How Social Media Has Changed Us: The Good and The Bad

It’s hard to believe that, only a decade ago, social media was little more than a budding trend.

Back in 2005, Facebook was still in it’s early stages of its spread across the world. Twitter appeared around that time, but a lot of us saw it as a pointless lifecasting toy. LinkedIn was essentially a digital resume. And Google+ didn’t even come on the scene until 2011.

Nowadays social media has become not only a key part of the modern lifestyle, but a useful marketing channel for businesses. There is a generation of kids who can’t even think of a world without smart phones and social networking. It has officially embedded itself in our culture.

Let’s look at ways in which social media changes our life experience.

Social Media: The Good

Immediate Access to Information

Social media is very helpful for expanding our sources of content. With so much being blogged, written, and shared proactively, the volume of content has grown enormously. There are lots of viewpoints and sources from which we can make our own conclusions about what is really happening in the world.

Connectivity to Others

Do you remember the days of phones with old style dials? People didn’t even have answering machines then. If you called someone and they didn’t answer the phone, you had to call back and try to catch them in real time.

Today, if you can’t catch someone on the phone, you can leave a voice mail or send a text. Or even better, tweet, Facebook message, or other means.

Globalized Voices

Similar to the phone situation, in the early 1990s it was a huge deal to send in a letter to the editor of a local newspaper. Today, all we have to do is login to our platform of choice. We can preach, tell jokes, share images, and generally mix and mingle to our heart’s content. For those who can write, it takes minutes to create a new blog and start putting our thoughts into words. And those thoughts could grow legs of their own once the social sphere grabs hold of them.

It is far easier to do something remarkable, and have it reach people across the planet, than it has been at any time in our history. We now have truly globalized voices. What a privilege!

More Level Playing Field for Business

In the old days, mass media ruled. A company had to invest thousands or even millions of dollars to be heard in most cases. Very large companies with deep pockets ruled the roost. Only those businesses could afford to have wider reach.

Now, a small company can achieve global reach within days of launching their business when the cards fall right. Perhaps it’s via an ingenious video, by sharing opinions that resonate and haven’t been stated in the past, or creating new knowledge that spreads like wildfire.

Social Media: The Bad

Political Tirades

When it comes to politics, religion, or any other very personal area of life, discussion goes viral almost immediately. These are very delicate topics, and it’s too easy for the conversation to devolve into personal attacks and negative judgments of each others’ characters.

Social media is meant to be social, not a boxing rink. Everyone is happier when it stays that way.

Hiding behind Anonymity

Although it is getting harder to shield your identity these days, anonymity has been a key piece of the internet since its early days. It’s amazing to see how people behave when their true identity is masked. Now we have everything from outright trolls to habitual pranksters. This is the kind of behavior that makes the whole internet, and particularly social media, less productive and enjoyable for all.

All Talk, No Action

It has become a trend to take a selfie holding a sign with a political or social message on it, and a new hashtag of course. Or take a video in the case of the Ice Bucket Challenge. The idea is to get likes and shares on the picture or video, or challenge others to take part, aiming to have a message spread.

While that’s fine in concept, hashtag activism is all talk. There are plenty of charities and volunteer opportunities available. If an issue is important enough to take action, why not take real action?

Ignorance Amplified

The ugly underbelly of ignorance is not so vivid in everyday life, but it’s hard to ignore blog posts highlighting hateful, misinformed, or just confusing things.

Summary

As with any communication medium, social media has its ups and downs, pros and cons. What about you? What else about social media has changed your life for the better? Do you see other huge negatives? Do you think the world is better or worse off with social networks?

Exercise 1. Answer the questions:

1. How have social media changed as compared to 2005?

2. Do you remember the world without the Internet and smartphones? When do you think it’s easier to live?

3. Do you agree that printed media, TV and radio on the whole are more biased than social media?

4. Why is immediate access to information so crucial for modern people?

5. Do you think that increased connectivity to others can damage a person’s privacy?

6. Do Russian social media users take the same advantage of global reach as people in the West?

7. How did the appearance of social media change advertising industry?

8. What political topics and discussions do you find viral?

9. Is it possible to solve the problem with trolling? What is your strategy of dealing with trolls?

10. Do you remember any popular Internet-campaigns that were more about showing off than taking real action?

11. Are you annoyed by posts that are ignorant, ill-informed or delusive?

12. What do you think about pros and cons of social media?

Exercise 2. Match the words in Column A with their synonyms in Column B. Make up your own sentences with these words.

