Creator of Facebook Live addresses antisemitism and ‘fake news’ at UTEP event

The University of Texas at El Paso hosted media innovator and former Facebook executive Randi Zuckerberg Feb. 21 at the Undergraduate Learning Center who spoke to an intimate crowd about her Jewish background and the proliferation of “fake news” during and after President Donald Trump’s successful campaign for president. During her talk to a crowd of over 100 people, she discussed a variety of topics such as the roles and responsibilities of media in people’s daily lives. She also discussed the rise of “fake” news and how we now live in a world where media’s focus has become getting the news out “faster, quicker, better and then check it later.” Zuckerberg is a graduate of Harvard University and a 2011 Emmy nominee, who has become an important figure in the world of media, having created the Facebook Live streaming video service and launching Zuckerberg Media, whose mission is to inspire tech-savvy entrepreneurial girls and women by creating content.

Sticks and stones can break your bones but cyberbullying can kill you

EL PASO — Rudy Sanchez’ sad eyes peered through tears below the beanie that nearly covered them as he stood in the empty living room of his Lower Valley home where his 14-year-old daughter, Viviana Aguirre, had committed suicide after being bullied online by a friend. Sanchez, 43, described how Viviana went to bed the night of January 2and left one final message on her Facebook account. “Before I do this, thank you to all who tried to keep me up. But hey, it didn’t work. Bye.”

Although most cases of bullying don’t usually end in death, it is a growing and serious problem among students, experts say.

Junior Vasquez takes a picture in front of local restaurant, Nona's Pizza Bar, for an Instagram post. (Yvette Kurash/Borderzine.com)

Social media gets the ‘word of mouth’ out to retail customers

EL PASO — When Nona’s Pizza Bar opened last summer there was no grand opening celebration and no traditional ads were bought to promote the new restaurant. The Sun City found out through the new “word of mouth” —Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The storefront was ready on Sunday evening and they opened the following day to a good crowd without missing a beat. Once a picture of Nona’s famous LED “El Paso” sign was posted on social media, everyone wanted a piece. If used correctly, social media can help build a small business in El Paso through these networks.

Belynda Moss uses her Facebook page to inform her family and friends how she has stayed clean.

Feedback from social networks can help fight drug addiction

EL PASO – After 27 years of using drugs, many blackout nights and a few overdoses, Belynda Moss, 42, is using Facebook to share updates on her continuing efforts to stay clean. “I started at age 14 as a pot smoker, graduated to alcohol and became a blackout drunk.  At 18-years-old I did my first shot of heroin and overdosed.” She’s off drugs now, even cigarettes, and has moved from El Paso to Fort Worth where she works as a bus driver.  She’s staying clean by attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings and by using Facebook as a support. She knew it was time for a change or her life would soon end. She is one of the lucky few that managed to kick their alcohol or drug habit. According to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 23.2 million people (9.4 percent of the U.S. population) aged 12 or older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem in 2007.

El placer vicario de espiar al otro

EL PASO – Seré honesta: no es algo de lo que me sienta orgullosa pero yo soy de esas que disfrutan, de vez en cuando, el placer vicario de espiar al otro en mi buscador. Póngamoslo de esta manera: usted está en una conversación y se habla de una persona a quien no conoce, su nombre se repite y se repite, se dice esto y lo otro de dicha persona y usted permanece completamente perdido. ¿Qué hace? Si usted es listo y se siente en confianza preguntará quién es esa persona, indagará detalles, tal vez lo conozca y no lo sabe. Yo me voy por el camino fácil.

Bullying in schools can destroy young lives

EL PASO, Texas — Imagine walking down a hallway by yourself hearing people yelling insults at you and there is no way out except straight through the gauntlet. The words fat, gay, slut and loser are thrown at you, but you cannot get out. Each day brings the same suffering as the same people, with a few others chiming in, target you with the same verbal daggers. This is a reality that almost 30% of high school students in the United States face. Some are physically harmed, some are emotionally abused, and a growing number are bullied by “cyber bullies” through Internet networking sites like Facebook, Myspace and Twitter.

Facebook, Facebook, where’s your face?

EL PASO, Texas — Facebook is the fastest and easiest way to keep in touch with friends and family but it could also potentially affect social skills development in the younger generations. “Young adults can have a thousand friends on Facebook and yet they have trouble holding a face-to-face conversation,” said Carolyn Mitchell a Communication professor at the University of Texas at El Paso. Users have become so accustomed to this type of communication that they’ve forgotten what is like to talk face to face over a cup of coffee. Even during important events such as graduations or funerals, they would rather send their regards through Facebook. “There’s a disconnect.