It is amazing to see how the impact of social media has changed our society. I remember when Myspace was launched and everyone found a new way to connect/spy on their friends. After everything that has happened in Egypt over the last few weeks, social media has proven to be a force for social change and an outlet in which to organize political protests.
Wael Ghonim, a Google Executive, acknowledged he was a driving force behind the Facebook and YouTube campaigns that sparked political protests Cairo's Tahrir Square. Tens of thousands of people gathered together and successfully brought down the leader of their country, and the plan was organized by Facebook. To me, that sounds CRAZY. Do you think Mark Zuckerberg, drunk in his Harvard dorm room, ever imagined his social network could have ever become this influential?
We have even seen the power of social organization by Facebook here at UNCW. Last semester, during final exams, one UNCW students organized a rave in Randall Library where over one thousands students participated. At the end of this video the organizer of the "Randall Rave" talks about the impact Facebook played in informing UNCW students.
It is clear that social media is now the driving force behind social gatherings. From as small at getting people together for a birthday party to organizing political reform, the impact of social media cannot be understated. It is no longer just a social tool and an alternative to face-to-face communication.
Egypt has potentially set an example for other nations who also feel persecuted by their government. Facebook and Twitter can now become tools for other oppressed countries to organize political protests. The possibilities of social media are limitless.
Also, on a complete side note, my girlfriend decided to get the puppy. We are going to pick him up this afternoon!
Congrats on the puppy!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI think it is so funny that you mentioned the fact that Mark probably never saw this one coming! It is crazy how Facebook and other sites really do bring people together. A friend and I were just talking about myspace the other day and how cool we all thought we were going on and making pages, most of the time including comments and pictures we wouldn't want our parents to see. Now, I use Facebook and it really does connect me with others and specifically keep me informed about events. I am constantly getting birthday party invitations and cook out flyers and the like. It is nice to be able to keep up with friends and family members this way and it is so much easier to RSVP while quickly being able to check the guest list before making a decision. One thing that I often find interesting about these invites is that they provide the option to send it out to other people and continue inviting guests. I bet that is part of the reason why the "Randall Rave" got to big so fast!!!
Yaaaaaaay, puppy!
ReplyDeleteI definitely didn't think Zuckerburg saw this one coming. But Facebook is the fastest way to reach the most people, so it's an obvious choice for organizing events, large and small. The Facebook events for holidays like "Christmas" or "Set Your Clocks Back" (which is super helpful for people who never remember daylight savings time...) always have millions of "attendees," even though they aren't assembling together.
I actually didn't know that the Egypt protest was organized on Facebook. But that makes perfect sense. An idea that large-scale and infectious could spread to hundreds of thousands of people within days thanks to Facebook.
It's crazy how the way we do things is changing. My friend broke his phone recently so he posted on facebook, asking if anyone had an old phone he could use, and he had one the next day. It's weird that you can ask all your friends a favor at the same time and get near instant response.
ReplyDeleteThe invites thing is cool too. It's become so commonplace that now when a friend invites me to a party in person I'll tell them to send me the info on facebook so it's easier to keep up with.
As far as the political stuff goes, it's amazing how anyone with a internet connection now has means to voice their opinions to the world and become connected to like minded people through facebook groups. It's funny how the same media that is organizing revolutions is also used for the I heart Hannah Montana fan-club.
The power of Facebook has actually become quite intimidating to me. It seems like everywhere I turn there is an advertisement to "check them out on Facebook." Facebook has become, as you said, one (if not the) most influential aspects in the world of the media. Facebook has not only impacted Journalism, but it has also impacted countries; as you spoke about in Egypt. However, can Facebook become bigger than we can handle? This is a question that at least I am unsure of the answer. No one could have anticipated the explosion of Facebook, can we anticipate its demise? Maybe.
ReplyDeleteInstant connectivity. That's what it's really all about. Megan, you posted earlier how you and your brother communicate mostly (only??) through Xbox live chat. Hey, if it works for you, use it. The rapid transfer of messages through digital means offers many solutions to an age old problem: distance. SO when events occur halfway around the world, the rally cries can be heard clearly (and en masse). I first recognized the resourcefulness social media provides during the terrorist raids in Mumbai. This was a couple years ago, but Twitter had just come out and users in India were able to broadcast what was happening, from inside the hotel. From then on, sites like Facebook and Twitter have been used to spread messages in times of crises. I can agree with that fact as a powerful characteristic of social media.
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