The Battle for Public Opinion

Hi everybody! This week's learning materials related back to the idea of social media and public opinion online. This can be a touchy subject because of how many different opinions surround this concept - but let me say a few things. 

Social media has been a HUGE part of the 2020 civil rights movement and protests, specifically in ways of encouraging others to stand up for themselves and others, as well as planning and executing these movements that might not otherwise be created. I think without social media, less people would feel as powerful in the fight for social justice because social media allows us to share our experiences and thoughts and help people to feel like there are people who have their backs. This picture above shows a few hashtags that circled social media as a way to gain attention surrounding issues in our communities, where an individual who sees these form an immediate opinion towards the issues. 

However, social media has completely changed the way people document history. To preface, history can now be immediately documented first hand through pictures and videos, and immediately shared online for communities to basically see "first hand" as well, instead of just hearsay from a newspaper or from another person's words only. I think this has allowed full transparency in media, because a lot of things can be proven over social media platforms through video and picture. 

One thing that comes to mind when I think about social media, is its power in helping others out. I currently have a friend who's dad was just recently diagnosed and treated for a rare type of cancer which costs a lot of money to event TRY to treat, meanwhile my friend is trying to continue to afford college. A GOFUNDME was set up to raise money for her Dad's treatment and it has raised over $25,000 over the span of a few months because of how many people have shared on social media platforms. Without social media, this family would not have the support that it does and I find that AMAZING.