Social media has formed an enormous part of our culture. We use it to communicate with people about anything; updating a status on Facebook, tweeting with little characters or posting a picture of dinner for two on Instagram. We constantly share our experiences with the people, including our opinions on social issues. Campaigns and protests have become successful through the help of social media.
Marie Claire provides a social media example
A recent example is Marie Claire, which advertised its internship vacancies on Twitter. The contract stipulated that it is a full-time job with a minimum stipend of R30 per day. Social media went crazy over this.
Poll by news publishers
Eyewitness News and eNews ran a poll to ask the public if this is exploitation or is it better than about having a job.
Comments about unpaid internships
“Unpaid or poorly paid internships favour privileged and exclude those from disadvantaged backgrounds” – The South African Freelancers Association (SAFREA). They further said they are against such internships although most of them started off with little payment.
Crux of the debate
How does a well-established magazine brand pay interns such little money? Another view was that the experience gained from such a renowned brand is priceless, and one should grab the opportunity when given the chance. The minimum requirements of an intern are a qualification related to the job, your own transport and a computer. Also, only working lunches are allowed. How will a person manage all of this with only R600 per month? That was the main focus of the debate. We all have different opinions about what a person is entitled to.
Marie Claire’s response
After such debates,this was the statement issued by Marie Claire, saying that they will review some of the questions that were raised.
Question about social media
Social media played an important role in this debate. Do you still think that social media has a negative impact on the youth or does it help with voicing their opinions and having a stand on social issues?
