Social Media Defy Spiral of Silence Theory and Provides Baseline for new Spiral of Social Media Theory

Ghulam Safdar; Taimoor-ul-Hassan; Ghulam Shabir; Jam Sajjad Hussain

Abstract:

Spiral of Silence Theory was primarily developed within context of traditional media in 1970s. By enjoying a longjourney of appreciation and fulmination,the era of social media started to make weak its roots due to involvement of individuals in communication process and make them able to speak without fear and express their opinionwith their experimental support. Latest literature has also discussed widely “Spiral of Silence Theory”in contexts of onlinemedia. Based on such researchstudies,currentstudy examines application of Spiral of Silence Theory and illustratesits relevance in the formation of new theory named “Spiral of SocialMedia Theory”. By reviewing existing literature,this articlerevealshow the social communication channels enable users to give opinionthat may affect the enthusiasmof users to articulateabout notoriousissuesin online contextespecially social media. By examining the existingliterature, the researchers may investigate “Spiral of Silence Theory”with reference to online content and proposethat new environmentoffered by online communicationfacilitatesthe readinessof personsto talk more freely, while seeming to declinethe “fear of isolation”, as a result of users’ supposedempowerment to talkabout any issueon the social media. Evidence from existing literatureadds preciseatmosphereof opinion of online conversations. This evidence suggestsformation the ground of new theory (Spiral of Social MediaTheory). The idea of new theory can be observed in social media.

research from:

• Foundation University - Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Year:

2019

Type of Publication:

Article

Journal:

Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences (PJSS)

Volume:

39

Number:

4

Pages:

1549-1558

Month:

12