Twitter and Facebook on Roundtable Feb. 28, 2010, 10 AM: What's the Role of Social Media in Activism and Protest?

Joe and Jesse talk about social media and activism: what is it, who does it, and what's the story.

Here are some of the issues we'll try to discuss:

• What role do social media really play in protests and uprisings?
• How do people use them to promote activism?
• What's the relationship between social media and traditional media?
• Do social media replace old-fashioned organizing?
• What's next?

An interesting YouTube interview with Alex Ross is here. He makes the points about the role of technology in the recent uprisings:

1. Social media acted as an accelerant.
2. It made "weak ties strong", bringing together disparate people with common interests.
3. Leadership is distributed with social media (or, as others have said, "Power to the Network.")

More food for thought: Ivo Daalder, US Ambassador to NATO tweets on February 25:

 

 

USAmbNATO Ivo Daalder 

 

Thinking about a possible NATO role in #Libya. Share your ideas.