 

A	B
Pros and cons	Achilles’ heel
To achieve global reach	Demonstration of active social position on the Internet
True identity is masked	Impersonality
To rule the roost	Delusive
With deep pockets	Advantages and disadvantages
Remarkable	To increase hugely
To grow enormously	The real personality is undercover
Underbelly	To have topical interest
To launch the business	To communicate an idea
To grow legs of its own	Outstanding
Hashtag activism	To become common very fast
Confusing	Very rich
To resonate	To start the company
Anonymity	To dominate
To have a message spread	To get through to people all over the world
To spread like wildfire	To start independent existence

 

Exercise 3. Find the expression that best completes the sentence.

Habitual pranksters, go viral, charities, hashtag activists, the cards fall right, challenge, delicate topic, a boxing rink

 

1. When personal matters are concerned, an Internet discussion can _____________ very fast.

2. Politicians and other famous people often become the target of _____________.

3. Good journalists like difficult tasks that _____________ their professional skills and abilities.

4. During the interview the reporter asked a lot of tricky question, but the guest refused to discuss _____________.

5. Generous people donate a lot of money to _____________, and _____________ launch Internet campaigns for the same purpose.

6. Political debates today more and more look like a _____________, but usually there is no winner.

7. Let’s wait for some days: _____________, I will move to a new country, and my life will change dramatically.

 

Reading 2

Facebook Live vs TV

Is this the end of broadcasting as we know it?

In July this year, Mark Zuckerberg announced it would make video the forefront of Facebook; to make it “video first”. Since then we have seen the rise of Facebook Live, with many holiday-makers, DJ’s, debates and more ’going live’ from around the globe. What’s more, news has always been at the heart of Facebook’s strengths, and it has recently been announced that Facebook Live will be live-streaming the US Presidential debate. The live streaming of the Minnesota shootings received an audience of 5.7 million, rivalling that of major broadcasting channels.

But it’s this live broadcasting that has traditionally been television’s protection, it’s USP against the internet. People now have access to these videos and news updates wherever they are. So will these new videos take us away from our television screens and onto our mobiles, laptops and tablets?

The general consensus is no – television has no need to fear. Facebook Live can be used not as a competitor, but also to complement TV shows. Programs such as The Great British Bake Off are demonstrating this – the series itself has over 13 million viewers who tune in every week, but on top of this, fans can tune in live to GBBO parties on Facebook, creating an event-like, intimate experience. The 1:1 feel and ease of access of these videos is what makes them so great.

It seems that to turn Facebook Live into a success, we should view it as a platform for the masses to share an experience, such as an event or show, and leave everyday viewing to TV.

Exercise 1. Answer the questions:

1. Who is Mark Zuckerberg?

2. What purpose did he set in July?

3. Have you heard of Facebook Live before?

4. What is one of Facebook’s main advantages?

5. What do you know about the event called Minnesota shootings?

6. What does USP stand for?

7. Do you agree that now Facebook cannot compete with ordinary TV? Why?

8. What kind of program is The Great British Bake Off?

9. How do you understand the expression “the 1:1 feel”?

10. What are the prospects of Facebook or other social networking sites in Russia? Will they ever be able to replace TV?

Exercise 2. Mark the statements as T (True) or F (False)

1. In summer Mark Zuckerberg made a statement that the top priority for the company is Facebook Messenger and its promotion.

2. Breaking news coverage has always been very important for Facebook, and their treatment of news is very professional and timely.

3. The number of people who watched Minnesota shootings video on Facebook cannot be compared to the TV audience.

4. Not many people can reach the news from home because they don’t own mobiles and tablets.

5. Today Facebook is not a competitor, but rather a bonus to traditional television.

6. Fans of particular programs set up their Facebook groups to share comments and other content.

7. In the future masses will give up watching TV and turn to Facebook as a huge platform that provides access to all kinds of information.

