AQA A-Level Sociology | The Media | Impacts of New Media
Summary
TLDRThis tutorial explores the profound impacts of new media on society, highlighting the exponential growth of internet usage, particularly among younger generations, and the resulting generational divide. It discusses the concept of 'digital natives' and the challenges faced by the 'digital underclass,' who lack access to online services. The video also touches on the democratizing potential of new media through social activism and the issues of content quality, misinformation, and the rise of trolling. It concludes by pondering whether new media reflects a shift towards late modernity and postmodernism, with traditional power structures still influencing the media landscape.
Takeaways
- 🌐 The exponential growth of new media has significantly influenced society, especially over the past two decades.
- 📈 There's been a doubling of internet usage in the last 10 years, with a notable increase in out-of-home access through smart devices.
- 👶 The rise in internet usage is largely driven by younger generations, creating a generational divide with older adults.
- 🌐 The term 'digital natives' refers to those born in the digital era who have grown up with easy access to new media.
- 📰 Traditional media users, often from older generations, face challenges in adapting to new media sources.
- 🏢 Socioeconomic status impacts new media access, with lower classes less likely to engage with new media, leading to a 'digital underclass'.
- 🏠 The digital underclass faces significant challenges, especially with services moving online, exacerbating issues during events like the COVID-19 lockdowns.
- 🛍️ New media offers increased consumer choice and convenience in accessing information, entertainment, and services.
- 🏢 The shift to online services has negatively impacted high streets and small businesses, as consumers often choose larger suppliers.
- 🗳️ New media has revitalized democracy by enabling social activism and putting pressure on organizations and governments to change policies.
- 📉 Critics argue that new media has led to a decline in content quality and an increase in 'dumbing down' of culturally significant content.
- 📰 The reliability of information has been questioned with the rise of 'fake news' and poor journalism practices.
- 👎 Negative aspects of new media include trolling and the lack of content regulation, leading to public criticism and threats.
- 📚 New media reflects societal changes towards late modernity, with increased consumerism, individualism, and a focus on diversity and individual experiences.
Q & A
What is one of the key features of contemporary society mentioned in the script?
-One of the key features of contemporary society mentioned in the script is the exponential growth of new media and its influence on society, particularly over the last 20 years.
According to Ofcom, how has the time spent on the internet changed in the last decade?
-According to Ofcom, the amount of time spent on the internet has doubled in the last 10 years.
What is the term used to describe individuals born in the digital era who have grown up with new media?
-The term used to describe individuals born in the digital era who have grown up with new media is 'digital natives'.
How does social class impact access to new media according to the script?
-Social class impacts access to new media with lower social classes being less likely to spend time engaged with new media, both in the UK and globally.
What is the term used to describe individuals with limited access to new media, particularly the internet?
-The term used to describe individuals with limited access to new media, particularly the internet, is 'digital underclass'.
What challenges did the digital underclass face during the COVID-19 lockdowns as mentioned in the script?
-During the COVID-19 lockdowns, the digital underclass faced significant challenges such as exclusion from education moving online, difficulty in applying for benefits and services that were moved online, and challenges in accessing other services like tax returns and doctor appointments.
What positive impacts does the new media have on consumers according to the script?
-The new media has increased choice for consumers, allowing them to access information, entertainment, and services when and where they want, compare prices, and read reviews, which can improve the quality of customer experience.
How has new media revitalized democracy as per the script?
-New media has revitalized democracy by allowing for interactivity and participation, which has led to social activism through online petitions, sharing details of protest movements, and pressuring groups, organizations, and governments to amend policies and laws.
What criticisms are there regarding the growth of new media and its impact on quality?
-Critics suggest that the growth of new media has led to a decline in quality with an increase in quantity, as media producers fill schedules with low-cost productions, leading to accusations of 'dumbing down' culturally significant content.
What are some negative aspects of participation and interactivity in new media mentioned in the script?
-Some negative aspects of participation and interactivity in new media include the spread of fake news, misinformation, distrust of journalism, trolling, and the rise of council culture and debates over free speech.
How has new media reflected the acceleration of modernity into an era of late modernity?
-New media has reflected the acceleration of modernity into an era of late modernity by increasing consumerism and individualism, moving society away from meta-narratives towards issues of diversity, alienation, exclusion, and individual experiences.
Outlines
🌐 Impacts of New Media on Society
This paragraph discusses the exponential growth of new media and its profound influence on contemporary society, particularly over the last two decades. It highlights the increase in internet usage, especially among younger generations, leading to a generational divide. The concept of 'digital natives' is introduced, referring to those born into the digital era who have grown up with a focus on immediate gratification and interactive culture. Socio-economic disparities in access to new media are also explored, resulting in a 'digital underclass' that faces significant challenges in accessing essential services and information. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these issues, with many services moving online and excluding those without internet access. The paragraph concludes by noting the potential marginalization of those unable to access new media, impacting their life chances and consumer experiences.
📉 New Media's Effects on Democracy and Culture
The second paragraph delves into the positive and negative impacts of new media. It emphasizes the increased consumer choice and the revitalization of democracy through social activism facilitated by new media platforms. However, it also points out the potential decline in cultural quality due to the rise of low-cost productions and the proliferation of 'fake news.' The paragraph discusses the challenges of misinformation and distrust in journalism, as well as the negative aspects of online interactivity, such as trolling. It reflects on the broader societal changes brought about by new media, including the acceleration of modernity, increased consumerism, and individualism. The paragraph concludes by considering whether new media has changed society for better or worse, suggesting that it may be leading to a postmodern era characterized by mistrust of experts and a focus on individual experiences.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡New Media
💡Digital Natives
💡Generational Divide
💡Digital Underclass
💡Social Class and New Media
💡Late Modernity
💡Cultural Elitism
💡Fake News
💡Trolling
💡Free Speech
Highlights
The exponential growth of new media and its societal impact over the last 20 years.
