MM: Discussion 2

Does ‘the Media’ Have a Future? (Couldry, 2009) Although dated, Couldry (a professor of Media and Communications at Goldsmiths University of London) builds an argument in theEuropean Journal of Communication that media activities have long been confined to a particular pattern, today it could be described simply as a content creator making content and a consumer viewing, but, with changing patterns and technologies the exchange is no longer linear. People interact and connect with media in new ways, which can ensure the longevity of the need and creation of content for generations to come. Even in 2009, Couldry was picking up on the media's changing role in society. “Producers and consumers of media are often now the same person; professional and amateur cultural production are not distant, but closely overlapping, regions of the same vast spectrum.” (438) Throughout the text, Couldry examines the developments and future of mass media. I chose to review Couldry’s article because of its in-depth examination of how the media is evolving to escape a linear paradigm, but one that is multilateral and involves more people. The date of publication also stood out to me, 2009 saw social media apps rising in popularity and the foundation of online video platforms being built. At this time, the media was shifting from only including professionals/ career producers to general society that could produce and interact with their own content. Experts Predict More Digital Innovation by 2030 Aimed at Enhancing Democracy (Pew Research, 2020) This documented panel features three social media and communication experts discussing the increasingly complicated relationship between the state of democracy and the use of a society/people’s technology. Many of the experts mentioned (and cited) are growing increasingly skeptical about the power and impact of civic and social innovations on US and global lives in the following decade. Below are some of the featured predictions for innovations in Media/Social Media relating to Democracy by 2030: - Social Media: The panel of experts foresee a reckoning for social platform companies that will lead to large-scale changes on how applications are used and oversaw. - Privacy Issues: Legal recourse and nation-wide actions will be taken to increase privacy policies. - Misinformation: Due to concerns of the substantial rise in misinformation, efforts will be heightened to identify and address misinformation on platforms. - Political and Government Reform: Media will serve as a platform for the communication and growth of citizens for engagement, and public activism will grow. - Social Connectivity: A number of technological and social innovations will take place, further allowing connectivity and globalization across borders. When initially researching and searching for sources for this discussion, the Pew Research Report immediately stood out not only because of its relevance in time (published Summer 2020), but also its relevance in the United State’s recent social climate. An example of nearly all of these predictions can be seen in and around the attempted insurrection at the US Capitol earlier this year. Leading up to the breach of the capitol, misinformation through groups such as “Q-Anon” and other alternative news sources spread. Before the attack, communication sites such as Twitter and Parler allowed the misinformation of voter fraud/a “stolen-election” to rapidly spread, culminating on January 6th. In response to the insurrection, social media platforms put in place further policies to quell disinformation, including permanently blocking former President Trump’s Twitter account. With the events on the capitol, many policy makers and leaders in America’s technology industry are calling for greater reform and accountability for the role social media platforms and disinformation played in the event.