 

Exercise 3. Choose the best word:

1. Our editor-in-chief declared that we should make reporting international news _____________ of the newspaper.

A) Pros and cons B) the forefront C) Achilles’ heel

2. Some people like to follow _____________ lifecasting going to glamorous resorts, staying at luxury hotels, and sharing other activities on Facebook, but I am more interested in my own life.

A) Holidaymakers B) Pranksters C) Hashtag activists

3. _____________ of major social, cultural or sportive events can reach global audiences almost immediately.

A) Memes B) Live streaming C) Tagging

4. Although many people use mobile internet, nothing can _____________ TVscreens and cosy couches at the end of the working day.

A) Turn them from B) subscribe to C) grow legs of

5. After watching the pilot series of a new show, the _____________ was that it would be extremely popular.

A) Ugly underbelly B) heart strength C) general consensus

6. After this content became available in social media, about 1 million viewers started to _____________ every day.

A) Compliment B) tune in C) launch flash mobs

7. The new English textbook has a grammar appendix that _____________ its main content.

A) Rivals B) compliments C) shares

Activities

Exercise 1. Answer the questions:

1. How many social networking sites do you know? Can you give any examples?

2. Do you agree that social networking sites are for those who aren’t good at meeting people face to face?

3. What do you think of 140 characters of Twitter updates? Is it enough?

4. What comes to your mind when you hear the word “Facebook”? What do you think of this name?

5. What would you say of a foreign citizen who has an account in the Russian social network VK?

6. Have you ever put anything on social networks that you regretted?

7. Why are social networks banned in some countries?

8. Should a company ban its employees from using social networking sites at work?

9. Do you think that social networking sites make people lonelier?

10. Have you ever joined in any social networking sites? How do you like them?

11. Have you ever tried to find your soul mate on a social networking site? Does it work?

12. What would you like Facebook/ Twitter and VK to do differently?

13. What are your favorite apps and what apps would you like to have in the future?

14. What do you think of putting personal information on social networking sites?

15. Is it possible to help someone who is addicted to social networking sites?

16. Would you prefer to meet new people in real or through the Internet?

Exercise 2. Show to the class some of your favorite memes and explain why you are particularly fond of them.

Exercise 3. Give examples of recent Internet campaigns that you consider having positive and negative influence over the public.

Exercise 4. Great blog posts don’t just happen. They need good preparation. Give recommendations on how to write a good blog post using the following expressions with your own examples from real blogs:

1. Choose blogging platform/ web hosting/ domain name/ blog design/ useful resources for blogging / content topics/ writing techniques, …etc.

2. Structure/ plan/ write/ rewrite/ edit/ optimize/ give a title/ conclusion to …, etc. your blog post.

3. Find umbrella themes to be extended every week that include reflections on your week at work/ projects that you are involved in/ reports from conferences or training seminars you have been to/ ideas/ problems and ways to fix them/ insights you gained/ resources you used/ recommendations for articles/ books/ websites/ useful tips and activities, … etc.

4. Think of an eye-catching/ topical/ provocative/ unusual/ relevant/ informative/ specific/ effective/ how-to/ question-posing/ attractive, … etc. headline.

5. Use research data/ facts check/ background information/ reliable sources/ own experience/ third-party information/ images to enhance your post/ humor, … etc.

6. Try to write in a friendly and informal style/ use your own context and experience/ describe rather than tell/ question your reader/ ask for your readers’ response/ be polite and respective/ be interested in your topic/ be honest and accountable/ be transparent about your mistakes, … etc.

7. Avoid topics that are boring for you/ repetitions/ jumping from one topic to another/ being negative/ trying to impose your beliefs on others/ links to commercial sites and resources/ links to inappropriate materials/ specific names, places, addresses, or contact details/ trying to slip something past your readers, … etc.

8. Don’t be afraid to make cuts/ adapt on the fly/ ask a friend/ colleague/ someone with editing experience to check your work/ proof-read your post/ accept that your blog will never be perfect/ accept nasty/ negative/ annoying/ skeptical comments/ no feedback/ try again if something goes out of hand, … etc.

Exercise 5. Translate sentences from Russian into English:

1. В этом году, как и в прошлом, первые места в рейтинге социальных сетей по популярности среди российских пользователей достаются Вконтакте и Одноклассникам.

