The Web: "In all things bad, there is always the good."


To kick start this post, here's a video available for you to watch.
Click click click!☺︎

When someone mentions the word social media, it's pretty obvious that they're talking about Facebook, Twitter, Skype, Instagram, etc. Reality check! Social media doesn't only revolve around that. From smoke signals and telegraph to letters and e-mails, social media has evolved and became what we know as platforms such as Facebook and many others.  The biggest favour social media has done for us is its power to bring the world together, becoming one of the biggest tool of communication. This is something I would thank the social media for.

What is so different about the communication then and now? 


COMMUNICATION BEFORE AND AFTER THE PRESENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA.


Communication was limited back in the old days as sending of letters were mainly the source of communication people had to communicate across the globe. The process of sending and receiving letters is tedious and it takes such a long time. However, through the evolution of social media platforms with the help of the Internet, communication NOW involves messages delivered immediately.

These days, when we send our messages through WhatsApp and we don't see a double-tick to show if the person has read it or seen it, we get impatient and we start to wonder what they are up to or why they are taking so long to reply back even if it's a short period of time. Could you imagine how the people in the previous eras had to wait to receive their message? I am however guilty for being one of those who would actually lose patience if I had to wait.

From this, it is pretty obvious that with social media platforms, communication comes in many different forms. From sending music to videos and having online live chats from someone who could possible be across the world, we are all able to get in touch with people more easily, no doubt.

You may ask, how has social media platforms made it easier for us in this 21st century?

1) Communication with long-distance relationship between friends, families or lovers is made easier.

Social media platforms allows everyone to post updates on their whereabouts, send personal message or even talk through social media platforms such as Skype or Oovoo. Apart from that, our iPhones also comes with an app that allows us to video chat with other iPhone users no matter where in the world they are at. 

2) Group discussion no longer require meet-ups.


Group discussions are now less troublesome. My group and I highly depend on using the social media as a communication for our group assignments. We use both Google Docs(a Microsoft Word platform available online that can be edited by every member involved) and Skype(a platform to video chat) to help us manage our assignments without having to meet up. This makes it easier for us to complete our work at our convenience. However, due to this less face-to-face communication, people tend to stay away outdoors and tend to be more active indoors. 

3) Having the ability to share ideas or spread awareness on a certain subject matter. 
As you may already know, information can be viral in a split second with the help of social media platforms. This can be used to share new ideas and spread awareness, thus leading to making a massive difference in the society or the world. 


I came across this petition on the Yulin Dog Festival one day while scrolling down my Facebook page and decided to sign up for the petition. This festival is an annual celebration held in China that kills 10,000 to 15,000 dogs in 10 days. This attracted many attention from the world thus a petition was introduced to stop this festival. 

I also shared the post to my Facebook account and had MANY of my friends signing up to the petition as well. In no time, when I checked the new, due to the millions of supporters supporting the petition, the festival was BANNED completely. THIS is how much impact social media platforms have on the world especially the youths as they are the one who are the most common users of the Internet. 

Although social media platforms has helped us, the youths, and others around the globe to stay connected, I strongly feel that its disadvantages far outweighs its only advantage of being able to communicate. 

Agree or disagree? Leave a comment and tell me what you think! 

Xoxo, 
A.

The Gullibility of Reckless Social Media Users.

Through the statistics done by the Singapore Police Force(SPF), it is proven that as time goes by, the presence of social media platforms has contributed to the increase of crime rates such as scams and blackmails.  
Singapore Police Force(SPF)'s statistics in the highest crimes rates as of 2015.
Through these crime rates, I observed that the most common types of crimes in the year of 2015 are scams as well as cyber extortion. Such scams includes online shopping scam, Internet love scam and credit-for-sex scam. Through the evolution of social media platforms, the number of cases of these crimes have increased significantly(as stated in the picture above) since 2014. Have you wondered, why are the numbers getting higher and higher each day?

