It is increasingly important for all of us to keep up with the accelerating pace of change. For example, the development of mobile technology has played an important role in shaping the impact of social media. Across the globe, mobile devices dominate in terms of total minutes spent online. This puts the means to connect anywhere, at any time on any device in everyone’s hands.
A study by New York Times Consumer Insight Group revealed the motivations that participants cited for sharing information on social media. These include a desire to reveal valuable and entertaining content to define themselves, to grow and nourish relationships and to get the word out about brands and causes they like or support.
These factors have caused social networks to evolve from being a handy means for keeping in touch with friends and family to being used in ways that have a real and meaningful impact on society. Social media today is being used in ways that shape politics, business, world culture, education, careers, innovation, and more. Let’s have a look at the political impact.
In comparison to traditional forms of media such as TV and newspapers, social media’s influence in political campaigns has increased tremendously. Social networks play an increasingly important role in electoral politics. This was evident in the election of the first African-American US president in 2008. More recently we have seen the rise of populism in European politics, again heavily influenced by social media.
The New York Times reports that “The election of Donald J Trump is perhaps the starkest illustration yet that across the planet, social networks are helping to fundamentally rewire human society.” Because social media allows people to communicate with one another more freely, they are helping to create surprisingly influential social organisations among once-marginalised groups.
The Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau recently said, “Politicians working to harness the power of social media to connect with voters need to figure out how to do so positively in the face of leaders using those platforms to undermine democracy”. Without mentioning anyone by name Trudeau suggested there are politicians who are trying to use platforms like Twitter to foster polarisation and controversy in the electorate.
Trudeau and other world leaders issued dire warnings about leaders calling themselves nationalists and the problems they pose for maintaining peace and the world order built in the aftermath of the world wars in the first half of the last century.
There is no doubt social media is not without its benefit such as the ease of putting out a tweet of condolence or support being easier, more direct and resonating more with citizens than issuing a Press statement carried by traditional media. But do not forget the downside with the influence of hackers such as the Russians and the misuse of information by Facebook with the support of Cambridge Analytica.
It’s been said that information is power. Without a means of distributing information, people cannot harness the power. One positive impact of social media is in the distribution of information in today’s world but remember it has some major health warnings.
Gordon is the former president and chief executive of BMMI. He can be reached at gordonboyle@hotmail.com.