According to Malcom Gladwell, a well-known author in the area of social media, social media are built around weak ties and real social change can never come from loose networks of people that do not know each other. Do you think that social media has the potential to bring about real social change?
I do think that social media does have the potential to bring about real social change. There are many people on several different social media platforms at all times of the day or night. Rallies can be organized, just like the revolution in Egypt, online and attract even more supporters then conventional advertising means such as radio, newspapers, and even TV. Even some of the elderly populace is getting interested in social media and the internet. If you are looking for some ways that you can help with real social changes check out this article. I like the fact that this article not only belittles the Twit-Out that was organized to boycott Twitter to get them to fix the instability of their servers, but it also gives ideas on how you can help with social change. “However, in light of recent world events, it's a shame that the cause the tech community has chosen to rally around is that of Twitter's instability. Aren't there more important things going on right now?” (Perez).
With Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube any organization or individual, can share information on Causes and events happening around the world. An example of a Canadian organization using social media to inform and rally for Canadian Internet users is OpenMedia.ca. “We empower people to participate in Internet governance through fresh & engaging citizens’ campaigns. We’re known for co-ordinating Stop The Meter, the largest online campaign in Canadian history, involving over half-a-million people. We’ve proven that the pro-Internet community can come together and make change.” (OpenMedia.ca).
Once you find what social change you want to participate in, make sure you share the information with everyone you know by posting it on Twitter, Facebook, and/or YouTube in order to increase the attention the cause gets.
Jonnathan Duguay
Works Cited
OpenMedia.ca. About Us| OpenMedia.ca. 2012. Web. 17 March 2012. <openmedia.ca/about>.
Perez, Sarah. "How to Use Social Media for Social Change." 22 May 2008. ReadWriteWeb.com. Web. 17 March 2012. <http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how_to_use_social_media_for_social_change.php>.
I strongly agree with what Jonnathan said about social media bringing real social change. The number of people using social media has been increasing tremendously and even older adults are part of it these days. Also, if social media does have thins strong power to spread the news fast and attract more readers then why not use it for something useful like organizing campaigns to help out sick kids or any other organizations. This is why I strongly agree with Jonnathan’s idea of using social media to help people organize campaigns rather than for Twitter.
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