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SOCIAL MEDIA: CONTENT 01 – BENEFITS
USEFUL TERMINOLOGY
1. The press: The press is a specific term referring to news agencies and media
outlets that are organised groups and usually private or state owned. In this
sense, it largely refers to traditional media with the ability to publish and
broadcast news reports and information. In this digital age, it can refer to news
websites that do not have a print version (such as Newsweek or Buzzfeed).
However, it does not include social media which refers to platforms such as
Facebook and Twitter that do not themselves produce any news or information.
Note: An understanding of what ‘the press’ refers to is crucial in essay questions
that refer only to the press.
Eg) Is regulation of the press desirable? [A levels 2018]
2. Free press: Free press or freedom of the press is having the freedom to
publish information or news without fear of government censorship,
interference, or retribution, such as physical violence or imprisonment.
In the US, press freedom is guaranteed by law and is closely linked to its First
Amendment Right which is the freedom of speech. However, the election of
President Trump has steadily eroded press freedom as he attacks the media
and has also blocked some media outlets from accessing press conferences
and White House events.
According to a 2017 report from Freedom House, an independent watchdog
organization, only 13 percent of the world’s population enjoyed what the
organization defines as a free press as of 2017. Norway and North
Korea ranked first and last, respectively, in Reporters Without Borders' 2018
World Press Freedom Index. In 2019, Singapore ranked No.151. The republic
has consistently hovered around the range of No.150 to 153. The position is out
of a total of 180 countries and territories.
3. The fourth estate: Closely related to the idea of free press is the media as
the fourth estate. The term is a reference to the media as an important pillar of
democracy, because it is the ‘fourth form of power’. It is separate from the state,
and so the media has significant influence and power to be a watchdog of the
government and other power blocs in society. By being able to report on these
freely, it can reveal the truth to the people and hold those in power accountable.
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4. Controlled state media: State media refers to media outlets that are run by
the government, and is most likely to be less objective, and pro-government. In
most cases where there is the presence of state media, it is likely that these are
authoritarian states that lack press freedom. These authoritarian states vary in
degrees of how far the press is controlled, and even the freedom on social media
is curtailed.
In many Asian countries where there is less press freedom and there is a greater
tolerance for authoritarian control, traditional mainstream media is largely run
by pro-government news agencies since licenses are required.
➢ China’s news daily Xinhua News is seen as the state’s mouthpiece and
regularly puts out news that favours the Communist Party and it is thus
perceived as no more than state propaganda.
➢ In Malaysia, controlled state media reported little about political corruption
even while the 1MDB scandal was revealed. Instead, the biggest political
scandal at that time was revealed by independent news websites in Malaysia,
and the foreign press The Wall Street Journal.
5. Social media: The collective term social media now largely refers to social
networking sites, sharing sites for user-generated content, blogs and
microblogs. Social media is also commonly known as ‘new media’, as opposed
to more traditional media that refers to news agencies and networks that used
to be the main content and information providers.
It should be noted that social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter,
Youtube and forums such as Reddit are not in themselves information providers.
Social media platforms are not the press because they do not have their own
editorial team and journalists. They do not in and of themselves generate
content, but they provide the platform for people to exchange information.
However, the dominance of Facebook has made the social network become a
main source of information and news for many users. This has become a
problem because user-generated information may not always be credible, and
can sometimes be weaponised to stir up trouble, such as inflame racial or
religious tensions.

