Historians can only benefit from the Social Media phenomenon. What is your opinion of this statement?
Submit your answer to the comment section below by Wednesday 22nd March 2023 by 11:55pm.
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Digital History at UWI 
NAME- TRISTAN MANNETTE
BLOG 2
The introduction of social media has transformed the way people communicate and interact with one another. With billions of people using various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others, connecting with others and sharing information is easier than ever. This has had a significant impact on society, particularly on how we preserve and analyse history. Historians, in my opinion, can only benefit from the social media phenomenon. One of the primary ways that historians can benefit from social media is by gaining access to previously unavailable data. User-generated content, such as photos, videos, and text, is abundant on social media platforms. This content can provide historians seeking to understand the past with a unique insight into people’s lives, opinions, and experiences. On a personal level, it is so easy for us to utilize platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to document much of our daily running’s, show achievements and much more. This is to say that social media makes It easy to get a volume of information and data regardless of the circumstances involved.
Historians, for example, can use social media to study the evolution of language, culture, and political movements over time due to the capabilities of some platforms to actually save and analyze data based on specific trends, which can provide critical context for understanding historical events. Social media can also assist historians in connecting with individuals who may have valuable insights into historical events or periods. Historians can build relationships with individuals who have first-hand knowledge or experience of events, or who have access to previously unpublished documents or other resources, by engaging with users on social media platforms. These connections can provide historians with new perspectives on historical events and even lead to the discovery of new information.
Furthermore, social media can help historians collaborate with one another by removing distance and time zone barriers. They can use social media to communicate and share ideas with colleagues all over the world, allowing them to work on projects together, share resources, and benefit from each other’s expertise. This works in the favour of historians as they can now quickly have access to archives and other resources, as well as they can now express some of their writings, discussions and findings in a more grand way. By following other historians and institutions on social media platforms, historians can stay up to date on the latest research and trends in their field. Utilizing social media as a tool for public engagement is another way that historians can gain from it. With the help of social media, historians can reach a wider audience with their research and insights while also fostering a better understanding of historical events and their significance. By posting their research on social media, historians can reach audiences like students or the general public who might not otherwise be able to access it. Additionally, they can use social media to have conversations and debates with other history enthusiasts, which may inspire fresh insights.
In essence, social media benefits historians a lot due to the vast amounts of data that are readily available on the platform, alongside the ability of worldwide historians being able to connect in the “ blink of an eye”. Historians use research aided by technology and its constituent platforms to gain insights into historical events, interact with the public, collaborate with colleagues and most importantly, to keep abreast with the latest research in the field. Due to the evolution of social media , it can be justified that it will not only be a resource used more heavily in the coming years. But it will also be a staple in utilizing and showcasing the data / history found and formulated by fellow historians throughout the world.
I can’t agree with this statement. Majority of great historians throughout history did not rely on social media 1) because it was not a thing during their time and 2) social media is not very reliable. Since everyone is allowed to post their views on any matter, a lot of false information can be put out either by them just wanting to lie or by them just not knowing better. People may also have biases towards a particular matter and can end up giving prejudiced views. This will be detrimental to their research and if they publish this, they can be looked at as unserious in their profession. A historian’s research will be better spent at libraries, verified databases or conducting interviews with people that may concern their research.
Blog 2
Although the Social Media phenomenon will benefit Historians by providing some insight into current events, will it provide an accurate picture? While some people post absolutely everything from the time they get up to the moment they go to bed, others simply share the things they want others to know or believe. The issue with social media is that information may be easily manipulated and altered to suit the individual posting it, and the information may not be authentic. One advantage for historians is that information from Social Media is easily obtainable, but it must be further researched and investigated to confirm its veracity. There have been numerous social media reports of the death of prominent people. For example, Chinese action star Jackie Chan was rumoured to have died in multiple Facebook posts, which were eventually proven to be hoaxes. Spice, a dancehall artist, was also rumoured to be brain dead on Twitter, which turned out to be false.
