Can Facebook Users Give Answers to Questions?

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Can Facebook Users Give Answers to Questions?
Facebook, one of the earliest social media platforms, has improved digital communication and interaction. Nowadays, as understood by Evans et al., there are other newly developed social media sites such as WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, and Skype; where individuals socialize and share information (Evans et al. 1). They delve into different topics ranging from politics, entertainment to business, among other important subjects. Due to its diversified nature, Facebook is also utilized by different users that yearn to acquire answers to their various questions.
Evans, B., Karam, S. & Pirolli, P. Do Your Friends Make You Smarter?: An Analysis of Social Strategies in Online Information Seeking, IP $ M. 2010.
Owing to its prominence, Facebook is used by individuals of different age groups. Jiang et al., posit the importance of social media in bringing about various types of relationships between people. Unlike social platforms such as Instagram and SnapChat, Facebook harbors both older and younger people (Jiang et al. 58). Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO, ensured that every person is accommodated in the platform. The idea of either publicizing or hiding one’s profile is also requisite in the acquisition of answers.
Jiang, L. C., Bazarova, N. N. & Hancock, J. T., 2011. The disclosure-intimacy link in computer-mediated communication: An attributional extension of the hyperpersonal model.

Human Communication Research, 37(1), pp. 58-77.
Reiterated by Bright et al., University students and researchers, for instance, may utilize Facebook to find useful content for their studies (Bright et al. 14). With the recent U.S. elections, there was a lot of resentment on social media platforms. Most people chose Facebook as an avenue to either uphold or denounce the U.S. Presidential elections results. A student majoring in History and Government or Political Science would benefit greatly from an indistinguishable exchange on Facebook. The information acquired from this platform serve as answers that are requisite in the students’ course work. After the U.S. Presidential elections, most professors tested their students on related topics. Donald Trump’s win was indeed quite unexpected because his running mate, Hilary Clinton was leading in the polls, according to the information disseminated on Facebook. When either a student or researcher explores the comments posted by Facebook users, they manage to answer their incomplete questions.
Bright, J., Margetts, H., Hale, S. & Yasseri, T. The Use of Social Media for Research and Analysis: A Feasibility Study, London: Crown. 2014.
Facebook users such as marketers and business folk also utilize the social platform to share their products. When they are exposed to the public, they manage to acquire potential clients that assist them in improving their business. Those delivering half-baked products and services may be castigated by customers in the public domain. As a result, they may be forced to alter the policies of their businesses for progressiveness. They will be exposed to both positive and negative criticism that informs them about their clients’ needs. In businesses, there is a reiteration of the rightness of customers hence; organizations should utilize the answers acquired from Facebook users. According to Broughton et al., through the social platform, business owners also learn whether their goods and services are marketable enough. On Facebook, it is possible to secure customer bases that inform businesses about the validity of their products (Broughton et al. 22). These answers acquired through digital marketing on the social media platform are essential in either motivating or demoralizing workers.
Broughton, A., Foley, B., Ledermaier, S. & Cox, A.. The use of social media in the recruitment process, Brighton: As research publications. 2013.
Amidst the reliability of Facebook as a social media platform, there are various challenges experienced by the users that require answers to their questions. Even if most individuals often offer faster replies on Facebook, they may not be qualitative enough. The vagueness accompanied by some of these answers on the social media platform interferes with capabilities of making proper inferences. According to DiMicco et al., receiving responses that do not answers questions fully may, therefore, be challenging while attempting to acquire political, social or financial solutions (DiMicco et al. 711). Fortunately, however, the quick responses depict Facebook as a reliable social platform while answering questions. In comparison to other ‘Question’ and ‘Answer’ (Q&A) platforms, Facebook is classified as qualitative in terms of the response period and motivation. Additionally, in understanding the social media network’s role in Q&A, Facebook is preferred due to one’s close affiliation with the users. DiMicco et al. posit that even if people often accept strangers into their Facebook pages, most of the platform’s users relate with their family members and friends (DiMicco et al. 711). Indulging in an exchange with a family member or friend proves more successful.
DiMicco, J. et al. Motivations for Social Networking at Work, s.l. CSCW. 2008.
According to Horowitz and Kamvar, the differences in intellectual make-up should also be observed while posing various discussions on Facebook (Horowitz & Kamvar 432). For instance; a person that believes in sending text messages in shorthand would not be suitable to engage in a ‘grammatical’ discussion. Attempting to explain to these individuals the requisite nature of typing messages in longhand, as compared to abbreviating them, would prove null. In such a case, there may be loopholes in acquiring answers apropos of these questions posted on Facebook. The qualitative nature of one’s response may also be directly proportional to their intellectual state. Through this, therefore, the inquisitive persons would be forced to tolerate these users that do not match up their intellectual quotient. Horowitz and Kamvar reiterate that knowledgeable people are more reliable in the provision of answers to these questions posted by Facebook users (Horowitz & Kamvar 432). Apart from posting questions through Facebook status updates, most individuals use public groups to accomplish the same.
Horowitz, D. & Kamvar, S.. The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Social Search Engine, WWW. 2010.