2. На нашем сайте вы первым узнаете то, что происходит сейчас в мире, путем юмористических новостей, приколов, комиксов и мемов.

3. Технология потокового мультимедиа впервые появилась в середине 90 годов, но первые продукты имели ограниченные возможности.

4. По сравнению с тем, что было около десяти лет назад, когда в интернете появились первые блоги, сегодняшняя блогосфера стала гораздо более структурированной.

5. Сегодня утром меня развлекла коллекция скриншотов из соцсетей со смешными комментами и выдержками из чатов.

6. Я с удовольствием загрузил бы еще несколько бесплатных мобильных приложений, но в телефоне уже не хватает памяти.

7. В последнее время множество популярных явлений перекочевали из обычной жизни в интернет, что не всегда может иметь однозначно положительный эффект; так, интернет-троллинг – раздолье для психически неустойчивых личностей и просто придурков.

8. Сегодняшний пост моего любимого блогера был на тему о флешмобах – являются ли они развлечением или угрозой общественной безопасности.

9. Хэштеги очень удобны при поиске информации в социальных сетях.

10. Видео с полуголым Криштиану Роналду в Instagram собрало миллион лайков за 1 час.

11. «Испытание ведром ледяной воды» - это кампания, направленная на исследование серьезной болезни и имеющая благотворительные цели.

12. В отличие от многих друзей и коллег, я предпочитаю «асоциальную сеть» - практически ни с кем не общаюсь в Фейсбуке, но регулярно читаю новостную ленту.

Grammar

Passive Voice

Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or what is performing the action: My bike was stolen.

In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it.

Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows: A mistake was made.

In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a mistake.).

Form of Passive

Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (Verb+ ed or 3rd column of irregular verbs): A letter was written.

Note:

§ the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence

§ the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)

§ the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)

Tense	Active	Passive
Present Simple	We make wine from grapes.	Wine is made from grapes.
They don’t buy these books.	These books aren’t bought.
Do people often ask you for help?	Are you often asked for help?
Past Simple	I broke this window last week.	This window was broken last week.
He didn’t invite us to the party.	We weren’t invited to the party.
When did they restore the hotel?	When was the hotel restored?
Present Continuous	I’m cleaning the rooms now.	The rooms are being cleaned now.
Is someone building a road here?	Is a road being built here?
Past Continuous	We were painting the ceiling.	The ceiling was being painted.
Present Perfect	Somebody has stolen my car.	My car has been stolen.
She hasn’t invited them.	They haven’t been invited.
Have you solved the problem?	Has the problem been solved?
Past Perfect	I said they had cancelled the flight.	I said the flight had been cancelled.
Future	He’ll tell you about that.	You will be told about that.
They’re going to release a new film.	A new film is going to be released.
Future Perfect	I’ll have done my work today.	My work will have been done today.

Exercise 1. Fill in the PASSIVE in the appropriate tense:

1. (TV / invent / Baird) …….. TV was invented by Baird. ……………..

2. (Pyramids / build / Egyptians) ………………………………………………….

3. (milk / produce / cows) ………………………………………………….

4. (coffee / grow / in Brazil) …………………………………………………

5. (chopsticks / use / in China) …………………………………………………

6. (plants / water / every day) ………………………………………………..

7. (the thief / arrest / policeman / yesterday) ………………………………………………..

8. (the injured man / take to a hospital / now) ………………………………………………..

9. (the car / repair / tomorrow) …………………………………………………

10. (the letter / send / last week) …………………………………………………

Exercise 2. Put the verbs in brackets into PRESENT SIMPLE PASSIVE:

There is a chimpanzee which ….. is called …… (call) “Bubbles”. It ………………….. (own)

by Michael Johnson. It …………………………. (keep) in his home. It …………………..(feed)

every day by Michael Johnson himself. It …………………………………….. (always / dress) in

funny clothes. It ………………………………. (said) that “Bubbles” is Michael Johnson’s only

friend.

