Opinions Throughout History: Social Media Issues

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A CHOICE Top 75 Community College Resource for May 2020

Social Media Issues is the sixth volume in the new series, Opinions Throughout History. Each volume in the series is designed to follow the evolution of public opinion on a current and controversial topic that has changed throughout history. Each volume discusses both primary and secondary documents such as newspaper and magazine articles, speeches, court decisions and other legislation. Accompanied by expert commentary and analysis, these documents showcase the changing attitudes on these important issues of public interest over time.

Social Media Issues, the sixth volume in the expanding Opinions Throughout History series, provides readers with an in-depth exploration of all aspects of social connection and social media, from the telephone revolution of yesteryear to issues surrounding propaganda and privacy concerns of today. Divided into four main sections, each helps the reader better understand a wide range of topics.

The Importance of Social Connection: Telephone, Radio, Television, Mass Media, Media & Politics, Media & Public Trust
Social Media’s Early Promise: Instant Messaging, Bulletin Boards, Dating Online, Creation of Communities, Social Segmentation
Social Media Challenges Personal and Political Boundaries: Job Searching, Learning Online, Fake News, Privacy Concerns
From Disintermediation to Disruption: Voter Manipulation, Cybersecurity, Hate Speech, Cyberbullying, Social Media Addiction, Media Regulation

The time period covered is sweeping. Tracing the rise of social media as the now-dominant means of communication in this country, Social Media Issues explores the evolving access to information and who controls that information, freedom of speech and of the press, propaganda, cyberbullying, the trustworthiness of social media, and whether or not regulations should be enacted.

This volume includes a wide variety of primary and secondary sources, including opinion essays, editorials, speeches, journal articles, court cases and legislation. Documents are reprinted – entirely or excerpted – and supported by detailed narratives. These important documents are the cornerstone of each chapter, which features:

An informative Introduction that sets up the focus of the chapter, highlighting the primary source that is analyzed;
A list of Topics Covered in the chapter;
The Primary Source Document, clearly indicated and fully cited;
Thoughtful Analysis, averaging 1,500 words – that digs into specific sections of the document;
Sidebars that offer valuable background information;
Photos, cartoons, posters to support the topic and provide fun and informative visuals;
A Conclusion that summarizes the chapter and reiterates main points;
Discussion Questions to help guide further conversation and debate about these topics;
Works Used to make additional research easy.

In addition, front matter of Opinions Throughout History includes a detailed Timeline of significant events that impacted policy and public opinion, and back matter includes an extensive Historical Snapshot that offers an interesting list of significant firsts – events, books, movies, legislation, trends – offering a snapshot of what was happening in the U.S. while public opinion was evolving – a Glossary of terms related to national security, and a Bibliography. A detailed Index closes the volume.

This exciting new series offers a wide range of insights into long-standing issues that Americans are most concerned about, and those that have encouraged vigorous debate among politicians and citizens at large. Using carefully chosen original documents that cover a wide time span, Opinions Throughout History weaves a thoughtful and easy-to-understand analysis of how public opinion is formed and evolves, starting the discussion at an historical, seminal moment, and ending with where we stand today.

This comprehensive, timely volume is a must for large public libraries, university libraries and social science departments, along with high school libraries.

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