Van Dijck's Social Media Is A Culture Of Connectivity?

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When Van Dijck describes social media as a “culture of connectivity”, she wants to explain how social media is all about connections. Through social media, there are millions of connections being made every hour whether it be peer-to-peer or through third parties. Using Facebook as an example of a “culture of connectivity”, it can be explained through the sheer nature of Facebook. Facebook is fueled by its users and its user connectedness. The interface presents the user with interactions such as their news feed, wall, tagged photos, and “People You May Know”. This promotes users to connect with each other and fuel Facebook with content of their own. However, Facebook and other forms of social media are not only driven by users. Van Dijck …show more content…

Before, news would get around through news channels and radio stations. In today’s age, social media is the quickest way to get information across to hundreds and thousands of people at any time. The moment an account sends a tweet through Twitter or posts a status update on Facebook, anybody with access is able to view the information. Twitter and Facebook both give accounts and pages a verification check to ensure that consumers are getting their information from credible sources. With the emergence of hashtags in the recent years, trends are incredibly easy to follow on these social media sites. Once somebody clicks the hashtag of interest, they are directed to a multitude of tweets and posts regarding the same topic. Social media platforms also allow for a space for people to share photos, videos, songs, and written thoughts. These forms of media are put out to the public for everybody with access to enjoy. Platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter give society uniform things to talk about when interacting with each other. For example, when the blue/black or white/gold dress phenomenon first became viral, it was spread through social media. People talked about it for days and would engage in legitimate debates over the colors of the dress. It is not uncommon to see topics of discussion emerge from social media. Other examples such as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and Cinnamon Challenge are prime examples on how social media platforms can normalize

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