Factors of Social Media

Social media plays a significant role in today's world. The innovation of Snapchat allows users to chat with their friends by sending pictures or messages. Users can also look at Live Stories being posted from all over the world as well as catching up on the news under the 'Discover' section of the app. Snapchat allows users to "experience the world in new ways, every day".

Snapchat created a communication channel that allows people to send pictures or messages that disappear after they are seen or read. When sending photos to another person as a method of communication users can add a filter by tapping on their face, switch faces with their friends, or have the ability to play a game. Once the picture is taken stickers or drawings can be added.

The passage of time has escalated Snapchat's popularity. The ability to send a picture and later a message and have it only last a short period of time is a function that has made the app in high demand. Even with the pictures disappearing people could still screenshot them. In 2011 Snapchat released an update that alerted people if another user took a screenshot of messages or photographs. Next, in 2012, Snapchat introduced videos on the app. Both of these updates in 2011 and 2012 made the app even more popular. Snapchat continued to grow in popularity as new updates were released "2013-2014: Stories and Chat," "2015: Discover and Lenses," and in "2016: Memories".

Snapchat has created a social network of people sharing their different interactions and daily life. It has made it easy for people to stay in touch with a friend who is far away and give them the ability to feel like they are not missing anything in each other's lives. In addition to creating a platform for social interaction, Snapchat is also a source for news from websites such as Cosmopolitan, People, Buzzfeed, National Geographic and more. This creates a network of people receiving the same information from the same source.

Eight Values of Free Expression

Checks on Governmental Power is an important value of free expression. Both the people and the press are part of checks and balances within the government. For checks and balances, there are three levels, federal, state, and individual, all keeping checks and balancing out one another, making sure one entity does not gain to much power. They all keep an eye on each other. The "individual' part of checks and balances refers to the press. The freedom of the press allows a citizen to be informed about the government's abuse of power. Once learning this information the citizen has the right to stand up and say no to the government, which can be done through speaking out. For example, this can be done through social media outlets such as Twitter or making a blog. Citizens can also stand up the governments misuse of power by voting the abusive government out of power or to change policy. 

The citizens of the United States have the final check on the branches of government. This is done by voting. Every two years the people vote on their Representatives, every six Senators, and every four the President. In addition, through these people voted into office they impact the composition of the judiciary. 

This is important because it keeps the government in check from making the mistake of trying to abuse their power. They know that if an abuse if made the media will share it with the people and as a result, the people will speak out against the government and if the abuse is bad enough use the ballot box to vote the government out of power. This keeps checks on government officials because they do not want to lose their power or be voted out of office.