Social media has changed the way we look at things like movies, sports, television shows and even the news. It has taken the place of water coolers in the office as a place to share our viewing experiences and our opinions of social and political events.

Online Newspapers and Search Engine News Outlets:

Although newspapers are still offered at news stands and popular coffee shops, many people have made the transition to reading the newspapers online. Online newspapers enable readers to read national papers, city papers from other cities, as well as local papers. Social media has ramped up how we share the news.

At the end of articles there is usually a place to comment on the article or share your views. Often times the comments are humorous and insightful. Yet, there are times when the comments are angry and only serve to incite further feelings of social upheaval and social isolation even as people are talking to each other.

Sports Events:

Social Media had created venues that allow people to talk about the game in real-time even when they are not even in the same city or even the same country. This has allowed people to share in the excitement of the game whether that is baseball, basketball, or even the Olympics.

Social Media is not limited to computers. There is also social media available for cell phones so that those who are away from their TVs and computers can still share in sports (and other)events right on their phones.

Entertainment:

Some cable providers now have social media on their websites that allow viewers to connect and talk about the shows they are watching on television. This can be a great way to share the fun, but it can also cause people to become isolated from one another in real life.

It is an interesting paradox that while social media is essentially designed to get people talking to each other, we are also finding the connection to others tentative and easy to shut down with the simple push of a button.

Social Rules of Etiquette:

Due to the rather quick rise of social media there are very few rules of etiquette to guide people on how they share their views. We all know the rule of no caps in messages because it looks like yelling. And we recognize the need to allow for all views and opinions. But, young people who have grown up with social media are challenged in knowing when to share and when something is too private to share.

As we learn to enjoy entertainment along with social media we will also learn and develop rules of engagement so that younger kids can talk about the shows they watch without sharing too much information. We will also learn along the way that manners (no caps please) and polite conversation will get more attention and respect from other folks in the social media neighborhood.