Monday, February 9, 2015

Social Media on Mobile Versus Web


Social Media on Mobile Vs Web – How has it impacted your life?”

A coin has two sides, similarly, every change has two sides. I remember those days, when a letter sent to someone abroad used to reach that person in 15-20 days, and response to that used to take another 15-20 days. So, effectively my letter used to get its response in a month’s time. With great technocrat's visions, a time came, when we started having desktops and internet connections in our houses, which revolutionized the communication. Then the changes happened further, and now the whole internet has caved into our smart phones. Technology has made the communication so rapid, prompt, instant. While the technology has brought people closer, have people grown closer to each other in virtual terms?

I have instances of both the sides. I personally feel so much connected to the world. I have re-established contacts with so many old friends of mine and the best part is we know about each other so well in spite of being miles apart. The instant response excites me so much since it makes the communication much more relevant.

I have also experienced the flip side of it. Today, face-to-face communication lacks the concentration and focus, since even during our communication with our dear ones, we are checking our mobiles 100 times, as if someone of much more priority should have contacted us.

If the plus side is social media on mobile has drastically reduced the expenses, it has costed us many dear relationships also. I have so much time to communicate to my mobile and its apps, but I don’t have time to sit with my mumma and ask her that how was her day?

If the plus side is social media on mobile instantly connects me with the updates of my near and dear ones, these very updates have broken so many families, since these instant updates broke somebody’s trust.

I have also seen people walking on the busy road with their eyes glued to the screen of their smart phones, they even miss listening to the horn and alas! turn into victims of road accidents.

I find a few people using these social media to share about their interests, profession and passion, on the other side, there are people, who use these media just to vent out their anger against a political party or trying to prove their ‘right’ to be the only ‘right’, their ‘truth’ as the only ‘truth’.

I personally feel so motivated since I am a corporate trainer by profession and a movie review blogger by passion, and I chose social media to talk about both. Having social medias on mobile makes me respond to the feedbacks so instantly and spontaneously, which further strengthens the bond with my contacts and networks.

A very simple concept of ‘Status Update’ is so beautiful, but I also happen to see weird updates right in the morning, since people choose to update their mood of their mornings.

It is so much convenient to share from the mobile – be it photographs, articles, links etc. But does that give me liberty to share any damn thing, any junk stuff? Today, unless and until I ‘unfollow’ my contact, I might have to bear with the latest ‘unwanted updates’.

I also remember an incident, when one of my friend updated her update of landing at a distant airport, on her return, she found her house to be ransacked by thieves.

I remember a couple going through divorce, since  wife went for a party without updating husband, and when husband saw her photograph in a party tagged by one of her friend, he assumed that she is hiding things from her. She had actually not got the time to tell her husband since the party was an instant affair and husband was also preoccupied. She had thought to update him face-to-face. A small doubt got bigger and bigger and ended up in break-up.

Has this convenience of social media on mobile given me space to lie to the world at times? I project what I don’t have and that too I do it at the spur of a moment.

Another face to it is we are so much connected to our friends through social media that we don’t take efforts at times to meet them personally, wish them personally on their birthdays. Is the personal touch missing now?

Have you ever asked yourself, Social Media on Mobile Versus Web – how it has impacted your life? I asked this to me, and trust me, I feel that I am so much more connected to the world in a better manner. I can hang-out with my brother and family in US anytime I want. I can whatspp my friends and do group chats anytime I want. I can post my interests, view and comment upon others’ post instantly and at anytime I want. I can make calls via vibre or other apps anytime absolutely free of cost. I can find my way using google maps anytime in case I lost my way. I don’t have to take out separate time to sit on laptop and check my newsfeeds, I am so much updated. I can atleast acknowledge instantly through a one word response. It is so easy. It gives me a sense of togetherness. I feel I am so much near to others and vice versa. 

What about you? What is your take on this?

If I am losing out more than gaining, I need to ask myself: ‘Is it the problem of Social Media on my mobile, which is creating havoc in my life, or I don’t know, how to handle this media of social media on my mobile’.

This is a great technological revolution which has happened. How do we design our choices and prioritize things is more important. This revolution has so many plus. Now it is upto us, how do we want to encash it?

“I am participating in the #SMWBangalore activity at BlogAdda in association with Social Media Week Bangalore“.

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