Let’s start a revolution. Well, it seems Americans have been taking it to the street and also taking it to the Internet with the implementation of social media as a protest tactic. With the recent Occupy Wall Street movement, one has to wonder how much of an impact has social media had on these movements ranging from the Arab Spring back in January to the current Occupy Wall Street movement.
These movements have gained a cohesive structure due to social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Twitter has been used by protestors to notify others where to meet starting with the Egyptian Revolution meeting in Tahrir Square to the Occupy Wall Street Movement in Downtown Manhattan. Most Americans were not even aware of the Occupy movement until they heard about it on social media because the traditional news media neglected to mention it.
Social media has become a vital tactic for protestors who use the networks to get the word out prior to protests, during the actual protest, and also for future protests and to keep momentum. Protestors are uploading videos of police arresting fellow protestors to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and other networks as to gain sympathy for their cause and ultimately sway others to join the movement. Social media is opening a whole new avenue for these protestors. News media does not always give accurate coverage of protests and does not seem to side with them. Now, social media gives them the ability to get their own coverage and possibly gain global recognition for their efforts.
No matter what your personal opinion of the protests is, one fact is that the use of social media is not going away. Social media has been able to create a cohesive message and get people to come together. This what I personally love about social media; It is not all about stalking your ex-boyfriend or girlfriend on Facebook. Social media can also be used for greater things. We all relish the idea of democracy and rule of the people, and social media emphasizes the importance of the people and making sure that their voices are heard.
#This is what Democracy looks like!