Alternatively, notable historians can utilize social media to interact with colleagues from around the globe and avoid having to go to other countries to gather information on certain subjects. The advantage of historical sources over contemporary sources is hindsight. People today can lose their historical perspective and become ill-informed while being caught up in the intensity of the moment. On the other hand, historians can see the big picture of how historical events are connected through a cause-and-effect chain (CCEA, 2017). According to a Readex Report, almost every day on Twitter and Facebook, historians post updates about their own research from archives all around the world. Aside from the sense of community it provides, reading posts from other historians-at-work can even increase another’s motivation, according to Rachel Herrmann, a PhD candidate at the University of Texas-Austin (Hattem, 2012). Facebook and Twitter are also used to network with colleagues and peers, as well as to join or start different kinds of supportive groups. Katrina Gulliver, one of the most popular historians on Twitter, created the hashtag #twitterstorians in an effort to facilitate communication among historians on the social media platform. Likewise, scholars are increasingly adopting pre-defined hashtags (Hattem, 2012).
As a result, based on how knowledge is sourced through social media, it can be very advantageous to historians, particularly when they build a network community of renowned historians who can share and obtain credible information from each other in a relatively brief time frame.
Works cited:
CCEA. (2017). Factfile: GCSE History, Using Sources in History. CCEA. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://uk.ccea.org.uk/downloads/docs/Support/Teacher%20Guidance/2021/GCSE%20Physical%20Education%20Instructions%20to%20Teachers%20Summer%202022.pdf
Hattem , M. D. (2012, February). Academic networking 2.0: Historians and Social Media. Readex. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from https://www.readex.com/readex-report/issues/volume-7-issue-1/academic-networking-20-historians-and-social-media#:~:text=Whether%20posting%20from%20conferences%20in,professional%20networking%20and%20scholarly%20development.
HIST 2807- Class Blog 2
Shemiah Superville
Social media can be a valuable source of information for historians. It provides a glimpse into the everyday lives of individuals and communities, which can be difficult to access through traditional historical sources. Social media can be used as a primary source to gain insights into the thoughts and experiences of people from diverse backgrounds, providing a more nuanced understanding of social and political issues. For example, historians can use social media posts to study the impact of social movements, protests, and political campaigns on people’s lives.
Furthermore, social media can help historians to engage with a broader audience and promote historical awareness. Historians can use social media platforms to share their research findings, engage with members of the public, and build communities around historical topics. Social media can help to bridge the gap between academic historians and the general public by making historical information more accessible and engaging.
However, there are also limitations to the use of social media as a historical source. One of the main challenges is the authenticity of the information available on social media. Social media can be a platform for the spread of misinformation and propaganda, and it can be difficult to distinguish between fact and opinion. Historians need to be mindful of these issues and apply critical thinking skills when analysing social media posts.
Moreover, social media tends to amplify extreme views, which can distort historical understanding by focusing too much on the outlier views rather than the mainstream. This can lead to a skewed understanding of historical events and issues. Therefore, it is essential to use a range of sources, including traditional archival materials, to triangulate and corroborate information found on social media.
In conclusion, while social media can be a valuable source of information for historians, it is crucial to approach this source with caution and critically evaluate the authenticity and accuracy of the information. Social media should be used in conjunction with other sources to develop a comprehensive understanding of historical events and issues.
Name: Arianna Ramoutar
I do believe that Historians can definitely benefit from the Social Media phenomenon in many ways. Some of these reasons are:
1. Easy access to primary sources: Social media platforms makes it simple to access original sources, which historians can utilize to research current events and concerns. Tweets, Facebook updates, Instagram stories, and other types of social media material can give users immediate access to information about current politics, social movements, and cultural trends.
2. Archiving and preservation: Social media sites can act as a repository for recent history. They give historians the chance to gather and save the digital documentation of significant occasions, exchanges, and discussions. This can be especially helpful when researching underrepresented communities or historical events that might not have been captured using more conventional techniques.
3. Broadening perspectives: Historical perspectives can be broadened through the use of social media platforms to interact with a larger variety of voices and viewpoints. In order to get insights into how various groups are experiencing and reacting to historical events, historians can utilize social media to monitor individuals and organizations outside of their normal networks.
4. Public engagement: For historians looking to interact with the public and disseminate their research, social media may be a potent tool. Historians can connect with people and groups who are interested in their study, share insights and analyses, and promote their work through social media.
Overall, social media offers historians a plethora of opportunities to interact with current events and concerns in new and creative ways. Using social media as a historical source has many advantages, but it also has some limitations.
“Historians can only benefit from the Social Media Phenomenon”
The Social Media Phenomenon has benefited millennials and twenty-first-century historians. They can now easily use social media for highlighting presence, collaborating with groups/academic communities, building a reputation, stimulating professional relationships, sharing credible content, fostering informal academic conversations through blogs, and developing influence. (Kietzman, Silvestre, McCarthy, and Pitt, 2012, 110).
