Social Media Activism (SMA) is the use of web-based platforms, applications and technologies to bring about political or social change and has the power to disseminate information rapidly and globally. It has played a central role in recent worldwide movements for change. We discuss current trends and limitations, the main players and their changing market share, and innovations in the on-line activism arena. Traditional players like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are now being challenged by new tools and activist specific spaces. Security concerns have led to the creation of tools such as Pidder, Crabgrass and OTR. SMA is not always a force for good. Users must be responsible, evaluate the veracity of information and understand the potential to propagate crime. Ultimately, SMA can only be a part of the movement for change - it still needs brave people on the streets to challenge the status quo.

1. Social Media Activism
Team Name:
Anthony Devine
Elaine Denehan
John Donohoe
Maud O’Connor
Stephanie Terry

2. Introduction
Social Media defined as websites and applications that enable
users to create/ share content and network
The main organisations in this place include
• Blogger (1999)
• Facebook (2003)
• youtube (1999)
• Twitter (1999)
Social media activists use these tools to disseminate
information and rally support quicker or under the radar of
mainstream media.

3. Definition
• Social Media
– “Is a term used to describe a variety of web-based
platforms, applications and technologies that enable
people to socially interact with one another online”
webopedia
• Activism
– “the policy or action of using vigorous campaigning to
bring about political or social change” Oxford Dictionary
• Social Media Activism
– The use of web-based platforms, application and
technologies to bring about political or social change.
“You are what you share.”
― Charles Leadbeater, We Think: The Power Of Mass Creativity

4. Timeline
A brief history of social media organisations and technology
www.idfive.com

5. Instances of revolution
1999 World Trade Organisation Protest in Seattle
Mobile phones
2006 California Immigration Protests
Text messaging
2010 Arab Spring
Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and blogs
2011 Tottenham Riots
Blackberry messengers, twitter

6. Social Media Activism
Cause for
Change
People
Technology
“Social media sparks a revelation that we, the people, have a voice, and through the democratization of
content and ideas we can once again unite around common passions, inspire movements, and ignite change.”
― Brian Solis

7. Recent Global Hotspots
Tunisia
USA
Syria
India
Ukraine
Thailand
Mexico
Philippines
UK

8. Social Media Activism
• Facebook forms groups, covert and overt - in
order to establish those strong but flexible
connections.
• Twitter is used for real-time organisation and
news dissemination, bypassing the cumbersome
'newsgathering' operations of the mainstream
media.
• Youtube and Twitter-linked photographic sites Yfrog, Flickr, and Twitpic- are used to provide
instant evidence of the claims being made.
*http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/03/how-the-revolution-went-viral
Cause for
Change
People
Technology

9. Technology - Sharing information
Movements.org
• Blogs
• Case Studies
• Directory of tools
CrowdVoice
• Newsfeeds
• Focus on events
• Variety of opinion
Sukey
• Mobile App
• To organise protests
• Real-time information

10. Technology – Securing Information
Pidder
• Encrypts information
• Security settings
• Protects IP address
Off-The-Record
• Encrypts IM conversations
• Authentication
• Deniability
Crabgrass
• Free Secure Software
• Wiki’s
• Protest events

11. Competitive Landscape

13. Collaboration and Community

14. Issues
• Authenticity
– Reputation of media sources
• Slacktivism
– Does this make a difference?
• Organised Crime Mobs
– London riots 2011

15. Issues
• Who has produced the information?
• How recent is the information?
• How accurate is the information?
Authenticity • What is the purpose of the information?
Slacktivism
Crime
• What is the goal of the action required?
• Is there any value to this action?
• Organised looting and riots
• Do you know what cause you are fighting for?
• Disinformation

16. Summary
“We must understand that in this age of persuasion,
social media is one of the tools available to social
activists. But when social media is effectively employed
in campaigns, it remains the activists, revolutionaries
and dissidents who deserve the credit for challenging
the status quo – and not social media itself.”
-Mark Kersten
http://justiceinconflict.org/2012/06/02/has-social-media-reinvented-social-activism-a-debate/