The Influence of Social Media on The Movement of Ideas

1. Introduction to Social Media and Its Impact on Society

The proliferation of social media platforms has changed the nature of interpersonal communication in modern society. Social media can be defined as a group of Internet-based applications that are built on technological and ideological foundations that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content. The emergence of social media provides the means for a fundamental shift in the way information is disseminated, and this has profound effects on society today (Van Den Bergh, 2016). Social media platforms allow users to become the originators, as well as the receivers, of messages and information. The movement of ideas in and among people across space and time is examined in light of social media and consider its implications in the present-day context.

Connectivity, accessibility, and immediacy can be seen as the key features of social media communication. The term ‘media’ implies a conduit to carry information from one place to another, and a platform that provides an audience for the information. Traditionally, media have been understood as a one-directional information dissemination process from the senders to the receivers. However, social media have radically changed the way in which ideas, information, and thoughts are exchanged among people. Social media platforms have bridged a gap between the media and the audience, allowing the audience to become both the receivers and originators of the information. By doing so, social media democratizes the temporal and spatial accessibility to the media, enabling anyone with Internet access to produce and share content in the media. This is in stark contrast to traditional media, which created a passive audience that was solely responsible for the reception of one-directional flows of information from the media. The movement of ideas and information can, therefore, be largely framed in terms of the media, the audience, and the social context through which they interact. In this regard, it is important to note that the social media platforms, serving as a medium to intervene in this social connection, have come to the fore of contemporary society. The discussion begins with an outline of the development of media technologies that have shaped the dynamics of the movement of ideas and information. Then, the social media platforms and their possible influence in the present context are examined. Finally, some concluding remarks are made. The focus here is on the implications the social media platforms bring to the movement of ideas and information.

2. The Role of Social Media in Facilitating the Spread of Ideas

Social media acts as a catalyst for the swift rise and spread of ideas across varying audiences, a phenomenon that occurs regularly in contemporary society. The speed of online ideas reaching a global scale is often shocking. It can take hours, if not minutes, for an idea to go viral and be shared by millions, even when that idea comes from a single individual. This section will examine the workings of how an idea can span the globe almost instantaneously, with a focus on social media’s role in that dissemination. Many times, ideas, or more specifically their articulations, proliferate across social media, generating comments, variations, and rearticulations in response, bringing new audiences into contact with the idea (A Ayankoya, 2013). The ability of social media to take an idea and amplify it across many voices, some of which might amplify a voice that would otherwise go unheard, is an important part of this social media proliferation. Ideas in the social media context often spread as content 'going viral.' Specified hashtags and the movements they signal seem to be especially effective on social media at raising awareness about certain ideas and focusing attention on them. The hashtag '#BlackLivesMatter' is one initiative that has attempted to organize around a particular set of issues and is a case examined later. It is also important to recognize that ideas are not merely transmitted through social media but that they change in the process, as those receiving the idea rearticulate it. Ideas can also be seen as social entities, capable of living beyond their originators and bringing new audiences into contact with them. In the context of online communities, this idea-based approach is especially relevant, as communal gathering spaces are created for the sharing of a specific type of idea (Ghifrani Alimin, 2024). Within these spaces, the ideas are then freely shared, reinterpreted, and expanded upon. Social media also creates spaces where ideas can be globally shared and commented on, allowing for dialogue and interaction to take place around those ideas. This enables the feedback of particular articulations of an idea, allowing it to be refined and altered through that feedback.

3. Challenges and Controversies Surrounding the Movement of Ideas on Social Media

Most complex social phenomena tend to simultaneously ignite fascination and frustration. The movement of ideas in society is no exception. It has long been the object of research, speculation, and fretting by academics, policy-makers, and the general public alike. The task becomes even more complicated with the rise of social media platforms. These platforms radically transform how ideas and discourse travel, while also bringing older, more temporal challenges into the limelight.

Misinformation can spread like wildfire across social networks, and trolling and harassment can undermine free expression (Törnberg, 2018). Amplified by algorithmic curation, ideas are increasingly confined within echo chambers, and pro- and anti-tweet or post brigades polarize opinions, resulting in either mock or fanatical adherence to ideas (Jain, 2019). Meanwhile, the free flow of ideas and discourse is persistently hampered by censorship; behind-the-scenes and opaque content moderation policies, often enacted by private actors and driven by profit motives, shape, sculpt, and sequester public discourse.

Consequently, a tangled web of concerns surrounding the movement of ideas, or the lack thereof, on and beyond social platforms continues to grow. Democracy hinges on the free and fair movement of ideas and discourse; thus, many of these concerns are troubling. The aforementioned challenges can impede the democratic movement of ideas and dialogue. Social media’s impact on these challenges is still being unpacked, yet it is evident that many challenges were exasperated or made more visible by social media platforms. The rise of social media has also led to a new ensemble of questions about the movement of ideas, focusing more on the social media aspect than ideas themselves. On the other hand, social media efforts to tackle some challenges have often been misguided or ill-informed. For instance, attempts to stamp out harmful content can lead to excessive moderation and curbing of speech. Conversely, a lack restraint can result in hate speech or other harmful content festering in social corners.

As past and emerging challenges to the movement of ideas are scrutinized, the intrinsic complexities also become apparent. The ongoing tension between freedom of speech and the prevalence of harmful content emerges as the clearest, most contentious, and furthest-reaching territory. Some approaches and solutions to tackle problems will also be touched upon, albeit briefly, with no claims of comprehensiveness.

