It is incredible to think that an entire political or social movement can be created through the strategic and skillful usage of social networking sites, but this is precisely what is happing all over the world.
In 2008 Oscar Morales’ “Un Millón Voces Contra Las FARC” facebook page led to a protest in Colombia in which in a single day 12 million people protested against the FARC, or the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Morales and others were taking a stand against the FARC’s brutality and in particular sequestering of hostages. “No more kidnappings, no more lies, no more killings, no more FARC,” was Morales’ simple slogan for the movement.
While it seems like the most dramatic successes derived from utilizing social networking sites to spark political movements have come from abroad (in countries such as Egypt and Colombia), research shows that in the United States we have the conditions necessary to start these grassroots movements as well.
The PEW report on the Internet released in 2010 show that 1 in 5 adults in the United States uses Twitter or social networking sites for political purposes. The report also notes that 73% of adults took part in one of the three following political activities in 2010:
1. Searching for political views online
2. Participating in particular political activities online
3. Using Twitter or social networking sites for political purposes
Ultimately, this indicates that adults across America are already using social networking sites for political related activities, and are likely to be prospective members of grassroots movements that are based in at least in part on communicating through social networking sites. According to an additional PEW report entitled, “Social Networking Sites and Our Lives,” the number of people using social networking sites has almost doubled since 2008, and now includes more individuals over the age of 35. All of this data should encourage Americans who wish to start a grassroots movement using social media and networking sites.
In addition, an individual starting his own grassroots political movement in the United States should create his own smartphone application, or “ap.” This statement can be supported by PEW’s smartphone adoption and usage report. The report indicates that over a third of American adults (35%) own smartphones, from which they can access the Internet and use a variety of other functions.
The American political scene is ripe for new social networking based political movements. PEW reports certainly support this notion, and the media does as well. News stations and networks now have their own Facebook pages, Twitter names and relations to other networking sites, which often offer their viewers stories or links to other sites that are related to political movements. Social networking is becoming a rapid way to disseminate news, gain support, and plan events to support or protest against various political issues.
A variety of Americans have been unsatisfied with American policies or political realities and have started reaching out for support of their cause via social networking sites. A mere Google search will yield the names of hundreds of political activism pages on Facebook…
…Just to name a few!
Soooooo…those of you eager to create your own grassroots movement by taking advantage of social networking sites, here are some impotant tips:
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