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[digitalmediaandsociety]

Does social media threaten democracy?

To create a society which is inherently democratic, then the society itself must be free from censorship. It is not however simply enough to just be free of censorship, the society must also be exposed to competing perspectives to ensure that all within the society are curious and open to new ideas (Sunstein, 2018). With this understanding of what a truly democratic society means, how can we begin to understand where social media fits within the ideology of democracy?

Does social media threaten the democratic ways, or could the internet be seen as an effective democratic instrument where free and open discourse within a viral public sphere plays a decisive role in the running of life? (Gimmler, 2001).

Since the beginning of the 1990s responses to questions such as these have been rather extreme and at two opposite ends of a polar spectrum. They have either over-emphasised the negative aspects of the internet, arguing that it is simply a construct which threatens democracy or, on the other hand, enthusiastically affirmed whatever this new technology has to offer (Gimmler, 2001).

Many theorists see social media as something which can aid with the utilisation of democracy, for example when facing the problem of making democratic representations meaningful to people (Coleman, 2017). Social media can often aid with the representation of institutions such as congress and parliament, whom are often seen as remote and self-serving. This can be done through the engagement of the everyday citizen as someone who could be an integral part of the democratic process. Furthermore, through connecting people all over the world through platforms like Twitter and Facebook, social media is providing tools that foster a digital revolution and help set the stage for global friendships; two things which can aid with breaking down of the long-standing barriers that kept many peoples ideas from being heard thus promoted an un-democratic world (Donvan, 2018).

Further examples that can be drawn upon to argue that social media is a positive attribute to democracy is the social media campaigns Black Lives Matter and the Women’s March. Two local and national political campaigns in which social media is the driving force behind; this shows that political organising in today’s society serves as a reinforcement for modern democracy (Parker, 2018).

On the other hand, the argument that social media is a threat to democracy can stem from that fact that social media provides unprecedented opportunities for bad actors, including hostile foreign governments, to undermine democratic elections through propaganda and disinformation campaigns intended to undermine political candidates or faith in democratic institutions as a whole (Howard, 2016).

The argument that social media is a threat towards democracy is one which has been contemplated for a number of years. The free speech element and the global networking aspect of social media can pose both a threat and a benefit when viewed in conjunction with creating a democratic society. It appears to me that whether social media behaves as a threat or in support of democracy is highly dependent on the behaviour of those who use it?

References:

Coleman, S. (2017). Can the internet strengthen democracy?. John Wiley & Sons.

Donvan, J. (2018). Social Media is Good for Democracy. Retrieved from https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/social-media-good-democracy-0

Gimmler, A. (2001). Deliberative democracy, the public sphere and the internet. Philosophy & Social Criticism, 27(4), 21-39.

Howard, P. (2016). Is Social Media Killing Democracy? Retrieved from http://culturedigitally.org/2016/11/is-social-media-killing-democracy/

Sunstein, C. R. (2018). # Republic: Divided democracy in the age of social media. Princeton University Press.

[digitalmediaandsociety]

2016 U.S Presidential Campaigning: How important was Digital Media?

Social media, in this day and age is not a new construct, however throughout the 2016 U.S election season it played a bigger role in politics than ever before (Sanders, 2016). It would be impossible to discuss the concept of social media and presidential elections without bringing up Donald Trump and how his domination of social media throughout the election campaigning helped normalise the behavior of other candidates on sites such as Twitter.

A prime example of this would be the engagement between Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush from August of 2015; an exchange in which Clintons campaign team tweeted out a graphic about student debt. Bush’s campaign team then replied altering the graphic and the modifications of the graphic went back and forth numerous times. This type of engagement on social media, which prior to the electoral campaign had not been seen before, was normalised by the actions of both Trump and his campaign team (Sanders, 2016).

Social media is an important supporting cast that can drive valuable traffic to the site and engage voters on a more personal level as long as it is used correctly (Schossow, 2013). The question that is posed is how effectively did candidates of the 2016 elections use social media and ultimately how important was it to their campaign?

In the United States alone, scholars, pundits and political watchers have rejoiced over the opportunities that digital media has offered them (Galley, 2014), and the 2016 election was no exception to this. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump used the platform of social media to their advantages, however it is often the surrogates, supporters and influencers who have the most significant say in shaping perceptions, according to whatever views serve their preferred candidate's interests.

