The rise of user generated content

In this day in age we can get news with the touch of a button. Social media platforms such as twitter and Facebook allow users to follow news sources and get quick updates without having to pick up a newspaper or wait until the 6 o’clock show. With the rise of social media platforms came the rise of user generated content.

In “Mobile and Social Media Journalism: A Practical Guide,” author Anthony Adornato explains how the role of the audience changed after the 2009 Miracle on the Hudson when a local took a picture of the plane in the river and then immediately posted it on twitter.

“It was one of the first instances in which journalists realized the power of the audience in a mobile and social media world.”

Now we’re at the age where nearly anyone can create and publish content, but with that power comes responsibility. So here are some positives and negatives of user generated content:

Positives

· It allows the audience to engage with news outlets by tweeting or messaging them

· The audience gets the chance to be the journalists, even when they aren’t realizing it

· Multiple perspectives are presented

Negatives

· We can’t assume everyone is media literate

· Legal issues, such as plagiarism

· The rise of fake news and not fact checking sources

What are your opinions on user generated content?

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Featured photo courtesy of Wix