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| Tahrir Square, Egypt |
For the past few weeks we have been reading about and discussing the possibilities and failures of revolutions. The video below is a TED talk by Egyptian activist Wael Ghonim, who in 2011 used social media as a way to inform and build solidarity for the Egyptian Revolution. A tech savvy Google executive living in Dubai, Ghonim started a Facebook page called "We Are Khaled Said" in support of Khaled Said who was tortured and killed by Egyptian police. From this page, he published invitations and locations of protest sites, which he coordinated with protest organizers in Egypt. In January 2011 he left Google Dubai to join the protests on the ground but he disappeared on the 27th of January. After various social media campaigns, including blog posts demanding Ghonim's whereabouts, he was finally released after 11 days of detention.
Today, Ghonim through his activism via social media, is recognized as one of the catalysts for the protests that grew into the revolution that deposed Hosni Mubarak from his 30-year reign as president. He was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential in 2011 for his social media activism and in this Ted Talk, he discusses the power of social media as a tool for revolution.
In your blog post, discuss your thoughts about Ghonim's talk and the effectiveness of social media in activism and inciting revolutionary movements. Consider the following questions as you respond to the post: Are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media outlets viable places for activism? Why or why not? How can social media be used effectively in activism? Do you think social media is an effective tool for inciting change? Why or why not? (Note: you do not need to answer all of these questions. Pick one or two to respond to on your post.)
This post must be 2-3 paragraphs long and must be posted by April 29th at 5:00 pm to receive credit.
Social media outlets, and the internet in general, can function very effectively as a tool for a political movement. It facilitates group organizing, allowing people to discuss ideas and plan for action without leaving the comfort of their home. The internet does not provide true anonymity, but it gives that impression; people feel safer in sharing dissenting opinions. This freedom can be seen more easily on message board sites like 4chan, or in the Deep Web, as opposed to sites that name you, like Facebook and Twitter. As well as a (maybe false, but effective) layer of safety, the internet provides a cheap, often free, platform for eloquent writers and speakers that would ordinarily be ignored because they could not pay to enter an industry. In general, it allows greater flow of information.
ReplyDeleteIssues arise, however, when the internet and social media function ONLY as information repositories. People become "aware" of political issues, but fail to actually do anything to aid their cause beyond a click of a button. Activists must acknowledge this tendency and ensure that they give their social media crusades real world meaning. Obviously, the Egyptian revolt was successful in combatting the tendency towards this inactive activism; it actually occurred. Because the issues discussed on social media existed so tangibly for people in Egypt, inactivity became an impossible option.
Ghonim’s talk brought to light what transpired in Egypt. He mentioned that the Internet provided a way for there to be no leadership, and instead for everyone to take ownership in the revolution. But at the same time, they did look to him as a leader when demanding information about his capture. I think that either way it takes a leader or a leading institution to unite a group of people towards revolution. And once that has begun then the revolution can develop a voice of its own and grow from there.
ReplyDeleteI believe that social media is only a viable outlet for change if it inspires action that transcends the Internet into the physical world. And in this case it did, many people submitted ideas of protest that should be changed into action. I agree with Mary, in the idea that the Internet provides the feeling of anonymity can be beneficial to inspire communication of revolution. But at some point, physical acts of are needs to inspire change. Just the presence causes change. In the video Ghonim spoke about the event where people wore black in a crowd and just stood, and yet that caused upset in the government.
The Internet is a great tool for connecting with masses of people in a rapid amount of time. I don’t see myself as someone who believes in conspiracy theories, but even still, I believe that if the government found out about mass communication occurring over the Internet trying to incite a revolt…the government would take action to take it down and to find those in charge.
I found one aspect of Ghonim’s Ted Talk to be especially important. In describing the success of the Egyptian Revolution, he said that the revolution was going to win because the Egyptian people did not understand politics, play dirty government games, or have an agenda. And this is where I believe the real power of the internet lies. The internet is an incredibly powerful tool to tell a story. One powerful image or video can become viral and spread to be seen by millions of people around the world. In this way, social media outlets such as Facebook, Youtube, and Twitter have the potential to inspire a mass amount of people at the same time. A short statement in 140 characters or less or a 2 minute video has the power to light a revolution and fuel an uprising by mobilizing large groups of people for one cause. Therefore, I believe social media outlets to be a great resource to spread knowledge within the global community.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time, I do not believe that storytelling by itself is adequate action to incite political or social change. Telling an inspiring story can instigate change, but the story itself cannot. As citizens listening to stories of injustice and wanting change, we must also have an idea of what we want to change. The internet also plays another important function in this respect. As Ghonim described, “the internet has played a great role in helping these people speak their minds, to collaborate together to start thinking together. It was an educational campaign.” Storytelling is a compelling medium to inspire, but the internet also stores a wealth of information to catalyze revolutions in critical thought and education. Although the internet is not by any means the center of truth, we must recognize the remarkable potential it brings to activism, advocacy, and education.