According to Hatterm, “Through social media and Web 2.0 tools, the context and possibilities of professional networking have increased” (Hattern, 2012). The benefit of networking is the ability to easily collaborate with other academics in the same field of study. It allows for research validation for the purposes of teaching and advertising. This provides historians with a plethora of options for sharing and showcasing new academic material.
Social Media then equips historians with the tools to effectively practice the discipline to its fullest potential as well as access to an infinite source of digital information. Without a doubt, the Social Media Phenomenon can only benefit historians.
References
Hatterm, Michael. “Academic Networking 2.0: Historians and Social Media.” Readex, February 2012. https://www.readex.com/readex-report/issues/volume-7-issue-1/academic-networking-20-historians-and-social-media#:~:text=Whether%20posting%20from%20conferences%20in%20real-time%20on%20Twitter%2C,to%20fundamentally%20changing%20the%20dynamics%20of%20academic%20networking.
Kietzmann1, Jan, Bruno Silvestre, Ian McCarthy, and Leyland Pitt. “Unpacking the Social Media Phenomenon: Towards a Research Agenda.” researchgate, March 14, 2012. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jan-Kietzmann/publication/232066851_Unpacking_the_Social_Media_Phenomenon/links/0912f507522cd0d6b6000000/Unpacking-the-Social-Media-Phenomenon.pdf?origin=publication_detail.
Can Historians only benefit from the Social Media phenomenon?
Social Media has quickly become an important part of many people’s lives. Socializing and sharing updates through statuses, posting photos and videos for the world to see and interact with. Much of what is done in everyday life has become intertwined with various Social Media applications.
So how can Social Media be beneficial to professionals in the field of history?
At its very core, Social Media is about communicating; sharing messages, pictures, videos and other such multimedia. Like many professions, networking plays an integral part in furthering studies and gaining mentorship. Prior to Social Media, things like mentorship could have only been established through face to face meetings, letters, emails, all of which would have been greatly time consuming. Social Media can cut down that time and put mentor and mentee together more efficiently. Not only that, but the mentor is now easily accessible for questions and advice.
Another benefit that Social Media has is that it provides a sense of “community” among other historians and like-minded persons.1 Social Media provides them with an opportunity to share experiences, exchange tips, and collaborate with historians not only in the same university, but worldwide. Additionally, those with different specializations can come together and provide insight and knowledge with one another.
Many historians, through their work with universities, museums, and other similar institutions, have access to a bounty of information and resources. Social Media provides a place for historians to essentially share their research and archive information with not only the public, but also history scholars. The added benefit here is the fact these archives are in of themselves reputable sources for scholars to use.1
Despite the many benefits, there remains several drawbacks. One such drawback is that while Social Media exists to foster social connections, it is primarily used for entertainment and as such, it may not cater for those in the academic sphere. For example, Tik Tok has a multitude of different videos based on different subject matters, however because of the short length of the videos it would be difficult to convey information. Additionally, having a series of short videos to explain academic topics may be deemed ‘boring’ and may not be seen as entertaining. In this same way, Historians and other academics who are on Social Media applications may feel pressured to produce and promote exciting pieces of research; this added pressure could lead to ‘click-baiting’ or spread of false information just to get views and interactions which detracts from the information.1
Ultimately, to say that Historians only benefit from Social Media is not a realistic statement to make, there are many factors to consider. However, it is a useful tool, and hopefully it can be improved over time to become even more beneficial.
1. Michael D. Hattem , “Academic Networking 2.0: Historians and Social Media,” Readex (Readex Report, February 2012), https://www.readex.com/readex-report/issues/volume-7-issue-1/academic-networking-20-historians-and-social-media#:~:text=Whether%20posting%20from%20conferences%20in%20real-time%20on%20Twitter%2C,to%20fundamentally%20changing%20the%20dynamics%20of%20academic%20networking.
I don’t believe historians can benefit from the phenomenon of social media. This is due to lack of detailed information, the credibility of the author and the truth behind the information.
Firstly, with social media there is a lack of detailed information associated with sharing information about topics. This is because it was not originally designed to display information in this such great magnitude and even share the information on these topics more than opinion. For example if we decided to look for information on TikTok about the Salem Witch Trials we would get a general idea of the topic but nothing really concrete. Instead we would have a platform and then would have to do further research on some other site or find sources by other means.