 

Exercise 3. Look at the Hotel Information table and write sentences as in the example:

Hotel Information
Breakfast In Pierrot’s Restaurant 7-9:30 am	Rooms Maid Service daily
Dinner In Main Restaurant 8-10 pm	Hot water 24 hours a day
Newspapers – Telephone calls At the Reception Desk	Hotel Cinema Film every night at 10 pm

 

1. Breakfast / serve – where and when?

Breakfast is served in Pierrot’s Restaurant between 7 and 9:30 am.

2. Dinner / serve – where and when?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. Newspapers / sell – where?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. Telephone calls / can make – where?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. Rooms / clean – who by and how often?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

6. Hot water / supply – when?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. Films / show – where and when?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Exercise 4. Put the verbs in brackets into PAST SIMPLE PASSIVE:

Two men ….. were seen ……. (see) breaking into a house in my street last night. The police …………………………. (call) and they arrived very quickly. One man ……………………….

(catch) immediately. The other escaped, but he ……………………………. (find) very soon. Both men ………………………………… (take) to the police station where they …………….

………………………. (question) separately by a police officer. The two men ………………..

………………………. (charge) with burglary.

Exercise 5. Using the PASSIVE, ask questions to which the bold type words are answers:

1. Columbus discovered America. …….. Who was America discovered by …………?

2. We keep money in a safe. ……………………………………………………?

3. A bee stung him. ……………………………………………………?

4. They speak Italian in Italy. ……………………………………………………?

5. They have taken his aunt to hospital. ……………………………………………………?

6. The boys damaged the television. …………………………………………………..?

7. Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa. …………………………………………………..?

8. He invited 30 people to his party. …………………………………………………..?

9. They grow bananas in Africa. …………………………………………………..?

Exercise 6. Turn form ACTIVE into PASSIVE as in the example:

1. He gave me a present.

a) I was given a present.

b) A present was given to me.

2. The waiter will bring us the bill.

a) …………………………………………………………

b) …………………………………………………………

3. The Queen presented him with a medal.

a) …………………………………………………………

b) …………………………………………………………

4. Her mother bought Mary some sweets.

a) …………………………………………………………

b) …………………………………………………………

5. Bob has sold Ted a second-hand car.

a) …………………………………………………………

b) …………………………………………………………

6. Larry is going to send a letter to Tom.

a) …………………………………………………………

b) …………………………………………………………

Exercise 7. Rewrite the following passage in the PASSIVE:

Some people saw a UFO in the sky above London last night. They reported it to the police. The army sent a helicopter to look at it more closely. The UFO shot the helicopter down and killed both men in it. People gave photographs of the UFO to the police. Experts study them now.

Exercise 8. Rewrite the following passage in the PASSIVE:

Our school organizes a contest. The teachers will choose the best project about the environment. The students will include pictures and drawings in their projects. The students will also do all the writing themselves. The school will give the winner a set of encyclopaedias.

Exercise 9. Make questions in the PASSIVE from these cues:

Example: Where / our local newspaper / print

Where is our local newspaper printed?

1. How many / photos / store / in the photo library

…………………………………………………………………………………………?

2. photographs / develop / in the photo library

…………………………………………………………………………………………?

3. Where / messages / receive

…………………………………………………………………………………………?

4. the Daily Mirror / print / in Manchester

…………………………………………………………………………………………?

5. this magazine / sell / in Spain

…………………………………………………………………………………………?

6. Why / newspapers / send abroad

…………………………………………………………………………………………?

7. When / the newspaper / print

…………………………………………………………………………………………?

8. How / newspapers / deliver

…………………………………………………………………………………………?

9. Where / stories / write

…………………………………………………………………………………………?

10. a lot of paper / use / for each issue

…………………………………………………………………………………………?

Exercise 10. Write sentences in the PASSIVE. Use these phrases:

 

* in the sea * at school * in the kitchen * at the post office

* in Australia * in Italy * at weddings * in Mediterranean countries

* in the cinema

Example: olives / grow

Olives are grown in Mediterranean countries.

films / show

……………………………………………………………………………….

1. meals / cook

……………………………………………………………………………….

2. stamps / sell

……………………………………………………………………………….

3. pandas / find

……………………………………………………………………………….

4. Italian / speak

……………………………………………………………………………….

5. confetti / throw

……………………………………………………………………………….

6. lessons / teach

……………………………………………………………………………….

7. sharks / find

……………………………………………………………………………….