A different range of social media is needed to meet
different purposes. The use of social media changes over
time with change in needs of people, change in working
circumstances etc. The role of the tools of social media is
not static and is evolving continuously. Growth of online
platforms for people to socialize has changed the social
media landscape drastically.
The Case of Alvins –
This family was a creation of Jose van Dijck, author of the
journal ‘the culture of connectivity: A critical history of
social media (2013)’. He aimed to show how for billions of
people, social activities switched from offline to online
methods. The main objective of these online platforms
was building ‘community’. It wanted to unite like-minded
people with similar interests. The focus of these platforms
has shifted from communizing people to economic
benefits. These platforms now have monetary benefits in
offering connectivity to people.
As a result of this, such platforms serve the need of people
as well as their economic needs. For example: Facebook
has changed a lot with time. It has subsequently become a
platform to advertise and promote products/events/groups
etc. along with enabling people to meet their social needs.
These promotional activities are a major source of revenue
for the firm.
What are the consequences of this connectivity for
individuals, communities, businesses and society?
The Power of Social Networks
Pharmaceutical companies spend huge amounts of money
in developing new drugs. They want their drugs to be
prescribed over other drugs as much as possible to
increase profitability. In order to achieve this, they try to