It's me I'm serious!!

Why dont u believe me *sed face*

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Public Health

Thanks to the development of social media, public health awareness is spread through all platforms of social media and help forums are posted online so everyone can receive help. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, public health awareness is still available and notified to anyone who has been conditioned with COVID and other forms of sickness. 

With the help of social media, its also possible to educate social media users on health issues so users can gain knowledge on how to counter these sicknesses and how it should be handled. Users can access this information via medical websites such as www.myhealth.gov.my, which is free for all to access. This allows for the users to spread information on social media allowing a brief explanation on the diseases that other may carry or have the potential to carry so they can keep themselves safe from others. With this in mind, social media can help act as a catalyst to send out messages on the dangers on certain diseases and how effective it is. Social media can also help quicken the message of the importance of vaccines and how they can help reduce the risks of receiving diseases. 

Although it can help spread the message, sometimes there are messages which are fake. While the world is searching for ways to prevent themselves from being diseases or trying to be more health conscious, there are scams that will lead users in believing that these fake news can help them. Users can identify these fake news by using sources from articles proven by actual doctors. They can also contact their local doctors at a hospital or any family member who has education and experience about the fake news that users have encountered online.

While public health is important and has improved significantly over the years, it can also be misleading as there are those who have risked their lives due to the inaccuracy content that has been stated in the medical advices searched by the users. Public health can be maintained and protect mainly by following the advice of those who actually have experiences and have been educated about those sicknesses.

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Fandom

Fandom is the state or condition of being a fan of someone or something. Being a part of a fandom can apply to anyone from youth to an early adolescent. Fandoms can contain fans consisting of sports, celebrities, fanfictions, and much more. Fandom has generated many followers of many genres and created many communities based on different ideas. It raises the question, how does fandom keep individuals non-isolated and keep them happy.

Fandom has helped many people from being isolated and helped them meet other people who have similar interests that they have. Such as being a fan of Marvel or DC, being a fan of documentaries or being a fan of K-pop. It allows individuals to find their own identity through fandoms. By finding content which is relative to them, fan can take that content and mix it with their own identities to help express themselves more as a person. Connecting to that, individuals who create their own content can also create their own fanbase based on their content creation. Fans who are interested in similar content can relate to others who are interested, leading to the creation of a community for that particular fandom. Whether if its fanart, fan made videos, fanfiction or costumes, fans can come together and help each other improve or support each other so their identity can be recognised.

Although I am a fan of many platforms but not part of a fandom myself, I do see how many people rose when they made an identity for themselves such as Lea Martinez, a tiktok celebrity who is a fan of cosplaying herself as fictional characters such as Rey from Star Wars or Dva from Overwatch  and mixing her own twist into her cosplays.

In conclusion, fandoms are a part of many peoples’ lifestyles and have become a full time job for them. Fandoms have allowed some people to become celebrities and make a fanbase for them. Although it comes in a form of imagination, it does help others find their identity and make them comfortable with those who are trying to find their identity as well.  

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Social Gaming

Social gaming is defined as the activity or practice of playing an online game on a social media platform. A social game is considered when the user interacts with other users unlike playing games that do not need social interaction with other users. These are also called "online games" or "multiplayer games" as the user can interact with more than 1 user in the game. While there are others who argue that it can cause negative effects to the users, others would say otherwise.

Social gaming has given its users many new and continuously developing traits that allows the users to increase the social interaction and connection with one another. Users can develop skills such as brain speed and concentration, multi-tasking, teamwork and confidence, and allows users a safe space to talk about fears. Social gaming also provides a lot of opportunities for the users to learn about cultures and perspectives about the world from other users. As the users continue develop the traits learned from social gaming, these traits will be carried over and can be applied into their own social life where they can practice those traits by working with new members in a university or in a working environment which heavily relies on those traits.

Being a gamer myself, I have also developed traits that I have developed in games and in my own social life. Video games has helped me develop traits that has made me much more independent and cooperative in my own social life. Video games has made me more social and more active but it also has its cons. Although it has made me more outspoken and social, it has also allowed me to encounter many users whom are very negative and rude. Thus why there are many researches on why they consider social games as a negative effect on the users. However, through all of the articles about the negative and positive effects on social gaming, I still social gaming can bring benefits to users and their application in their social life.

