Intern Blog Series: Social Media and The Age of Revolution

The rise of globalization, technological advances, and the rise of social media have created a world where we can touch the lives of people around the world in an instant (as long as the Wi-Fi doesn’t go out). We have seen so much come out of this open world: people have made friends, met the loves of their lives, aided those in need, created businesses in different countries, and have even started revolutions just with the access to social media outlets. Living in this media age we have seen all of this unfold before our eyes. History and modern life evolving with the stroke of a keyboard. Some of the biggest movements to come out of social media may be involving Human Rights activism. With the instantaneous knowledge of the events happening around the world, our eyes have been opened up to what is happening from the perspective of the people rather than the news media or the government. Individuals have the ability to record an event and instantly upload it to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. So, when a bombing, shooting, fire raid, famine, drought, or any other action happens anywhere in the world we can know about in a few seconds. With this knowledge, organizations have been able to raise millions of dollars towards causes that they and other like-minded people see needing resolution. This citizen journalism is starting a new revolution in the social media world. People of power are being held accountable, resources raised can be shown being spent where they need to be, and the good that comes from the aid delivered can be shared with those who donated time and money as well as with the rest of the world. Social media gives us a platform for us to be heard and seen. With this, there are a never ending possibilities to what we can do together. So, get involved today like a few pages of causes you support, share the cause on social media, and help those in need by spreading awareness!   Megan]]>