Online Shopping Scam
If you could get ANYTHING at a cheaper rate, would you? That's what I thought. We live in a world where we would ALWAYS try to find any item we can that is the cheapest out there in the market. However, along the way, we get caught with how cheap an item is that we forget to question ourselves so we end up getting scammed. 
A poster by Singapore Police Force(SPF) on Online Shopping Scam.
Internet Love Scam
The Internet exists in many forms but one of the biggest components of the Internet is social media.
There are many who uses social media platforms to communicate and meet new people. But out of all the new people you meet, how many can be trusted? Some lucky ones get to date or make friends and start a proper relationship or friendship respectively through social media. However, those were unlucky ends up being in a fake friendship or relationship gets involved in fake feelings, fake needs, fake support etc., and thus comes in fake transactions - fraud. 

Credit-For-Sex Scam
A random person adds you on a social media platform asking for a favour in return for a sex favour. What would you do? These days, many men have taken up this offer and they end up getting swindled. In exchange for dates, meet-ups, massage, sexual or escort services, these men have to return the favour by purchasing cards or online shopping credits. 

Cyber Extortion
One of the other ways this matter could escalate is the case of cyber extortion also known as sex blackmail. I remember watching this television show on Channel 5 called Crime Watch that is filmed based on the true cases of the Singapore Police Force. The ever so common case was on Cyber Extortion. Many gullible teenagers fall into the trap of online predators and ends up getting blackmailed in return for cash. 

In my previous post "Social Media: The Sharpest Knife To Open Wounds", I mentioned the case of a girl named Amanda Todd who killed herself after going through many phases of cyber-bullying. She was also a target of online network of sexual extortionist. To find out the ENTIRE story of Amanda Todd's case of sextortion, click this video!



In conclusion, social media has had made such a huge impact on many that it is now considered as a crime. The fact that SPF is making such posters and placing it around the country to raise awareness has clearly shown the severity of this problem thus coming out with the solution and ways we can keep away from such scams. 

Are you ready to accept the fact that social media platforms indeed brings such negative impacts or do you still think it is still a place we call us teenagers refer to as 'heaven'? Comment and tell me what you 

 Not convinced yet? Check out my other blog posts to expand your perspectives!

 Xoxo,
A.

Social Media: The Sharpest Knife To Open Wounds.


Many perceive of the word 'cyber-bully'. But how many are aware of what it really means? With that in mind, how many have contributed to cyber-bullying without even realising? Are you one of them? Keep scrolling and click on the video link to find out more on cyber-bullying and how much of an impact it has made in many lives in today's world. 


Now that you are aware of what cyber-bullying really is, here's question to ponder about.

 Why do you think people cyber-bully others for?
Do YOU think it is okay to cyber-bully? If not, why?

 Keeping that in mind, let's see what there is to cyber-bullying as you keep scrolling!

The web and its accessibility has made the passage way for cyber-bullying distinctively easier to occur. This raises many issues but the most salient is definitely the effects of cyber-bullying on the community, predominantly, the youths. 

Cyber-bullying related issues in Singapore as compared to the worldwide average. 
In this survey involving 25 countries, Microsoft has come to a conclusion that Singapore has the second highest rate of cyber-bullying behind China. Comparing Singapore to the worldwide average, Singapore is known to have a percentage of bullies online and those who has been bullied online 20% more than the worldwide average. With more and more bullies online, many become victims of the aftermath of cyber-bullying.  

As mentioned in the video, cyber-bullying can cause many mental or physical foot-print on a person. Its outcome includes having low self-esteem, depression, anger, school failure, social isolation and violence, all leading to a possibility of commiting suicide. 

From newspapers to research and even books or movies, it is proven that suicide is the most grievous and worrying effect of cyber-bullying. Due to the alarmingly high rate of suicide related to cyber-bullying, cyber-bullying is considered as a crime in many states in the world including Singapore. 

One of the most severe known suicide case was the case of Amanda Todd. Amanda Todd posted a video on YouTube that went viral to tell her story of being abused, harassed, bullied and cyber-bullied. Click on the full video to find out what really happened to Amanda Todd. 
(If you want to find out more on the Sextortion of Amanda Todd, click here to read my blog post 'The Gullibility of Reckless Social Media Users.' 

