Comments | alitheapipkin: On the dangers of Twitter

alitheapipkin

On the dangers of Twitter

Oct 09, 2011 14:29

Maybe I'm just feeling cynical because I'm ill but I'm reminded again today about the dangers of Twitter, and confusing online 'clicktivism' with actual activism.

Today, I'm reminded of this because #RIPHarry is trending on Twitter and various people are apparently tweeting in memory of 11 year old Harry Mosley, who has died of a brain tumour ( Read more... )

maybe i'm just getting old & cynical, musings, issues

Comments 8

rosathome October 9 2011, 16:59:01 UTC

I find most of the 'Please RT' things fairly pointless. Because, as you say, the people who need to hear it generally aren't listening to Twitter. I think Twitter is very good for some things - like swift spreading of news, for instance, or the craft debates, and so on. I don't think it works particularly well as a tool for political or social change, at least not in the western world.

alitheapipkin October 10 2011, 10:14:23 UTC

In the light of a new day, I've convinced myself that it can have some value (see comments below) but it very much depends on the intention. Showing people they are not alone is much more successful than enacting concrete change but as comments about the Arab Spring, maybe sometimes bearing witness is enough to help the people who can make the serious change on the ground.

anthrokeight October 9 2011, 18:45:28 UTC

I disagree with Ros on the "not in the Western World" argument. For one thing, part of what Twitter/FB did is make communication for people in the Arab Spring movements able to reach out to the world to witness what was happening. We in Europe and the US were part of that movement because we were there to hear it. And that made serious change ( ... )

alitheapipkin October 10 2011, 10:10:16 UTC

Today I'm glad we spoke out anyway - as I commented to evildrganymede below, I do think there is power in showing people they aren't alone in their suffering, even if you can't offer any practical help.

evildrganymede October 10 2011, 03:09:28 UTC

Your post reminded me of this article I read when Davis was executed: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15028665

Personally, I am extremely cynical about the effectiveness of any online petitions. They invariably amount to nothing, and I think anyone who thinks they make a difference at all is being rather optimistic.

What online campaigning *can* do is raise awareness of the issue - but that alone isn't going to change anything. The so-called "Arab Spring" (such as it is) only went as far as it did because people hit the streets and demonstrated for what they wanted, not because people were voicing their displeasure and jumping on bandwagons on social networks.

evildrganymede October 10 2011, 03:11:45 UTC

(And also, I'm reminded of the #prayforjapan hashtag that was very popular after the big quake there. As if "praying for japan" would be any use at all to anyone, but I'm sure it made some misguided people who posted it felt better about themselves).

alitheapipkin October 10 2011, 10:02:39 UTC

I don't believe that praying effects physical change in the world, but I do see value in showing people they are in our thoughts. I know someone who was in Japan at the time and I know he found comfort in it ( ... )

alitheapipkin October 10 2011, 09:44:06 UTC

Thanks for that link, Consty, I hadn't read that before and it was interesting.

I'm not as cynical about all online petitions because sometimes the people you are trying to petition are listening, at least to a certain extent. Lobbying groups like 38 degrees are making inroads in influencing political debate in this country, and they are largely an online movement. But influencing British politicians and the BBC, who are meant to answer to us, is rather different to shouting in the dark at foreign authorities, or cancer/God...