Digital media technology is an integral element of advancement in communication technologies in society. The technology has facilitated a smooth transition of issues from what used to be tedious in the past to currently more comfortable methods of reaching essential information to society. According to the article Towards a Critical Theory of Third World Film by Teshome Gabriel, it mentions the traditional practices that were used, such as weaving, concerning the current technological advancement in digital media, which paint a picture of the difference that exists currently ( Gabriel p.341). Technology in digital media technologies has seen the innovation of several platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, televisions, and many others. The society has embraced these advancements positively for the benefits and transformations that they have brought ( Hutchins and Rowe, 2013). YouTube is among the excellent result of digital media technology and has positively impacted the members of the society and has also had several limitations. The paper aims at analyzing Facebook to find out its benefits to the community as well as constraints associated with this technology.
Getting rid of the backward traditional methods of production and imagination is a critical way of stepping into the world of technology. Technology helps us to get crucial connections with our loved ones, they also provide spiritual, structural, and aesthetic links, and Facebook is among the platforms that offer the people an opportunity to experience these connections (Gabriel p.342). Through it, people can learn and watch videos and other content that develop them spiritually and in other aspects. The technology has been able to enhance the film arena with diversified films which are educative, informative as well as entertaining, which is a good thing for the society. Some of the videos accessed on Facebook are full of cultural materials that are impactful to the culture of the community, as many films can do.
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As provided by the critical theory, the content aired on Facebook follows a series of components of the approach. The first component is a text which involves the intersection of the codes, thematics, and formal characteristics for the contents that are formal (Gabriel p.345) There are also critical considerations of grammar when the material being aired is formal. There is the second element, which is the audience (Gabriel p.345). When broadcasting content through this platform, the content provider ensures that he/she has the audience that they target with their content. Depending on the audience, the owner of the material determines the language and the type of content to air. They may provide images, texts, or even video. The third aspect is the production, which involves how the content is produced, and this entails following the moral guidelines provided to ensure that only appropriate content is accessed through the platform to prevent challenges that come alongside digital media such as those that may lead to moral decay (Gabriel p.345).
Firms in the third world was a critical way of bringing people together where they would converge at designated places to watch cinemas which were played and edited to meet the moral standards of the community (Gabriel p.346) Technology led to the evolution of the film industry, where other platforms continued to be innovated where it led to the innovation of gadgets such as televisions, which people would procure to continue enjoying films. Technological advances led to other platforms such as Facebook, which has been able to not only provide video content to its subscribers but also connect people from various corners of the world. The kind of connection that Facebook offers to its users help them to interact socially with other people as well as empowering people, the same way the firms would allow people to achieve in the third world during those early days ( Buckingham p.44). Through Facebook, people share their feelings, views, and solutions to other problems that assist in empowering individuals. People would meet for cinemas, which would create an atmosphere for people to interact, share opinions, and solve different issues according to the provisions in the excerpt.
People get a voice to air their concerns, increase their participation in conventional practices, and also facilitate the creation of various communities ( Buckingham p.45). Technological advancement in digital media through Facebook provides an ample platform for the user to enjoy this advantage. The traditional media played a central role in informing the public and concentrating their attention on specific agendas. With the technology shaping up the digital media platforms, it has assisted in amplifying the response to issues affecting humans. For instance, when the Arab Spring took place between the years 2011-2012, Facebook played a critical role in mobilizing assistance and drawing the attention of the world, which was instrumental in assisting victims to recover and continue living their healthy lives ( Buckingham p.45). During the early days, people would meet in the cinema hall to enjoy cinemas as a way of entertainment. Currently, people entertain themselves through a variety of content that is found on Facebook. Therefore, it is an essential tool for entertainment that has been in place due to technological advancement in digital media.
Even though technology has led to digital media such as Facebook, it has a handful of limitations, in as much as it is critical. Culture is an essential element of a society in which the members of the social value and respect ( Buckingham p.46). Nevertheless, these technologies may be detrimental to the culture as they can easily contaminate the culture, which leads to a significant fear of society. This may be enhanced through reckless posts and immoral pictures as well as videos that may contain content that is not appropriate as even young children can access the platform. Therefore people must be keen when producing the material to broadcast to avoid hurting the beliefs of society.
If not taken care of, Facebook, which is an instrument of entertainment like the films, may make the user spend more time using it than doing productive activities. As a result, time is wasted, which would have been used appropriately to yield significant benefits for the user and the entire community. Many people get used to the platforms which make them remain in the platform to continue watching, texting, or other activities (Hutchins and Rowe, 2013). This is a disadvantage that the users must be aware of and must set their limits to ensure that they do not end up wasting a lot of time.
In conclusion, technology is vital in the lives of people and especially in the digital media, which has been able to make transformations in the entire communication arena, which most people rely on to connect with their friends as well as getting information about what is happening in the world. Facebook is one of the media platforms that can be classified as the online media which needs the internet to connect. Through the platform, the society can be able to communicate with its members as well as enhancing the morals and the culture of the community. Messages and news are sent and received using the platform, which integrates the society more. It is, therefore, integral to embrace technology and use it appropriately to reap the benefits that come alongside it.
Nonetheless, care must be taken to ensure that the technology does not erode the values of the society as inappropriate content that is detrimental to these values may be accessed by children who would hurt their morals. Additionally, limiting the time one uses in the platform is critical to ensure that there is no misuse of time, and that time is appropriately used. Facebook is a crucial platform that results from technology, which is instrumental in the integration and informing the society.
References
Buckingham, D., 2007. Digital Media Literacies: rethinking media education in the age of the Internet. Research in comparative and international education , 2 (1), pp.43-55.
Gabriel, T.H., 2011. Towards a critical theory of Third World films. Critical Interventions , 5 (1), pp.340-357.
Hutchins, B. and Rowe, D. eds., 2013. Digital media sport: Technology, power and culture in the network society . Routledge.