According to Bean et al., they offer quality responses and share their criticism apropos of these questions that require answers (Bean et al. 3). Strangers, in addition to providing vague responses, may contribute to unanswered questions. Research reiterates that a relationship with trust and loyalty plays a significant role in acquiring proper answers to the questions on Facebook. The issue about social media addiction is, in fact, the foremost reason for using Facebook as a suitable platform of answering these questions. Most people are always online hence, they quickly and qualitatively respond to a question posted by other users. Technological advancements, as well, have improved the essentiality of Facebook as a tool for Q&A. Most smart phones used to access the social media platform are reliable because of the option that allows notification to pop-up. Even without visiting the websites, people easily access these questions through their phone’s notifications bar. These advancements, therefore, improve their interaction with other Facebook users online. In addition, the diverse nature of Facebook’s platform allows people to pose their questions in different ways. There are status updates, groups, and pages where Facebook users interact with one another through Q&A. Bean et al., posit that it is also important for these users to realize the most suitable platform for exchange so to benefit from the process (Bean et al. 3)
Bean, G. et al. Using social psychology to motivate contributions to online communities, CSCW. 2004.
Unlike other Q&A forums, Facebook focuses on both formal and informal matters. According to Harper at al., the users are free to engage in both informative and casual discussions (Harper et al. 1). It also places this social media platform as one of the only reliable sites requisites in the dissemination of answers and information. The open-mindedness affiliated with Facebook ensures that the users acquire solutions to their inquiries (Harper et al. 1).
Harper, F., Moy, D. & Konstan, J. Facts or friends? Distinguishing informational and conversational questions on social Q&A sites, CHI. 2009.
Its reliability cannot be compared to Yahoo due to the latter’s challenges in offering quick responses. As a matter of fact, research has delineated that just like Wikipedia; some of the content provided on the Yahoo platform is inaccurate. Facebook responses, owing to the populace and interaction, are rarely wrong. Bernstein et al. emphasize that these discussion groups and pages on Facebook improve the quality of responses dished out in the public domain (Bernstein et al. 2). Through Facebook, individuals have proved the reliability and flexibility of online surveys. In fact, they are more reliable than face-to-face encounters due to the inability of individuals to communicate well in person.
Bernstein, M. et al. A game for annotating people within social networks, UIST. 2009.
Most importantly, Facebook users are capable of offering answers to questions due to the intimacy affiliated with the platform. On the social media platform, individuals often share information about both their public and private lives. It is, therefore, easier for them to relate with one another due to the similarities in experiences, feelings and moments. Even if a person is a stranger, it is possible to develop a bond or relationship through relating with their life experiences According to Gilbert & Karahalios, the ability of Facebook users to converse on a personal level elevates the platform’s ability to answer questions (Gilbert & Karahalios 1). For instance; when people post about the loss of a loved one, they often receive sympathy and condolences from different groups of people. In the midst of all this, there are individuals that have also lost their loved ones. The ability to relate with a person through an online platform depicts Facebook’s prevailing nature in the digital world (Gilbert & Karahalios 1).
Gilbert, E. & Karahalios, K. Predicting tie strength with social media, CHI. 2009.
Social media platforms such as Facebook have proved essential in communication, interaction, and socialization. Due to the recent trend of internet addiction, most people fail to execute face-to-face communication to the letter. Platforms such as Facebook are important in assisting different users to acquire requisite information. While university students may gather research information from the discussions, business people and organizations strive to develop their customer base on Facebook. As each user requires the social media platform for different purposes, they understand its role in offering answers to questions. Facebook surpasses Q&A sites such as Yahoo due to their impersonal nature. Evidently, maintaining a close relationship with individuals in these social platforms improves interaction.
Works Cited
Bean, G. et al. Using social psychology to motivate contributions to online communities, CSCW. 2004.
Bernstein, M. et al. A game for annotating people within social networks, UIST. 2009.
Broughton, A., Foley, B., Ledermaier, S. & Cox, A.. The use of social media in the recruitment process, Brighton: As research publications. 2013.
Bright, J., Margetts, H., Hale, S. & Yasseri, T. The Use of Social Media for Research and Analysis: A Feasibility Study, London: Crown. 2014.
DiMicco, J. et al. Motivations for Social Networking at Work, s.l. CSCW. 2008.
Evans, B., Karam, S. & Pirolli, P. Do Your Friends Make You Smarter?: An Analysis of Social Strategies in Online Information Seeking, IP $ M. 2010.
Gilbert, E. & Karahalios, K. Predicting tie strength with social media, CHI. 2009.
Harper, F., Moy, D. & Konstan, J. Facts or friends? Distinguishing informational and conversational questions on social Q&A sites, CHI. 2009.
Horowitz, D. & Kamvar, S. The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Social Search Engine, WWW. 2010.
Jiang, L. C., Bazarova, N. N. & Hancock, J. T., 2011. The disclosure-intimacy link in computer-mediated communication: An attributional extension of the hyperpersonal model. Human Communication Research, 37(1), pp. 58-77.