As I have discussed in previous posts, social media gives the entertainment industry a “run for their money”- both metaphorically and literally. And it is no wonder why. Social media offers its users so many outlets and things to do, it is hard to find a reason not to use it for everything. If nothing else, social media is engaging… what more do you want? Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc. offer an overall interactive nature that the entertainment industry just can’t compete with. When you watch a movie, you are 
simply sitting idly watching- your opinions and comments don’t matter and aren’t heard. When you listen to music, you are for the most part, only audibly engaged. But with social media, the user can watch, view, listen, communicate, approve or disapprove and practice freedom of speech. They also have the ability to find media that meets their need or matches their mood instantly. For example, if they are feeling sad, the user can log onto Facebook and watch some tearjerker videos that their friends have shared. If the user is in need of motivation, they can log onto Instagram and view photos and captions to help inspire them. This can be done all at the touch of a finger and can be done simultaneously together or can be specifically chosen.
In an article published on EmeraldInsight, list of reasons why people use social media is given. The lists states that seven main themes as to why people choose to engage in social media are as follows: social interaction, information seeking, to pass time, entertainment, relaxation, communicatory utility, and convenience utility. Although “entertainment” is listed as an independent point on this list, it is hard not to view each of the other 6 points as forms or substitutions people use for entertainment as well. The interactivity of social media is the “leg-up”, so to speak, that social media platforms have on the entertainment industry. Users have the ability to give their input and use social media wherever they are instantly with ease; whereas traditional entertainment platforms are much more restrictive.
Despite this alluring plural nature to social media, is there a down side that comes along with it? Perhaps social media’s vastness and public nature is both its blessing and curse. It’s true, the fact that the uses has so much access to so much material is one of social media’s best qualities, but it can also be problematic. The U.S. Government 
Accountability Office published a report drawing attention to the fact that because of the almost unregulated access that computers and social media platforms allow, privacy and private information on the web are at risk. So, despite the fact that social media platforms offer perhaps a better alternative to traditional entertainment, is the security risk to private information that inevitably comes with vast access provided by social media worth it?
Works Cited
Media and Entertainment 
I really enjoyed reading this post Mary Michael! The concise and to-the-point nature of the writing hit the big points you were trying to make and asked pointed questions of the reader. I also agree with your question about the security risks of social media. When creating an Instagram, Twitter or Facebook account, there are terms and services we all as users sign off too. However, who actually reads them? We are signing off our photos, thoughts, and media to these companies without any thought to who can access this information in the future. It’s true – what is posted onto the Internet stays forever and social media users in my opinion, are forgetting this reality.
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