Comments on: Does social media help or hamper social change?

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:01:10 +0000

I also think that is where the real power of social networks come in. Enabling connections that would not have otherwise existed by reducing the obstacles of time and geographic distance. The real key is making sure that these connections are strong enough to enable and then sustain institutional change.

By: dan mcquillan

dan mcquillan — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:33:07 +0000

hi vanessa

i’m also sceptical about the virtualisation of social change.

maybe the impact of social media will come from enabling new ways to organise the networks that act in real life.

You say “Every major preceding social movement has been built on personal relationships that grew to organizational formation and evolved into institutional change.”

I think it’s the last point (institutionlisation) that’s been a bigger obstacle than social media fluffiness could ever be.

Hopefully the social web will enable us to extend agile organisation around shared passions for change in ways that stay flexible and peer-to-peer.

dan

By: Social Media Can Make Social Change Go Jumbo : Brazen Careerist - A Career Center for Generation Y

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:34:22 +0000

[...] Vanessa Mason Social Media Can Make Social Change Go Jumbo 08.6.08 Print This | Email This The jury is still out on the potential that social media has to facilitate social change. I would argue its widespread [...]

By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:44:32 +0000

No worries! I have my fair share of rambles as well. I think that social media has already brought about social change, if anything through its sheer ubiquity. I just worry that in the whirlwind of innovation and creativity in social media that it is easy to lose sight of the need for balance between the online and real worlds of activism and social change. You still need real world action to sustain changes. I will be interested to see what comes out of Be The Media, Beth Kanter's new project to create a curriculum to discern when and how much social media usage a non-profit organization should adopt.

By: socialbutterfly4change

socialbutterfly4change — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:23:04 +0000

I think social media has already created social change. Does it everytime? No. But, it can def. heighten your awareness and be used as a promotional tool. For great real social marketing campaigns though, the promotional side of it, is just one aspect.

My question in return, is that I think there’s a whole lot of factors that influence social change, and I think the more broad we look for those, the better. So, social change can happen, but to be most effective, it should be a collaborative approach…whether that’s using F2F or social media, is up to the objectives of the campaign/issue, but social media can definitely be A tool.

My ramble make any sense? lol =) Great post!