Thailand use of social media increases
As the spread of Facebook and Twitter hits developing countries, it leads to a dialogue as to the role of social media in these nations. Thailand now records 50% of internet users as having a Facebook page, and Twitter is also growing in the region. Many bloggers and analysts cite this use of social networking platforms as a sign of increasing globalization, and credit people’s desires for instant access to their media as the driving force behind the rise of smartphones.
However, many people feel that so much social media can have a detrimental effect on these users. They allow for instant, semi-anonymous feedback and have been accused to easily allowing people to spread and foster negative ideas/images quickly. For example, two of Thailand’s leading politicians, Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij and red shirt opposition leader Nattawut Saikua have been embroiled in an online war of words that has incensed the country. But many wonder if they themselves are truly using their pages themselves, or if teams of PR people are molding public opinion through social media.
Markets like Thailand will surely be the measuring rod for the spread of social media across developing nations. While they definitely have positive benefits (allowing people to remain connected almost instantly, sharing pictures and stories, rallying people for causes) it remains to be seen whether their influence will be entirely beneficial.
As the spread of Facebook and Twitter hits developing countries, it leads to a dialogue as to the role of social media in these nations. Thailand now records 50% of internet users as having a Facebook page, and Twitter is also growing in the region. Many bloggers and analysts cite this use of social networking platforms as a sign of increasing globalization, and credit people’s desires for instant access to their media as the driving force behind the rise of smartphones. However, many people feel that so much social media can have a detrimental effect on these users. They allow...
As the spread of Facebook and Twitter hits developing countries, it leads to a dialogue as to the role of social media in these nations. Thailand now records 50% of internet users as having a Facebook page, and Twitter is also growing in the region. Many bloggers and analysts cite this use of social networking platforms as a sign of increasing globalization, and credit people’s desires for instant access to their media as the driving force behind the rise of smartphones.
However, many people feel that so much social media can have a detrimental effect on these users. They allow for instant, semi-anonymous feedback and have been accused to easily allowing people to spread and foster negative ideas/images quickly. For example, two of Thailand’s leading politicians, Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij and red shirt opposition leader Nattawut Saikua have been embroiled in an online war of words that has incensed the country. But many wonder if they themselves are truly using their pages themselves, or if teams of PR people are molding public opinion through social media.
Markets like Thailand will surely be the measuring rod for the spread of social media across developing nations. While they definitely have positive benefits (allowing people to remain connected almost instantly, sharing pictures and stories, rallying people for causes) it remains to be seen whether their influence will be entirely beneficial.
