Social media and the Arab Spring

Monday 5 December 2011 1:28 pm

By William Stringer

This year the political protestations of the Arab world sent shockwaves throughout politics, shaping our perception of the people of the Middle East.

Their demands for a more democratic political system in Egypt, Yemen, Syria and Libya were understandable and they fought with the newest weapon, “social media”.

Facebook, YouTube and Twitter swam with messages of support, action and political pressure, creating a united voice, the voice of the global democratic people and the voice of change.

The ability to connect with millions of people and organise protests brought the stories to life. These were not just people from a distant land whose lives had no bearing on our own; these were individuals who had suffered at the hands of dictatorships.

With social media I could be with them every step of the way and quickly their emotions of exasperation, anger and exhilaration became my own. This is the true power of the internet, the ability to connect.

Photographs and videos of armed conflict and terror flickered in my head for months, there was no distance between the photographer and the action, and this was personal not an external observation on events. It all felt so very real, shaking me to my core.

The Arab Spring has changed my relationship with the internet completely. No longer do I simply see it as another electronic addition to our lifestyle, like a blender or microwave, the internet was now staring at me shouting “look at me, I’m a platform for social change!”.

I was electrified by this and began an intensive campaign on important topics close to my heart eg. HIV and Aids and the sexualisation of popular culture. I have used my small section of this platform to reach a large audience, something I never thought possible before the Arab Spring.

2011 is the year the internet became the platform for democracy.