[dropcap]M[/dropcap]ainstream and social media often gets criticized for the negative or disruptive impact that it can have on people’s lives. While this is true in many cases, this avenue of information gathering, sharing, and public speaking can also do many people a lot of good, especially if they struggle to make their voices heard. Here are three different ways that the media can positively affect the lives of the underprivileged, and how the more privileged and easily-heard in society are using it to aid their less fortunate neighbors.
Getting Out Accurate Information
Spreading information is one of the first things that should be done when alerting people to a new cause that needs their attention. Of course, if the information that’s getting spread around is inaccurate, it can definitely do more harm than good. Many different sites like Pilinut Press, Inc., have guides on how to fact check written for readers and viewers to peruse. This is a safety precaution both for the people who are pushing out information and for the ones who are consuming it. One of the largest complaints about most forms of media these days is that it’s impossible to tell what is the truth and what is a fabrication or something that’s been heavily altered from the original source. By keeping one’s head about them and consuming their media carefully, it will be much easier for them to separate these different stories.
Why is this a good thing for the underprivileged? Simply put, misinformation can redirect efforts that might have been better used elsewhere. As an example, if a person hears that there’s a bigger fire down the street only to discover that the fire doesn’t exist at all, they’ll have missed out on the opportunity to put out the fire right at their back door, and for no reason. Informational fact-checking allows everyone to understand the sources of their knowledge and adjust their actions accordingly. The more resources for fact-checking there are, the better off everyone will be.
Crowdfunding
There are numerous reasons as to why crowdfunding has become such a popular staple in recent years. Fundable lists all of the conventional reasons to rely on crowdfunding, stating that it’s more efficient than traditional funding, and that it also acts as a method of allowing one person to spread their message across a large platform of people.
So how does this help someone out? Crowdfunding is another way to give a voice – and the ability to act – to people who may not otherwise have had it. Soup kitchens and other charity-minded organizations have used crowdfunding either to get started up, or to buy new equipment or supplies that allow them to aid the needy more efficiently. This allows the donators to interact with their intended recipients in a much more personal way, as well. Of course, crowdfunding doesn’t replace the more traditional venues of donation and support that the usual charities offer. It’s just another way for those who are more privileged to lend a hand to those who need a little help.
On a marginally smaller but no less important scale, crowdfunding has also altered individual lives. People with no way of reaching their own goals for financial reasons or having their struggles heard have been able to find the funding they need to start businesses, find jobs, and completely turn their lives around all because of the generous donations of strangers who resonate with their plight.
Spreading Awareness
This is where having a large audience can make a big difference. Political or public figures such as Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva are able to use their standing to aid the underprivileged in a way not many others can. One of the major keys of aiding the underprivileged is alerting more people to their plights. It’s difficult for those who are less fortunate to speak up, and their voices may need help being carried and heard. Mainstream media and social media are perfect platforms for doing exactly this. This is especially true for leading figures in the world who have many people following them, as this means that their messages will reach a much larger audience. Popular celebrities and political figures can, for example, reach hundreds of thousands or even millions of people every time they have an interview, write a post, or comment on something going on in their immediate area or the larger global community.
While it’s undeniable that different forms of media can be used to harm others, it’s also clearly seen through the actions of people like Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva that the media can be used in a good way. Spreading messages of positivity, reaching out to larger audiences, and pulling people together to unite toward one common goal are all things that have been possible before. However, they’ve certainly been made much easier thanks to the global reach of social and mainstream media.
