Will Facebook Live be Good or Bad for the United States?

Introduction

Facebook Live is a recently develooped item of technology that has already changed the way people communicate online. Today technology plays an important role in the life of all people, both the youth and adults. The video streaming market is expanding, ensuring the growing interest of users in live streaming videos, while decreased interest in using online social media outlets. People prefer to use technology on a daily basis to address their basic needs, such as to communicate with others, share pictures and information, learn more about important social, political, cultural or economic issues, enjoy music, play games, participate in group discussions, resolve complicated problems through social activism, etc. Facebook Live is a new social media tool that allows people sharing their live videos with their viewers, including followers and friends. It is developed on one of the most popular social media platforms, namely Facebook. It is obvious that Facebook Live is the best way to significantly enhance interaction with viewers in real time. Facebook Live was launched for all users in 2016. Since 2016, people have been uploading their original videos, including the videos of concerts, shows, excursions, holiday parties, public events, political debates, and sharing impassioned speeches, while these events are taking place in real life. Nathan Edge suggests that “streaming media content targets a wide array of traditional broadcast audiences online” (1). Facebook Live has been chosen by many people because of easy access, high quality videos and timely response.  Thesis statement: Facebook Live is a unique item of technology that allows uniting people from all over the world through active participation in online activities, sharing their emotions and reactions to the provided content and expressing their own ideas and thoughts, although this technological tool may have a negative impact on public perception of various events that occur in daily life, if compared with journalistic coverage  of these events in the media.

The benefits of Facebook Live technology

To start with, Facebook Live technology allows people of different ages and races to participate in different online activities through real time interaction. This fact means that Facebook Live gives people a chance to ask questions and receive answers without having long hours of waiting. In fact, people can save their time due to real life communication provided by this technology. According to the Statistical Portal findings, “Online video consumption is one of the most popular internet activities worldwide” (Online video and streaming – Statistics & Facts). In other words, Facebook Live is one of the popular online social media tools that helps viewers to increase their interaction using social media on a regular basis. Recent studies shows that online video penetration is growing – “in 2020, the number of digital video viewers in the United States is projected to surpass 232 million” (Online video and streaming – Statistics & Facts). Facebook audiences in the United States are active in participation in social interaction due to effective communication skills they develop in their daily activities. John W. Cavanaugh suggests that new communication technologies are incorporated into various aspects of the public square” due to democracy that shapes American society in some way or another (229). 

Besides, Facebook Live provides an opportunity to assess emotions of viewers. Due to live reactions to the presented material in the live videos, it is possible to assess effectiveness of broadcast and determine the barriers to communication that should be overcome in future. The emotions of viewers may be linked to gender attitudes and personal interests and preferences in the selection of the proper content. In their study, researchers Patricia R. Todd and  Joanna Melancon found that “there are significant differences based on whether a viewer of a live broadcast is watching a source of the same gender or a different gender in source credibility” (79). This fact means that motivation of viewers to be engaged in viewing live videos maybe associated with the content that generates positive emotions. Facebook Live videos are live stream broadcasts aimed at attracting attention of viewers through easy access and lack of time limits. Positive emotions are generated by positive content. If viewers are interested in discussion of the issues presented in live videos, they may express their emotions using live chat. This activity guarantees high degree of engagement of viewers. As a result, Facebook Live may improve its reputation in the competitive market.

Moreover, Facebook Live helps people to express their own ideas and demonstrate creativity in decision making and problem solving. This new item of technology can be viewed as a powerful creative tool that contributes to strengthening interpersonal relations. People can discuss different themes, using their own styles of communication. As a rule, they express their ideas in an original way to attract attention of viewers from all over the world. This type of social behaviour leads to making much fun. Live communication fosters engagement in discussion of acute issues faced by human society. According to researchers, “Effective communication requires effort, skill, and careful construction which all take time and require individuals to invest in processes such as listening, enunciation, proper pronunciation, appropriate effortful grammatical construction, repetition, reflection, and feedback” (McFarlane 3). Facebook Live provides live communication that can be assessed as effective because of speedy delivery of the key message and enhanced opportunities for social interaction. If a large group of people is engaged in watching a live video on Facebook Live, it is a better developed social experience than when they are engaged in watching an on demand video.

The key disadvantage of Facebook Live technology

However, Facebook Live may also have a negative impact on public perception of various events. Researchers Steven Livingston and W. Lance Bennett state in their study that this item of technology may “alter the construction of news” signiifcantly (363). There is much evidence taken from this academic source that Facebook Live, as well as other live technologies, may provide different coverage of current events. In today’s society, people are extremely interested in the so-called event driven news, which can be defined as “coverage of activities that are, at least at their initial occurrence, spontaneous and unmanaged by officials within institutional settings” (Livingston & Bennett 363). Live technology may change the way most news are discussed in the reputable mass media sources like New York Times, Washington Post, TV programs, news programs, etc. They suggest that “event driven news stories, facilitated by technological advancements such as the videophone, are becoming more numerous” (Livingston & Bennett 363). Facebook Live and other live technologies, such as YouTube and Periscope, provide an opportunity to describe current events or situations without the so-called media malpractice. This may lead to significant problems in social and political institutions because of the possible growth of public distrust. For example, coverage of international political events may be falsified by journalists, while technological innovations like Facebook Live may provide real facts due to live videos and commentaries of the key players of these events.

