Digital Media Dilemmas
Addiction and Other Psychological Concerns
- Digital media can be addictive, leading to negative effects on mental health.
- A compulsive need to engage in a behavior or use a substance, despite negative consequences.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has identified examples of digital addiction to include issues such as addictions to social media, gaming, online gambling, pornography, and online shopping.
Causes of Digital Media Addiction
- Social Media: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are designed to keep users engaged for as long as possible.
- Gaming: Video games often use reward systems to encourage continuous play.
- Streaming: Services like Netflix and YouTube use auto-play features to keep users watching.
Effects of Digital Media Addiction
- Mental Health Issues: Anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
- Sleep Disruption: Excessive screen time can interfere with sleep patterns.
- Reduced Physical Activity: Spending too much time online can lead to a sedentary lifestyle.
Journalism and Information Sharing
- Digital media heavily influences journalism and sharing information to wide audiences.
- Digital media has revolutionized the way information is shared and acquired, but this causes dilemmas and potential issues.
Negative effects of Digital Media in Journalism
- Misinformation: False or inaccurate information that is mistaken for true information and is shared over media.
- Disinformation: False or inaccurate information that is purposefully created with the intent to deceive individuals.
- Evaluate how digital media misinformation may benefit political parties.
- To what extent does digital media disinformation impact rural communities?
Ownership and property
- A significant dilemma regarding digital media is how to determine ownership and legal rights of digital media and content.
- Most countries and regions have developed strict regulations regarding digital ownership, such as the USA and the European Union.
Forms of regulations and ownership
- Intellectual property: The ownership of a result of a thought or product and the legal protections surrounding it.
- Copyright: Legal protections and regulations regarding artistic creations in digital media.
- Copyleft: Conditions, set by the owner of a property, that allow individuals to use their property.
One form of copyleft is Creative Commons licensing, which usually allows all individuals to use a piece of digital content as long as they credit the original author.
Self review- What are some of the dilemmas associated with digital media?
- How does digital media impact journalism and news authenticity?
- What are the challenges of digital media preservation?
