Trendsetting Essay

            During the summer of 2015, many articles appeared in the news describing how companies were firing their American employees and replacing them with foreigners using the H-1B visa program. This program allows a company to import a foreigner to work a highly specialized position which cannot be filled by any American. However, as there is no effective way to monitor companies and verify that no Americans can work a certain job, companies such as Disney, Qualcomm, Microsoft, and Intel started to abuse the program and replace American workers with foreigners, who will often work for a lower salary. Just a few days ago, Intel even announced plans to lay off a large portion of its workforce, yet is still increasing requests for H-1B visa workers. While the H-1B visa policy is necessary, especially for the computer technology industries, the program needs some kind of reformation before it can operate efficiently in the U.S.

            I sought to raise awareness about the flawed H-1B visa program by creating a YouTube video about the issue and advertising on Facebook. My video summarized the H-1B program and highlighted the concerns it presents. I also shared the video on Facebook and on a few Reddit threads, including some additional information about the issue each time. A few people shared the post on Facebook, but Reddit posts essentially failed to generate a response. My original goal was for one hundred people to view my video but, at the current time, there are only forty-four views.

            I feel that the H-1B visa program could be a popular topic, but it is difficult for it to propagate through standard social websites. As the program is somewhat complex and its flaws usually only affect workers in the computer science fields, I think the majority of people tend to neglect the H-1B program. It seems that people do not follow controversial, in-depth issues as readily as they might follow something simple or funny. While the issue certainly could gain momentum through social media, it would likely take me a long time and a lot of work to create a substantial movement. However if someone that already had a large group of followers, like a celebrity, were to start spreading concerns about the H-1B visa policy, then a trend could very easily begin.

            I think this was a good experience. It shows how difficult it normally is to simply start an arbitrary trend through the use of social media. Although I was not particularly successful in spreading the word about H-1B visas, I am glad that at least a few people know more about the program and how it is abused at present. It may not be too well know, but I think the H-1B visa program will remain a relevant topic until the government can improve the current laws.

Works Cited

Burgess, Jean, Joshua Green, Henry Jenkins, and John Hartley. YouTube: Online Video and Participatory Culture. Cambridge, England: Polity, 2009. Google Books. Google. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.

H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2015, S. S.2266., 114th Cong., Https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/2266/all-info (2015). Print.

Harkison, Josh. "How H-1B Visas Are Screwing Tech Workers." Mother Jones. N.p., 22 Feb. 2013. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.

Molyneaux, Heather, Susan O'Donnell, Kerri Gibson, and Janice Singer. "Exploring the Gender Divide on YouTube: An Analysis of the Creation and Reception of Vlogs." American Communication Journal 10.2 (2008): 1-14. NRC Publications Archive. Web. 23 Apr. 2016.

Neff, Blake. "Intel Lays Off 12,000 People After Lobbying For More Foreign Workers." The Daily Caller. The Daily Caller News Foundation, 19 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016.

Preston, Julia. "Lawsuits Claim Disney Colluded to Replace U.S. Workers With Immigrants." NY Times. The New York Times, 25 Jan. 2016. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.

Snelson, Chareen. "YouTube across the Disciplines: A Review of the Literature." Journal of Online Learning and Teaching 7.1 (2011): 159-69. MERLOT. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.

"WATCH: Fired Disney Worker Breaks Down Describing Humiliation of Training Foreign Guest Worker Replacement." Conservative Review. CR Wire, 25 Feb. 2016. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.