THURSDAY, JULY 04, 2024
Dolcy D’Cruz
Every June 30, Social Media Day recognizes social media’s impact on global communication and culture at large. There is a lot of optimism about social media empowering people to have a voice. It started off with social media pioneer Myspace which made way for other platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Snapchat among many others. For many, it is a means to connect to family and friends across the globe, share ideas and showcase their talent. From holidays to adventures, protests to world disasters, all find space on social media.
RJ Joed Almeida is synonymous with the radio in Goa and his love for music also encourages young musicians to reach out to a wider audience either through his radio show or his social media posts. “Social media platforms today are an important way of connecting with the world. I love watching Instagram reels and there are reels that connect with every human emotion. Apart from it helping me stay in touch with my friends around the world, it's a tool for sending a message across to a larger number of people and that's how I use a couple of platforms, as a message delivery system. I also love to help amplify someone else's message. From sharing music artists' content to sportspersons and generally other people's achievements to my one off rants and sharing my emotions, I can't live without it but I do switch off every now and then. Happy World Social Media Day to everyone,” says Joed.
Viraj Phadte has over 74,000 followers on Instagram on his handle _we_raj_ and is known for creating funny reels. He is always following the latest trends and an important aspect of his video is that it is always in Konkani. An alumni of Goa College of Music, he is now full time into creating content on social media. “I am regularly posting on social media especially on Instagram which gets cross posted on Facebook. I love the real time response on Instagram as I immediately can connect to the audience. They comment and show their appreciation. I keep myself updated to know what is trending and spend at the most four hours on social media per day. Through social media, I have been able to reach a new audience and even make friends with other content creators. I also create content on YouTube and post vlogs. Social media is very important and I have been recognised for my efforts as people come over to say that they love my work,” says Viraj.
Nalini Elvino De Souza is a filmmaker and her documentaries have been to various festivals and screenings across the world. Her posts on social media lets the audience know what she is working on next and where her films are travelling to. “As much as social media has its pros and cons, we inadvertently are dependent on social media for various reasons. As for me, I may not be tech savvy, but I am wholly dependent on social media for promotion of my work. In general, one’s life has become dependent on it, their eyes are focussed only on the screen. It is useful though, when you have a purpose, but many times it is used with no aim,” says Nalini.
Daniel D’Souza, president of the Botanical Society of Goa, is known as the plant-man of Goa. His short reels on Instagram or a bouquet of images that show the wonder of the plant world always receives a huge feedback from other green thumbs in Goa and around the world. “Social media is good as you can showcase your work to the world. Even if one has any difficulty or is facing a crisis, one post on social media can get help from friends and family members. However, one can get addicted to it too. One should draw a line on how much time they spend on social media. During the Covid pandemic, there was a social media boom as everyone had time and didn’t know what else to do. Social media also allows you to share with the world what you love the most. I keep my posts trendy. The most recent one was on the different apples that are available like love apples, ice apples etc. I keep the videos basic and raw which the audience loves and I get response even from plant lovers in America and Japan who appreciate these posts,” says Daniel.
Engineer Alinto Coelho’s Facebook feed is filled with informative posts on various heritage structures and Goan homes. They are stories that have been passed down from generation to generation and now find a wider audience. The images show the splendour of the local artisans at a time when even the telephones were not invented. He is currently documenting Goan homes and many are welcoming him to talk about their houses as well.
“I prefer Facebook because the interconnectivity is better especially if you tag other people who share the same interest. It also helps people to connect if they are not in touch for a while. I have a fan following on Facebook because I share information about heritage Goan houses and many people message me on Facebook to get connected to write about their houses as well. Many people even use the information for reference and I have four PhD researchers to connect with me for information for their thesis on Goan houses. I also post on Instagram, but I love the interactions on Facebook better,” says Alinto, who was recently back from a Colloquium in Brazil.
Tallulah D'Silva is an architect by profession with a keen interest in green building and sustainable practices. She has been a social activist right from her college days and still spreads the information of preservation through her posts online. “I have been using social media in 2009 for activism and I usually post as often as possible. It is a fantastic tool to create awareness and it is not just reaching a local audience but the whole world. One has to learn the right way to use hashtags too to reach the right audience and similar minds. I post usually on the environment, nature, environmental issues and even education and outdoor workshops that I conduct for children. I get a lot of response from parents as well as many people tell me that they didn’t know that Goa existed with its pristine rivers and hills. It is important to highlight the changing environment at the local level due to climate change,” explains Tallulah.
Social media has become the place for discovering new trends, following influencers and creators, researching brands and shopping. It is an undeniable truth that one is dependent on social media to be well informed.