4. Case Studies and Examples of Successful Idea Movements on Social Media

Across social media platforms, there are notable examples of movements that successfully transcended a singular space and mobilized an audience to rally around a cause. With the right mix of visibility, relatability, and momentum, social media campaigns can transform into larger movements. Perhaps the most notable example of this phenomenon is currently underway on the hashtag-dominated platforms. The #MeToo campaign began as a grassroots effort to support young women of color who had experienced sexual violence. It resurfaced as a viral social media movement in late 2017 after people were invited to share their experiences of sexual harassment to shine a light on the prevalence of the issue, ultimately resulting in the downfall of many high-profile men in Hollywood. The Black Lives Matter Movement is another example of a campaign that has found success across social media platforms. The term “Black Lives Matter” was coined in a Facebook post following George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the killing of Trayvon Martin. The movement gained significant traction on social media in 2014 after the police killings of Mike Brown and Eric Garner, resulting in protests in dozens of cities and a national conversation around race and policing (Wang, 2019). These case studies, and others like them, serve as important examples of how movements can latch onto social media and successfully mobilize a group of followers.

The first major movement that serves as a case study is the international Women’s March. The Women’s March was sparked by a Facebook post from an activist who invited sisters and friends to partake in a march on Washington in the days following Donald Trump’s election as president. Within hours the event had gone viral, and thousands of women began planning and organizing local marches in cities across the United States and countries abroad. In total, around 5 million women marched in the U.S., making it one of the largest protests in American history. This case study examines how the Women’s March started as an event and transformed into a movement, looking at the strategies the march’s organizers employed and how they were bolstered by the reach and influence of particular individuals. The campaign’s success relied on its ability to latch on to and effectively use Facebook and Instagram, platforms that have previously been critiqued for their negative social impact. It also sheds light on how some movements are able to achieve tangible change as a result of online engagement, illustrated through the aftermath of the Women’s March in the formation of a group. The second case study focuses on the #BlackLivesMatter campaign. The term “Black Lives Matter” was first coined in a Facebook post by an activist after George Zimmerman was acquitted in the killing of Trayvon Martin. This case study examines how #BlackLivesMatter started as a hashtag and became a national movement, analyzing the ways the movement built momentum and how it drew on protest strategies from past civil rights movements. This set of examples seeks to outline the qualities that allow movements to successfully utilize social media and build a supportive audience. Online activism often comes under scrutiny for its ineffectiveness at promoting real change, but these examples serve as proof that social media can indeed promote significant social and political movements. One of the common features of the campaigns examined is that they are all testimonials, whether explicitly stated or not. Movements that focus on a particular type of injustice or inequality tend to be more successful than those that do not, as illustrated by the campaign’s success and eventual viral status. When people feel they have been wronged, they feel compelled to share their story, often seeking out a community of others with similar experiences. This instinct to share stories and connect with others is what causes campaigns like #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter to go viral. Storytelling is the most straightforward way of connecting participants to a shared goal. Whether it’s a desire to share similar experiences or a hope to right a wrong, the impetus to actively engage with the campaign comes from its very nature as a collective action. The third section of this piece examines how movements successfully harness the power of storytelling, looking at the specific functions of hashtags and the online communities that spring up around particular hashtags.

5. Future Trends and Implications for the Movement of Ideas in the Digital Age

With consideration of technological advancements and changes in user behavior, the future of the movement of ideas on social media is explored. Predominantly, ideas seem likely to increasingly migrate to new, currently unknown platforms that will integrate features currently seen as separate, such as ephemeral content or virtual reality. As younger generations age, social media content consumption may shift toward more passive forms, with a greater emphasis on story formats or “shorts” dictated by the platform algorithm. While this may create new challenges for advocates, compelling and easily consumed content might emerge. Another possibility is the paradigm of external control in the form of artificial intelligence. Currently, a lack of understanding of how artificial intelligence generates content and how to respond to it might disrupt the movement of ideas. Peoples’ created content could become irrelevant to the algorithm, drying up the reach of ideas unless an understanding of the new paradigm is grasped. Currently, the stability of social media environments relies heavily on the stability of the algorithms that control them. If a platform algorithm changes following a trend or the intervention of its creator, how ideas are communicated might change radically. A recent example is Twitter’s switch from chronological feeds to algorithm-based curation leading to a decline in the reach of previously viral content. It is speculated that as societal conflicts heighten, platforms might be pressured to censor particular ideas’ dissemination, resembling the contemporary debates over “fake news” and extreme content. If so, how censorship would imply the means to advocate ideas remains unclear, but it could greatly threaten free expression and debate (Van Den Bergh, 2016). Currently, users of social media in the West seem to have heightened debates over the level of platform regulation and requirements for transparency, choice, and control over how information is received and the means of usage. Societies might benefit if such efforts continue and include considerations of users’ responsibilities since the means to control what information reaches individuals currently rely on users. Without media literacy, users are ill-equipped to navigate the complex information landscapes social media have created, allowing the manipulation of their attention and beliefs. Ultimately, while social media will undoubtedly evolve, it currently seems a vital player in shaping public opinion, advocacy, and activism. Thus, the adaptability of advocates and content creators is crucial.

References:

• Van Den Bergh, J. "Media Technology: An Evolving Political Machine." 2016. [PDF]
• A Ayankoya, K. "A framework for the implementation of social media marketing strategies in political campaigning." 2013. [PDF]
• Ghifrani Alimin, N. "The role of social media in forming public opinion from a contemporary sociological perspective." 2024. osf.io
• Törnberg, P. "Echo chambers and viral misinformation: Modeling fake news as complex contagion." 2018. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• Jain, N. "#MeToo: Polarization and Discourse in the Digital Age." 2019. osf.io
• Wang, C. "The role of social media in mobilizing social movements: a case study of the Save the arctic campaign." 2019. [PDF]