Blog Post #1

• What does it mean to network using social media?

 Social media uses the Internet to help humans to communicate and connect with friends, colleagues, and family members without face-to-face interaction. People can also share their lives on social media, or share information they have collected. At the same time, it can also promote cooperation between enterprises and enterprises. Take the two most popular social media software around us (Ticktok, Instagram). Different people build many connections on the same social platform. They can share their lives, their photos, and their videos. People who are interested in this category will like and comment on them. Thereby building multiracial and diverse connections and development for people all over the world, even if they have never met each other. But many businesses earn dividends by posting ads on social platforms. Because they can find the audience more accurately through social platforms, and provide more guests for their company.

• How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?

On the public platform of the Internet, we can participate in many positive ways. First of all, in terms of learning, we can collect a lot of information about the field of study we are interested in on the network platform. For example, there are many popular science videos on YouTub, from which we can obtain knowledge in the field of study we are interested in in the form of online entertainment.

The second level is that we can find a sense of collective belonging on the network platform. We can find people or groups with similar interests and similar values ​​to our research field from the public network platform, and everyone can share their own experience on the network platform.

Third, we can also seek emotional support from the Internet. Find a “tree hole” on the Internet platform to listen to your inner difficulties and difficulties. It can effectively help us untie our knots and gain a sense of unity. Seeking emotional support online can also significantly reduce suicide rates and the risk of developing depression.

There are many other ways to actively participate on public online platforms. Everyone has different personalities and interests, so you can definitely find the one that suits you best.

What are the risks & rewards of public communications?

In this era of rapid Internet development, social media has become an indispensable tool in our daily life. But it is also rife with many positives and negatives, call it rewards and risks. Let’s start with the good side.

• Social media has brought us the benefits of entertainment and passing the time. Many people of all age groups use social media to watch interesting news and short videos. At the same time, many creators posted their new ideas on social media, which greatly improved people’s creative ability.

• Social media also facilitates connections between businesses and customers. Improve the efficiency of the connection between customers and enterprises. Because of the existence of social media, customers no longer need to spend a lot of time arriving at the company’s store to negotiate with the staff. It only takes them five to ten minutes to write an email to the merchant, which can not only express their thoughts and purposes more clearly but also break the limitation of distance.

• Social media also allows people to forge closer ties with their circle of friends. Because of the convenience of social media, people can chat with their relatives or friends in different places all the time, strengthening their relationships. At the same time, it can also reach different people from all over the world, and social media has become a bridge across races and regions.

Because there are many people on social media, it is also more complicated. Let’s talk about the risks of using social media.

• Personal information is usually involved on social media, and it is very easy to find information about yourself. This situation may involve the leakage of personal information, that is, there will be security risks. Once your personal information is stolen systematically by some bad people, there will be identity theft.

• Social media increases the odds and risks of cyberbullying. There are many strangers on the public platform, and we don’t know their true identities. This will make it easy for others to carry out verbal attacks on us on the Internet. This will have a great psychological impact on people of different ages.

• Social media can also cause reputational damage. Many people maliciously spread rumors on the Internet, but they don’t know that it is illegal. And these rumors will quickly spread on the Internet, to the point where it is out of control. Uninformed people do not realize that they have broken the law. At the same time, it also caused a very serious blow to the victims.

We need to make reasonable use of the benefits that social platforms bring us, and carefully avoid the risks that social platforms bring us. Maximize the benefits and use social platforms healthily.

• What is a digital identity?

Digital identity represents your own identity and information on the network platform, that is, represents your own name on the Internet, and is used to identify your identity. Contains your birthday, email, and gender. Also includes your footprints and activities on the Internet, activity information on search profiles, and social media profiles.

• How do personal versus professional approaches to digital identity affect social media use?

Personal digital identities are mainly used to connect with friends and family members on a daily basis. You can share your personal life on it, post photos and personal videos. At the same time, you can also browse the personal daily life posted by your friends and family. Personal digital identities are mostly used among people with whom they have intimate ties.

Professional digital identities are primarily used for career development and intra-professional communication. In this field, they can communicate conveniently with their superiors and customers, and share some professional insights and experiences. It also helps to enhance the reputation of the profession. Professionalized digital identities are not connected to one’s daily life.

• How do digital identities converge in networked publics – what are the impacts and/or benefits?

The convergence of digital identities in public online platforms has many implications and benefits. First of all, you will get the promotion of innovation and cooperation. In the public network platform, people from different professional fields can realize technical exchanges. Easier access to relevant knowledge on multiple fronts can facilitate professional cooperation between companies.

The second is to gain a sense of group identity on the public network platform. In the huge network, you can find people related to your professional technology, which helps to enhance your sense of belonging.

Finally, online public relations platforms can promote social change. Many people with similar views on the Internet can unite to change the unfairness or loopholes in the current society.