Social Media and Social Change
MM3B03 Professor Sinclair Andrew Carreiro Brandon Mina - 0659177 December 8, 2009
Social Media and Social Change: A Closer Look at the Revolutionary Qualities of Social Media
In Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase, "the medium is the message" (McLuhan). McLuhan suggests that messages are greatly affected by the medium in which they are delivered. Messages must be received in the proper channel to create social change. On July 21, 1969, the American astronaut Neil Armstrong created history when he sent his message to 3.631 billion people via radio and television, "That 's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind". Forty years later another astronaut created history by sending the first tweet from outer space, "Launch was awesome!!! I am feeling great, working hard, and enjoying the magnificent views, the adventure of a lifetime has begun!"(AP). While many people see online activity on social media sites as a past-time, a growing trend and even a fad, it is actually the biggest key player in creating social change. This is why NASA has more Twitter accounts than any federal agency. The biggest reason NASA has been extremely keen about adopting social media is because of the collapse of interest in space programs, said the NASA chief of public affairs Bob Jacobs. NASA also has plans to incorporate YouTube on their next shuttle flight to field questions from space (AP). The message is clear, NASA looks to generate more interest in space programs or to create social change and they look to social media tools to help them. We are in the midst of a communicative revolution fuelled by social media and driven by the masses. Social media possesses the intrinsic power to change the world even in the most marginal of ways. A closer look at the ability social media has to
generate dialogue, its ability to change perception and persuade, and its ability to connect and unite the masses democratically, will demonstrate
Social Media and Social Change: A Closer Look at the Revolutionary Qualities of Social Media
In Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase, "the medium is the message" (McLuhan). McLuhan suggests that messages are greatly affected by the medium in which they are delivered. Messages must be received in the proper channel to create social change. On July 21, 1969, the American astronaut Neil Armstrong created history when he sent his message to 3.631 billion people via radio and television, "That 's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind". Forty years later another astronaut created history by sending the first tweet from outer space, "Launch was awesome!!! I am feeling great, working hard, and enjoying the magnificent views, the adventure of a lifetime has begun!"(AP). While many people see online activity on social media sites as a past-time, a growing trend and even a fad, it is actually the biggest key player in creating social change. This is why NASA has more Twitter accounts than any federal agency. The biggest reason NASA has been extremely keen about adopting social media is because of the collapse of interest in space programs, said the NASA chief of public affairs Bob Jacobs. NASA also has plans to incorporate YouTube on their next shuttle flight to field questions from space (AP). The message is clear, NASA looks to generate more interest in space programs or to create social change and they look to social media tools to help them. We are in the midst of a communicative revolution fuelled by social media and driven by the masses. Social media possesses the intrinsic power to change the world even in the most marginal of ways. A closer look at the ability social media has to
generate dialogue, its ability to change perception and persuade, and its ability to connect and unite the masses democratically, will demonstrate
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