1. Introduction

Following the popularization of the Internet and the development of mobile technology, the influence of new media is expanding rapidly. At the same time, due to the increasing globalization, new media with its unique mode of communication has gradually replaced the traditional media, and changed the pattern of information transmission and cultural exchange. Different from the one-way communication mode of traditional media, new media is interactive, timely, global and cross-platform communication.

Social media provides a new field to better understand the cultural dynamics and power structures in modern society by studying the communication and communication modes of different platforms, and at the same time demonstrates the mutual influence of multiculturalism among different cultures, promoting transnational cultural understanding and cooperation [1]. Furthermore, social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Weibo and WeChat have become some of the most important communication tools for people and groups around the world. Those platforms not only break geographical and cultural boundaries, but also provide an equal and open space for users from different cultural backgrounds to communicate. It enables users with different cultural backgrounds to share and obtain information anytime and anywhere, as well as carry out cross-cultural communication and interaction. However, while new media brings convenience and social media provides opportunities for the study of multicultural discourse, it also comes with new challenges, such as false information, cultural conflict and information homogenization.

This report aims to study and discover the potential and limitations of new media in promoting multiculturalism and cross-cultural communication through an in-depth analysis of the development of globalization and its communication methods in the new media era. This paper will also put forward some suggestions, so that the new media communication mechanism can be optimized and improved, so as to provide better services for global users in the future, provide a better platform for cross-cultural communication, and create a high-quality network communication environment.

2. Global Development of Social Media

In the era of new media, the globalization of social media has changed information dissemination, cultural exchanges, business models and social structures. With the continuous progress and development of social media platforms, new media has gradually replaced the one-way communication mode of media. At the same time, more and more social media platforms have gone beyond geographical and cultural restrictions and have built global Internet information exchange opportunities. This trend of globalization is reflected in information dissemination and cross-platform communication. The development of new media makes it easier for people to access information and views from different cultures, and people from different countries and cultural backgrounds can communicate and share information directly, anytime and anywhere. Therefore, it promotes the interaction and exchange of global information, and the communication and coexistence of multi-cultures. The existence of diverse cultures can enrich people's horizons, broaden people's thinking, and enhance their understanding and respect for other cultures. Social media can provide a new platform for cultural exchange and dissemination, and also contribute new impetus and opportunities in the economic field. The rise of new media channels has enabled customers to participate more actively in the marketplace and reach almost anyone, anytime, anywhere, also through data analytics, real-time interaction, personalized marketing and targeted advertising, businesses are able to adapt flexibly and constantly adjust their strategies to remain competitive and customer satisfied [2].

However, new media has the advantage of promoting information dissemination and cultural interaction in globalization and cross-cultural communication, there are some areas that need to be improved. At the same time, it is found that although new media has gradually integrated into people's lives and become a necessity, it can not help at any time. International development policy, for example, still takes place largely offline, with very limited input through social media [3]. Furthermore, while digitalization offers new opportunities for collaboration, technological innovation and international licensing, it also limits market balance and business opportunities due to cultural and linguistic differences [4].

3. Cross-Cultural Value Differences and Multiculturalism

Cross-cultural differences mean that people with different cultural backgrounds have different ways in values, beliefs, behavior patterns and communication methods. The study of cross-cultural communication focuses on a series of issues such as cultural conflict, cultural adaptation and cultural integration. Pluralism, on the other hand, emphasizes that the various cultures and value systems present in a society should be respected and recognized. In a pluralistic society, the values, beliefs, behavior patterns and communication methods of different cultures and backgrounds should maintain equal dialogue and mutual understanding, without unilateral assimilation or exclusion. However, there are many positive roles of new media in cross-cultural communication. For example, social media platforms provide opportunities for cross-cultural communication and different ways to help users understand different cultural backgrounds and values.

Furthermore, by providing international cultural exchange programs and cross-border cooperation activities, social media users can participate in and experience different cultures, thereby reducing the occurrence of cultural conflicts. A variety of social media platforms allow users to share their daily lives, values on things and cultural activities, such as Twitter, Instagram, WeChat and Weibo, which can provide users around the world with better opportunities to understand and respect each other and cultural differences. In addition, new media has the dissemination of multimedia content, which greatly enriches the forms of cultural exchange. Different forms of content, such as videos, pictures, and live broadcasts, help express diverse cultures more vividly and specifically, providing a more intuitive experience for users. Short videos, like those on TikTok, have gained popularity worldwide in recent years. For example, the trailer of Disney’s Disney’s live-action version of "The Little Mermaid" showcased TikTok's cross-cultural diversity, inclusiveness, and positive impact on children's self-esteem. The portrayal of the Little Mermaid with black skin and copper-brown hair, contrary to the traditional image, was well-received by the audience and did not intimidate young viewers. This representation creates a more inclusive and empowering cultural environment for children. [5].

On the other ways, social media platforms need to take some steps in terms of content moderation and management. The reason is that the new media brings convenience to the construction of multiculturalism while causing cross-cultural conflicts and challenges. Firstly, people with different cultural backgrounds have languages, values and behaviors. China and the West especially have completely different ways of expressing emotions on social media. Users in some Western countries may not be able to understand the ways of expressing emotions in Asian countries on social media. This is manifested in very different ways in Western and non-Western advertising, with Western advertising focusing on product benefits to the individual, such as independence, personal autonomy or choice. Non-western ads emphasize benefits to the group and collective values, such as family and patriotism [6]. These lack of understanding is often a trigger for negative emotions on both sides. The reason for the misunderstanding is the lack of understanding and communication between each other's cultures, especially in the context of globalization. Misunderstanding between cultures will not only cause conflicts between individuals, but also may cause conflicts between groups, resulting in a wide range of cultural opposition and estrangement between cultures. In addition, language difference is the main obstacle in cross-cultural communication. Although the current technology and technology provide translation tools, there are often subtle differences in translation tools. These differences often fail to convey the true meaning and lead to communication barriers, especially for some information containing background culture becomes blurred, so that users from different backgrounds cannot resonate, thus reducing the communication effect.

