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Politicians and social media

Social media is now widely regarded as a tool for politicians to gain a lead upon their opposition, especially during election times. Social media, as we all know, can get words out very quickly. Which sometimes hasn’t always been a good thing for politicians. In January of 2018, Christopher Pyne announced on Twitter that the government would be spending money to make Australia one of the top ten global defence exporters within the next decade. After, a comment was made from a person from the Twittersphere saying this is an outrage and that Australia shouldn’t be spending money for “tools of death and destruction” (ABC, Social Media is in the Doghouse for Politicians and Public, 2018). As we can see here, there is an immediate negative reaction to something happening inside government which could only be made possible through social media. The word gets out very quickly now with social media which makes it very easy for others to respond and grow a very negative opinion about something and get others on board too, which is most likely hated by politicians. 

Whereas in the past, if Christopher Pyne wanted to announce something he would have had to explore other media alternatives such as tv or newspaper which gets things out much slower and as such public opinion is a slower process too. 

As much as they probably hate the backlash they get from social media, it’s proven to not be all bad for politicians. In 2012, Barack Obama raised around $690 million through online donations including social media, email, and website donations for his campaign for precedency breaking the record for amount of money raised in a campaign, ever. So social media can be very beneficial for politicians if you are smart about it. 

In talking about smarts, it’s pretty apparent that Mr Donald Trump has not been smart about his use with social media in the past. As most of us are aware, the 2016 election saw Donald Trump taking a different approach at winning over votes. The result of the scandal we can say that this is not a case of political success where a politician has used social media to one’s advantage. Whilst it did help him get elected, the fact that we are talking about a scandal involving DT means to say that Donald Trump was defiantly not carefully nor responsible in using social media during the 16 election. 

Perhaps this was a great way to begin his time in office, starting off with a bang and using his one still greatest tool he uses for his job to get him the job in the first place. Yes, if there is anyone, we can say uses social media as well as anyone it’s Donald Trump. He is constantly trending on most social media sites including Twitter and he is now looked upon as a celebrity which is good for business (Diggit Magazine, 2017).

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When Facebook, Twitter and Google take over... 

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Turning up to uni be like...

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Tumblr, the Offspring of Social Media and Blogs.

My first Tumblr post we will be discussing whether Tumblr is a social media site or blog site. What first comes to mind when I think of this is what’s the difference? According to Walker Rettberg, J. (2013), blogs are “decentralized” websites that are “often running on their author’s own domains and connecting haphazardly to other blogs”. He continues by saying blogs are a more “implicit social network” with the idea of sharing other blogs to create more links to and from the website. On the other hand, social media is a more “centralized” website, using its own domain and sharing content connected back to the site. In this case, Tumblr is considered more a social media site because it uses the domain Tumblr.com. 

Furthermore, Tumblr is set up like a social media website. The site lets users message others, get notifications and follow people who share similar interests. As such, Tumblr is here again considered a social media site than a blog website. 

However, despite its domain and the structure of the site, Tumblr has blog-like features. But I’m not talking about “micro-blogging” Walker, Rettberg, J. (2013). I’m talking about real blogging; the way blogging used to be and was designed to be. Where blogging introduces “countless avenues to express one’s passions” Walker Rettberg, J. (2013). 

Tumblr gives its users the option to communicate with their audience in a creative and self-expressive way with the use of images, GIFs, videos and other forms of media. 

Moreover, they do this in a space that (for the most part) is free from hateful and nasty comments. One of the ways Tumblr separates itself as being another social media platforms is through the lack of importance it places on comments in blogs. In my opinion, comments can make people feel bad for what they believe. So by Tumblr creating an environment where comments are not the focus, leads people to feel safe to express themselves without coping criticism from others online and becoming shut-down. And in my opinion, this is allows for true blogging to happen.

There is a real lesson to be learnt from Tumblr. Not everybody is going to agree with you and what you post online. But it’s not your indifferences that make you creative or inspiring. No, in fact it’s your differences.

In closing, whilst Tumblr identifies as a social media site and is structured like one, it includes glimpses of blogging that are only seen elsewhere on blogging websites and nowhere else within the social media community. For that, I give credit to Tumblr for its ability to successfully be both.