Social Media Activism

Team Name:Anthony DevineElaine DenehanJohn Donohoe Maud O’ConnorStephanie Terry

IntroductionSocial Media defined as websites and applications that enable users to create/ share content and network

The main organisations in this place include

• Blogger (1999) • Facebook (2003)

• youtube (1999) • Twitter (1999)

Social media activists use these tools to disseminate information and rally support quicker or under the radar of

mainstream media.

Definition • Social Media

– “Is a term used to describe a variety of web-based platforms, applications and technologies that enable people to socially interact with one another online” webopedia

• Activism– “the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to

bring about political or social change” Oxford Dictionary

• Social Media Activism– The use of web-based platforms, application and

technologies to bring about political or social change.“You are what you share.”

― Charles Leadbeater, We Think: The Power Of Mass Creativity

Timeline

www.idfive.com

A brief history of social media organisations and technology

Instances of revolution

1999 World Trade Organisation Protest in Seattle Mobile phones

2006 California Immigration Protests Text messaging

2010 Arab Spring Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and blogs

2011 Tottenham Riots Blackberry messengers, twitter

“The internet is the Che Guevara of the 21st Century and hierarchies are being levelled”

-Alec Ross (Hilary Clinton’s Sr. Advisor) 2011

Social Media Activism

Cause for Change

People

Technology

“Social media sparks a revelation that we, the people, have a voice, and through the democratization of content and ideas we can once again unite around common passions, inspire movements, and ignite

change.” ― Brian Solis

Recent Global HotspotsTunisia

Ukraine

Syria

Mexico

USA

India

Thailand

PhilippinesUK

Social Media Activism

Cause for Change

People

Technology

• Facebook forms groups, covert and overt - in order to establish those strong but flexible connections.

• Twitter is used for real-time organisation and news dissemination, bypassing the cumbersome 'newsgathering' operations of the mainstream media.

• Youtube and Twitter-linked photographic sites - Yfrog, Flickr, and Twitpic- are used to provide instant evidence of the claims being made.

*http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/03/how-the-revolution-went-viral

Technology - Sharing information

CrowdVoice• Newsfeeds• Focus on events• Variety of opinion

Sukey• Mobile App• To organise protests• Real-time information

Movements.org• Blogs• Case Studies• Directory of tools

Technology – Securing InformationPidder

• Encrypts information• Security settings• Protects IP address

Off-The-Record• Encrypts IM conversations• Authentication• Deniability

Crabgrass• Free Secure Software• Wiki’s• Protest events

Competitive Landscape

Collaboration and Community

Issues• Authenticity– Reputation of media sources

• Slacktivism– Does this make a difference?

• Organised Crime Mobs– London riots 2011

IssuesAuthenticity

• Who has produced the information?• How recent is the information?• How accurate is the information?• What is the purpose of the information?

Slacktivism

• What is the goal of the action required?• Is there any value to this action?

Crime

• Organised looting and riots• Do you know what cause you are fighting for?• Disinformation

Summary

“We must understand that in this age of persuasion,

social media is one of the tools available to social

activists. But when social media is effectively employed

in campaigns, it remains the activists, revolutionaries

and dissidents who deserve the credit for challenging

the status quo – and not social media itself.” -Mark Kerstenhttp://justiceinconflict.org/2012/06/02/has-social-media-reinvented-social-activism-a-debate/