Introduction to my blog.

  Throughout my blog I hope you can learn some things about social media. I talk a lot about social media’s impact both positively and negatively on society. Social media affects everybody. From random people on the streets, all the way to professional athletes, they are all impacted.  When used properly, social media can be a great tool to our society. The problem is that social media is very fragile, and easy to misuse. It is often taken for granted that when somebody makes a social media post, it is truly open to the entire world. It is definitely easy to make a comment in the heat of the moment that comes back to haunt you later. It is very important to use your best discretion when using social media. I hope that you are able to learn and take something out of the posts you will find on my blog. 

Welcome to my social media blog. I hope you enjoy!

Hockey night in Canada - inside hockey: social media.

  If you get a chance to watch this video I think you will find it interesting. Some of the best hockey players' in the world discuss the ups and downs of social media in sport. Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, as well as Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf, talk about taking pictures with fans and things to be aware of. Obviously these players want to be accommodating to their fans, but they discuss some things to be aware of when it comes to pictures and the trouble social media can cause them. Getzlaf says he will never take a photo with a fan in or around a bar. No matter when the photo was taken if put in the wrong hands could easily turn against him. For instance, what if someone posted the picture the night before one of his games and rumor got out he was drinking the night before a game? Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews feels similar about the situation and says he will not be involved in a picture that alcohol is present in. These individuals are on a tight leash, and alcohol is just one of the factors that can effect them when found in social media.
  On the other hand, when used properly, social media is great for the National Hockey League. It allows for great fan to player interaction, as well as breaking news the moment it happens. People can find out scores, injury reports, contract signings, and trades faster then ever due to social media.
  I liked the video, and I hope you enjoyed it and were able to take something from it as well.

Professional athletes and social media.

Hughes, J. (2013, March 13). NFL players' use of social media is a cause for concern for teams. Bleacher report.

  This article talks about the problems social media is causing for NFL players, and professional athletes in general. The problem with these types of athletes is they are constantly under a microscope. As soon as they step out of line or make a comment on social media that someone finds inappropriate or offensive they get heavily criticized for it. Lots of times it is just a case of an athlete talking through frustration before he thinks. In my opinion a lot of it is over analyzed and unnecessary. Yes these athletes need to be great role models but over analyzing their social media statements isn’t helping anybody out. The microscope and room for error for these elite athletes has become so bad that some have even resorted to deleting their accounts. Arian Foster, who has over 350, 000 followers, recently indicated that he was going to shut down his account. This is not productive for anybody because fans and the public then loose the ability to follow and keep in touch with their favourite athletes. Yes some of them have stepped out of line in the past with inappropriate comments, but as does almost everybody.

  I think the article is useful in portraying how intense the microscope truly is on professional athletes. You see it at all elite sport levels even before they are considered professional. College athletes have their social media accounts monitored by the NCAA, and can face heavy penalties or even suspensions for social media posts. Athletes are roll models for people of all ages and should be very respectful when dealing with social media. But in saying that they need some freedom to speak their mind just like everybody else, otherwise what is the point? 

Social media stalker #Gary.

  I found this video on YouTube and I think after watching it you will

think it is sort of scary. It is crazy to think how much personal information
some people have about themselves on the Internet, and how easily it can be
accessed by anyone in the world. I think people don't realize that by not
putting privacy settings on their accounts it allows for their information to
be accessed by truly anybody. As you can see in the video, Gary is pretty
shocked that this random man was able to know the things he did about Gary's
life. For those of you who watched this and felt crept out by it, turn on your
privacy settings so your life is not open to the public.

Snapchat.

  Snapchat is a photo-messaging app that has erupted in the past year. It was developed by Evan Spiegel and Robert Murphy, and then continued at Stanford University. Pretty much everybody I know has snapchat; it is especially popular in teens and young adults. Snapchat allows you to send a picture or video message to someone with a select viewing time. After that person views your photo/video they are unable to re-access it. The viewing time can range anywhere from one to ten seconds. You can write a small sentence or message to attach to your photo or video as seen below. People use snapchat to communicate sometimes rather then text message. Everyone likes a visual message. It is extremely useful to feel close and in touch with loved ones when you are away. Also you can show people exciting things you want them to see throughout your day. Snapchat is a lot of fun and it is understandable why in today’s social media boom it is so popular.

Are we addicted to Facebook, or are we addicted to ourselves?

Brewer, J. (2013, October 14). Are we addicted to facebook, or are we addicted to ourselves?. Huffington post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-judson-brewer/social-media-addiction_b_4079697.html

  In this news article, Judson Brewer, makes a valid point that people may not be addicted as much to Facebook, but rather addicted to themselves. Maybe it is not Facebook in itself that is so popular. Everyone loves to think and talk about him or herself and Facebook is just an easy way to express that. Brewer mentions a study done at Harvard in which people were actually more likely to give up small amounts of their own money to talk about themselves, rather then talk about somebody else.

  This article makes a very valid point. It makes sense that people are not addicted to Facebook, but addicted to themselves. Facebook is just an easy way for someone to express that.  

A reunion with boredom.

Simic, C. (2011, August 11). A reunion with boredom. Retrieved from http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2011/aug/31/hurricane-irene-reunion-with-boredom/

“I imagine Romeo and Juliet would send text messages to each other today as they strolled around Verona, though I find it hard to picture Hamlet advising Ophelia to betake herself to a nunnery.”

  Charles Simic’s essay, “A Reunion with Boredom,” is a very well written and interesting essay. I chose to talk about the quote you will see above because it is a humorous thought. Can you imagine Romeo texting Juliet? Times have changed drastically. Today boredom is rare with TV’s, I-Pad’s, smart phones, x-box, etc. Reading books is a lot less common because there are so many other options, and more efficient ways to get information. 

  Simic in relation to this quote talks about how things were back in time. Social media and electronics weren’t around giving people a lot more time with their own thoughts. When bored they took to reading or being busy outside. Romeo would have to go search for Juliet and communicate with her in person. Everyone wasn’t always just a quick text message away.