In recent years protests around the globe have gained international attention through the use of social media. Global citizens watched the Egyptian protests and chipped in their two cents worth online, via social media. The initially peaceful protests in Turkey captured our attention when social media came into play, and it helped organize further demonstration within the country. The Arab Spring catalyzed first through the use these networks. It is evident that the use of social media has provided the means for concerned citizens to play a role in their respective governments—be it through organizing protests or simply voicing their concerns or opinions.
While the world has had its eyes and ears tuned in on protests in the Middle East, Latin America has made the jump into the technological realm and has since become the second largest consumer of social media globally. Today, 82 percent of Latin American web-users also use social media, and Brazil recently surpassed India as the country with the second highest amount of Facebook users, despite having roughly 1/6 of the total population. Latin America is quickly growing and is on track to become the greatest user of social media worldwide.
James Bosworth, partner and director of analysis at Southern Pulse, explained how social media has impacted Latin America in a discussion held at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He explained that Facebook played a large role in the recent Brazil protests, saying, “The protestors learned about protests via Facebook, and the protests also escalated through Facebook.” Mainstream media has been tuned on Brazil since June, but Bosworth explained, “2013 was already on track to be one of the largest protesting years in Brazil, even before the protests hit the mainstream media.”
Why were we unaware of the turmoil in Brazil? Angry citizens had been taking to the streets for weeks, yet few people knew about it until mainstream media reported on the expanding protests organized through social media. It is clear that a new realm of politics has been created through digital and social media, but how far does it reach?
“The use of social media tools does not have a single preordained outcome,” explained Carl Meacham, director of the CSIS Americas Program. “Though it might be a tool to highlight injustice or help organize different movements, it’s clear that using these technologies doesn’t fix things just because they exist.” The use of Twitter brought attention to Mexico during the #YoSoy132 movement, and education reform has been a hot topic in Chile as well, but its use had minimal success.
Bosworth explained, “Since the social media revolution in Latin America, no governments have been tossed out via social media.” Even though social media can bring attention to critical issues, it does not solve them alone. Bosworth asked, “How do you connect the internet to actual physical objects?”
Social media has made an impact on countries around the globe, from world powers like the United States and the European Union, to Latin America and the Middle East. The impact it has, however, depends upon the resolve of the citizens to actually do something more. While social media has aided protests in the Middle East and Latin America, in many developed countries, it serves a more narcissistic purpose. If we want to change the world it is going to take action from us, with social media aiding us along the way.
a global affairs media network
Social Media Revolutionizes Global Politics
July 30, 2013
In recent years protests around the globe have gained international attention through the use of social media. Global citizens watched the Egyptian protests and chipped in their two cents worth online, via social media. The initially peaceful protests in Turkey captured our attention when social media came into play, and it helped organize further demonstration within the country. The Arab Spring catalyzed first through the use these networks. It is evident that the use of social media has provided the means for concerned citizens to play a role in their respective governments—be it through organizing protests or simply voicing their concerns or opinions.
While the world has had its eyes and ears tuned in on protests in the Middle East, Latin America has made the jump into the technological realm and has since become the second largest consumer of social media globally. Today, 82 percent of Latin American web-users also use social media, and Brazil recently surpassed India as the country with the second highest amount of Facebook users, despite having roughly 1/6 of the total population. Latin America is quickly growing and is on track to become the greatest user of social media worldwide.
James Bosworth, partner and director of analysis at Southern Pulse, explained how social media has impacted Latin America in a discussion held at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He explained that Facebook played a large role in the recent Brazil protests, saying, “The protestors learned about protests via Facebook, and the protests also escalated through Facebook.” Mainstream media has been tuned on Brazil since June, but Bosworth explained, “2013 was already on track to be one of the largest protesting years in Brazil, even before the protests hit the mainstream media.”
Why were we unaware of the turmoil in Brazil? Angry citizens had been taking to the streets for weeks, yet few people knew about it until mainstream media reported on the expanding protests organized through social media. It is clear that a new realm of politics has been created through digital and social media, but how far does it reach?
“The use of social media tools does not have a single preordained outcome,” explained Carl Meacham, director of the CSIS Americas Program. “Though it might be a tool to highlight injustice or help organize different movements, it’s clear that using these technologies doesn’t fix things just because they exist.” The use of Twitter brought attention to Mexico during the #YoSoy132 movement, and education reform has been a hot topic in Chile as well, but its use had minimal success.
Bosworth explained, “Since the social media revolution in Latin America, no governments have been tossed out via social media.” Even though social media can bring attention to critical issues, it does not solve them alone. Bosworth asked, “How do you connect the internet to actual physical objects?”
Social media has made an impact on countries around the globe, from world powers like the United States and the European Union, to Latin America and the Middle East. The impact it has, however, depends upon the resolve of the citizens to actually do something more. While social media has aided protests in the Middle East and Latin America, in many developed countries, it serves a more narcissistic purpose. If we want to change the world it is going to take action from us, with social media aiding us along the way.
