When one (in America) thinks about social media, one thinks democracy, access to all, freedom of speech, globalization, and those silenced in the past having voices. However, social media, while widely used, is not 100% progressive and democratic - yet. All over the world there are still restrictions to which platforms/websites may be used, the technology is still too expensive for some, certain groups live in fear of trying to speak out, groups are monitored and sometimes imprisoned, propaganda is leaked, people lose their jobs, and at the end of the day the Internet does not have complete equality for all.
Gate Keepers
It seems almost absurd to think that the Internet has Gate Keepers. The Internet is so vast, chaotic, full of user-generated content, easy to break rules. However, keeping with traditional media, there are still media corporations/conglomerates and governments that still have much more control and access than we (those who contribute to the Internet) would like to believe. There are companies/military in the U.S who make their employees sign agreements restricting their uses of social medias, to try to assure their companies reputations stay in tact and to keep information from being leaked. Others in the U.S have been fired or never hired for what companies have found out about them through social media. Gate Keepers abroad, specifically in countries in Asia, Africa, and even Europe, have even more power and restrictions. While the U.S has the First Amendment (Freedom of Speech), there are still many nations who do not. There are still many nations who oppress women over men, silencing them more. Technology in these nations also seem to be more expensive than in the U.S, keeping accessibility to those of higher income and therefore usually higher educated and living in urban areas. While one can ask the question, does this give these nations' user generated content higher credibility than that in the U.S, what the real issue is democracy. Then there is access to wi-fi and cell phones, because these technologies are a whole new level of being able to cast information abroad. Those with the ability to instantly report and record have also changed the game of politics and journalism.
Democracy can only exist wholly when everyone has the same amount of access to voice their opinions. The advent of the Internet has helped this, even created policy and other government change in some countries. Unmasking secrets, uniting protests, and discovering new voices has only increased over the past 4 years. The face of Journalism has even changed with websites like Wikileaks. However, the more information, the more danger.
There will always be those who seek the truth. There will always be those who try to stand up for what is right. There will always be someone who pays the price for freedom and democracy. There will always be information kept from citizens. When those in power are threatened, either they stand down or fight back. There have been several situations, like the "Arab Spring" where those protesting on social medias were counter attacked. The Gate Keepers in these Arabic countries infiltrated the social communities with masks on, gathering information as well as producing false information and confusing propaganda. Men and women alike have been arrested (usually on made up charges) for going against a nations hegemony. There is a saying be careful what you put on the Internet, well for those in other countries many cannot speak their minds because of the terror that has been inflicted in them. Social media, while used to stay in contact for friends and family, has shed light on so many issues, yet there are still dark times to conquer in the battle for true democracy.
Traditional media has transfered to new media, using both to "report". Journalism and advertisers are still under the jurisdictions and standards of these corporations, which work alongside the US government and military. Many journalists of major news corps have come out over the years (annonymously and publicly) to discredit these corps veracity, honesty, and intentions. Just recently award-winning CNN journalist Amber Lyon spoke out that she was being forced to report propaganda on oppression in Bahrain and the war in the Middle East. Who know what kind of consequence she may have run into if she was a news correspondant in another country than the U.S?
Access in the Workforce
While what I have written about so far, concerns me, not just for those abroad but for our security and freedom in the U.S as well, accessibility in the workforce is what currently affects me personally the most. I currently am employed in a relatively small town, in a small office. However, my office is a DBA of a major corporation that can afford to pay me to promote my office on social medias, as well as provide me tools to expand my knowledge and access to these social medias. I am planning on leaving my college town behind in several months, meaning I must go where there is access so I can continue my career in marketing and media. America has been filled with corporations and monopolies for decades, and with social media it almost seem that the small guys are losing even more. Corporations have the money and time to promote themselves online, whether it be coupons on Foursquare, images on Instagram, or other promotional material on Facebook. At my job, I get excited if 1 person likes our status on our Fan Page, whereas corporation pages get thousands on a daily basis. I can't imagine a small business in a small town anywhere else is getting much more user engagement as I can conjure up.
Social media is powerful. With power comes responsibility. While some use it to change a nation and others use it to stay in contact with loved ones, users need to practice with caution. Whether it is basing an opinion on an article you read (user-generated or professional) or posting a drunk picture, we are living in a digital age of chaos and danger, but more importantly in an age where we can learn from others and have a fighting chance to change the world for the better.
Alex Comninos, Twitter revolutions and cyber crackdowns: the use of user-generated content and social networking in the Arab spring and beyond, Policy Briefs on the Mobile Internet From a Human Rights Perspective 2/3, Association for Progressive Communications, May 2011.
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