off running and many people became very rich off of it. This led to many social media sites starting up. Facebook was created in 2004 by former Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook has changed the way many people communicate. Media has a significant role in our lives and falls into three categories. These are interpersonal media, mass media, and network media. Facebook is network media. Network media can be interpersonal or mass media and it connects people and their points. I enjoy being able to surf the web and any given time. The amount of information is mind boggling. Social media is also a significant factor in my daily life as well. Facebook allows me to keep in touch with friends that I have who are scattered throughout the entire United States. I can get onto my laptop, log onto Facebook and see what my friends are up to in their lives. I am able to access their personal posts, their photos they have uploaded to their personal Facebook page, and they can also keep tabs on my life. Network media has become a focal point in our society today. Kids growing up now have no idea what life was before things like the internet and social media. The impact this has had on our society is twofold. It is a good thing in the sense that we have expanded our circles farther. The down side is that our interpersonal relationships have suffered because of it. Either way, I enjoy the internet and social media. I cannot imagine life without these simple joys.