Social Media Change

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube: these popular social media platforms are an integral part of many people and most college students’ lives. Social Media has changed communication dramatically in numerous situations, such as college life, interpersonal relationships, organizational communication, and marketing. The positive impact is incalculable, though many would argue the negative influence of social media is ruining our society. Whether social media is good or bad, there is not denying that it has changed the way we interact with those around us.

According to Statista,  as of November 2017, 81% of U.S. Americans are on social media. People get on social media to talk with family members (Facebook), get advice (Reddit), share opinions and recipes (Blogger), as well as many other things. Before Social Media, communication usually came from the top down, but with social media, communication often comes from the bottom up. For instance, companies could advertise using commercials, but now anyone can communicate their experience on a company’s Facebook page.

As a non-traditional college student, I started college in 2002. At that point, I was not using any social media platforms, and none of my professors used social media as a tool in their class. Since I started going back to school last year, every single one of my professors have used some sort of social media in their classes, either as a way to communicate assignments, a platform for discussion, or by sharing YouTube videos in the classroom.

Even though there are negative connotations associated with using social media at work, there are more and more studies being conducted that conclude that responsible use of social media at work actually benefits a business. According to theolsongroup, social media can help employees be more productive, organized, and have better relationships with their fellow employees.

Social media has transformed the way we can connect with people with similar interests. I am a member of a Facebook group called, “Owner of Victorian Homes.” There are almost 1,600 members of people around the United States (and a few in other countries, who own a certain type of home. It is a place that we can ask questions and show off our houses. This is a huge benefit of social media. Before social media, there was no way for people in various parts of the world to connect so easily.


I won’t claim to believe that there aren’t ways that social media has changed the world in negative ways, but it is clear to me that the impact of social media is net positive.

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