Social Media and Social Change

Social Media and Social Change, terms that have become somewhat intertwined in contemporary society. Particularly, among generation’s X and Y as they are seemingly repeating the civil rights movements of the 1960’s, demanding social change despite the sacrifice. Gladwell (2010) describes the 60’s civil movement where college students joined together and protested despite their lack of social media. Following this, Gladwell describes how the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project of 1964, a civil rights movement which taught schools, registered black voters, and raised awareness in the south, demonstrated the harsh realities of challenging the status quo. Volunteers and students were beaten, killed, tortured, short, bombed, and much more, all while trying to make a change for the better. 

This really got me thinking about Cairo, Egypt when Mubarak imposed a media blackout during the social media revolution. This is an instance which has completely changed the face of social media and social change for me as it took a very dark turn. The citizens of Cairo demanded a change. They wanted to be free, and have the same entities which you and I do as citizens of the United States of America. Through the use of social media, activists were able to get strong support for the cause. It wasn’t until the media blackout was enforced, that things began to go to a whole new level. The activists got lost fighting a war against Mubarak, and wound up fighting for civil rights against their own people. Mubarak taking away their ability to communicate with others really changed the face of social change and the extent to which the people of Egypt would go to achieve the civil rights they long for.

Moreover, as Gladwell said in the New Yorker article,” High-risk activism… is a strong time phenomenon” (2010). This term is explained by the author to include the notion of “critical friends” or, the more friends you had who were dedicated to the regime, the more likely you would be to join them in protesting (2010). This really worries me. Particularly, this is due to the fact that social revolutions such as Egypt, Syria, and Lybia have gained power through the use of social media. Hence, the “critical friends” which act as a catalyst in convincing people to join the cause for which they otherwise, wouldn’t have been empowered. 

When social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace emerge, the impacts of “strong-ties” have the ability to make a much larger effect on the world (2010).  This is where the economist blog comes into play as Gladwell does miss a main point in his article. The foundation of social media can cause a revolution; it can influence billions, and change the world. This is because these strong ties are strong when displayed within social media, not weak. This can be seen in the Middle East and Italy where several thousand individuals are walking the streets protesting each and every day. A social movement such as this wouldn’t be happening if it weren’t for social media allowing individuals to speak up and join together for a strong foundational front who isn’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in.

Now, don’t get me wrong here, social media can enact social change in several different ways. For instance, the recent protest at University of California Berkley is an example of how social media was used to influence the social change in a safe, and honest way for the betterment of society overall. This video ( displayed right) shows the way that the students peacefully protested, and through the use of social media, were able to share their experience with the world. Also, several police brutalities and beatings have been displayed via social media which have caused social awareness while attempting social change. 

The video, The Social Media 2012, is a very interesting and insightful clip summarizing the way that social media has changed the world overall. I have embedded it here for you to easily view as its well worth your while.

The quote “What happens in Vegas, stays on Twitter” is a perfect example of how social media can change society overall, whether we intend to or not. The effect of this can be good or bad for society overall. However, I believe that it has the power to enact positive social changes throughout the world while bridging cultures together.

The YouTube video also stated that there are 60 million Facebook updates, per day. This is a huge change for communication overall, changing the way we socialize with one another and interact on a daily basis.

Social media is emerging to include an environment where we no longer look for products we need, but rather, they will find us.Welcome to the world of Socialnomics, where social media can enact social change at the click of a button. What will you do with it?