OVERVIEW OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Since its inception, social media has become a powerful force today that shapes
almost every aspect of people’s lives, from politics to the personal, private
space. Social media giants like Facebook and Twitter now have almost outsized
influence in societies, such that they have come under the state’s greater
scrutiny over the information they have on their platforms. Certainly, there are
benefits and drawbacks to the use of social media, and its use is still evolving
as society struggles to reckon with the consequences.
BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Here are some main advantages of social media. (the list is not exhaustive)
1) Greater freedom of speech & expression
• Undoubtedly, social media has given people an incredible outlet that allows
for greater freedom of speech and expression. The traits of social media – its
global reach, instantaneous, seamless interface with mobile devices and easy
access – have all helped to make social media an unprecedented
broadcasting tool for anyone.
• The freedom that social media provides has led to a few trends that have
taken a hold of society at large:
a) Sharing of the personal – what used to be private is now made public
• The confessional nature of social media itself encourages people to express
their feelings, thoughts and desires, instantly. Facebook first encouraged this
as a matter of sharing with others and keeping friends up to date with your
personal life.
• Increasingly though, many have also used social media as a way to discuss
what could be more intimate secrets or issues. Lines between the public and
private are now blurred. However, many people find great emotional validation
on social media, and so now, spilling secrets or sharing one’s deepest
thoughts is no longer taboo on social media.
• In fact, the sharing of the personal on social media is so ubiquitous today that
it has become something of an industry on its own on social media. Many
people have become social media personalities or influencers, making a
lucrative income, by precisely living out their lives on social media . The trend
of parents sharing about their children’s lives (without their permission) is now
coined as ‘oversharenting’ – the idea of ‘oversharing’ and ‘parenting’. The
questionable practice of leveraging off children to attract views on social
media comes under more scrutiny when influencers make family life and their
children as their main focus.
• .
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• The trend of ‘Instagram stories’ encourages people to create their own
narratives and display it for others to consume, such that today, the
consumption of media content has a lot to do with reading about other
people’s lives.
Example)
• Local personality Xiaxue is a well-known influencer on social media, weighing
in her thoughts on various local issues.
• Vlogger Sarah Cheng de Winne came under fire when the video showing her
daughter’s emotional distress when she received her O level results went
viral. It showed how she continued speaking to the camera even as her
daughter was distraught, triggering many netizens to call out her insensitivity
as a mother who continues to film and post her daughter’s emotional moment
on social media.
• The most famous influencers: the Kardashian sisters have made a multi-
million dollar fortune with social media. Though they first made their name
with their reality TV show, today the show is defunct but their social media
presence ensures they stay in the spotlight. Kim K is a savvy social media
user – knowing how to take photos to generate buzz and publicity for herself.
• Her life put on display on social media once led to a successful burglary as
burglars could track her movements and whereabouts just based on her social
media feeds. The K family is well known to be ‘famous for being famous’,
implying that they lack any kind of talent save for just generating publicity for
themselves. Kylie Jenner is all of 21 years old, and has amassed 130 million
followers on Instagram, and is said to command $1million for a sponsored
post.
• Monica Baey’s IG story that called out her perpetrator for his sexual
misconduct.
• Saudi teen Rafhaf Al Qunin’s Twitter campaign to escape her family and seek
asylum attracted the attention of the UN with the help of people on Twitter.
b) Social & political activism
• The wide, global reach and ubiquity of social media have made it the perfect
tool for activism. It has allowed activists of all kinds to be able to rally like-
minded people for a common cause, and there have been several successful
movements that have taken a life of its own when the posts go viral and news
spreads.

Examples)
a) The Arab Spring
• Facebook received a huge boost to its name and reputation as a champion
for free speech for its role in the Arab Spring. The political revolution
convulsed the Arab states and was spread very quickly by savvy social media
users. The speed at which posts went viral caught largely authoritarian Arab
states off guard. Videos, photos and great rallying cries were all posted on
social media.
• People in Egypt called for ‘A Day of Wrath’ – creating a FB group for it. It was
a call for mass protest at Tahrir Square against the Mubarak regime. The Arab
Spring was certainly sparked by a social media revolution.
b) Others: #Metoo movement; #BlackLivesMatter; #Women2drive in Saudi
Arabia
2) Greater flexibility for the individual/ small businesses to advertise &
thrive
• For small businesses or those run by individuals, social media has become
an essential tool to drive their business forward.
• During the pandemic when many businesses were forced to close their
operations onsite, the only way to reach customers was through social media.
Some airline crew who were laid off managed to pivot to a small home
business selling their own brand of baked goods, relying on attractive
Instagram posts to promote their products.
• In recent times, the popularity of having live auctions on Facebook has helped
many sellers continue to engage their customers in real time, creating that
feeling of engagement they typically have, should they be able to buy onsite.
• Local personality ‘S Hook Lady’ made waves on social media for her use of
Hokkien-laced Singlish to sell her T-shirts. Wet market vendors selling fresh
produce have also taken to auctions on social media to promote their food to
customers.
• The term ‘social media influencer’ has also been coined for those who make
a living giving recommendations on food, lifestyle and travel. Young fashion
lifestyle influencer, Saffron Sharpe, dropped out of university to fully focus on
her role as an influencer, earning between $80,000 or more a year, according
to her interview with ST.
3) Greater access to information online – A culture of outrage
• The easy availability and access of social media has made access to
information literally at one’s fingertips now. In fact, surveys have noted that it
is now common for people to turn to social media for news updates, getting
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their source of information through social media rather than traditional,
mainstream news outlets.
• This has become a double-edged sword. In times of crisis, when news outlets
are down or not reliable, social media becomes a lifeline for the public.
Netizens are able to put out information, and at the same time, gather
information.
Examples)
a) The Ukraine conflict
• The conflict in Ukraine shows the critical importance of social media platforms
where people are able to broadcast their videos and information directly to the
masses. The news is immediate, instantaneous and capable of going viral
within minutes.
• Ukrainian President Zelensky is a master of social media posts, using them
to maximum effect to inspire, reassure and galvanise his people under siege.
His selfie videos showing that he is still in the capital Kyiv with his Cabinet
ministers hit millions of views within hours, and helped him rise to prominence
as a wartime president. His posts were effective in giving hope to Ukrainians
still in the country, and with the use of constant updates, he was able to give
them much needed information on the Ukrainian army’s progress.
• Social media is also one way to counter the false narratives pushed by
Russian propaganda about its invasion of Ukraine. There were false rumours
that President Zelensky had fled Kyiv, or that Russia had come to liberate an
oppressive, neo-nazi Ukrainian government. It was clear from social media
videos sent by Ukrainians that the cities were besieged by brutal war tactics
that attacked civilian targets.
b) Wuhan social media posts during the lockdown
• When China first faced the outbreak of Covid-19 in Wuhan, the city was under
a most draconian lockdown, with no one allowed in or out of the city. The state
media pushed narratives touting the heroism of healthcare workers while
deliberately avoiding any negative news showing the residents’ plight or state
of healthcare in the city.
• Netizens turned to social media to document the city’s lockdown, and the
reality of the situation, in stark contrast state media’s news. Videos showed
ghost towns in Wuhan, or people overcrowding hospitals, or medical staff
being overwhelmed and in tears. W
• While these posts were scrupulously being scrubbed and censored off the
internet by the formidable state censors, netizens gamely played a cat and
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mouse hunt with the censors, with a post being put up and swiftly taken down • This time around, videos uploaded on social media where women show
as well. Other netizens were devoted to documenting the lockdown on social themselves defiantly setting their headscarves on fire and cutting their hair in
media, collecting an online archive as they feared the state would easily public, have emboldened others and many took to the streets to demand an
rewrite the narrative later on. end to brutal tactics and the mandatory hijab rule.

