SOCIAL MEDIA: PROMISE AND OPPORTUNITIES

The social media have gained importance due to the exponential increase in the number of Internet users all over the world. The social media have emerged as the media of the mankind since the mainstream media have remained the media of the dominant powers. The technological, social, economic and political factors have added new dimension to social media application. The social media have filled the vacuum created by the mainstream media from the points of view of participatory communication and development. They are the online platforms and locations that provide a way for people to participate in conversations, transactions and activities. The advent of high-speed Internet access has led to a proliferation of social networking sites in the world. Social media have transformed the lives of the people and produced great results in all spheres of human life. The current technological landscape shows tremendous promise and presents numerous opportunities for news and professionals despite certain potential pitfalls. The social media association had considerably reduced inter-personal relations and social interaction.