Secondly, the credibility of the author could also be brought into question. The usual work we usual as secondary sources, whether it be an article or a book is often written by someone with a background in a given field. With social media anyone can have a say about any topic the choose. Given that the person might not have a substantial background in the topic they are speaking about it may be hard to trust the information they bring forward. Also, with social media there is no way to ensure people is who they say they are unlike with an article or a book we could always double check the author’s background.
Lastly, a lot of the things posted on social media are often the opinion of the user. Social media has given its users the power of freedom of speech. With this power, users often speak freely on any topic of their choosing. Which could lead to the spread of misinformation and could leave a future historian with false information because they used the writers opinion rather than a fact.
These are just some reasons why the phenomenon of social media may not be beneficial to historians of the future.
There are many ways historians can benefit from social media.Younger historians are using social media for both professional networking and academic improvement, whether it is live tweeting from conferences on Twitter, interacting with historians on Facebook, or participating in the blogosphere. Social media has advanced; it has greatly broadened the reach and elevated the opportunities for academic networking. For instance, new historians can now communicate with older scholars in their area in ways that were previously impossible by becoming their “friends” on Facebook or “following” them on Twitter. The informal nature of responding to a “tweet” or leaving a comment on a Facebook post also relieves strain on younger scholars. The development of an informal familiarity simply wasn’t conceivable among older generations of coworkers who only met once or twice a year. The same is true of exchanges between young historians and their own peers.These are just a few of the many ways that I believe historians can benefit from social media.
Historians Benefit from Social Media to a Great Extent
By Darriah Thompson
When analyzing the statement “Historians can only benefit from the Social Media phenomenon,” we must first recognize that, while Social Media is beneficial to Historians, it also has some drawbacks. As a result, I must disagree with this stance. However, I do believe that historians benefit from social media to a great extent.
Firstly, social media platforms allow for large amounts of information to be disseminated via posts and messaging. A lot of this information can be used to depict society at that point in time. These posts in the form of pictures and videos document major world events such as natural disasters, elections, political crises, as well as cultural celebrations and can therefore be valuable to current and future historians as they can be used to document and understand events and eras.
Historians can also use social media to reach a larger audience. People may be reading fewer books than they used to, but they are getting their information from the internet and social media. Historians can broaden the teaching forum, methodologies, and appeal beyond the classroom by utilizing many social computing networks and tools.
One of the few disadvantages of social media for historians is that due to the large volume of information people will be exposed to in the future, much of it may be misinterpreted, resulting in historical distortion. People may also attempt to comprehend edited images and memes without prior knowledge of their origin or creator’s intention. However, I think that with the continued advancement in AI technology, the ability to sort through the validity of these posts may not be an issue in the near future. One can only hope.
References
Baraniuk, Chris. “What Will Today’s Data Tell Future Historians?” http://Www.bbc.com, http://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210819-what-will-todays-data-tell-future-historians.
Campbell, John F. “Clio’s Matrix: Reflecting on Digital History at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine.” The Caribbean Teaching Scholar, vol. 2, no. 2, 2012, journals.sta.uwi.edu/ojs/index.php/cts/article/view/307.
“Is Social Media Good for History? | History Today.” http://Www.historytoday.com, 2 Feb. 2020, http://www.historytoday.com/archive/head-head/social-media-good-history.
Steinhauer, Jason. “Preserving Social Media for Future Historians | Insights: Scholarly Work at the John W. Kluge Center.” Blogs.loc.gov, 24 July 2015, blogs.loc.gov/kluge/2015/07/preserving-social-media-for-future-historians/.
Satrohan Rajkumar
Blog 2
Social media are interactive digital platforms which include websites and applications that assist with the sharing of thoughts, information and ideas. This is beneficial as it can help connect historians internationally via social networks in a quick and cost-effective manner. Most forms of digital communication on social media are freely available in geographical locations with internet access. New data uploaded and made accessible on social media can be used immediately to communicate information relating to a particular topic (Hailu,2021). An example of this is online libraries and repositories that facilitate public forums. There is also no need to purchase individual journals when subscription to electronic databases is available.