Response (Refutation)

However, it becomes clear that Facebook Live should be accepted by all people as a valuable tool of information delivery because of its real life effects on human mind. All people, who are focused on using Facebook Live technology, could be aware of the power of technology, which guarantees truth, timely response and real emotions. In the United States, it is critical to understand the meaning of democracy and its effects on society. Online live communication which is guaranteed by Facebook Live is the best way to share creative ideas, express personal opinions and ask important questions to find the proper solutions to a large number of emergent public issues. What is more important is that Americans should be aware of the power of their right to freedom of opinion and expression. In other words, the right to freedom of expression is important in a democratic society like American society. People are ready to share their ideas and deliver valuable information that may affect the outcomes of political debates and increase public accountability and transparency in the federal government of the United States. Tom Postmes and Suzanne Brunsting believe that “the Internet may slightly alter the motives underlying collective action and thereby alter the nature of collective action and social movements” (290). Facebook Live is an influential communication tool because it may foster direct calls for action, which help to make positive changes in public policies and make difference in practically all areas of human activity. According to Malachy Browne and colleagues, “social media content is shaping conflict coverage today” (1339). The role of the Internet in shaping human mind through the power of mass communication should be recognized by all viewers of Facebook Live. Researchers engaged in the study of media impact on democracy suggest that “current practices on the web bear witness to thriving collective action ranging from persuasive to confrontational, individual to collective, undertakings” (Postmes & Brunsting 290). In their study, I. Clarke and colleagues support the idea of the need for using online communication platforms for “protection of free expression” (40). Hence, it is evident that Facebook Live should be accepted by all Americans due to its positive impact on the current state of democracy in American society.

Conclusion

Thus, it is necessary to conclude that Facebook Live is a unique item of technology that helps people to improve their online communication in a number of ways. This is a new technological tool that offers streaming live on Facebook, one of the most popular social media platforms. The benefits of using Facebook Live for Americans are multiple. Facebook Live allows people to participate in different types of activities that enhance social interaction and interpersonal communication. Besides, Facebook Live offers an opportunity to assess emotions of viewers due to their reaction to the provided video content. Positive emotions have a positive impact on social interaction and guarantee active participation in online discussion of acute public issues. Moreover, Facebook Live allows people to express their own ideas and thoughts and use creativity to draw relevant conclusions. This new item of technology is an influential creative tool that helps to enhance interpersonal relations through open communication and timely response. Although Facebook Live may have a negative impact on public perception of various events because of real life broadcast and true commentaries, this item of technology should be accepted by Americans as a valuable tool of information delivery because of its powerful impact on human mind and fair assessment of public events. In other words, Facebook Live is a tool that promotes American democracy through depiction and discussion of real events without the adverse effects of the views of journalists that may completely disrupt democracy in the United States.

Works Cited

Browne, Malachy; Stack, Liam & Ziyadan, Mohammed. “Streets to screens: conflict, social media and the news,” Information, Communication and Society, vol.18, no, 11 (2015): 1339-1343.

Cavanaugh, John W. “E‐Democracy: Thinking About the Impact of Technology on Civic Life,” National Civic Review banner, vol. 89, no. 3 (2000): 229-234.

Clarke, I., Miller, S. G., Hong, T. W., Sandberg, O., Wiley, B. “Protecting free expression online with Freenet,” IEEE Internet Computing, vol. 6, no. 1 (2002): 40-49.

Edge, Nathan. “Evolution of the Gaming Experience: Live Video Streaming and the Emergence of a New Web Community,” Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, vol. 4, no. 2 (2013) 1-2.

Livingston, Steven & Bennett, W. Lance. “ Gatekeeping, Indexing, and Live-Event News: Is Technology Altering the Construction of News?” Political Communication, vol. 20, no. 4 (2003): 363-380.

McFarlane, Donovan A. “Social Communication in a Technology-Driven Society: A Philosophical Exploration of Factor-Impacts and Consequences,” American Communication Journal, vol. 12 (2010): 1-14.

Online video and streaming – Statistics & Facts. Statistical Portal, 2018. Available from:<https://www.statista.com/topics/1137/online-video/>

Postmes, Tom & Brunsting, Suzanne. “Collective Action in the Age of the Internet Mass Communication and Online Mobilization,” Social Science Computer Review, vol. 20, no.3 (2002): 290-301.

Todd, Patricia R. & Melancon, Joanna. “Gender and live-streaming: source credibility and motivation”, Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, vol. 12, no. 1 (2018): 79-93.

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

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"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]
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