• Even schoolgirls participated and took to social media to show photos of

4) Social media – triggers a national conversation, a culture of online
outrage
• The fact that many people have access to the same platform has also allowed
for a national conversation or even a global conversation to take place online.
Such online threads of conversation that gain enough traction is often
powerful enough to sometimes bring about much needed socio-political
change, or at least bring these issues to the forefront of society. (#Metoo
movement; #Marchforourlives on gun culture in the US)
themselves standing in their classrooms with their heads uncovered. Some
were raising their middle fingers - an obscene gesture - at portraits of the
Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.
………………………………………………………………………………………….
POSSIBLE ESSAY APPLICATION
1. “Social media brings out the worst in ourselves.” Discuss.

• Individuals now have access to a broadcasting tool, which empowers them to

start or ignite a national conversation about an issue. It allows them to voice 2. Discuss the impact of technology on privacy in your society.
their views and concerns, unfettered and unfiltered, lending authenticity and
conviction to their voice. Social media then becomes a powerful tool should
individuals be able to rally people behind their cause, and highlight their 3. ‘Social media is the enemy of the people.’ Discuss.
concerns. The strength in numbers then puts public pressure on authorities to
act and bring about change.
4. ‘Social media has nothing to offer other than the trivial and frivolous.’ Do you
Example) Monica Baey – the NUS undergraduate took to Instagram with her agree?
demands for greater deterrence for perpetrators of sexual misconduct. Her call
on social media led to a strong public outcry demanding for change.
5. ‘We can never rely on social media for the truth.’ Discuss.
• In controlled states, the use of social media becomes even more important for
the individual, as it enables them to exercise some freedom of expression …………………………………………………………………………………………..
when the state media refuses to reveal the truth.

Examples) Iran’s protest against the hijab mandate & religious police
• Iranians took to the streets in a rare show of protest in the controlled state
when a young woman Mahsa Amini was arrested by morality police in Tehran
for a supposedly ‘loose hijab’. When she later died in police custody, reports
about how the police beat her circulated on social media. The images of her
in a coma led to mass public outrage, and a rare concerted revolt against the
harsh tactics of the morality police.

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RECAP

1. A free press refers to having the freedom to publish information or news

without fear of ………………………………………………………………….,
such as physical violence or imprisonment.

Example of a country without the presence of free press)

Russia & Myanmar – the lack of independent/ free press…foreign press are not allowed
When Russia launched its war against Ukraine, it suppressed all forms of foreign press
by imposing draconian curbs and censorship, leading to many foreign news outlets to
withdraw from Russia.

2. A free press is essential to a democracy as it functions as a …………………

or a …………………………, exposing the truth to the public, and holding
those …………………………………………….

3. State media refers to media outlets that are run by ……………………………,

and is less ………………………. and more ……………………………. In most
cases where there is the presence of state media, it is likely that these are
………………………………… states that lack press freedom.

4. Does social media count as the press? ……………….

Social media platforms are not the press because they do not have their own
…………………………………………... They do not in and of themselves
generate content, but they provide the platform for people to exchange
information.

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