Earl Hendrix S.

Reyes March 6, 2019

ABCOM-1 Introduction to Communication Media

The Effects of New Media to Filipinos

Friends, ladies, and gentlemen, good afternoon!

Today’s digital age marks many notable advancements and propagations. Because of the
technological advancements in the world, everything works more efficiently, faster, and more
easily.

Of course, everything in this world is a double-edged sword. New media both has its
positive and negative impacts. Since we are living in a world where technology exists
everywhere, everybody has become digitally literate. The information that we gather from
different revolutionary platforms has actually helped us as young Filipinos, thus, 21st century
learning.

Learning with the help of social media does not necessarily mean that it is only exclusive
for the young. Every Filipino can participate in the exchange of ideas especially through Social
Media, taking into consideration that social media applications is one click away in your mobile
device.

New media is very accessible. Your Smartphone can access this media platform and it’s
small enough to fit in your pocket. Imagine that you have the entire world in the size of the palm
of your hands. Today, if you search for information, you don’t have to search from books. You
can ask Google. Share a slice of your life to people? There’s Facebook. Communicate with
colleagues, friends, and family? There’s Messenger. Share bits of your thoughts? There’s
Twitter. Share memories through photos? There’s Instagram. Have you entertained with shows,
videos, and films? There’s Youtube, Netflix, Iflix, and Vimeo.

Unfortunately, new media is overshadowed ultimately by one thing – irresponsibility.

Many Filipinos have the right to expose themselves and participate in various social media
platforms. Everybody is digitally literate, but not everyone is responsible. Many people still think
that they can say whatever they want on social media. The rest of the story then goes two ways:
it is either you are murmuring in an empty room, in other words, people don’t care or social
media is not the right avenue for your senselessness. If you proceed further into the story, there
goes false information. This hoax, popularly known today as ‘fake news’, relies on every
individual behind every bit of information.

Since nobody is perfect and not everyone is responsible enough, social media is flawed.
New media is vulnerable to misinformation, abuse, bullying, and many crimes. If you come to
realize, today’s generation actually has great power, but they also have great responsibility. We
are actually blessed to have new media but we should also remember that our best friend can also
become our worst enemy.

Many of us envision an idealistic world where new media is a helpful tool. But in the real
world, it has become our selfish god. Selfish, that instead of hastening up learning, it becomes a
petrifying distraction. Selfish, that instead of connecting us, it shattered us apart.

People are feeding the new media like a hungry dragon instead of treating it like a fairy
that aids them. Many of us Filipinos, especially the children, are investing too much time on
social media. Instead of gaining something from it, we lose everything for it. We are all
responsible for the blessings we received, but new media and its effects to us is not an
exemption.

Ladies and gentlemen, let us all remember that the world out there is way bigger than our
pockets.