Political campaigns are inherently communication campaigns (Galley, 2014), thus what better platform to project these campaigns than social media; a platform which engages over 200 million users, thus 200 million potential voters on Twitter alone (Gainous & Wagner, 2014). When looking at the metrics of engagement in the 2016 campaign, Trumps posts on Facebook engaged 208 million likes, comments, and shares in comparison with Clintons 72 million (Meyer, 2016). Trumps campaign team ensured they used a number of techniques such as well-timed social media updates, informality, de-professionalism and creating a double movement persona; attempting to make Trump both authentic and as though a celebrity (Enli, 2017).

Although Clintons campaign used social media to create a professional electoral campaign, one which would have been expected in traditional news outlets, Trumps outrageous, amateurish and more controversial style of political communication raised his platform on social media to a new extreme (Enli, 2017).

Users of social media didn’t necessarily have to agree with Trumps manifesto, however his use of social media to engage an audience and create a stir around controversial topics such as fake news, or outrageous claims against his fellow political rivals allowed Trump to become the household name we know today (Enli, 2017) ultimately allowing him to win the election in one of the most controversial U.S Elections of all time.

Without digital media allowing political candidates of the 2016 U.S Election to bypass traditional outlets and cause a stir on social media where the general public could reply and have their say, it is interesting to question whether Trumps campaign would have been quite as successful?

Could he have created the same level of controversy and rally the same amount of people without the notorious #MakeAmericaGreatAgain?

 References

Enli, G. (2017). Twitter as arena for the authentic outsider: exploring the social media campaigns of Trump and Clinton in the 2016 US presidential election. European journal of communication, 32(1), 50-61.

Gainous, J., & Wagner, K. M. (2013). Tweeting to power: The social media revolution in American politics. Oxford University Press.

Sanders, S. (2016). Social Media’s Increasing Role in The 2016 Presidential Election. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2016/11/07/500977344/social-media-s-role-increases-in-2016-presidential-election?t=1558468309523

Schossow, C. (2013). Using Social Media in Political Campaigns. Retrieved from https://www.newmediacampaigns.com/page/using-social-media-in-political-campaigns

Stromer-Galley, J. (2014). Presidential campaigning in the Internet age. Oxford University Press.

[digitalmediaandsociety]

How New Age Media has Shaped the News industry

The way in which we consume news has changed drastically over the last 10 years.

In this day and age there are a wider variety of media outlets than ever before, with this vast diversity of platforms paralleling the process of democratisation with the expansion of media and the public sphere (Chadwick & Howard, 2010).

So why is it that in this new age of digital media, focus has been taken away from the classic newspaper and placed upon social media as a news channel millennial's simply cannot live without?

To answer that question we must first consider the role of the journalist, and the ways in which they transmit news from the event taking place to the general public.

The specific role of a journalist is to act as the gatekeeper whom disseminates information to the public; requiring, precise analysis, explanation and context (Bunz, 2009). With this in mind, try to imagine if you can, the days in which these journalists stories where transmitted to the public via local and national television news broadcasts, where the number of stories contained in these broadcasts was of a relatively small amount (Tewksbury & RittenBerg, 2012). Now imagine the magnitude of journalistic stories that can be posted, shared, retweeted and broadcast across all social media platforms in a number of minutes. Figures show that there are currently 2.4 billion users on social media with 65% receiving their news via online sites such as Facebook and Twitter over the traditional news platforms (Martin, 2018). With a user platform this big and the ability to post a constant stream of news stories at the touch of a button the question of how the digital era has created such a successful platform for the sharing of news becomes answered; it is simply easier.

The news platform has forever been changing and evolving since the birth of the very first print newspaper, an ever happening development that Chadwick and Howard (2010) refer to as a constant revolution. Print media has struggled to keep up with the demands of digital media, as consumers are able to access a wide range of stories, topics and ultimately shape the news they read to what interests them the most (Bastos, 2015). The dominance of celebrity and social news, and the increasing growth of reality shows and other forms of popular culture-oriented news, has contributed incredibly to the blurring of credibility boundaries that once set traditional outlets apart from digital media (Bastos, 2015). It is this blurring and indistinguishability between real news, celebrity news and gossip that has allowed digital media to grow as a news outlet so successfully.

Due to this blurring, ease of accessibility and constant flow of information, it was found that when surveying 18-to-24-year-olds, 28% cited social media as their main news source, compared with 24% for TV (Wakefield, 2016). The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalisms research further shows that 51% of people with online access use social media as a news source (Levy, 2011: cited in Wakefield, 2016).

