Don’t Shoot the “Instant” Messenger

In any given discussion over emergent forms of social media, it seems that people firmly side with one of two opinions. The first opinion in this dichotomy explores the dangerous that may arise due to the anonymous nature of the Internet. This school of thought seems to believe that when human beings aren’t being closely monitored acts of sexual deviance or cyber bullying are an inevitable result. The more optimistic stance on social media seems to believe that the global network allows for an evolved level of communication as a result of constant connectivity.

The notion of social media as a portal that facilitates deviant behavior does have some merit, as does the concept of social media as an expansion of human communication, and an inevitable evolution of personal relationships. The point that we sometimes miss when debating both of these sides, is that social forms of media are really only vessels for human thoughts, feelings, and expressions. While it is true that anonymity might cultivate dormant deviant behavior in those select few that might be prone to it, the media certainly didn’t create it, anymore than it created human communication. These new forms of social media should be thought of not as alternate realities, but extensions of our current societies that allow more flexible communication in regards to time and space.

Every new form of media begins with a learning curve, and there are always those who will take advantage but our innovation and technological progressions are fuelled by the human instinct to socialize and communicate, the Internet is merely tool.