We see New Media as the latest form of communication among traditional forms. New Media has rapidly brought many types of social, educational, political and personal changes to society. Groups of innumerable people have been formed in which people from all over the world are spreading their ideas and culture to each other. People from rural areas are also adopting the culture of other countries in their own understanding and spreading it to nearby places.
New Media is the latest fad right now that exists apart from the old way of sending and receiving information. It has given us a new way of understanding the world. There has been a lot of change in the field of education, health and lifestyle. Today, lakhs of people have found employment with the help of New Media and its influence in other fields. Many things have changed in society and people are more aware. People in villages now order their favourite food, clothes and other resources online while sitting at home.
New Media has brought many revolutions. In today’s fast-paced life, everyone needs news fast. And New Media serves this purpose as it is much simpler and faster than any traditional print media, which demands us to wait for news. While it is not possible to accommodate all types of news headlines in traditional media, there is no such limit in New Media. In traditional media, there is always a one-way dialogue, but in new media, the conversation is interactive from both sides.
In 2022, 4.48 billion people were actively using social media across the world — this is a 13.13% year-on-year increase from 3.69 billion in 2020. Back in 2015, there were only 2.07 billion users, this increased by 115.59% in just six years.
Advertising aside, online new media has also changed the way social media groups influence the views of others — this can be done by creating a website, posting a blog or commenting on social networking sites. This type of social media networking has proven to be highly effective around the world. People also find an effective space to criticise the government and raise their voices through New Media.
However, New Media also has some negative aspects. These include the spread of fake news, negative or violent messages in a society where already vulnerable people get victimised. New Media makes it possible to show the truth as a lie and vice versa.
As we all know, everything has both positive and negative aspects. And so is the case with New Media. False news can conveniently be shown as true. In today’s present times, people express their words in an exaggerated and funny way through memes, cartoon graphics and short videos.
It is with the help of New Media that the #MeToo movement started and got strengthened. It started in America and was waged against those who made women victims of harassment or sexual violence.
In another instance, in 2009, people in Iran changed its government through a Facebook page. It is also through New Media that people could find the means of relief during the second wave of Covid. People were asking for remdesivir injections, oxygen cylinders, hospital beds etc. on social media for their family and friends. This rippled into people extending a helping hand all around us.
All these things happened for the first time only on New Media, where ordinary people as well as those from marginal sections got empowered.