Ultimately, the digital society we live in is allowing a new generation of techno savvy teens to easily access a range of digital platforms each promoting a range of topical stories at the click of a button. This is primarily the reason as to why this accessible news trend and the rising use of mobile phones to access news are beginning to undermine traditional business models, raising the question of how long will traditional media continue to be around for?

 References:

Bastos, M. T. (2015). Shares, pins, and tweets: News readership from daily papers to social media. Journalism studies, 16(3), 305-325.

Bunz, M. (2009). How Social Networking is Changing Journalism. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2009/sep/18/oxford-social-media-convention-2009-journalism-blogs

Chadwick, A., & Howard, P. (2010). Routledge Handbook of Internet Politics. London: Routledge.

Levy, D. A. (2011). The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. Journalism Studies, 12(1), 119-127.

Martin, N. (2018). How Social Media Has Changed How We Consume News. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicolemartin1/2018/11/30/how-social-media-has-changed-how-we-consume-news/#72a3f8453c3c

Tewksbury, D., & Rittenberg, J. (2012). News on the Internet: Information and Citizenship in the 21st Century. Oxford University Press.

Wakefield (2016). Social Media ‘outstrips TV’ as news source for young people. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36528256

[digitalmediaandsociety]

Digital Media the Oxymoron: How digital media can bring us closer together whilst isolating us at the same time.

How would our generation function without digital media? Answer: It wouldn’t.

Digital Media has been absolutely revolutionary in transforming the way in which individuals interact within society, it has put prominence on the emerging shape of screen industries within the 21st century and shows established players, norms, principles and practices “ceding significant and influence too digital streaming and social network platforms” (Craig & Cunningham, 2019, p4). Digital Media has had a multitude of benefits in our everyday life, from allowing one to connect with family at either sides of the world to more simpler things such as ordering a takeaway with a click of a button (Gordhammer, 2009). Surely these incredible aspects which Goodman (2019) describes as the ever important social connectivity, are amazing things for society? Surely this ease of connectivity, the ability to access anything in the world via digital media and the freedom of speech that comes along with it are outstanding attributes of our generation which bring the world so much closer together? It goes without saying that nobody should feel isolated in such a digital world (Goodman, 2019).

So how is it that the exact same social sites which bring us closer together, equally leave us isolated from those around us?

In a study conducted using a nationally representative sample of 1,787 U.S adults aged 19-32 looking at the relationship between perceived social isolation (PSI) and social media use (SMU), it was found that individuals whom visited social networking sites 58 times a week are three times more likely to feel PSI when viewed in comparison with those who visit the sight less than 9 times a week (Primack et al, 2017). These results are further supported by Lin et al (2016) whose research focuses on the association between social media use and depression among young U.S adults. Their study demonstrated a significant and strong association between social media use and depression (Lin et al, 2016), thus we must ask ourselves why there is such a severe relationship between signs of social isolation and the use of digital media networking sites aimed specifically at inducing sociability.

To answer this question a number of things must be considered ranging from the quality of relationship one can obtain from social media to the uses one prioritises when accessing social media sites.

In a report gained form Pew Research Centre’s Internet and Life Project looking at the attitudes and behaviours of millennials online, it was found that although communication and creating a relationship is often viewed as easier online, the quality and overall satisfaction acquired from these relationships is much lower (Lenhart, Purcell, Smith & Zickuhr, 2010). In other words, hiding behind a keyboard may be an easier way for many to engage in online interaction, flirting and friendships however the lack of substance gained from these engagements can leave one feeling low and unfulfilled; thus isolated.

Furthermore, what one expects to gain out of logging on to social media can be a huge indicator of how the experience will go. Numerous researchers, including Fardouly & Vartanian (2016) express concern as to how using sights such as Instagram to look up celebrities and influencers can have a sever effect on ones perceptions of themselves and their own body image. These are both factors which can affect rates on loneliness amongst users (Fardouly & Varanian, 2016).

To conclude, does this age of digital media and social connectivity bring us together and aid with a multitude of day to day experiences: yes. However equal to this is the concern as to how much time spent acquiring relationships online and comparing oneself to others online can affect ones loneliness. This is something that should be considered greatly when using social media, and something which is summed up perfectly in this inspiring video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St_kEg-NmA8

References:

Craig, D., & Cunningham, S. (2019). Social Media Entertainment: The New Intersection of Hollywood and Silicon Valley. NYU Press.

Fardouly, J., & Vartanian, L. R. (2016). Social media and body image concerns: Current research and future directions. Current opinion in psychology, 9, 1-5.

