Social movements have played tremendous roles on the effects of the world today. Throughout many different Social Movements in world history, the media has played a role in the engagement of these movements. With the technology that is accessible today, we have the ability to be informed within seconds of news. This gives us the opportunity to see, judge, act, and gain an opinion on the situation. Many news companies express the information through social media. Allowing anyone who is available to access this information with ease.
This allows social movements to reach mass medias all around the world, to spread awareness to all. Which formulates the question, Does social media have an effect on social movements? In my opinion, it does, social movements play extraordinary roles in the way we view our world, but with the help of social media it helps access media in the matter of minutes.
Social media is a good way to help organize and communicate. As I previously it allows to share information quickly. For example facebook made it easy to connect groups of protesters and plan events. Not only do social movements improve our ability to communicate but it enhances the knowledge on the subject as well.
Speaking on the psychological impact that social media has on a social movement issue. It has shown once people know that others share their beliefs or feelings about a movement it becomes easier to take collective action known as, information cascade. Which is a situation where each person make a decision/choice based on the observation or choices of others while ignoring his own personal information (guide for understanding cascades). The psychological impact that social media has on the people. Allows to give knowledge and awareness towards an issue. Allowing them to manipulate an individual to understanding, but hopefully to support the cause.
Some may believe that social media may be harmful to social movements or portraying the movement through the media in the wrong way. Author Steven Johnson says when a need arises in society that goes unmet our first impulse should be to build a peer network to solve that problem.” Johnson discusses the issues of medias that have not fully gave accurate information towards a subject. For example, he uses wikipedia as his main source saying “We can learn from its success to build new systems that solve problems in education, governance, health, local communities, and countless other regions of human experience.” Many different types of sources apply to this as well. A social media source can give very detailed information, but they argue how accurate is that information? It is easy and accessible, but how well is the information? I argue, that there are alot of sources that may have fraud news, but most information obtained from media is from news channels or other government like sources. In which help other social media get the complexity of each story. Where they could add fake news to make the news seem more intriguing.
Social media presents plenty of news daily with post involving pretty much anything you can think of. Allowing anyone who is available to access this information with ease. Thus, giving us the ability to be informed within seconds of news. It plays a role for the understatement of social medias throughout the world. Leaders of social movements try to attack mass media’s to spread the news to obtain followers and supports. Whether you are for the movement or against the movement. The plan behind it is to obtain your attraction to gain involvement through the media. I believe that it plays a huge role within the beliefs and understanding of social movements. With many viewers on social media it allows to put for the movement and spread awareness a lot smoothly.
Kayden, this was a very interesting post to read! I agree that social movements are very important in shaping the way we act and respond as a society. I think social media is a key factor to how these movements are formed and carried out. However, I do think that social media can have a negative effect on these movements as well. Anyone can write and say anything on social media sites, which gives them the opportunity to damage the movement by spreading false information. But I do agree, that social media also positively impacts social movements by giving them a larger and broader platform, as well as by connecting different individuals with the same goals. I think its important to then consider if the positives out way the negatives. Are people going to do their research on a movement or are they only going to believe what they saw online? Social media isn’t going to disappear, its only going to grow, and while it does have the potential so ruin a social movement, I think in the long-run it will positively impact movements as a whole. Here is an article I think you will find interesting: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/dec/31/has-social-media-ruined-the-web
I’m really excited to read your completed essay!
Tess
I love this topic because it is very applicable to people today. It is amazing how much our world has changed, and the fact media is able to move so quickly around the country. I think this is very well written and it is clear that the research was done. It is really helpful to use quotes to show the experts point of view on these issues. I also like how you concluded the essay and I completely agree on how much it has influenced society and changed our world.
Wow, this is one of the most extensive posts I’ve seen on this site. you clearly did our research. If I had to list one grievance, maybe tweak the title a little? I don’t know if you put “Social Movements On Social Movements” on purpose but it sounds a little wonky. you make a very good point on how it allows people to take their messages places they couldn’t before. I think we’ll see more change coming out of this century than any other, thanks to how easy it is to spread information now. I love how you addressed the opposition and mixed in controversy that is happening today, like “fake news”. If you want to expand on inaccurate news sources and the part they play in this, I suggest you check out Snopes. They’re often used as a sort of fact checking website, and have been used to correct news before.