Impact of new media

It has created a generational divide between older generations and younger generations usage of media.
Digital natives(younger generations) - born into the digital era, and more likley to use media.
Boyle(2015) new generation are brought up in an interactive culture where they gain immediate gratification of information
New media has had an impact on social class, spceifically for the working class, creating a ‘digital underclass’.

Characteristics of the digital underclass

include limited access to technology, impacts their quality of life as it exludes them placing them at a futher disadvantage. (online classes during Covid-19 pandemic, excluded the wc students without any access to the internet or electrical devices)
lack of digital literacy skills.
reduced opportunities for social mobility, which can perpetuate cycles of poverty and marginalization.
- OFCOM survey 2015 - found 54% of lower social classes had access to smart tech compared to 86% of all social classes who had access to smart tech.

Growht of online commerce, have more options where they can compare products, large conglomerates compete with each other in order to create the best product which increases the quality of goods.
Increased consumer choice, people have more options for how and when they access the media and what media they consume. (it’s alos negative as it only benefits high street brands and but independent brands as they get overshadowed by the larger brands.
Revitalise democracyby providing platforms for diverse voices to be heard, enabling greater civic engagement and participation in political discourse.
Has allowed for the increase in social movements (BLM)