The Battle For Public Opinion

Social Media's Collective Effects

Modern social media outlets and postings are currently resurfacing the face of our society. Moreover, social media has become the predominant daily occurrence for the majority of internet users nationwide. According to S. Dixon of Statista.com, the United States of America, has the third largest social media audience in the world, yielding its ranking only to the countries of China and India. Per poll results, from 2022, there are ~302.25 million US social media participants, who frequent their social media site of choice on a daily basis. (Dixon, S.) This equation relates to us that there are, 300 million people nationwide who are recording, documenting, and commenting on everyday happenings, internationally as well as in our own backyard. This is mostly in part, due to the addition of the high-resolution camera, to all consumer cell phones, which has turned these ordinary users into potential news anchors/historians at a moment’s notice. Furthermore, once these images are uploaded, they are eternally preserved in our newly fashioned historical archive of today (the cloud). Kalev Leetaru, a contributor to Forbes Magazine, has dubbed this revolution as the age of the “citizen journalist”. (Leetaru, K) 

Image courtesy of Cellspyapps.org

These are very telling statistics, as it is illuminating a new process for the documentation and recitation of our collective “American” modern history. Through the efforts of, an unlimited number of in the field daily documentarians, who are on scene, across an expanse set of locations, we are provided a new and more defined picture of our collective histories. We are at a total divergence point, from the history of yesteryear, which was traditionally postulated or recorded by the “winning” side and/or relayed by the media conglomerate with the biggest budget. 

 With the prior stated facts from above, we can assess these channels' abilities to mobilize like-minded individuals, for any cause or calling of the group’s devise. One such study conducted at the University of Las Vegas Nevada (UNLV), looked at these effects in greater detail. They identified two disparate groups, who have effectively employed social media, as a mobilization tool in their efforts. This study identified the “Blue Lives Matter” and the “#LetUsSurvive/#SurvivorsAgainstSESTA movements. One group was working to amend and impose stiffer penalties, against crimes perpetrated against any members of the law enforcement community. And contrarily, the #LetUsSurvive/#SurviorsAgainstSESTA faction was a conglomerated group of “sex workers” seeking to rally against an impending bill that would severely jeopardize their revenue streams. The latter of these two movements saw five million views in the first four weeks after the inception of their movement. (Futrell et al.) This study provides us with the data needed to state beyond any shadow of a doubt that, social media has become a powerful mobilization tool for collective societal efforts. In the words of Robert Futrell, who is the sociology chair and a professor at UNLV states, “although not a panacea, social media is an essential tool in social movement efforts today”. (Futrell, R.)

Image courtesy of the Current.

 In closing, we have identified how our modern social media outlets are reshaping the way we record and recount history, and how it has become a successful tool in the mobilization of collected group efforts. We have been shown the extensive power that these communication channels wield, and we must be cognizant of this capacity, whilst utilizing these channels in the future. We can look at the highly publicized Al-Shabaab, Nairobi mall attacks of 2013 for an example of the extent of this stated power. Responsibility for the mayhem was claimed and updated with live photos and threats of possible future attacks, through these same social media channels previously listed. (Ortiz, 2013) It is clear, that we must become educated and aware users/connoisseurs of these platforms, as we progress forward together as a globally united “online” community. 

Image courtesy of Freepik.

 Sources Cited:

 Dixon, S. (8th July 2022). Social Media Usage in the United States – Statistics & Facts. Internet-Social Media & User Generated Content. Statista.com 

Social media usage in the United States - Statistics & Facts | Statista

 

Futrell, R. (Accessed 6th November 2022). Social Media for Mobilization. News Center. UNLV.edu Social Media for Mobilization | University of Nevada, Las Vegas (unlv.edu) 

Lane-DeBusk, M. (Accessed 6th November 2022). Social Media and Terrorism. Applied Social Psychology (ASP). Penn State (PSYCH 424 Blog). 

 Social Media and Terrorism | Applied Social Psychology (ASP) (psu.edu)

 Leetaru, K. (28th July 2019). Is Social Media Changing Society Through Greater Accountability? AI & Big Data. Forbes.com

 Is Social Media Changing Society Through Greater Accountability? (forbes.com)