Social media, one of the most debated topics of recent years, has far-reaching implications for individuals and societiesalike. Initially hailed as a powerful tool for democracy, it has increasingly become a double-edged sword, influencing social, cultural, and political events in ways both positive and negative.
The Unrivalled Influence of Tech Giants
The influence and reach of the five major tech giants—Google (Alphabet), Apple, Facebook (Meta), Amazon, and Microsoft, collectively known as GAFAM—are unparalleled in today’s digital landscape. These companies dominate various sectors of the global economy, from search engines and social media to cloud computing, e-commerce, and software development. Together, they wield immense power over the flow of information, consumer behaviour, and even the shaping of public opinion.
Google processes over 3.5 billion searches per day, making it the most popular search engine in the world, while Facebook connects nearly 3 billion users, influencing social interactions on a massive scale. Amazon controls a significant portion of global e-commerce, and Apple’s devices are omnipresent in everyday life. Microsoft’s software products are integral to both personal and professional environments. The combined market capitalisation of these companies exceeds several trillion dollars, underscoring their dominant role in the global economy and their profound impact on modern society.
In this context, the rapid growth of social media is astonishing. Just two decades after Facebook’s launch, the number of social media users worldwide has reached five billion, making these platforms nearly synonymous with the internet. This figure suggests that nearly everyone with internet access is also a social media user, reflecting how deeply these platforms have embedded themselves in daily life.
From a historical perspective, the internet and social media, despite being relatively recent innovations, have transformed the fabric of society. Today, nearly 70% of the world’s population is online, using these platforms to communicate, consume, and connect. As with any major technological advance, the internet has fundamentally changed how we live, reshaping communication methods, consumer behaviour, and social interactions.
The Power of New Media
Media, whether traditional or digital, plays a significant role in shaping how we perceive the world. Our preferences, values, and expectations are influenced by the media we consume, often unconsciously. Over time, what we see and hear through media channels becomes the norm, creating a new layer of reality that dictates what is important and worthy of attention.
This power to shape societal perceptions is why the media sector is closely intertwined with business and politics. Media has always been a tool of persuasion, capable of influencing democratic processes and consumer behaviour. With the advent of digital media, this influence has only grown stronger.
In today’s world, the audience has evolved into the “prosumer”—a blend of producer and consumer. This new media landscape allows users not only to consume content but also to create and share it. However, the idea of the active prosumer often remains theoretical. For most users, their role is still passive, with their interactions largely limited to consuming personalised content tailored by algorithms based on their preferences.
The Threat of Centralisation
Social media platforms were once seen as democratising forces, offering everyone a voice. However, the reality has turned out quite differently. Control over who can be heard rests with the platforms themselves, and by extension, their owners. These platforms, with their opaque algorithms and self-determined community guidelines, offer a highly controlled and dependent form of freedom.
The ability of these platforms to shape public opinion and influence consumer behaviour is undeniable. Their financial power is evident in their advertising revenues and the immense wealth they generate for their owners. It is, therefore, no surprise that these companies, which have quickly created some of the wealthiest individuals in the world, prioritise profit over social good.
With almost 70% of the global population using these platforms intensively, we face a troubling lack of control over these digital giants. Despite efforts by international organisations and governments to regulate these platforms, such measures often fall short. In many cases, these efforts result in double standards that fail to adequately address the power of these platforms, particularly in non-Western contexts.
The Need for Conscious Users
The internet, while offering unprecedented access to information, also functions as a new form of surveillance and control under the dominance of a few corporations. For the internet to truly benefit society, users must be informed and possess digital literacy skills. There is much work to be done, from promoting open-source software to raising awareness about data security.
Educational institutions, universities, civil society organisations, and governments must urgently implement policies and practices to equip society with the tools needed to navigate the digital world responsibly. Without conscious, informed users, the internet risks becoming a tool for manipulation and control, rather than a force for good.