Social media is a powerful tool that can be used to help build community, create social change and improve the lives of people around the world. It is a tool that allows us to connect with friends and family around the globe and keep up with news and current events. This brief research essay argues that social media is a valuable social change because of its various advantages and uses that can vividly and explicitly be observed and experienced in every walk of life in today’s highly technological society throughout the globe.
Social media is a valuable tool for creating social change because it enables people to connect in ways that were not possible before. It allows us to share experiences, learn from each other, and make connections that we might not have otherwise made. Social media has also been used as a tool for protest movements like the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street, which helped spread awareness about issues that were previously unknown or ignored (Fernandez & Rumble, 2015). The internet can create social change in many ways: by educating people worldwide on essential topics, encouraging them to take action on those issues, and creating a community around them.
Social media has become a precious tool for creating social change because it allows us to reach out to people in a previously unimaginable way. For example, one can use social media to raise awareness about important issues by raising awareness among one’s friends and family members. One can also use these networks to find people who share one’s values and interests, whom one could connect, offline to amplify one’s voices as much as possible. Social media can also create a sense of community among those whose circumstances or location might otherwise isolate them. For example, if someone is homeless, they may not have many places where they can go and enjoy being with others who feel the same way—but on social media, they can find others who have similar interests or experiences as themselves and connect with them in person at least once a week.
Moreover, it allows people to connect with each other in previously impossible ways. By connecting with people from all over the world, social media allows people to share their unique perspectives and experiences. This can be incredibly powerful when a group of people who have never met before can unite to fight for something they believe in—protecting animals or promoting affordable healthcare. Social media also allows users to share information quickly and easily—which can be especially important during times of crisis when quick action is needed on a large scale (Amitrano et al., 2018). Social media allows people to share information about how they feel or what they see with their friends and family members, which can help them feel like they are not alone in their suffering and fears (Hwang & Kim, 2015). Social media also gives users access to experts in any field of study who hold influential positions in society and are willing to share their knowledge. These experts can be beneficial during times of crisis by providing advice on how best to handle the situation, whether through counseling or helping victims find jobs after being displaced by natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes (Hwang & Kim, 2015).
Additionally, it allows individuals to organize their efforts and resources in ways that were impossible before. Before the advent of social media, it was much more challenging to coordinate large-scale efforts and mobilizations than today. For example, it was challenging to coordinate a protest because people would have to physically meet up in person and then coordinate the date and time of their meeting. When they did meet up, they would need to find out if everyone else showed up or if some people were left behind at home. This meant protests had a meager turnout rate, further limiting their effectiveness. Social media has allowed protesters to organize themselves online through websites like Facebook or Twitter, where they can communicate with each other without having to meet up at an agreed-upon time physically (Voivonta & Avraamidou, 2018). They can also use these sites both as a means of communicating with others who are working on similar issues but also as a way of organizing themselves—they can create groups on these sites where they discuss what actions they need to take next in order for the protests against the government’s policies against immigrants or people of color (Voivonta & Avraamidou, 2018).
To conclude, it may be inferred that the widespread use of social media has the potential to facilitate global community building, social transformation, and quality of life enhancement. In addition to keeping us abreast of the latest news and happenings, it facilitates communication with loved ones worldwide. The power of social media lies in its ability to bring people together in previously impossible ways. As a result, we may talk to one another about our lives, get new insights from theirs, and form bonds with people we would never have met otherwise. It facilitates the exchange of diverse points of view by linking users from all over the globe. Hence, it may bring about positive social change, including spreading awareness about significant problems, inspiring individuals to take action, and bringing together like-minded people.
References
Amitrano, C. C., Gargiulo, R., & Bifulco, F. (2018). Creating Value through Social Media: Fresh Evidence from Cultural Organizations. Journal of Creating Value, 4(2), 243–254. https://doi.org/10.1177/2394964318805616
Fernandez, J. C., & Rumble, J. N. (2015). Getting the Most out of Social Media: Creating a Social Media Plan. EDIS, 2015(7), 3. https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-wc221-2015
Hwang, H., & Kim, K.-O. (2015). Social media as a tool for social movements: the effect of social media use and social capital on intention to participate in social movements. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 39(5), 478–488. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12221
Voivonta, T., & Avraamidou, L. (2018). Facebook: a potentially valuable educational tool? Educational Media International, 55(1), 34–48. https://doi.org/10.1080/09523987.2018.1439708
