Research Paper about Social Technology

An important part of our species' evolution is social technologies, but we may be nearing a precipice where additional investment will be detrimental. Humanity's ease began with technological advancements. Because of the internet, we no longer need to visit physical libraries, bookstores, or archives for research. Moreover, with the advent of email and other forms of social networking, we are no longer compelled to wait weeks for long-distance discussions. Overall, the quality of life increased, but the sacrifice that ensued to reap the benefits of social technology may have outweighed the benefits. As of now, individuals appear to be more connected to their social lives than to those around them, losing focus on interacting with one another and developing the habit of looking at their smartphones every waking minute. Furthermore, while technology advances, it does not benefit everyone in every community; many communities lack the financial resources to keep up with social technology. Now is the time to determine whether this new flood of social technology is an unconstructive goliath or a beneficial titan for society to determine whether it’s worth saturating. Per a coalescence of common perspectives, it is undeniable that technology has greatly improved society by connecting us all, providing us with content, and making the world a better place. 

A common factor in the development of various social networks is the simple act of connecting people, most effectively with those who share common interests. By way of illustration, Facebook, the largest social network, was originally designed so that Harvard students could connect, and even now, public group chats for specific topics are set up. LinkedIn connects those looking for work and those providing work by displaying embellishments from other users. This common interest that connects people comes even from the most unlikely of sources. Consider Adobe: "Adobe believes creativity empowers transformation—personally, professionally, and across all industries" (https://www.adobe.com/about-adobe/fast-facts.html). Connecting in the form of people’s creativity, in any form, maybe for pleasure or business. Some may argue that technology promises to "connect" us with one another. However, take a look around and you'll see how disconnected we've become—individuals no longer interact with one another because they've become so consumed by their phones and devices. This presented perspective, which claims that technology disconnects us, is based largely on people's ineffective use of these technologies. It prompts us to see how distracting social media makes us. As a result, I've developed a perspective on compromise. For the first time, we can select who we want to connect with from a library of billions. Returning to our Facebook analogy, Keith Hampton, a sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania, stated, "... people who use sites like Facebook have more close relationships and are more likely to be involved in civic and political activities" (https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2011/06/16/social-networking-sites-and-our-lives-2/). Facebook is building stronger bonds with the people it connects. This is because we can choose who we connect with, and as a result, they are more effective and participatory in civic and political activities such as voting. Corresponding to all things under consideration, my perspective is that we, as humans, have to use technology for humans—not for baseless posting.

Thanks to advances in technology, humans now have the ability to spread content, whether for entertainment or informative purposes, in the blink of an eye. Another popular perspective is that modern technology has greatly improved our lives; people are more connected to the information and people they want to connect with, and as a result, people are smarter, happier, and more fulfilled. This perspective is based on the fact that people are gaining intelligence and pleasure from these forms of technology. Youtube is a prime example of how to disseminate both types of stories, entertainment and informative, and even connect viewers who see the content. According to the video-sharing platform, everyone has the right "to... share and build community through our stories" (https://about.youtube/). While browsing the website, you will find news and personal stories, as well as an integrated community system that allows you to comment and respond to comments. All of this is made possible by 866 million MAUs (monthly active users), who visit nearly 14.3 billion times per month. As a result, our answer is based on whether those users are fulfilled with each visit to the site and whether they are receiving accurate information with each visit to the site. According to Tilburg University data, Youtube vlogs intended to spread positivity and joy—when you're happy, you're naturally fulfilled—are more likely to elicit that reaction and in a stronger form than videos intended to spread negativity and anger. Our second conclusion is that users are receiving accurate information; for this, we can go directly to YouTube. Misinformation about vaccines, elections, COVID-19, and other topics will be removed as soon as YouTube is made aware of it, according to their policies. However, all of this supports the previously stated perspective; some people may have reservations. For example, the data that charts emotions does not account for those who do not provide feedback, and Youtube's moderation is inadequate to moderate nearly one million hours of content uploaded every day.