Write A 500-Word Blog Entry That Includes Cit ✓ Solved
Write a 500-word blog entry that includes the following: Cit
Write a 500-word blog entry that includes the following: Cite the information used for images and content using appropriate course-level APA7 formatting. Provide a definition of computer-mediated communication based on your own experience; describe at least three ways your daily communication is mediated through technology (cell phones, tablets, laptops, desktop computers) to access messages and social networks; state whether these forms of communication enhance a sense of community and why; explain how privacy is challenged by computer-mediated communication and give researched examples of how to counteract this; give positive examples of how computer-mediated communication may be leveraged in the future; and reflect on how computer-mediated communication has affected your face-to-face communication.
Write a 500-word blog entry discussing the relation of mass media and computer-mediated communication. Cite at least two scholarly sources using APA7 formatting. Include an example of computer-mediated collective action reported in mass media and discuss: whether the communication among people using technology was successful regarding the desired action; how mobile tools affected communication; whether the action was part of a larger movement or agenda and how that agenda was affected; how the collective action was reported in three different types of mass media and what changed across types; how you personally consume news online and how you first hear of a news story; how consuming news online differs from reading a newspaper, watching TV, or listening to the radio; and summarize how computer-mediated communication has affected information exchange, considering what has been lost and gained in the shift away from old media, how mobile technology has affected your news consumption, and how constant mobile news is changing human communication (attention spans, boundaries between work and life, and reliance on visuals).
Write a 500-word blog exploring how social media has impacted society. Consider race, gender, class, and other demographic factors. Cite at least two scholarly sources using APA7 formatting. Address: how social media is used professionally; how social media is used personally; and how these communications differ.
Paper For Above Instructions
Introduction
Computer-mediated communication (CMC) refers to human interaction that occurs through digital devices and networked platforms rather than exclusively face-to-face. From my experience, CMC blends synchronous and asynchronous exchanges, and it shapes how relationships form and information spreads (Baym, 2015; Rainie & Wellman, 2012).
Ways My Daily Communication Is Mediated
Three common ways my daily communication is mediated include: (1) instant messaging and texting on my smartphone for quick coordination and social chat; (2) social networks and feeds on mobile apps for updates from peers and news sources; and (3) email and video conferencing on laptops for work-related coordination and documentation. Each channel offers different affordances: immediacy and brevity in messaging, broadcast and discovery in feeds, and formality and record-keeping in email and conferencing (Van Dijck, 2013; Hermida, 2010).
Community and CMC
CMC can both enhance and challenge a sense of community. It expands connections beyond geographic limits and enables niche communities (Rainie & Wellman, 2012). However, algorithmic filtering and shallow interactions can fragment publics and reduce deep civic trust (Baym, 2015). Overall, CMC enhances access to community but does not automatically produce deeper civic bonds; deliberate practices and design matter (Castells, 2012).
Privacy Challenges and Countermeasures
Privacy is challenged by pervasive data collection, profiling, and surveillance capitalism, which monetize behavioral traces (Zuboff, 2019). Risks include data breaches, microtargeting, and loss of contextual privacy (Solove, 2004). Countermeasures supported by research and best practices include end-to-end encryption for messaging, strong two-factor authentication, selective disclosure of personal data, use of privacy-preserving apps, routine permission audits, and policy measures such as stronger data protection laws (Zuboff, 2019; Solove, 2004). Practically, users should limit unnecessary app permissions, use encrypted platforms for sensitive exchanges, and apply browser privacy tools to reduce tracking (Pew Research Center, 2018).
Positive Future Uses of CMC
Future positive applications include telemedicine that broadens access to care, remote education that personalizes learning, civic engagement tools that facilitate participatory budgeting and hyperlocal organizing, and collaborative platforms that accelerate distributed innovation. When paired with inclusive design and accountable data practices, CMC can reduce barriers to services and civic voice (Tufekci, 2017).