Zhiqiao Dong
Since our world is based largely on technology now- a- days, I think that activism and inciting revolutionary moments is definitely most effective through social media. Yes, in places like the United States, social media is restricted by the government, but you still have freedom of expression and the quickest way to spread the word about anything currently is through social media/ the internet.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ghonim's ideas that are outlined in the youtube video for the most part. One major point I agree with are that websites like wikipedia aren't reliable because people just post their opinions on it, not necessarily facts. Examples of websites like these go against the idea that social media is very effective of advocism. But, in all, most social networks including various websites highlight factual points that lead to the opinions of dwellers within a country. Here, ideas are spread quickly and allow people to band together to fight for a cause.
During most protests, it is only the few that protest because most people are afraid of getting caught, which can led to death or harm of all kinds. With social media, people have found a way to voice their opinion and be able to spread it rapidly as well as learn the opinions of the bulk of other people around them. With social media sites, people are more willing to share their opinions because of the barrier the site provides for them. This shows others that they aren't actually alone even if they are one of the only ones protesting in public. Everyone eventually starts contributing ideas online because they are "hidden" in a sense that they could just ignore a post if they don't like what someone else says and/ or that someone isn't necessarily next to them to physically harm them when they post. The power of the internet helps spread awareness quickly and people connect by their similar views against a major authority.
Social media continues to grow exponentially in accessibility and convenience as we progress into the 21st century and this goes on to play an increasingly larger role with defining revolutions of the new millennium. This gives it potential to serve as the most effective medium of activism today and Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are all examples of viable media outlet places for activism. Their popularity and main function makes them ideal choices; the latest models in handheld electric devices are now released with such apps installed in them and the objective of communication is key. More and more aspects of public life are becoming dependent on technology and major social media outlets such as facebook play a pivotal role in tying them all together. These factors just boost their accessibility and convenience, thus bolstering their credibility as viable places for activism.
ReplyDeleteSome may argue that it is not social media but rather the activists themselves that deserve recognition for protesting against the established system. Regardless, change relies on how to effectively use social media for activism. One of the greatest strengths in utilizing social media for activism stems from the internet's ability to assemble advocates for your cause. This entails a mass scale form of cooperation that could foster beneficial ties among followers with connections and those who could possibly donate. Even better, the internet can serve as one giant accessible blueprint to your cause. Multiple people can contribute ideas in real time, allowing your initiative to develop properly. This sense of united community and approachability brings legitimacy to social media activism which oppressors can view as a viable hindrance.
When looking at the Egyptian Revolution, social media outlets became platforms that incited a revolutionary movement. Whether or not social media can cause other revolutionary movements, and whether are not they are “effective” comes with time. Ghonim explains that people are fearful of actually doing something because what is one man or woman against political corruption. The Internet connected people from all over the country to show that people thought what the government was doing was unjust and there was a need for change. Through social media the Egyptian people banded together and ultimately caught the attention of the world. The Egyptian Revolution showed the true benefits and importance of social media in this technological age.
ReplyDeleteSocial media becomes a space for those voices of the people. In essence it becomes a technological “living room” (like we have seen in Persepolis), which can include people from all over the country. It becomes a platform for education by the common man instead of hearing what the politicians and mainstream media may report. I agree with what has been said in previous posts, that anonymity becomes an issue if people do nothing with these conversations and education. Yet I feel that people feel more inclined to act when knowing there are people who share their similar opinions.
Social media provides a platform for people to share thoughts, feelings, and idea they may not have shared otherwise. The internet contributes to a feeling of anonymity because there is no immediate threat. Often, people are afraid to take action because of the very real consequences they may face and as Ghonim call it, this "psychological barrier of fear" can hinder social movement. Ghonim was able to utilize the internet to help incite revolution but this is not always the case.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, it's easy to "like" something and feel like you have contributed to social movements. Activities in the virtual world don't always transcend and go beyond into reality. In cases like this, digital activism is not an effective tool. Yet there are instances where people are really able to connect and generate change. The internet provides a space where like-minded individuals, who may have not met otherwise, can connect with one another. Although it may not always be on a large scale, social media can incite change and educate people about what's going on in the world.
-Navneet