Negative Influence
Media can spread misinformation, encourage negative behaviors and create disconnects from the real world. The following are common negative influences of media.Fake news | Sensationalism |
Narrow agenda setting | Normalization of negative behavior |
Normalization of violence | Disinformation |
Misinformation | Propaganda |
Political polarization | Fearmongering |
Encouraging excessive risk avoidance | Encouraging excessive risk taking |
Reinforcement of stereotypes | Gossip culture |
Promoting materialism | Promoting and rewarding narcissistic behaviors |
Promoting negative role models | Culture of fear |
Fear of missing out | Information overload |
Information chaos | Erosion of trust |
Dumbing down of issues | Creating unrealistic expectations |
Promoting an obsession with social status | Acting as a substitute for the human experience |
Disconnection from the real world | Discouraging critical thinking |
Exploiting crisis and misfortune | Loss of face-to-face communication |
Loss of productivity | Loss of quality time |
Emotional manipulation | Promotion of biases |
Algorithmic bias | Normalization of substance use |
Glorification of crime | Neglect of important issues |
Generating conflict and drama | Censorship |
Cognitive effects of short form content such as a short attention span | Creating an environment where people feel they need to self-censor |
Suppression of information | Misrepresentation of science |
Misuse of statistics | Repetition of a small number of stories and themes |
Loss of trust in objective reason |
Positive Influence
The influence of media largely depends on how people consume, use and interact with it. Where it could be a tool of mindless gossip and consumerism it could also be a tool of learning, relationship building and creativity. The following are common positive effects of media.Creating transparency | Media as a tool for learning and education |
Knowledge and information sharing | News awareness |
Political awareness | Generating political participation and engagement |
Global awareness | Social awareness |
Issue awareness | Environmental awareness |
Positive role models | Acting as a venue for political discourse and debate |
Providing online communities | Providing social environments |
Acting as a tool for meeting and interacting with others | Media as a creative tool such as a video game that lets you build things |
Consumer awareness | Ratings and reviews that incentivize improvement of products and services |
Promotion of literacy, digital literacy and media literacy | History awareness |
Health awareness | Legal awareness |
Information access | Communicates advancements in science |
Video games that build skills in areas such as problem solving | Exercising critical thinking by participating in social media debates |
Exercising social skills in social media | Improved concentration by reading long articles or studies in media |
Media as a source of creative inspiration | Media as a valuable element of the human experience |
Exercising language skills | Stress reduction with entertaining or engaging media |
Enhancing empathy by learning about the lives of others | Building self-esteem with positive interactions or accomplishments online |
Storytelling and the transmission of new culture |
