How powerful do you think Facebook is as a political tool for social change?

1. 65

   maddotposted 11 years ago

   How powerful do you think Facebook is as a political tool for social change?

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   PAPA-BEARposted 11 years ago

   Never in a million years. It is a sad depot of border line chit-chat and name tags that sound like the writing of a latter day Charles Dickens.

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   thegeckoposted 11 years ago

   Unfortunately, it failed to get Gary Johnson or Jill Stein into the presidential debates.

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4. 72

   agusfananiposted 11 years ago

   Hi maddot,
   There was an action  against injustice in my country when a housewife named Prita Mulyasari was sued by a hospital and had to pay a fine for around 204 million  for writing a complain on a social media. People joined forces through facebook and a mailing list to give support and  voluntarily collect coins for her which the action called : Koin Untuk Prita (Coins For Prita). Finding out the huge support for Prita, the hospital finally dropped their charge. The news can be read at:
   
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prita_Mulyasari

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      maddotposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well done! We've just had a bit of w win in Australia with  facebook muscle:http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/network-cancels-all-ads-on-jones-show-20121007-277bo.html

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5. 69

   BSloanposted 11 years ago

   I don't think Facebook has an impact politically.  Most people go on Facebook to reconnect with others they don't see very often.  I know I recently deactivated my account because of all the political posts and won't be back until after the elections.

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   dianetrotterposted 11 years ago

   I see FB as a rallying point.  None of my opinions have been changed but I am connect with others who have the same point of view.  A lot of untruth is spread on FB.

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   allelsemattersposted 11 years ago

   Now that it's election time, politicians are using the social media to encourage them to vote for them but nothing has change in their platform..They are just continuing on their promises to do this and that but i'm still hopeful that whoever we choose can  help us become a progressive country with less corruption.

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   Wayne Brownposted 11 years ago

   I think it has some merit in that it gives people a sense of belonging even though the physical distances can be great.  People realize that there are others who agree with their viewpoint and that all hope is not lost.  That brings a certain synergy.  Can it change the world.....I think that might be too much to expect in the short term.  In my experience with Twitter, I find that those who are active on that network tend to want to absorb things in short bullets which fit well within the 140 character....with little detail.  Links left to articles, etc. are rarely followed and read though they may support the mindset being expressed.  So, I tend to think that one operating in sites such as Facebook or Twitter tend to stay in the herd that agrees with them thus the "in-breeding" is rampant...which is probably the most noticeable product of it all.  ~WB

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   Deborah-Dianeposted 11 years ago

   A few years ago I would not have thought it possible for Facebook to have a major affect on social change. However, having seeing the part it played in the "Arab Spring," I think it may be a more powerful tool than I ever realized!

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10. 71

    alanlsgposted 11 years ago

    Sadly FB will not be a powerful tool for political change as it is too diverse, too me orientated and celebrity style culture directed that to get any focus re poilitical change would be nigh on impossible.
    
    However I would love to be wrong as I do hope the youth of today will lead the pressure for change using Humanity Networks and Social Media connectivity and create a peaceful populace spring in the UK that will change the staus quo politically.

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    Old Empresarioposted 11 years ago

    It has potential. But I think if it became too powerful a means of communication for social change, the government would deem it subversive and find ways to clip its wings or shut it down completely. See what had happened to WikiLeaks? The government made a few threats and the credit and payment management companies cut off financial transactions to WikiLeaks. It was dead in the water.

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    NateB11posted 11 years ago

    I think it is very powerful as a tool for social change, millions of people able to communicate, across the globe, in seconds; this allows social movements to spread and take quick action. And those who don't want social change know this, and so are trying to restrict and censor the Internet.

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