Are Social Media Exploiting Social Capital? JSC 224 class blog
By: Miriam Hamade
The last decade has witnessed a progressive and rapid development in the dimensions of social media platforms and its global outreach. The current indulgence in social media networks doesn’t embed a parallel virtual life, but rather reflects the realism of the current life we most lead. Social media has and is reshaping the communication, collaboration and sharing concepts between individuals, groups and societies at large. It appears as if social media has a power of its own that drives a person to question the social magnitudes and meanings about it. Most of us express our different states, search for information and gain social attention through the clicktivism notion which has been made highly accessible and feasible for any individual from any socioeconomic class globally. However, when addressing the Rhetorics of sharing, are we free or controlled? Is our privacy preserved or breached? Is our activity as commodity for commercialism and capitalism? And most importantly, are social media exploiting our social capital?
Nancy K. Baym (2015, pp1) highlighted that any medium that allows for a meaningful interaction or experience between people can be considered as social. Stating that postcards, telephones, newspapers, television and books are as social as social media. Critically thinking, many individuals would find the notion of Baym as obscure. However, Fuchs (2014, pp 4–5) had explained that there are four means of understanding what is to be a social medium. There are different sociological concepts that demonstrate that information and cognition is social since it is considered that all media is a social artefact created by people and thus interacting with it is a social activity based on cognition. For instance, reading a book alone is social since it is created by society members for society. Contradicting this, the communication concept states that not all media are social since only the media allowing for communication and interaction between individuals is. Another concept states that community media mediums where individuals develop affinity and emotions for others through communication outlets is social. Lastly, Fuchs states the collaboration enable by the computer human interaction is another form of social.
Evaluating Fuchs social concepts, it seems like he wrapped the several social media activities in different categorization all which can be summarized by the culture of sharing. People share different things online basically on social media as tools of cognition and information, communication with others, belonging to a community and establishing collaboration. Deciphering the Rhetorics of sharing, Kennedy (2013, pp5) explains that social integration has become equated and embedded with sharing towards connecting. Therefore, it becomes an addictive practice where quitting social media platforms is similar to breaking up with loved ones. Significantly, Kennedy (2013, pp 6–7) highlights an important notion which indicates that social media developers and companies are presenting themselves as facilitating and socializing entities supporting communication, friendships and lifestyle. Suggesting that sharing is more of a strategical technique than a neutral one where freedom and control of sharing is basically virtual and controlled in direct proportion of what is shared.
Asserting that there is a specific equation of sharing and social interaction towards integrating the social network sharing sites (SNS) as tools to channel desired directions of capitalism and neo-liberalism. Conceptualizing this affirms that sharing on SNS is a form of a bargain consisting of different values, information, assets and opinions shared and exchanged as both monetary assets and demographic data. Leading to the understanding that sharing yielding in assets can be considered as a social capital.
Giddens (2013, p. 855) explains that the need for social capital is an effective tool governed by effective behavior and most influential for the social networks established. It can be characterised as the values attained through collaborating, connecting and communicating with others. A critical resource for compromising, bargaining and achieving goals in a diverse society. However, in the diverse and vast dimensions of social media platforms where a person can effectively contribute to the society, share information, thoughts, likes and demonstrate a behavioral pattern to be recognized and acknowledged, questions of underlying benefits arise.
Are social media exploiting the social capital? a simple and direct question that is multilayered with complexities. Social media is only provided with the information we put onto it, the data we deliberately offer to gain personal benefits of both intrinsic and extrinsic nature. Yes, social media might be exploiting the social capital but only with the limits that its users are exploiting it. As humans we are in an endless quest to establish ourselves in our societies through communication, cooperation and being active social members. Therefore, it is only fair to say that the benefits that social media companies attain from the information share is parallel to that we gain from sharing.
References
Baym, N.K (2015). Social Media and the Struggle for Society. Social Media + Society April-June 2015: 1 –2. DOI: 10.1177/2056305115580477
Fuchs (2014) ‘What is Social media’ in Social Media: A Critical Introduction, London, Sage.
Giddens, (2013). Social Capital. retrieved from: https://sites.hks.harvard.edu/saguaro/web%20docs/GarsonSK06syllabus.htm
Kenedy (2013) ‘Rhetorics of Sharing’ in Loving, G & Rasch M. Unlike Us. Social Media Monopolies and their Alternatives, Institute for Network Culture, Amsterdam.