Although social media is generally deemed to attract younger audiences, having appropriate social networking spaces can attract and encourage seasoned academics to interact and collaborate on their research. It can also give historians the opportunity and space to share the findings of their research, both published and unpublished (Hailu,2021), for both academic and general educational use, while also allowing the opportunity for critique and to receive constructive feedback to assist with furthering their research, as well as opening up avenues for other historians by providing new ideas to conduct research. The use of multimedia in social networks can make it more interactive and interesting to communicate and learn, even at an academic level (Francke,2022). An example of this is The History Channel’s YouTube channel.
It is understood that credibility of the social media sites and applications as well as the safety of the users would be a concern. However, these can be managed by having social media managers and moderators who specialize in historical research to oversee the networks by monitoring the activity of the users with one another as well as verifying the information being shared by the users.
Overall, the benefits of social media to historical research far outweigh the drawbacks, especially considering that social media posts will be a form of history in itself for future generations looking back. As long as the internet continues to exist, all historical data, their associated media posts and their forums will continue to exist for future generations of researchers to utilize.
References:
Francke, Helena, and Björn Hammarfelt. “Competitive Exposure and Existential Recognition: Visibility and Legitimacy on Academic Social Networking Sites.” Research Evaluation 31, no. 4 (January 7, 2022): 429–37. https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvab043.
Hailu, Milkyas, and Jianhua Wu. “The Use of Academic Social Networking Sites in Scholarly Communication: Scoping Review.” Data and Information Management 5, no. 2 (2021): 277–98. https://doi.org/10.2478/dim-2020-0050.
Social media platforms is considered as an interactive website, where individuals around the world create and exchange information and ideas through the virtual world .Therefore my opinion on this statement stands that this statement is impartially true, my reason for this answer is because computers and technology were not invented before historian’s life in the ancient times. These historians would have only been able to access or receive any historical information by researching in books, articles, magazines and even newspapers; therefore they social media would not of been accessible to them to interpret any necessary information unlike modern days. Researchers or historians today would often search multiple websites and other online platforms to gain information towards any ongoing research topics. This is more convenient due to the fact that online information update everyday. This privilege would not have been given to historians in the ancient days which comes back to my perspective of this statement where I do not entirely agree with the statement mentioned above.
Shawn Tavares
CLASS BLOG 2
In my opinion, it would not be accurate to say that historians can only benefit from social media, as there may be some limitations and challenges associated with using social media as a historical research tool.
Social media has revolutionized the way we communicate, share information and connect with people around the world. This has had a significant impact on the field of history, as it has provided historians with new opportunities to conduct research, gather information, and engage with audiences.
However, while social media can provide historians with access to a wealth of primary source materials and firsthand accounts of historical events, it is important to keep in mind that social media content may not always be reliable or accurate. Additionally, the sheer volume of data available on social media platforms can be overwhelming, and it can be challenging to identify and analyze relevant information.
Furthermore, social media platforms are constantly evolving, and it can be difficult for historians to keep up with the latest trends and changes in these platforms. This means that historians may need to invest significant time and resources into mastering social media as a research tool.
Moreover, social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram can provide historians with access to a wealth of primary source materials and firsthand accounts of historical events. Social media also enables historians to connect with other scholars and professionals in their field, facilitating collaborations and the exchange of ideas. Social media also presents challenges for historians, such as the reliability of information shared on social media and the potential for misinformation or bias. Additionally, the vast amounts of data available on social media can be difficult to sort through and analyze.
In conclusion, while social media has the potential to benefit historians in various ways, it is essential to approach social media with critical thinking skills and to use it in conjunction with other traditional research methods. Additionally, while social media can certainly provide benefits to historians, it is important to be aware of the potential limitations and challenges associated with using these platforms for historical research.
As the world becomes increasingly connected through social media, historians are presented with a unique opportunity to understand and document the events of our time. In my opinion, the statement “Historians can only benefit from the Social Media phenomenon” is fairly true in its given context. Social media has changed the way we communicate and share information. It has given people a platform to express their opinions and share their experiences with a global audience. This means that historians now have access to a wealth of information that was previously unavailable.
For example, during the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, social media played a crucial role in documenting and sharing information about the events as they unfolded. The Arab Spring refers to a series of demonstrations and revolts that emerged across the Middle East and North Africa in 2010 and 2011 (“Arab Spring | History, Revolution, Causes, Effects, & Facts.”) These protests aimed to challenge the long-standing authoritarian governments in the region and promote the establishment of democratic systems. Videos and images shared on social media platforms provided real-time accounts of what was happening on the ground, helping historians to better understand the causes and consequences of the uprisings. Also, in addition to providing valuable first-hand accounts, social media can also help historians to track changes in public opinion and sentiment over time. By analysing social media trends and conversations, historians can gain insights into the attitudes and beliefs of different communities and how they have evolved over time.
