Information Dissemination

The study also acknowledged the role of social media in civic engagement and political
mobilization. As people are given their freedom to access information and express their opinions
and concerns, they become an active part of society in dealing with public affairs, which was
perceived to be limited in traditional forms of media. Decentralization of information is vital in
order to boost democratic participation and societal development. Bitner (as cited by Usman,
2015) further affirmed the pervasive power of media in general, since audience have trust and
confidence in it.

The assumptions drawn from the study of Usman (2015) are congruent with the study
conducted by Baruah (2012) through which the effectiveness of social media as a
communication tool was given focus. Online sharing of knowledge and information is one of the
most considered advantages brought by this communication platform. The venue provides
opportunity for everyone to participate in the process of gathering and generating content.

The shift in the communication lanscape also paved way to challenges on privacy and credibility
of information . The study regarded this new platforms brought by communication technologies
as more complex and participatory, hence, authenticity of content is a major concern.
Implications on the diversity of people’s opinions are then considered inevitable.

Concludingly, Usman (2015) raised accessibility to internet in remote areas as a concern

to significantly regard social media as a tool in disseminating information. Moreover,
reorientation on the usage of the medium as well as efficient regulation on the content are
deemed crucial in order to effectively utilize social media and maximize its provisions.

Results of the study show that social media is generally preferred by respondents and
perceived it as an effective tool in communication. Majority of the respondents also confirmed
usage of it for educational purposes. In terms of its usefulness, availability of information and
sharing of ideas were noted alongside with other advantages such as interactivity, bridging of
communication gaps and as a tool in customer and marketing as well as in crisis communcation.

The study further implies the potential of social media in igniting collective action
knowing the fact that this domain allows collaboration through simple ways of organizing
members, gauging opinions as well as spreading information among users.

The End.