This video went viral after the death of Amanda Todd. She took her own life to silence the pain she suffered because of cyber-bullying. Even after her passing, the cyber-bullying did not stop. Many people continued to throw hate on her online. They made fun of her entire story, her suicide and even said that she deserved what had happened to her. While many continuously helped to regain justice for Amanda, there are those who has bullied and tormented her and yet is still walking down the streets everyday thinking that all the hate was okay and that their actions meant nothing. In fact, they don't realise that every comment they have made about her while she was alive or after she has passed away has impacted not only her, but the people who loves her dearly. 

 Now, do you wonder what you can do to help if a friend is sorely involved in being cyber-bullied? Here's are few things you can keep in mind. 

1) Recognise the situation. 

2) Offer the biggest support you can by reminding them the things they want to hear. 
☞ "You are surrounded by people who loves you and those who doesn't. If they don't, their opinions don't matter."
☞ "I am going to be here throughout everything to give you the support you need."
☞ "Know that I care enough for you to stick with you despite your downfalls. 

3) Advice your friend to seek help from an adult. If they're afraid, give them the assurance that you're going to be there every step of the way.

Help your friends now. Don't put it on hold and tell yourself that it's none of your business. You don't want to look back years from now in the future regretting because you know you could've done something to help and save a life. 

Through it all, it has proven that social media has allowed the brutality of words lead to damaging results. To some people, it is a practical joke. To many,  its hurtful words that leaves a permanent scar, sometimes beyond repair. Don't allow social media to take a part of you and make it into something outrageous. Stop cyber-bullying and start making social media a safer place to interact and communicate.
I hope I have helped open up new perspectives of the Internet. Have anything else to add? Leave a comment below!

Thanks for reading! 

Xoxo,
A. 

The Internet: "More Addictive Than Drugs?"

Are YOU an addict?
Find out. Do something about it. 



Social media is said to have drained us of our time as we spend more and more time online. In this 21st century, youths have made using the social media a vital part of their lives. They spend hours using the social media on a daily basis. On a usage scale of low, average and high in terms of the number of hours spent on social media, how much time have we allowed social media to rob our time from real world experiences?

Based on a set of results my group and I have collected through a survey, we observed that youths who spends too much time on the Internet has generally been involved with more illegal activities such as cyber-bullying, posting of negative comments, viewing explicit content and even the downloading of media elements.


The survey has shown that those of aged 12 to 17 years old, who are categorised as youths, spends the most number of hours on social media platforms, thus, they end up being those who are more likely to engage on negative activities on social media platforms.

Different number of hours spent on social media causes different sets of effects in behaviour, basic needs, leisure activities and academic status. As you continue to read, you will see a gradual change in the all of the effects that is contrasting of one another.

HIGH USAGE:
Those who falls under this category spends so much time on social media that...
  1. they lose track of time causing them to be distracted from other important thing such as school. [academic status]
  2. they neglect their own basic needs. [basic needs]
  3. they enter a withdrawal state that leads to social isolation that keeps them away from being in the outdoors [leisure activities] which would then develop depression, anger(low tolerance with surrounding) and tension. [behaviour]
VS.
LOW USAGE:
Those who falls under this category spends lesser time on social media thus...
  1. they are not effected with their studies nor do they have much distraction so they are able to do well and excel in school. [academic status]
  2. they don't engage in negative social media activities which might include illegal activities thus keeping them out of trouble. [leisure activities]
  3. they don't have to deal with social isolation which means that they are more capable of being free and happy. This means that there is a high possibility that they are involved in more outdoor activities than locking themselves at home because of the use of social media. [leisure activities]
  4. they don't have to go through any state of troubled emotions making them happier. [behaviour]

I would be in pain to know if any of my friends were to fall under the category of using social media on a high usage due to its effects. Wouldn't it pain YOU?

Join me in helping YOURSELF or A FRIEND by...

  1. Ensuring that the change is based on your/their own will. 
  2. Setting aside time limits to the number of hours spent on social media. Make sure you/they have enough time for yourself/themselves in terms of academics, basic needs and leisure time. 
  3. Strengthening your support network OR be the supporting network for your friend (try spending more time outdoors with your loved ones)

Make a change NOW before the social media takes over YOU and YOUR LOVED ONES. 

Anything else to add to my post? Comment down below!

Thanks for reading. Don't forget to check the rest of my blog posts!

Xoxo,
A.  
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