The media can influence individuals through magazines, advertisements such as billboards or television adverts. These can change the ways that the public behave. These can influence people either positively or negatively. Through marketing they target specific audiences in order for a product to appeal to them, such as video games which range from children to adults.
In many ways the media is driven by society however, in order for the media to be driven by society the society must in many ways be influenced and represent the ideas that are shown through the magazines, therefore it is a repetitive cycle.
My initial response to the videos of beheadings being shown around Facebook is quite shocking. Personally, Facebook isn't a reliable source, secondly, I know that these sort of videos should be only on the news. The fact that these videos aren't censored gives the public to have their own views and opinions rather than being influenced by the media which is good, however certain things should not be allowed on social media sites. These videos do overshadow the deeper meaning behind these videos, and the fact that it is being allowed could perhaps be a way for the government to allow the audience to only see the bad sides of these countries, which hides the relation between the issues in the videos and the western government. By having these videos shown, the people tracking these sites are having people think a certain way which guarantees mass mindset control.
Personally, if certain things were being hidden from people to see I would think that is wrong, people should have a freedom of speech, and opinions. If you don't want to see something you don't have to, if you know the risks of seeing graphic content, you don't have to continue to use the websites. Facebook is obviously apart of the internet and the internet is a free, opinionated and can be quite an offensive place, therefore if you're aware of these issues and the unreliability of Facebook and other social media sites, then simply get off. Thus, these videos will only appear on your 'Facebook Timeline' depending on which of your friends share the post, if the situation seriously offends someone, they would have to simply reconsider their 'friend' list.
"We know from evidence that [watching] such material can influence self-esteem in a very negative way. It can also cause flashbacks, nightmares and sleep disturbance. If that is prolonged it can transfer into many other negative effects in a child and adults as well such as anxiety-related disorders and panic attacks."
Again, if you're on the internet you're already vulnerable but you are putting yourself up for it anyhow. Depending how you deal with these things is personal. I do agree that certain things should have age restrictions, however if a child ends up on one of these dodgy websites, that's down to dodgy parenting! If you don't like something, you don't have to see it.
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