Goodman, P (2019, March 4). 16 Advantages of Digital Technology. Turbo Future. Retrieved from URL: https://turbofuture.com/computers/Advantages-of-Digital-Technology

Gorhammer, S (2009, October 10). 5 Ways Social Media Changed Our Lives/ Mashable. Retrieved from URL: https://mashable.com/2009/10/16/social-media-changing-lives/?europe=true

Lenhart, A., Purcell, K., Smith, A., & Zickuhr, K. (2010). Social Media & Mobile Internet Use among Teens and Young Adults. Millennials. Pew internet & American life project.

Lin, L. Y., Sidani, J. E., Shensa, A., Radovic, A., Miller, E., Colditz, J. B., ... & Primack, B. A. (2016). Association between social media use and depression among US young adults. Depression and anxiety, 33(4), 323-331.

Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Sidani, J. E., Whaite, E. O., yi Lin, L., Rosen, D., ... & Miller, E. (2017). Social media use and perceived social isolation among young adults in the US. American journal of preventive medicine, 53(1), 1-8.

[digitalmediaandsociety]

Digital Media and The Arab Spring

Throughout history, numerous uprisings and revolutions have taken place, however the Arab Spring developed a reputation as a brand new era of modern day revolutions. This new era embodied a series of revolutions and protests in the Middle East that began in 2010, however it was soon regarded under a new title: The Social Media Revolution. So why was social media so important in the creation and continuation of such an important moment in History?

The revolutions main platform for organisation was Facebook, a platform that thus far had not been used primarily as a tool for revolt; this is a huge contributor as to why the revolution gained such worldwide acknowledgement. A multitude of communities throughout the Middle East united on Facebook whose social platform allowed these communities to realise that they shared grievances and begin to realise that they could act upon them to initiate change (Howard & Hussain, 2013). The platform provided not only a safe place for these communities to work together, but also a platform for the wider public to be educated about the political climate that the Middle East where currently facing (Howard & Hussain, 2013).

The catalyst of this revolution which sparked such enormous protestation was the tragic death of Tunisian graduate Mohammed Bouazizi whom in response to autocratic regimes which enabled him from selling his produce without paying government fines, set himself on fire in Sidi Bouzid (BBC, 2011). This singular act of protest became the mass catalyst for the Tunisian revolt and the wider Arab Spring (BBC, 2011).

Although a leader of the growth of this protest cannot necessarily be identified (BBC, 2011), it is important to understand that protests under sever authoritarianism such as the government in Tunisia are incredible rare (Tullock & Rowley, 2005). However, the tragedy and shocking nature of Bouazizi’s act managed to spark such a severity of public response which consequently led to the then president of Tunisia, Ben Ali, to step down after 23 years in power (BBC, 2011).

Due to the use of Facebook the uprising gained extraordinary success and gave anti-government voices a global platform to be heard. This global acknowledgment of the uprising led to a number of copycat protesters setting themselves on fire with the same aim; to overrule and bring down their own autocratic governments (Allagui & Kuebler, 2011).

In a study carried out by the Dubai School of Government entitled ‘The Arab Social Media Report’, it was identified that the significant growth of social media in the Middle East played an important role in the shaping of opinions, influencing change and sparking future events in regard to the Arab Spring (Dubai School of Government, 2018). With this in mind it is crucial to ask ourselves whether, since the role of social media is evidently so critical to the creation and carrying out of the Arab Spring and that the events cannot be described “without reference to digital activism” (Zayani & Downin, 2015, p3), then if Bouazizi’s act had of been undertaken in a society with no social media, would the uprising have gained as much historical recognition as it has in this generation? Or would the act of simply been forgotten in a few days and the authoritarian government continued?

References:

Allagui, I., & Kuebler, J. (2011). The Arab Spring and the Role of ICTs. International Journal Of Communication, 5. doi: 1392/616_

BBC. (2011). How Facebook Changed the World: The Arab Spring [TV

Dubai School of Government (2018) The Arab Social Media Report. Retrieved

Everyday Life in Tunisia. New York: Oxford University Press.

Howard, P. N., & Hussain, M. M. (2013). Democracy's fourth wave?: digital media and the Arab Spring. Oxford University Press.

online from: _https://www.arabsocialmediareport.com/home/index.aspx__

programme]. BBC HD

Tullock, G., & Rowley, C. K. (2005). The economics and politics of wealth redistribution (Vol. 7). Liberty Fund.