As an important application in the field of Internet, social media greatly reduces the cost of social networking on the Internet, satisfies people’s various needs, and greatly changes the mode of people’s communication.  The reason why social media can play a role in advocating exchanges is that the core value of social media is to tap the individual resources of each participant (ie personal knowledge) to form powerful social resources and use public power to distribute them in different locations.  The information and knowledge of different regions and different groups of people are concentrated to form a communication circle.In an interview with Jesse and Markiel Simpson, bomb threats based on racial discrimination were discussed.  Racial discrimination is an old topic, but it has always been given new content by reality.  Racial discrimination not only reflects inequality in various human rights, but also causes society to be in a state of great instability.  Simpson carried out operations in 60 districts of British Columbia, telling the history of black people and calling for the resistance to racial discrimination.  But such kind of appeals are only aimed at a small group of people, so Simpson uses social media such as Twitter and uses his own community to actively share experience from the law, public opinion, community life and other aspects, calling on the people to resist racial discrimination.  This is a powerful example of how social media can participate in advocacy communication. The efficient use of PLN has an impact on individuals invisibly. Although there are no rules and structural effects, it has an impact on personal psychology and personal behavior patterns.  This means that users are likely not only to be affected by positive output, but also to passively accept some spam.  This is the biggest challenge of social media advocating communication.

 

PLN provides diversified communication channels and forms, and real-time interactions realized by certain social media, which are based on real social interpersonal networks.  Abundant communication channels and information delivery capabilities enable individuals and the surrounding environment to obtain information related to their own survival. Sharing unique experiences on social media also enables information creators to gain more attention and respect, as mentioned by Markiel Simpson  “You are the expert in your own experiences” (Miller). Personally, I am happy to use social media to integrate my PLN.  The recording function of social media can help individuals obtain each other’s life status.  By comparing each other’s living conditions, interpersonal interaction can be formed. In addition to gaining knowledge, it satisfies the multi-level needs of users while changing various personal behaviors.

 

Reference:

Clark, J., & Aufderheide, P. (2013). A New Vision for Public Media – Open, Dynamic, and Participatory. In J. Pooley, L. Taub-Pervizpour, & S. C. Jansen (Authors), Media and social justice (pp. 55-67). New York: Palgrave.

Miller, Jesse. “EDCI 338 – 2021 – 02 – 22 Markiel Simpson.” YouTube, 22 Feb. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCSpm1Lx8-A&feature=youtu.be.