The popularity of the internet and social media

[DeaneRenata]

"Social Networking Popular Across Globe" -- http://www.pewglobal.org/2012/12/12/social-networking-popular-across-globe/

 

I find that the popularity of the internet and of social media is growing at an alarming rate.

 

The sheer fact that some websites have millions (have you ever heard of Gaia? That place alone has more members on its forum than I can count) of members only proves my point: Social media has gotten out of control.

 

If social media is not popular, then why are so many people signing up for it and making their own posts?

 

The world has gotten social media fever.

 

Everybody are turning into nerds these days.

 

I go out in public now and I see teenagers connected to their phones, iPods, ipads, and other devices that let them have internet access.

 

They text and it appears online.

 

And yet no one is concerned that all this social media may be getting our children away from the real world in some way.

 

Technology is bound to distort or smudge your view of reality in some way. Why? Because being online is NOT the real world. You gotta be offline to enjoy it.

Edited January 21, 2014 by DeaneRenata

[DeaneRenata]

"Social Networking Popular Across Globe

Arab Publics Most Likely to Express Political Views Online

Survey Report

Social networking has spread around the world with remarkable speed. In countries such as Britain, the United States, Russia, the Czech Republic and Spain, about half of all adults now use Facebook and similar websites. These sites are also popular in many lower-income nations, where, once people have access to the internet, they tend to use it for social networking.

Meanwhile, cell phones have become nearly ubiquitous throughout much of the world, and people are using them in a variety of ways, including texting and taking pictures. Smart phones are also increasingly common – roughly half in Britain, the U.S., and Japan have one. Globally, most smart phone users say they visit social networking sites on their phone, while many get job, consumer, and political information.

Technologies like these are especially popular among the young and well educated. In almost every country polled, people under age 30 and those with a college education are more likely to engage in social networking and to use a smart phone.

These are among the key findings from a 21-nation survey conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project from March 17-April 20. The survey also finds that global publics are sharing their views online about a variety of topics, especially popular culture. Across 20 of the nations polled (Pakistan is excluded from this calculation due to the small number of social networking users), a median of 67% of social networkers say they use these sites to share opinions about music and movies. Significant numbers also post their views on community issues, sports and politics. Fewer give their opinions about religion.

Expressing opinions about politics, community issues and religion is particularly common in the Arab world. For instance, in Egypt and Tunisia, two nations at the heart of the Arab Spring, more than six-in-ten social networkers share their views about politics online. In contrast, across 20 of the nations surveyed, a median of only 34% post their political opinions.

Similarly, in Egypt, Tunisia, Lebanon and Jordan, more than seven-in-ten share views on community issues, compared with a cross-national median of just 46%.

There is considerable interest in social networking in low- and middle-income nations. Once people in these countries are online, they generally become involved in social networks at high rates. For instance, the vast majority of internet users in Mexico, Brazil, Tunisia, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Russia and India are using social networking sites.

Conversely, publics in some more economically developed nations seem less enthusiastic about interacting with others online – especially Japan and Germany, the only two countries where less than half of all internet users participate in social networks. And those Japanese and Germans who do go online for social networking use it less often than others around the world to express thoughts on culture, community, sports, politics and religion.

Social Networking

In 19 of 21 countries, about three-in-ten or more of those polled use sites such as Facebook, including about half in Britain (52%), the U.S. (50%), Russia (50%), Spain (49%), and the Czech Republic (49%). Only in India (6%) and Pakistan (4%) is the percentage of adults who use social networking sites in single digits.¹

In every country polled, use of social networking sites varies by age. In 17 of 21 countries, there is a gap of 50 points or more in usage of social networking sites between those younger than 30 and those 50 or older. This gap is particularly pronounced in Italy, Poland, Britain and Greece, where at least 70 percentage points separate those in the younger group from those in the older group.

Similarly, use of social networking sites varies by education level, with double-digit differences between those with a college degree and those without a college degree in 15 of 18 countries (this finding excludes Mexico, Brazil and Pakistan, where fewer than 100 respondents have a college degree). The widest gap is found in Egypt, where 81% of those with a college degree use social networking sites, compared with just 18% of those with less education.

