Discussion Questions

1. I don't think that profession production values will drop. I think that user-generated content is getting better and better. Professionals may be emulating that style, but they still have the skill and expertise to create unbelievable graphics and animations, so I don't think the values will drop. In my opinion, there are still a lot of advertisements and TV shows that have incredible designs, concepts, techniques, and messages. User-generated content is, and definitely will get better over time with the advancement of certain technologies and how readily available they are to the public. Our constant technological evolution as a society puts the power to create in our hands. It may not be that professional production value is dropping, it may just be that "amateur" user-generated content is getting much better. 
   
2. I use Facebook the most. I think it is probably the only social media site I use on a regular basis. I used to use Myspace all the time but that slowly died as I got into facebook. For me, Facebook is just something that appeals to me much more than the other sites. I started using it as a sophomore in high school and its grown with me. It is constantly re-developing itself, and I find it to be very reliable. The other social networking and media sites really just don't peak my interest and I think that's just a personal preference. Twitter, for example, does nothing for me. I don't really understand why it became so popular. Obviously since I use Facebook daily, I think it is definitely here to stay. College students use Facebook so much, I wonder what we would do with out it during our free time. Another reason I believe it is around for a while is because it has expanded its user-base. Adults above 40 now have Facebooks, and their generation is the fastest growing users on the site.
3. Transparency is so important in the social media world because even though we may be online while communicating, we are still communicating, and we expect to be speaking to whoever that other person claims to be. In our everyday lives we form bonds and relationships and we do not lie to those people because usually, we get caught. So why do people feel it is okay to lie when they're online? Because they're not face to face with whoever it is they're talking to? Lying, no matter how you spin it, is wrong and usually ends up hurting someone and a relationship is typically damaged by it. To me, it is equally important to be transparent in BOTH worlds. Even though its online, it is still real life, and in real life, being honest (to me) is one of the most important qualities in a person and in a relationship.