Spaces and exchanges : how do social networks influence our judgment ?

Spaces and exchanges

        I am going to talk about the notion “Spaces and Exchanges”. First I would give a definition of this notion. A place can be geographical like borders or virtual like internet. Then, there are different types of exchanges like exchanges of cultures, people or information. Nowadays, internet has become one of the most important place to exchange with the entire world. So, how do social networks influence our judgment? First we will see how social media can turn into a weapon and then we will note that they can be misused.

        We studied a document about the shooting that took place in a high school, in Florida, in 2018. Here, social media is a venue for the teenagers who survived the shooting, to denounce gun violence in the USA and demand changes in the law. It symbolizes freedom of speech. However there are limits to this freedom because some people can use social media to broadcast fake news and misinformation. The social media is a powerful tool to make your voice heard but also to spread confusion. On another hand, social networks are pretty recent and didn’t exist for a long time. It is very important in our lives, especially young people’s because they exchange their viewpoint and feelings through these media instead of meeting in real life. They can initiate change instead of waiting for their representative to make change happen. This new space is a venue to express yourself and exchange with others. Teenagers use social media to fight against the political discourse about gun violence. They want things to change and thus they demand gun control.

        Social media take more and more spaces in our lives, even if they can serve for good causes there are also people who use it for bad causes and it can be very dangerous for our society. Indeed, in the document, social media are used to spread misinformation, a political commentator mocked the teenagers on Twitter. Others social networks spread conspiracy theories or fake news. Moreover, a political aide claimed some students were actors you find in different crisis, using YouTube as a proof. Social media were created to be a space for sharing and on another side, teenagers are the first victims of moral harassment, insults or inappropriate photos. They share their private life without realizing that their privacy is publicly exposed. Beyond that, we run a lot of risk exposing ourselves on social networks. And the most vulnerable teenagers are easy prey for pedophiles and sex offenders. That’s why it is essential to have a good use of these networks so as not to have bad surprises, which sometimes can be very dangerous.

        To conclude, social networks has become a new place to exchange what you want to share with your friends, your family or the entire world. It is a venue, especially for young people, to express themselves, share their viewpoint, their ideas easily and without being judged. Unfortunately, some people are not in this state of mind and they use it inappropriately. Those people can be dangerous and that’s why we need to be careful even if it is not happening in real life.

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