Among those who participate in social networks, sharing views about music and movies is a popular activity; majorities in 17 countries say they have done this. In China (86%), India (85%), Mexico (84%), Greece (83%), Turkey (78%), Tunisia (77%) and Italy (75%), at least three-quarters have shared their views about music and movies. Sports, on the other hand, is a less common topic, with half or more of users of social networking sites in only seven countries – India, Jordan, Tunisia, Turkey, Egypt, Brazil and China – saying they have shared their opinions about sports.

In Arab countries such as Tunisia, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, social networking sites are also a popular forum for expressing views on politics and community issues. More than seven-in-ten users of social networking sites in these countries have posted about community issues on these sites, and at least six-in-ten have shared their views about politics. Italy and Turkey are the only other countries surveyed where majorities of those who use social networking sites have expressed opinions about community issues (64% and 63%, respectively); most in Turkey also have shared their views on politics on these sites (57%).

Users of social networking in Tunisia (63%), Egypt (63%) and Jordan (62%) are also more likely than those in other countries to say they have posted on religion. In fact, in no other nation surveyed has a majority of users of these sites shared views about religion. In 14 countries, only about a third or less have posted on this topic.

Cell Phones Nearly Universal in Much of World

Broad majorities around the world own a cell phone. Three-quarters or more in 18 of the 21 countries surveyed say they have a mobile phone, while at least half say the same in Mexico (63%), India (56%) and Pakistan (52%).

In addition to making phone calls, most respondents say they regularly use their cell phone to send text messages. At least two-thirds of cell-phone owners in 17 countries say they frequently text, including 93% in Mexico and 90% in Lebanon. Turks (60%), Germans (58%), Indians (42%) and Pakistanis (36%) are less likely to send text messages.

Taking pictures or videos with cell phones is somewhat less popular. The Japanese (79%), Mexicans (70%), Americans (67%) and Spanish (67%) are the most likely to regularly use their phones to take a picture or video, while roughly six-in-ten or fewer say the same in the other 17 countries surveyed. Pakistanis (13%) are the least likely to use their mobile phones for such a purpose.

Few cell phone users access the internet on their phones. In 18 of the countries surveyed, fewer than four-in-ten say they regularly use their mobile phone to access the internet. The British (52%), Japanese (51%) and Americans (51%) are most likely to do so.

Smart Phone Users Engaged on Social Networks

Among smart phone users – defined here as those who own a cell phone and regularly use it to access the internet – social networking is very popular.

In 12 countries, at least six-in-ten smart phone users access social networks with their phones. The practice is particularly common in Egypt (79%), Mexico (74%) and Greece (72%). The Japanese (45%) and Chinese (31%), on the other hand, are the least likely to use their phones for connecting with social networks.

Respondents in the U.S., Japan and Europe are most likely to use their smart phones to get information about consumer products, their job or politics. At least four-in-ten in these countries say they use their phone regularly to get information about prices and availability of products or about issues related to their job. And more than a third say the same about accessing political news and information.

Overall, smart phone users in the countries surveyed in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America are less likely to use their phones to gather information, although there are a few exceptions. A majority of smart phone users in India (60%), for example, rely on their mobile phones for information about their job. Egyptians (65%) are particularly likely to search for political news on their cell phones. And the Chinese (48%) are more likely to use their mobile phones to access information about politics than any of the other smart phone activities asked about.

The young are considerably more engaged with their cell phones than their elders. There are double-digit age gaps in most countries for all cell phone activities except making calls. For example, in 19 of the 21 countries surveyed, 18-29 year olds are at least 10 percentage points more likely than those age 50 or older to use their cell phone to access the internet. The biggest differences occur in China (+63 points), Japan (+62), Russia (+62) and Britain (+61).

The way people use their cell phones also varies considerably by education. For example, in 14 countries, respondents with a college education are at least 10 percentage points more likely than those without a college degree to access the internet on their mobile phones. The education gap is particularly large in China (+47), Turkey (+36), Egypt (+32) and Lebanon (+31)."

[Guest DRS81]

I choose not to sign up on any social media sites, and I never will.

 

It's a choice you make, and besides it's just a bunch of noise at the end of the day.

[other one]

If George should close Worthy and we knew it was coming would any of you join Facebook and post privately to others who wanted to be friends from here?

