Social media overtakes porn as top activity on the Internet

Here’s a quirky trivia: Did you know that social media has recently become the top activity on the Internet, overtaking porn for the very first time?

Never before in the history of man and cyberspace has this happened, according to respected journalist and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, who gave this bit of info during her talk recently at the 8^th Ayala Merchants Rewards in Makati City.

Because millions of people are using social media one way or another, it is imperative that companies and individuals alike learn how to harness its huge potential.

“Social media can be used for social change. We are living in an amazing time with this incredible tool to harness to move people to action,” said Ressa, a staunch supporter of social networking.

Ressa cited numbers that put an exclamation point to her strong arguments. According to her, there are now more than 27 million Filipinos who have Facebook accounts (and still growing) as compared to 15 million Filipino households who have television sets.

Indeed, she said, the Philippines is undeniably the social media capital of the world.

“We are living in a dual reality. The virtual world has become the second level of reality that is shifting, having an impact on, the real world,” said the famed journalist.

Social networks transmit ideas, emotions and subliminal signals that influence behavior up to three degrees, Ressa said, citing studies done by some of her Harvard professors.

“You can use social media and the Internet to put the idea out there. But you still need to anchor it in reality. You can use the Internet to amplify message. It’s much like putting the ideas on steroids,” she said.

She encouraged her audience, mostly representatives of brands that have stores in one of the Ayala Malls in the country, to have a solid footing in cyberspace now, if they haven’t done this already. She said that being on the Internet now is not merely an “add on” but a “must have.”