In conclusion, social gaming has its own pros and cons. However even to this day, there are still many users who are still part of the gaming community. Social gaming has played a part in developing their personality and maturity and has become a lifestyle. Social gaming has evolved from an entertainment for many young users and became a story-telling adventure that many has been a part of.

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Crowdsourcing and It’s Consequences in Continuous Uses

The Oxford Dictionary defines crowdsourcing as the practice of obtaining information or input into a task or project by enlisting the services of a large number of people, either paid or unpaid, typically via the internet. It’s been used by many companies and brands to gain attraction to their products and services so more potential customers can increase their profits from their products and services. Companies who used crowdsourcing such as; Samsung, Apple, Dell, and Mountain Dew, have gained much attraction from a big number of supporters but did not continue doing so as crowdsourcing is not a method of continuous profits.

Crowdsourcing has its own benefits and cons based on how organizations utilises its opportunities and present it towards the public. Being a practice that everyone can follow, it is open to any businesses and brands to help promote their businesses and brands to gain profit and helps build customer contact and database which helps in gaining profit. 

However, though it may seem that crowdsourcing can do a lot of good, without having to learn how to adapts to the market and use it wisely can cause it to affect the users badly. The competitors of the users can have the ability to manipulate the usage of crowdsourcing into providing false feedback  and provide a negative influence to the users’ products and service. Companies may also affect themselves when using crowdsourcing when setting limits on what can be seen or not be seen by the public. An example is when Mountain Dew did their “Dub the Dew” campaign in 2012. What caused the campaign to fail was the restriction lifted by Mountain Dew so the participants have a freedom of speech of what they want to write. Later on the company apologised as a comment, “Diabeetus”, was seen in message boards on websites such as Reddit or 4chan.

In conclusion, crowdsourcing can still be used a method to gain attraction to a company's product and to gain profit. However, knowing how easy  it can be to fall prey to false messages, it can also cause harm to the company’s reputation which has a high risk of shutting them down. Company’s can be encouraged to use crowdsourcing, as they must have self aware and not constantly depend on it as a method for profit, but rather find other strategies in gaining profit.

References:

Thieringer J 2022, “ What is crowdsourcing? Definition, advantages & tips “, ispo, ispo, viewed 9 December 2022, <https://www.ispo.com/en/markets/what-crowdsourcing-definition-advantages-tips>

Faisal 2015, “Crowdsourcing Fails (Durex, Mountain Dew, and NASA): Avoiding Internet Trolls“, Digital Initiative, Digital Initiative, viewed 9 December 2022, <https://d3.harvard.edu/platform-digit/submission/crowdsourcing-fails-durex-mountain-dew-and-nasa-avoiding-internet-trolls/>

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Social Activism in Malaysia

The Oxford Dictionary describes activism as the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to bring about political or social change. Activism is used to help bring problems that are not addressed to the public and make the government address the issue at once. While activism promotes the crisis that is occurring or reoccurring, it also helps support the victims of the consequences of the problem. Although activism is meant to campaign about the issues that are being ignored or not prioritized, sending out messages to the public can be seen as aggressive or peaceful.

Activism is meant to help those in need and unite people who are in support of the movement. However, when thinking of social activism happening in Malaysia it is quite difficult to say the least. Although social activism can somehow work in Malaysia, having it be impactful and be peaceful would be said otherwise. While Malaysians do face the same issues that other countries are facing; poverty, economical crisis, unfair government, it could be easily said that they would unite under one movement and have a long-lasting affect that the country could rejoice in. That would not be the case in Malaysia. While there are those who do face the same issues as others, they do not discuss on how this issue should be reformed and prevented so others would not face it as well. Which proves one of the reasons why social activism in Malaysia would not work for a long term effect, as they have a failure in communication.

Another reason why social activism won't work in Malaysia is the government turning a blind eye to issues that are essential to allow citizens to live an affordable lifestyle, such as rent, taxes, bills for water and electricity and etc. An example I would pull was when recently in West Malaysia, students from the International Islamic University Malaysia protested against the government due to the rise in the cost of living as they find it expensive to pay for their accommodations. The university's union president, Aliff Naif, listed demands that the government should address. The five demands include; salary cuts for ministers and their deputies, providing additional aid for the rakyat, continuing the provision of subsidies, price control for food being sold at universities, and a resolution to the country's food security problems. Should the government fail to address and resolve the demands listed, Aliff Naif's union would protest in the streets.

