Bridging the Distance

Posted on by Erin Gallagher

Social media: the thing our parents always told us to get off of at the dinner table. But today social media plays a bigger, more important role in our daily lives. It is bringing the distance and bringing the world together with the goal of making a difference.

Mark Zuckerberg briefly touched on this at the Facebook Community Summit. He says that in the next generation our greatest opportunities and challenges we can only take on together. Social media gives users the opportunity to support each other and give assurance that nobody is alone.

Support is more evident than ever on social media since the virtual Hurricane Harvey relief movement. From rescue requests to real-time up updates of where people can find food and shelter, social media saved lives in Texas during the devastating August 2017 storm.

This woman tweeted a plea for help when her family was in danger during the storm. The coast guard responded and added her to the rescue list.

 

The USCG of Heartland tweeted what to do during the storm to stay safe:

Though these examples show the positive side of social media, the storm also presented the negative effects. The spread of misinformation and doctored images is always a problem during crisis times, such as one that resurfaced during Harvey showing a shark swimming on a flooded highway.

If social media keeps coming together during these crisis times, all users have the power to be a leader. And if enough of us work together to bring each other together, the world can be changed.

 

2 thoughts on “Bridging the Distance”

  1. Erin, I really enjoyed reading your post and you offer a unique perspective on social media’s strength. I especially like how you offer the idea that social media allows everyone to come together, and better yet, never feel alone. I think too often people log on to Facebook and only focus on annoying rants or get side tracked in cute puppy videos. It is important to remember that being connected to everyone, especially around the globe, is truly a powerful tool and it allows the whole world to become one community that does not discriminate.

  2. Erin,

    I really liked this post and how you gave the perspective of both your parents and the misconception social media has and then how it can actually be beneficial in helping bring the world together.

    I took a similar approach with my Tweet examples and how they can be used to help bring people to safety and get people noticed in times of needs. As you stated, “all users have the power to be a leader.” I loved that quote!

    Nice job,
    MacKenzie

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