‘Social media can be a force for good’

On Wednesday night, Dr Nicholas Christakis, a social scientist and physician at Yale University, addressed an audience of dignitaries at Al Bateen Palace to discuss the interaction between social networking sites and the real world.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, speaks with Dr Nicholas Christakis, after a lecture by Dr Chistakis, titled Social Network IntervShow more

ABU DHABI // How social media can have a positive influence on society and our relationships was the topic of a Ramadan lecture this week.

On Wednesday night, Dr Nicholas Christakis, a social scientist and physician at Yale University, addressed an audience of dignitaries at Al Bateen Palace on the interaction between social networking sites and the real world.

He argued that because many people did most of their socialising online these days, this created patterns that scientists could follow and examine.

The research allows scientists to study the effect that certain topics have on the lives of people in a community.

Dr Christakis cited obesity as an example, as well as emotions such as sadness and happiness, and talked about the patterns formed in social-media connections as these topics were networked.

He said influential people could use social media to send positive information to encourage change across society, but that real interactions with people were still more effective.

“Online networks can facilitate interactions, but influence, real interpersonal influence from many processes, still depends on real interactions with your real friends, not just any one of these online interactions,” he said.

Social-media links cause patterns and structure in the online world, which in return affect the emotions and actions of those we follow and who follow us, Dr Christakis said.

People who are connected with each other on social media are more likely to react in a similar way, thus making their behaviours more predictable.

However, Dr Christakis said, it was important not to confuse the medium with the message, or the messenger.

“These new technologies change some things about our world, but the very deep and fundamental things, they do not change at all,” he said.

Physical relationships with friends and family remain the same despite the advance of technology, he said.

Using a certain science, the use of networking through research and online algorithms could be used to ensure the development of online connections and creating a larger influence to generate change.

The lecture was part of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed’s series of Ramadan majlis lectures.

It was attended by Sheikh Mohammed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, as well as Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and other sheikhs.