Sunday, June 8, 2014

Spread the Word!

Before the age of the internet, it was very difficult to spread the word about a cause to as many people as possible. You ight try to get the story in a newspaper or on the radio perhaps. Some people have also tried to stand in malls, handing out fliers or speaking to anyone who was willing to listen to what you had to say. Now with technology like the internet, challenges like these have become much easier to execute. Instead of trying to get a story into a newspaper, which would involve more than just one person, you can no use social media to spread the word instantly. Sites such as Facebook or Youtube have become perfect tools to use. For example, without social media such as Facebook, the Kony 2012 campaign never would have became so successful. Word of mouth just ins't enough anymore. But through sites like Facebook, it seemed as if everyone had watched the Kony video in just a matter of days. Another way they used social media was through the use of celebrities on sites like Twitter. By getting celebrities to retweet or share stories like Kony 2012, millions of people will see it, in an instant! Another example of a successful campaign was Asmaa Mahfouz and the videos she posted on Youtube about the Egyptian revolution. Even though she was a woman, she was able to attract many followers and was able to hold successful protests with the people that watched her videos. It's truly amazing the possibilities that have emerged from the internet. I don't see how there can be any limit on what you can achieve through the use of social media and the internet.

2 comments:

  1. The internet provides a great way to get noticed for many campaigns and causes. Unfortunately, that makes it much easier for those looking to extort the masses. Donation accounts can be set up, videos can be posted, and websites created, all with relative anonymity. In the case of Kony 2012, the campaign may have seemed completely legitimate and transparent at first, and may have been. But over time, as various financial figures were released, the campaign turned out to be a bit shady. The internet is a great place to get the word out about charity, but it must be taken with caution.

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  2. I don't use Twitter myself, and was initially very skeptical on its real use, but I later came to regard it as a powerful political tool. I do believe that it can spread the word faster than ever before, and will continue to do so. We just need to remember that we can't just tweet; we also have to take the time to go to the rallies and plan activism, but Twitter does help with the organizing.

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