Of course, there are also challenges associated with using social media as a historical source. For one thing, social media platforms are notoriously fickle, and content can disappear or be removed at any time. The process by which false information can circulate typically involves someone who is either a propagandist, fanatic, or scammer creating a fictitious piece of information or story and presenting it as factual on a program, social media platform, or in an editorial publication (“Library Website : Elections and Politics Information: Ways to Avoid the Spread of False Info on Social Media.”) These realities indirectly imply that historians need to be diligent in the capturing and preserving of the information they find on social media, as well as in their discernment and dissection’s of the data they gathered. Conversely, there is also the issue of bias. Social media is often criticized for being an echo chamber, where people surround themselves with like-minded individuals and ideas. This means that the content shared on social media may not necessarily represent the full spectrum of opinions and experiences; which opens an avenue for the bending of ‘credibility’ as information may be perceived by the historian if he/she does not interpret the events, cultures and narratives being pushed by social media organizations and influences.
When historians tap into the wealth of information available on social media; they can gain new insights into our past and present, and better understand the forces that have shaped our world. Hence, I believe that social media is a valuable tool for historians, but the premise of stating that “historians can only benefit,” is very far-fetched and highly likely to be inaccurate as the inability to decipher and discern the truth about information dispelled on social media (by the historian) remains an obvious and possible possibility. Therefore, I would honestly say, that “as long as historians are mindful of the limitations of social media as a historical source, historians can only benefit from the Social Media phenomenon.”
Bibliography
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Arab Spring.” Encyclopedia Britannica, February 14, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/event/Arab-Spring.
Ways to avoid the spread of false info on social media – Elections and Politics Information – Library Website at SUNY Geneseo. “Library Website : Elections and Politics Information: Ways to Avoid the Spread of False Info on Social Media,” January 25, 2023. https://library.geneseo.edu/ElectionsAndPolitics/SocialMediaLies.
It is my belief that historians will not only benefit from the social media phenomenon. What is the social media phenomenon? It is described as “People who are famous through social media and have the power to influence various events” (What is social media phenomenon)
In some cases, this can pose an asset to historians, helping them to get their information acknowledged, reach a wider audience, help to gather contacts, or even source new information. But how does this pose a threat to historians? With the use of social media and influencers, history is being distorted and information miss interpreted. Persons can fabricate their own version of history, and publish it online. With the publishing of random information being published online, how does one tell the difference between real and false? How does one make sense of this?
With that being said there are many benefits of social media but there are also many setbacks when it comes to the publication of history-based information. So to answer the question no historians cannot only benefit from this phenomenon.
For historians, the social media phenomenon can be both a blessing and a curse. Certainly, social media influences how we interpret and analyze historical events. Thus, for the historian social media can be both a blessing and a curse. To begin, connectivity is among the most significant benefit social media offers to the historian. Social media can connect an innumerable number of users at any given time, anywhere. By this , both historical material and material from the recent past can be disseminated globally through social media platforms making it easier for historians to access material, something that was unheard of in previous times. For instance, a Barbadian historian interested in the political upheaval in Haiti does not have to visit the state in order to access records of the happenings. Furthermore, social media users may be among the first to have knowledge of an event as many social media platforms, such as Facebook , twitter, or Instagram as well as news sites and radio stations do possess videos, images, audio, and information of what is happening. These posts and other social media products are important primary sources for the historian. However, though there may be a plethora of sources, it is very important that the historian utilizes his/her analytical and investigative skills to ensure the material does not contain distortion or propaganda as is usually the case. There is a host of intellectual and cultural concerns that accuracy and authority in reporting have been corrupted( History Today 2020). With this challenge, and individuals using opinions and feelings instead of objectivity , poses major consequences to the historian. To validate these sources, the historian must be mindful of the authenticity, author, intent, and accuracy of content on social media before using the material. Therefore, social media is a blessing to historians as it encourages global relations and improves connectivity and communication. However due to the abundance of sources, the validity of social media material may be questioned, and this can influence objectivity one of the major tenets of history.
History Today | Published in History Today Volume 70 Issue 2 February 2020. “Is Social Media Good for History?” History Today, https://www.historytoday.com/archive/head-head/social-media-good-history.