 

I had that happen at ProphecyNewsWatch.   People I had conversed with for over ten years suddenly broke apart so we went to face book.   You can keep things somewhat private there if everyone agrees to do so.  Actually it's more private than it is here for anyone can see anything you post here.

[Guest DRS81]

If George should close Worthy and we knew it was coming would any of you join Facebook and post privately to others who wanted to be friends from here?

 

I still wouldn't join, social media is drowning in jealousy, suicides and sloth.

 

americans ain't changin' the world, they just take pictures of it / and post it on the internet like their actually accomplishing somethin'

online social networks are just an illusion of power / who's making profit while i say goodbye in my final hour

[The_Patriot21]

who uses the internet? seriously?

 

for all of you who bash social networking like facebook, well got news for you, what do you think your doing here? you log on, you got a profile, and you converse with other people from around the globe. Your still socializing. You have a good deal more privacy then on facebook-but it is still social networking. social networking has been around almost since the internet was started, its just changed forms. Facebook and other social networking sites, are what you make them. They can be tools to keep in contact with friends and family, it can be a powerful way to spread a message and get lots of people together to support good causes. It can also be misused. Same with forum sites like worthy. The internet, and the tools within, are what you make them.

[missmuffet]

who uses the internet? seriously?

 

for all of you who bash social networking like facebook, well got news for you, what do you think your doing here? you log on, you got a profile, and you converse with other people from around the globe. Your still socializing. You have a good deal more privacy then on facebook-but it is still social networking. social networking has been around almost since the internet was started, its just changed forms. Facebook and other social networking sites, are what you make them. They can be tools to keep in contact with friends and family, it can be a powerful way to spread a message and get lots of people together to support good causes. It can also be misused. Same with forum sites like worthy. The internet, and the tools within, are what you make them.

When I come here I am not on any social network.I am on a Christian messageboard.Our interests are on God.I do not go on a nonChristian social site.And I am very selective on the Christian messageboard that I go on.A couple are not alot better than facebook.

[Guest DRS81]

who uses the internet? seriously?

 

for all of you who bash social networking like facebook, well got news for you, what do you think your doing here? you log on, you got a profile, and you converse with other people from around the globe. Your still socializing. You have a good deal more privacy then on facebook-but it is still social networking. social networking has been around almost since the internet was started, its just changed forms. Facebook and other social networking sites, are what you make them. They can be tools to keep in contact with friends and family, it can be a powerful way to spread a message and get lots of people together to support good causes. It can also be misused. Same with forum sites like worthy. The internet, and the tools within, are what you make them.

 

I think that's just an illusion they want you to believe, that you're making a difference. Worldly people mostly run those sites and the government, and worldly people are animals without chains. Regardless of how much you're helping people, there will be a great falling away more than there will be revivals. At the end of the day social networking sites are simply a place to dump your artificial feelings into a database.

 

Dan 12:4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."

 

2 Thess 2:3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

 

2 Tim 3:1-5 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

 

Matt 7:13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

[The_Patriot21]

who uses the internet? seriously?

 

for all of you who bash social networking like facebook, well got news for you, what do you think your doing here? you log on, you got a profile, and you converse with other people from around the globe. Your still socializing. You have a good deal more privacy then on facebook-but it is still social networking. social networking has been around almost since the internet was started, its just changed forms. Facebook and other social networking sites, are what you make them. They can be tools to keep in contact with friends and family, it can be a powerful way to spread a message and get lots of people together to support good causes. It can also be misused. Same with forum sites like worthy. The internet, and the tools within, are what you make them.

When I come here I am not on any social network.I am on a Christian messageboard.Our interests are on God.I do not go on a nonChristian social site.And I am very selective on the Christian messageboard that I go on.A couple are not alot better than facebook.

And what do you think a message board is? A social network is a network of people that socialize. A message board such as worthy is basically the same in many aspects just on a smaller scale with more privacy.

Facebook is no more evil then any other part of the internet. If you spend to much time online then you spend to much time online. If not, then you don't. It doesn't matter whether the time is spent "social networking" or on "message boards"

[LookingForAnswers]

I have to agree with the Patriot, this place is a social network, we just have a more specific connection.