Effect on Face-to-Face Communication
CMC has shifted many interactions into text and short multimedia formats, reducing reliance on in-person cues, which can impair nuanced emotional reading and interrupt attention in face-to-face encounters (boyd, 2014). Yet CMC also augments relationships by enabling scheduling, sharing context, and sustaining long-distance ties. The net effect is a hybrid ecology: richer reach but a need to cultivate deeper in-person skills intentionally (Baym, 2015).
Mass Media and Computer-Mediated Communication
Mass media and CMC are increasingly entangled: traditional outlets disseminate via digital platforms, while social media amplifies or contests mainstream frames (Hermida, 2010). An illustrative case is the Arab Spring (2010–2011) and subsequent protest waves: social platforms enabled rapid mobilization and information sharing; mobile tools (SMS, smartphones) were crucial for on-the-ground coordination; and the action was often part of broader political movements seeking regime change (Castells, 2012; Tufekci, 2017).
Collective Action: Success, Mobile Tools, and Agenda
The efficacy of technology-mediated communication varied across contexts. In Tunisia and Egypt, online coordination helped spark mass protests that achieved short-term objectives (e.g., toppling leaders), though long-term outcomes depended on political structures (Castells, 2012). Mobile tools increased speed and situational awareness but also facilitated state surveillance. Many actions connected to larger agendas for democratic reform or racial justice (Tufekci, 2017).
Reporting Differences Across Media Types
Mass media reported collective action differently: broadcast TV emphasized visuals and emotional narratives; print newspapers offered deeper contextual analysis and editorial framing; and online outlets and social platforms foregrounded immediacy, citizen footage, and rapid updates. The differences affect public perception: online coverage accelerates spread but may sacrifice depth, while print provides analysis that can shape long-term understanding (Hermida, 2010; Castells, 2012).
Personal News Consumption and Comparisons
I primarily consume news via mobile alerts, social feeds, and selected news apps—often encountering stories first through push notifications or reposts. Unlike reading a newspaper or watching scheduled TV news, online consumption is fragmented, personalized, and interactive; it offers speed and breadth but increases exposure to misinformation and echo chambers (Pew Research Center, 2018).
Gains, Losses, and Mobile Effects on Communication
The shift from old media has gained speed, interactivity, and inclusion of diverse voices; it has lost some gatekeeping that ensured journalistic verification and a shared news diet. Mobile technology means news follows users everywhere, eroding boundaries between work and life, shortening attention spans, and prioritizing visual and snackable formats (Van Dijck, 2013). These changes demand media literacy and institutional adaptation to preserve depth and public trust.
Social Media, Demographics, and Uses
Social media’s societal impacts are uneven across race, gender, and class. Marginalized groups use platforms for identity, organizing, and visibility, but they also face disproportionate harassment and surveillance (boyd, 2014; Tufekci, 2017). Professionally, platforms like LinkedIn or curated Twitter feeds support branding, recruitment, and networking; personally, platforms facilitate friendship maintenance, self-expression, and peer support. The professional use is typically more curated and strategic, while personal use is more intimate and contextual, often with different privacy expectations (Baym, 2015; Van Dijck, 2013).
Conclusion
Computer-mediated communication has transformed personal ties, public discourse, and mass media dynamics. It enables connection, rapid mobilization, and service delivery while raising serious privacy and quality-of-information concerns. Addressing these trade-offs requires better protections, media literacy, and inclusive design so the benefits of CMC accrue broadly without undermining civic life.
References
- Baym, N. K. (2015). Personal Connections in the Digital Age (2nd ed.). Polity.
- Rainie, L., & Wellman, B. (2012). Networked: The New Social Operating System. MIT Press.
- Tufekci, Z. (2017). Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest. Yale University Press.
- Castells, M. (2012). Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age. Polity.
- boyd, d. (2014). It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens. Yale University Press.
- Zuboff, S. (2019). The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power. PublicAffairs.
- Solove, D. J. (2004). The Digital Person: Technology and Privacy in the Information Age. NYU Press.
- Hermida, A. (2010). Twittering the news: The emergence of ambient journalism. Journalism Practice, 4(3), 297–308.
- Van Dijck, J. (2013). The Culture of Connectivity: A Critical History of Social Media. Oxford University Press.
- Pew Research Center. (2018). Social Media Use in 2018. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org