As a Business (majoring in Marketing) and Journalism student I am constantly told that I need to be using social media and understand the power it has on an audience.
I already am active on Facebook and Instagram, plus am slowly starting to tweet on a more regular basis (though am extremely scared of it).
So I have ticked the first box!
But I still do not believe that I understand the power of social media, nor do half the people I am friends with. We make up a small part of Generation Z, the generation that are most involved in social media.
It would be highly uncommon for me not to see something appear on my Facebook newsfeed, posted by a friend, which would be classed as inappropriate. By inappropriate I mean the use of bad language, sexism, political incorrectness or down right disgusting. But most of the time, hilarious. For example:
(that is someone urinating on another person, which was posted on Facebook)
(and a lovely birthday message from one friend to another)
I didn't post these things, but am guilty of posting things just as bad, and am genuinely embarrassed that I have done it. Occasionally when taking a trip down virtual memory lane I will stumble upon something I have posted and delete it. But catch myself posting something just as bad 10 minutes later.
So it is in instances such as these that I definitely do not think that Generation Z, myself included, understand the power of social media. But maybe that is just me and my friends...
Though if you take a look at some famous Australian people it is not just silly teenagers misbehaving on social media.
For instance NRL star Todd Carney..
People such as Todd Carney who are constantly in the public eye post lewd photos or make inappropriate comments on social media become bad role models for the younger people who look up to them.
With that in mind I find it difficult to comprehend the standard of behaviour that is expected by society for my more friends and I to act on social media.
