Twitter. Facebook. Instagram. Repeat. Living in the 21st century offers people many ways to connect with each other. They can find out about new events, share their opinions or talk about their day. People now depend on information to continue their activities such as work, school, travel and other regular events. The media not only informs the general population, but also attempts to convince and shape general opinion. The media does this in different forms, such as through the Internet, television, newspapers, radio and magazines. Public opinion is known as the attitude shared by many people toward government and politics. Although it is difficult to define, the way people express their opinions determines the identification of public opinion. Things like voting statistics, editorial commentary on television and radio, Internet blogs, and paid advertisements can be ways that people express their opinions. Elections are known to be an important and informative way to express public opinion, as Election Day is one of the most popular days to express opinions. Interest groups also measure public opinion. These are private organizations whose members share the same views or opinions on what the government should do on a particular issue. They use lobbyists, people who persuade and inform all the different branches of government of their opinions and viewpoints as an interest group. Lobbyists are hired and paid by interest groups to get what they want. Interest groups also use letters, phone calls and emails. The media is also a means of measuring opinion, but it also shapes it. Public opinion is also measured by public opinion polls which are instruments that are in the middle of paper ...... the average of the twenty-first In the life of a person of the century, we can say that the media play a big part in his life. Daily media is used to help the person get through the day. Why do we say that the media does not influence people? Using media informs everyone about different events. Without knowing it, when you finish reading a magazine or blog, you have already determined your position on a certain topic. Is it bad that the media can exert this inescapable influence on people? Even though a lot of propaganda is used in situations like these, the only way to inform the population is through the media. Without this, the public could not be informed of daily events. Works Cited Curtis, D.A. (2012). Influence of the media on society. Retrieved from http://www2.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/Courses/ResourcesForCourses/Media&Society/MassMediaInfluenceOnSociety.html