Moreover, value conflict is another major challenge of new media in cross-cultural communication. Users from different cultural backgrounds may have obvious differences in religious beliefs, political views, moral standards and other aspects. In the face of discussion on some topics, users with the same cultural background may have completely different positions, and even cause open disputes on social media, such as on human rights, equality, gender and other topics. Disputes over these values can have a negative impact on the harmony of the entire community and network. However, in order to effectively deal with these conflicts, new media platforms and users must work together to establish a dialogue mechanism of mutual respect and understanding. Social media companies should police what users post on social media. As a social infrastructure, social media has a greater influence. By taking some international collective activities, we can create more responsible basic measures and find the common ground of users with different cultural backgrounds, so as to meet the needs of the global public [7]. In addition, The social media platform can cooperate with educational institutions to enhance users' intercultural understanding and help users understand and respect different cultural backgrounds, customs and values. It's also a great opportunity to increase cultural sensitivity. At the same time, the platform also needs to take the initiative to assume the corresponding social responsibilities, provide users with clear community participants and norms of behavior, and encourage users to maintain respect and understanding in the process of communication. Provide and upgrade technical support, benefit from artificial intelligence and big data technology to continuously optimize and improve platform technology, establish a comprehensive content review mechanism, timely deal with some unfriendly content and comments as well as biased content that may cause cultural conflicts, and create a harmonious and friendly communication environment for users around the world.

4. New Media, Misinformation, and Information Homogenization: Challenges and Opportunities for Multiculturalism

The relationship between new media and multiculturalism is interdependent, complex, and multilayered, especially in terms of disinformation and information homogenization. Firstly, due to some characteristics of new media, such as fast transmission speed. New media platforms, especially social media platforms, will spread information to a large number of users in a short time. The rapid spread of false information will cause and deepen cultural misunderstanding and conflict. Disinformation or fake news targeting specific cultural groups may lead to intentional discrimination leading to increased social tensions. What's more, new media uses algorithms to recommend content, which is often pushed based on a user's history and preferences. This behavior will lead to homogenization of information, and users will usually only receive content information with the same point of view, while content with different points of view will be filtered and excluded. At the same time, the widespread and rapid spread of false information will help the occurrence of cultural homogeneity, making some local traditional culture or indigenous culture replaced by mainstream culture or mass culture. This will translate into a reduction in cultural diversity and a loss of cultural heritage.

In addition, disinformation may undermine people's trust in global flows and cause a global trust crisis. Globalization relies on the free flow of information and cross-cultural communication between users in different countries, but the spread of false information will call into question the authenticity and reliability of information. These doubts and mistrust can hinder global cooperation and mutual trust, leading to economic instability and international tensions. Importantly, it has weakened the global capacity to face and resolve international crises together. For example, in the face of global issues such as climate change and public health crises, it has a negative impact. Misleading information can cause the public and policy makers to misunderstand the seriousness of the problem and the solution, leading to serious deviation from the solution. False information will also be accompanied by malicious actors using personal information to commit fraud or identity theft. The means of leaking personal privacy on the Internet are also endless. Users may leak personal information by clicking on links, and some social media platforms may illegally monitor user data, thus further violating personal privacy and increasing the risk of cybercrimes. Although, the spread of disinformation through new media has a complex and far-reaching impact on multiculturalism and globalization. However, by improving the information literacy of the public, users can know how to distinguish false information. Understanding the spreading mechanism of false information through new media and taking relative measures can reduce the bad effects. Increasing and promoting intercultural dialogue and cooperation can enhance mutual understanding and trust among different cultural groups. Only through multi-party cooperation and comprehensive governance can we effectively and efficiently address these challenges, protect cultural diversity and promote the healthy development of globalization.

5. Conclusion

In the era of new media, the globalization of social media has brought new opportunities and challenges for information dissemination and cultural exchange. Through exploration and research, this paper describes the promotion and development of multiculturalism through understanding and respecting cultural value differences. Social media can solve cultural conflicts to a certain extent and promote the exchange and integration of global cultures. However, changes in the information dissemination mechanism of social media have also had a positive or negative impact on users' cognition and social culture. The continuous development and progress of new media has also brought challenges such as information overload, the spread of false information and cultural conflict. To deal with these problems, we need to continuously optimize the communication mechanism of social media and strengthen the supervision of false information, so as to promote cultural understanding and tolerance.

This report shows that new media platforms also have great potential in promoting global cultural exchanges and integration and solving cultural conflicts, but they will also face security problems such as false information, information homogenization, weakening international trust and privacy security. In response to these problems, some safety suggestions have also been put forward, such as strengthening user education and clarifying relevant systems of social media platforms, which can enable social media platforms to play a positive role in the development of globalization.

Overall, New media is an indispensable technology for global information dissemination and the promotion of cultural exchanges. People can make better use of the powerful tools of social media platforms to build a more inclusive and diverse world. In the future, how to make better use of social media platforms to promote cross-cultural communication and narrow the contact and communication between cultures is still a topic worthy of in-depth discussion.