[Serious] Do you think social media affects public opinion?

[WinterHold]

I just wanted to know your opinions seriously.
Do you think social media affects public opinion?

As simple as the question is, I'm seriously oblivious to its answer.. at first I thought it -sm- really affects public opinion; but with Trump's defeat I'm having second thoughts.

What do you seriously think

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Yes.

Boru

[Peebothuhlu]

Yes.

Not at work.

[arewethereyet]

Yes

[GrandizerII]

It goes two ways I think. Public opinion also shapes the trends that occur on social media.

[Deesse23]

yes, 100%

[no one]

Public opinion has the structural fortitude of paper mache.

[brewer]

Depends on the age group and the ability to think.

That's more personal than public.

Guess I might need to consider the echo chamber effect but I'm rarely in that chamber.

[Rhizomorph13]

For sure it affects public opinion. I would say it effects how we live our lives to such a degree as to be a new normal with potentially catastrophic consequences.

[Brian37]

I just wanted to know your opinions seriously.
Do you think social media affects public opinion?

As simple as the question is, I'm seriously oblivious to its answer.. at first I thought it -sm- really affects public opinion; but with Trump's defeat I'm having second thoughts.

What do you seriously think

I think it always depends on the individual. Long before the internet, when I was a kid, peer pressure and product placement and tobacco marketing did work on me and I started smoking. Other kids it didn't work on. But just like any product, or service, including social media, the CEOs wouldn't make money if marketing didn't work to some degree. Big tobacco was successfully sued and forced to stop marketing to kids. But that hasn't had enough effect because they still display cartons and packs openly. In Australia tobacco is in unmarked cabinets. Even with hard liquor they don't sell it on tv or in grocery stores. 

I used to scoff at Richard Dawkin's meme theory, but now I don't. I think it is very real. I think words and colors and smells and framing appeal to others to get an audience or sale does have a literal impact on the neurological pathways in one's brain. So yea, to a great degree social media can have an impact on public opinion in both positive and negative ways. The social media platform CEOs know very well how to appeal to users. 

The like button or thumbs up button you see is designed to trigger endorphins in your brain to get you to pay attention more. That is a double edge sword though, because while it can reinforce good things like valuing peace and cooperation, it is also unfortunately used to attract religious and political wingnuts of any label. 

Social media CEOs work just like any other advertising, except they use algorithms.

But I don't think the inventors of Facebook or Twitter, when they invented them, were worried enough about how abused it is by those who would do violence to others.