The Internet is now much more than a source of information, it is a virtual world in its own right, which currently influences the way individuals communicate. Researchers have studied the causes and effects of the Internet to make changes in the way people use media to communicate. The rapid growth of social media led Marcia W. DiStaso and Tina McCorkindale (2013) to conduct research on social media usage. They found that the Pew Center reported that 10% of Americans used social media in 1995 compared to 80% since 2009 and has continued to increase each year. They also looked at how US companies specifically use their Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts to come up with a social media usage standard. They found that of the 250 companies studied, 46% had a Facebook account, 73% had a Twitter account, and 74% had a YouTube account. Overall, studies found that in 2009, the majority of American businesses were using social media. A company may use social media, but that doesn't mean it uses it correctly and efficiently. How a company communicates to the public is critical. In the business world, Brad Smith says social media has no limits. He says it's more than just adding something to a conversation or engaging the audience. Smith would argue that a company isn't using its social media properly unless it uses innovative and unique ways to be different from everyone else while communicating a message. Social media offers many opportunities for professionals in the public relations field to communicate effectively by being more engaged with their audiences. Smith would argue that Apple's Earth Day ad this year, "There are some ideas we want every company to copy" (Wasserman, 2014) was...at the heart of the paper...focused specifically and only on social media. The more educated you are, the more likely you are to make an active effort to properly use media strategically. It is important that every voice in this world is heard to have the most impartial legal system. To be properly heard, you need to be informed about how the system will or will not work, causing negative reactions. I believe it is essential for an athlete to utilize public relations tactics, but also partner with a public relations professional when communicating messages specifically on social media. A small mistake can potentially ruin a reputation and, as Porritt said, the client will alert an organization to their mistakes, so double-checking everything before making a comment is crucial in the PR profession and when using social media average..