Runninghead:GENREANALYSIS

Social Media and Society

Ashley Marie Aguilar
The University of Texas at El Paso

GENRE ANALYSIS

Over the years our ways of communicating with one another have without a doubt
evolved. Today social media is ranked to be the most popular way in which people interact
amongst each other. Applications such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook give people the
opportunity to create and share with others personal things. Most of all it gives people the chance
to talk with anyone around the world. That being said the big question is, what would become of
society if the access of social media where no longer available? Would it do good or bad? In
looking at this video Think Time: Teens and Social Network created by username
MySecureCyberspace and this website The Effects of Social Networking made by username
AwesomeSause014 one is able to discover more about the issue. The iconographys motive is to
let their viewers become well educated and cautious about the matter whereas the typographys
main purpose is to share their opinion about the subject in the hopes that their readers will side
and agree with their view.
Audience and Purpose
The video was made with the intentions to notify its younger audience. One becomes
aware when reading the title of the video itself Think Time: Teens and Social Network. In
doing so the viewers can automatically predict a relationship to be seen between social media
and teens. Plus while watching the video every fact stated is given accordingly to how teens have
been effected by the presences of social media. For example Teens spend roughly 2 hours and
20 minutes per day online, or Teens spend 79% of their online time on social networks
(MySecureCyberspace, 2012). In knowing that the information is being associated with a
younger generation it should therefore be seen by teenagers to accomplish the videos goal in
establishing a sense of realization and awareness towards teens who use social networking.

GENRE ANALYSIS

The website attracts anyone who is a part of the social networking world. The author
never specifies on a certain age or gender in which they believe should be the ones to view their
website. Based on the particular information being given one can determine that the audience
should be pretty much anyone interested in wanting to learn more about what others have to say
about the issue. Since the information that is presented is based on the authors opinion, the use
of detail is relied heavily on the fact that the author has already made it clear that they believe
social media has done society wrong. There is nothing that can substitute for personal
interaction. Social networking is the problem and we must eliminate its overuse for the sake of
our fut (AwesomeSause014, 2014). There is no questioning that the creator of the reading has
planned to inform their readers but also persuaded them into thinking the same way in which
they do.
Considering that the two are completely different sources of receiving data from, we
learn that so are their motives. The iconography is more about having their audience become
knowledge about the possible effects and risks that can arise when using social networking the
wrong way. They want those who have used social networking in a damaging way to change
their actions and become wise about the decisions they make on social networking in the future.
The typography on the other hand is trying to influence their logic on their audience in order to
have them share the same mentality about the matter as they do. In this case agreeing with the
authors belief that social media has a more negative effect towards society. Not only that but to
motivate the audience to do something about the situations such as, helping society gain better
control of social networking.
Rhetorical Issue

GENRE ANALYSIS

Towards the end of the video the iconography lists all the citations used to obtain its facts
from. This section of references has definitely helped the videos credibility. It has viewers
obligated to believe that in fact all of the information being introduced is reliable. While
watching viewers can also say that they where compelled to feel different emotions. 39% of
teens on social networks have been cyber bullied, some have even committed suicide
(MySecureCyberspace, 2012). Statements such as this one generated feelings of sorrow and
grief. Besides the fact that the audience is emotionally intrigued, the video also grabs the
viewers attentions with the constant use of facts. From beginning to end the video is made up of
statistics, percentages, bar, circle, line graphs all to help the creator make a statement and have
the audience feel more confident in the information that has been shared.
Now the author of the website used reliable others to share their knowledge about the
subject. Sarah Zay, of USA Today, stated, With the rise of websites such as Facebook, social
networking may be on the verge of replacing traditional personal interactions for the next
generation (AwesomeSause014, 2014). In reading her opinion one knows it was used to further
encourage the audience into agreeing with the authors side. Even the different feelings one
experiences while reading such as concern, worrisome, anger and defeat all contribute to the
audience feeling persuaded. Much of what the author says to help influence their readers is
mainly coming from their opinion and use of logic and reasoning.
It was clear that the use of ethos, pathos and logos was presented differently in both the
iconography and typography. In comparing the video with the website, the video had better use
of the rhetorical issues. In doing so the video was able to more effectively have its purpose
achieved. The video had a variety of credentials, ways in which the viewer could relate, tons of

GENRE ANALYSIS

proof and evidences. When on the other hand the websites article could have interpreted each
rhetorical issue more, to have given off the same reactions as the video did.
Structure and Delivery
Taking into consideration that the video was about three minutes long, it was way over
able to deliver plenty of information. It was very straight to the point yet effective at keeping the
audience engaged and wanting to know more. Colors and animations combined did not cause
boredom rather an interest and of course did have plenty to do with the data being brought
forward. Structurally the video mimicked a story being told, it would state a fact and then grow
from that, then that fact lead to a bigger claim. What you share on social networks can affect
your future, 24% of college admissions are checking Facebook profiles 12% of them have found
something that negatively affected an application 69% of employers have rejected a candidate
because of what they saw, 8% of companies have fired someone for what they shared
(MySecureCyberspace, 2012).
The website again was not a giant article to be read, it was just enough information for
the reader to grow an opinion. Bolded title attracts audience, and in order to continue reading one
must be willing to be interested in the topic itself presented in the title. The way it was organized
first explains what social media is and the reason for its use, from there it branches out into what
the world has slowly changed it to be listing and describing the negative way in which they
believe it has affected our society, Although many people around the world use social
networking, it should only be used as a tool. Social networking aides long distance
communication greatly but there must be a stopping point. It cannot become our main form of
communication and interaction. There are positives to this new technology but nowhere do these
positives outweigh the negatives (AwesomeSause014, 2014).

GENRE ANALYSIS

The video and website article each had their own ways in which to grab the
viewer/readers attention. The iconography was able to include more visuals and different effect.
Aside from the website article that put most of its trust of fulfilling its purpose on the way it
portrayed their argument. Overall both where well organized and perfectly arranged in a way that
there particular audience is able to follow along and see their purpose.
After reviewing the iconography and typography with great detail, it is clear that one was
made to inform and serve as an eye opener to many while the other holds a belief and is
determined to have others share the same idea. With that in mind, the video will have no problem
in achieving its goal. The website being that it is an opinion will have some readers who still may
not agree with what the author has to say. In addition to that the audience is obviously more
confortable in knowing that all the information came from a good amount of worthy sources, and
the video presents that. The video is attractive to watch, full of interesting facts and statistic and
altogether the material in which overshadowed the other.

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7
Referencepage

ThinkTime:TeensandSocialNetworks(n.d.).RetrievedFebruary11,2015,from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TWHsiMYSxw
TheEffectsofSocialNetworkinguponSociety.(n.d.).RetrievedFebruary19,2015,
fromhttp://www.teenink.com/nonfiction/academic/article/485925/TheEffectsofSocial
NetworkinguponSociety/