To conclude, Malaysia has its own history of its people facing bad times and having bad consequences which result in them rising and making movements. Not all of those movements would be effective in the long term as it only lasts for the duration of the period of the crisis happening. The only time I would think a movement would last a long-term effect is during elections as picking a political party may have long-term effects for the country. Should the people learn some elements from the elections and find more efficient ways on how Malaysians can improve their lifestyle, then social activism can be effective in the long term in Malaysia.

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Political Engagement

Living in a country where politics is the butt end of most conversations in Malaysia, the idea of it taking effect is little to no action. Most conversations in the Parliament are prettied up with words about the people or the country and how we are to be represented, where in reality it’s mostly just to gain profit and using it for themselves rather than actually finding a way to solve the issues. This is where the engagement of politics take into place. 

What is Political Engagement?

Political engagement, also known as political participation, is the any number of voluntary activities undertaken by the public to influence public policy either directly or by affecting the selection of persons who make those policies. With this definition in mind, we can get an idea of how citizens can be affected by policy initiated by the government and how its taking effect. 

The Good Part About It

Political engagement can help build the local community whom have similar beliefs and understanding on how politicians should resolve the situation. It also helps to build a community who have similar beliefs in how the government can help reduce the issues in our country.

Political engagement can also help politicians open new networks and in different areas, creating opportunities simply by conversing with the citizens who have engaged in politics.

The Bad Part About Political Engagement

Political parties can go over the limit when engaging in politics. This is where politics can get personal due to the overwhelming effects of the decisions made by the government. It also causes the supporters of the opposing parties do any sort of movement or any sort of actions which are destructive. A good example is when Trump Supporters raided the Capitol building. To keep it short, in January 6th 2021, trump supporters aimed to storm the Capitol Building in spite of disrupting the elections to vote for Biden. The supporters believed that doing so will demonstrate Trump’s peace for power.

In conclusion, political engagement is a good way to show support or criticism for the consequences over the choices the government has made, however it is how we choose to show it that tells the difference between engaging and attacking.

References:

Longley, R 2021, ‘What is Political Participation? Definition and Examples’, ThoughtCo., ThoughtCo. , viewed 3 November 2022, <https://www.thoughtco.com/political-participation-definition-examples-5198236>

BBC News, 2021, ‘Capitol riots timeline: What happened on 6 January 2021?’, BBC News, BBC News, viewed 4 November 2022, <https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56004916>

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Is blogging still relevant in the age of TikToks and Instagram?

Blogging is a term used for an online journal or an informational website which showcases it’s information from the latest to the oldest submission of data. Websites such as Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook are platforms mostly used for blogging. However, with the entries and increasing usage of TikTok and Instagram, it can be quite difficult to say how relevant blogging can be with these 2 renowned social media platforms. 

Tiktok and Instagram utilizes the concept of photographs and videos to showcase how users discuss certain topics or just their daily life in general. However, when people start putting blogs into the concept, many people do believe that blogging is not that relevant anymore. Blogger, Corinne (2021), has researched that, Instagram has turned into something that feels like an unstoppable force and now we hear of Instagrammers, Influencers and content creators more than words like bloggers, vloggers or YouTubers. Instagram feeds are no longer snapshots of peoples Sunday roast, but highly curated images, many have images that look like they are straight out of a magazine (Corinne 2021). Thanks to her research, Instagram has grown apart from the blogging era and has moved into its own, where it is known as a platform for influencers to popularise. 

Tiktok and Instagram, in my opinion, are usually platforms where influencers are published rather than a platform for blogging, but that does not mean that it can’t be used for blogging. There are users who do uses Instagram and TikTok for blogging. Take Jamie Oliver for an example. In the image below, his post talks about how he collaborated with Oprah Winfrey in a cooking video. His post does show that platforms like Instagram or TikTok can be used as blogging platforms as well with the use of videos to help show us what he did with Oprah Winfrey.

With that being said, in my opinion, yes, Tiktok and Instagram can be used as platforms for blogging, but, the reason why, in my opinion, others would say it is not relevant, is because of the fact that Instagram and TikTok are talked about as what they are known for, rather than what they can be used for.