Audience Theory 2

1.

The media has had a massive influence on people over the years especially through social media. Violence and crime isn't the only thing that people are influenced to took part in. But people are also influenced to follow certain beauty trends, dress a certain way or even act in a certain manner. The more popular things like social media become, the more anti-social people become as they don't feel the need to see each other in real life to communicate. People may also have competition through things such as video games; mainly violent ones and this would make them build hate towards another person and the violence they see in the games may be repeated by them in real life when they see their opponents in video games as they are easily influenced by things they see often. 

2.

Social media influences the younger generation a lot these days as they fall into this thought that they must look or act a certain way to be (feel) socially accepted. There are a lot of influencer's that young people follow and look up to especially on things like Instagram. This could be a good and bad thing as some people are influenced to make positive changes and take part in positive things whereas others follow the wrong foot steps, make bad decisions and build things like depression and insecurities by seeing these 'perfect' people on social media. 

3.

The media influenced people in the 1980's to believe overpowering fear that their local preschool was actually a haven for vicious sexual abuse, driven by a Satanist agenda and brought to light only when children's memories were recovered.
It was just a fear of devil worship that was sparked by the hungry media.

People were told not to flash lights at cars with their headlights off as this is a method that gangs use to initiate their plans. Members of the gang are instructed to drive with their lights off, then follow the first person who flashes their lights (to indicate their lights are off), stalk them, and murder them.
There have been no reports about people getting murdered due to flashing lights, therefore this is just another moral panic caused by the media.

When they can't get their hands on drugs (real or fake), teens resort to getting tore up the old-fashioned way: booze. Among the ways they get drunk quickly are shoving vodka-soaked tampons in various places, the "neknominate game," or something called butt-chugging.
Teenagers drinking is true but the rest is all false, exaggerated news by the media.

Kids like to get high. And when they can't get their grubby hands on weed or meth, they're rumored to smoke things like fake pot, synthetic drugs like "bath salts," organic human waste, or ground up Smarties. Every year, a new fake drug is pumped up by the media and fretted over by parents.
This was also false information made by the news to make parents panic. Minor things like this happen very occasionally but it is not a major issue in society.

Criminals will use advanced 3D printing technology to make guns out of thin air and commit all manner of crimes. Children will do the same, leading to horrific accidents.
Technology like this has not been developed yet and media is just creating panic and a form of warning for people before hand.

4.

Technology panic is caused through the Internet according to some people however there has been no evidence to back this point saying the Internet is leading to greater issues in society than other/previous technologies did. In public policy debates they often use fear in an attempt to sway opinion or bolster the case for action.

5.

It is over-exaggerated through political debates causing more fear for people. They also suggest that it is best approached by experimentation, resilience, coping strategies etc. rather than by regulation. 

6.

The government should not have control over what people access online as it is a freedom that everyone is entitled to. Majority of people that access things online and on the Internet are aware of what they are doing and if they are doing something wrong they know the consequences. People are also made aware of most things these days and the government should mainly focus on that and make sure people are aware of such things rather than completely banning them or controlling what they browse on the internet as everyone in the Country is entitled to that freedom and if something is wrong, it should not have the right to be up on the internet and should be taken down to protect people. 

7.

The Cultivation Theory suggests that the more you view things on TV or online, the more susceptible you are to media messages and the belief that they are real and valid. Heavy viewers are more exposed to things like violence which means these things would be applied in their real life as well; this is called mean world syndrome. 

8.

Heavy internet use is becoming a big issue in today's society amongst nearly everyone regardless of age or class. Although it does come in handy it is more convenient to get a lot of things done online as everyone has such a packed day, we are starting to lose traditional values and furthermore people hardly socialise face to face as they just text or video call their friends or family if they want to talk and they're also able to get things such as shopping done from wherever they are so they don't even need to bother going out to shops. Reduction in going out can make people less fit as they aren't moving around as much however studies show that drinking and smoking by younger people has reduced compared to the previous years as youngsters don't go to social events as much anymore.