According to Ofcom, internet usage has doubled in the last decade.
Smart technology has driven increased internet access outside the home.
Younger generations are more likely to use the internet, causing a generational divide.
The term 'digital natives' refers to those born in the digital era with access to new media.
Older generations rely more on traditional media, leading to societal issues.
Digital natives are influenced by an interactive culture and immediate gratification.
Social class impacts access to new media, with lower classes less likely to engage.
The concept of a 'digital underclass' due to limited internet access.
State institutions' online-only services exclude those without internet access.
The COVID-19 lockdowns highlighted the digital divide in education and services.
In 2015, Ofcom found social classes D and E had less access to smart technologies.
New media offers increased choice in accessing information and services.
Critics argue new media has negatively impacted high streets and small businesses.
New media can revitalize democracy through social activism and online engagement.
The rise of new media has led to concerns over content quality and 'dumbing down'.
Questions over the reliability of sources and the spread of fake news.
Negative aspects include trolling and the lack of content regulation.
New media reflects late modernity with increased consumerism and individualism.
Traditional media conglomerates still dictate media agendas despite new media's rise.
Transcripts
welcome to this tutorial sociology topic
video focusing on the media looking at
the impacts of new media
one of the features of contemporary
society is the exponential growth of new
media and its influence on society
particularly in the last 20 years
according to ofcom the amount of time
spent on the internet has doubled in the
last 10 years with a similar rise in the
amount of time spent accessing the
internet out of the home
this is through smart technology such as
phones watches and other mobile devices
however this has been largely driven by
an increase in the usage of the internet
by younger people
something which has caused a
generational divide with older people
being less likely to access new media
sources than those often described as
digital natives
digital natives is a term given to those
born in the digital era
who have grown up with increasing access
and participation with the new media
other generations those raised before
digitalization have a greater reliance
on traditional media sources which can
generate issues for society
boyle argues that digital natives have
grown up immersed in an interactive
culture that has influenced their
outlook on life
with a focus on immediate gratification
being able to access information on the
move view programming at their own
leisure and react to current events with
immediacy
however social class also impacts on
access to the new media with lower
social classes being less likely to
spend time engaged with new media both
in the uk and globally
this has created what sociologists have
termed a digital underclass
limited access to new media particularly
the internet is problematic in
contemporary society
many state institutions have adopted
policies and procedures where applying
for support or benefits has become
completely online
for the digital underclass this
exclusion represents significant
challenges to their life chances
this was most evident during the covert
19 lockdowns with education moving
online and many children being excluded
due to either inconsistent or no home
connection to the internet
furthermore other services such as
benefit applications tax returns and
even doctors appointments were moved
online during the pandemic
placing those without access at a
further disadvantage
as consumers an inability to access
goods and services booking of events and
appointments can lead to marginalization
in society
in 2015 an ofcom survey found that
social classes d and e manual and
non-skilled workers had a 54 access to
smart technologies compared to 84 for
all social classes
which demonstrates the severe
disadvantages to those in the lower
social classes of a digital society
there are positive impacts of the new
media
there is increased choice of how when
and where users can access the new media
including more choices of information
entertainment and services
this includes the promotion of greater
choice for consumers
individuals have more options in where
they can access services from can easily
compare prices and see other consumers
reviews of goods and services which can
improve the quality of customer
experience
however critics will suggest that this
is negatively impacted on the high
street and particularly small
independent businesses that have been
impacted by people choosing services
from larger suppliers
a further impact of the new media is its
ability to revitalize democracy
the interactivity and participation in
new media has allowed for a growth in
social activism through online petitions
sharing details of protest move
immunities that can pressure groups
organizations and even government into
amending policies procedures and laws
examples of some of these movements
include black lives matter which has
challenged racial discrimination since
its inception in 2012 and the metoo
movement that has tackled sexual
discrimination and assault in society
critics of the new media suggest that
the growth of new media has led to a
decline in quality with the increase in
quantity
homegrown productions and cheaper real
life and reality programming have grown
as media producers look to fill
schedules with low cost productions
whilst these may be popular with some
people it has led to accusations of
dumbing down culturally significant
content
although this can be seen as a form of
cultural elitism rejecting mass culture
and insisting on higher forms of culture
a further impact has been questions over
the reliability of sources
concepts such as fake news and
journalism have often been used to
describe unregulated content or
repetitive stories that are poorly
researched and offer parties and
opinions on key issues
and this has led to misinformation and
distrust of journalism as a source of
information
furthermore the negative aspects of
participation and interactivity have
brought concepts such as trolling into
the public domain
where people are criticized for their
opinions and threatened for their
position on key issues
in recent years the concept of council
culture and arguments both for and
against free speech i've seen many
criticize the new media for failing to
regulate content
in examining the impacts of new media
it's worth considering the extent to
which new media has changed society
whether for the better or for the worse
it can be argued that the new media has
come to reflect the acceleration of
modernity into an era of late modernity
increased consumerism and individualism
have seen society move away from meta
narratives towards looking at issues of
diversity alienation exclusion and
individual experiences and
understandings of the social world
this edges us closer to a postmodern age
this can be typified by a mistrust of
experts
partly fueled by the wealth of opinion
offered by new media sources
with new tech giants such as google and
meta dominating this landscape while
more traditional media outlets have
acquired other media sources to become
giant conglomerates that can still
dictate media agendas
these are still owned by the powerful in
society so while the medium may have
changed the message very much remains
the same
that concludes this tutorial sociology
topic video on media looking at the
impacts of new media thanks for watching
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