Aayushi BansalAIR 7 · CSE 2024 · 246 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening · a definition
Social media refers to web-based virtual networks enabling creating, receiving and sharing of audio, textual and visual content.
Body · points
Heralding a new world order
Family and Kinship → It is promoting love based mate selection. 'Dating apps' show this trend. → It fosters new kinds of jointness. eg: one is connected via 'Whatsapp' to family even across borders.
Religion → India is witnessing rising sects and cults who aim to solve everyday mundane problems. These cults make extensive use of social media to widen reach.
Political structure → Campaigning by political parties is now done virtually as well. As per Lokniti CSDS report, 1 in 3 Indians receive political news via social media. → Social movements have now globalised with the help of social media eg → #metoo, #BlackLivesMatter
Economics of market & commoditisation based on large scale consumption relies on social media. Platforms like Facebook, Youtube etc show targeted advertisements based on local population and culture. eg → Ghagra-Choli ads in Navratri in India.
Values → Social media facilitates free speech and expression enabling freedom & choice especially for women, Dalits and so on.
Close · a summary
On a flip side, social media is also leading to rising caste, ethnic, communal conflicts due to misinformation and fake news.
It can particularly exacerbate existing stratification as seen in harassment of women online.
Social media can also hurt nation's sovereignty due to threats of terrorism.
Despite its limitations social media is creating a new 'virtual' modernity.