Ever hear the term real-time journalism? With improvements in technology in recent years, when something happens, the whole world knows about it almost instantaneously. What used to arrive in the morning paper or be delivered on the 10:00 news now makes it onto the Internet in a matter of moments. Journalists and athletes have taken to tweeting on their twitter accounts, news as it happens.
Remember when it was a great idea to meet a prospective partner at the grocery store or by going to church on Sunday morning? Internet dating sites and accredited online colleges sites have revolutionized the way people learn and meet each other. Many of these ‘dating’ sites match characteristics between potential partners in the hopes that chemistry will develop immediately, almost taking away the first few dates of a potential relationship.
Social media has changed the way we view the things we love. Fantasy football lovers turn to twitter and internet sites to find out the latest status of players that might be injured. So narrow can be the focus of some of these social media sites that they could only exist on the Internet. Fans of the Eastern Washington Eagles follow the progress of their team as they prepares for the FCS National Championship, while the rest of the country doesn’t even know there is still a championship to be played.
Even businesses have gotten on board with the advertisement of their products on Facebook and Twitter. The Turtle Creek Crossing Grocery Store in Mission, South Dakota (population 750) recently started posting lunch-sales and discount items on their Facebook page. For the shoppers that are looking for bargains, even companies that sell computers are now posting their information on Twitter or Facebook.
As more people become accustomed to using Facebook and Twitter and other social media, the phenomenon is likely to grow exponentially.