Speech 2 Kamila Muniz Podcast "Kam's Corner"

Social media has had a positive impact on social action globally. It has become a powerful tool for communication and has allowed marginalized groups to organize and fight for change. Celebrities and influencers play a significant role in leading and starting these movements. Social media activism may be criticized for lack of depth, but it raises awareness and mobilizes people around important issues. Even simple actions like sharing a post can amplify marginalized voices. Young people are using social media to educate themselves on social matters and participate in campaigns. Overall, social media has become a catalyst for change on an unprecedented scale. Hi everybody, welcome back to another episode of Camps Corner. Thank you for joining me this week again. Today's topic is social media positively affects social action on a global scale. Did you guys know that as of January 2024, there were 5.35 billion internet users worldwide, which amounted to 66.2% of the global population? Of this total, 5.04 billion, or 62.3% of the world's population, were social media users, as the reports of Statista.com illustrate. Just like me, you all listening probably also have social media. Whether it is a Snapchat account to text your friends from high school, or an Instagram account to post your weekly camera roll shots, most of the public, especially people from the newer generation, utilize social media on a daily basis. Although digital media's main purpose is to facilitate and enhance communication across long distances, throughout the last decade, social media has also contributed to the widespread depiction of social justice, political awareness, and other types of activism, resulting in the expansion and initiation of social action across the globe. Social media refers to the means by which people interact in virtual communities and networks, creating, sharing, and or exchanging ideas and information. In the New York Times article, Social Media's Globe-Shaking Power, the columnist Farhad Manjoo discusses how digital media has grown in power as a cultural and political force, to the extent that its effects are beginning to influence global events. The author goes in-depth on the ways in which social media has encompassed and destroyed the mainstream media, and how it has helped to essentially rewire human society. He mentions, because these services allow people to communicate with one another more freely, they are helping to create surprisingly influential social organizations among once marginalized groups. Whether it is racial minority groups or groups of women against workplace discrimination, social media has allowed oppressed congregations to organize, mobilize, and assemble to fight these classes together in hopes of eventually creating change across the world. To support my point, I've gathered data from two communication research articles that have analyzed and discussed the substantial impact digital media has made upon social action on a global scale. The first journal article, How Does Communication Through Social Media Influence Social Action, written by Liang, Baik, Tan, Tan, and Ku, offers insight and conductive research results on the impact digitalization has had on the emergence and rapid growth of social movements. Analyzing how it has both amplified and escalated collective action, the authors mention, Social media enables movement participants to showcase its influences on political conditions by bringing attention to any event or issue that relates to the movement's cause. The more structured forms of organizing the movement create possibilities for activities that can have direct effects on its environment. Showcasing a movement's success resulting from such direct interventions is critical for maintaining its momentum and its ability to mobilize at a large scale. With this information in mind, it made me wonder, who on social media leads and starts the structured organization? Well, the answer is simple. It is celebrities and influencers. Rahul Patel's article for Medium, Analyzing the Impact of Social Media on Celebrity Culture, the Role of Social Media in Shaping Modern Celebrity Status, presents an analysis on the profound effect that internet and social media have had on celebrity culture. Patel discusses how the dynamics between celebrities, fans, and the media have been redefined in today's digital age. He states, The global reach of social media platforms has amplified the influence of celebrities. They can connect with fans from around the world, spreading their message, advocating for causes, and mobilizing support for charitable endeavors. Social media has transformed celebrities into global influencers with the power to affect change. The second academic journal, Strategic Communication Through Social Media Influencers, Current State of Research and Desiderata, by Jared Slenderman and Thorsten Ravi, presents an analysis on the current state of the field of strategic communication studies, showcasing research on the motives why organizations and businesses now include social media influencers in their communication and marketing strategy. Ultimately explaining that social media influencers enable all kinds of organizations, such as non-governmental, state agencies, and companies to deliver their messages, ideals, or brands to the influencers' followers. Therefore, due to their given platform and grand following, the celebrity's digital following will engage with these matters. This same process repeats with social movements, political awareness, and activism proposals. Although critics argue that social media activism lacks depth and is often superficial engagement where individuals may simply like, share, or retweet posts without taking meaningful action in the real world, it is vital to recognize social media activism's role in raising awareness and mobilizing people around major social issues. Even simple actions, such as sharing an informative post, can help to amplify marginalized voices and spark actionable conversations. To introduce a younger person's perspective on the topic, I interviewed my 15-year-old sister and this is what she had to say. How do you think social media platforms, such as Instagram or Twitter, have influenced the way young people engage with social issues and activism? I think social media platforms have changed the way teens engage with political information and social issues. When using any social apps, it is so easy to come across information on new social movements and political causes. So, I definitely believe that social media has allowed young people to educate themselves on social matters from across the world. Can you share an example of a social media movement or campaign you participated in or observed online, and how do you think it impacted action on the issue addressed? Yes. During the pandemic, seeing many people I look up to, such as celebrities, posting pictures with the caption, hashtag, wear a mask, and spreading awareness on the Black Lives Matter movement, enabled me to learn about new topics and understand different perspectives. I think that just like me, many other people my age were also educated and inspired to spread these messages as well, both online and in person. Thank you, Carol, for sharing your thoughts and opinions in this week's Questioning Corner. As we come to the end of this week's episode, let's take a moment to reflect on the powerful role of social media in driving global social action. On this week's episode of Campus Corner, by exploring academic research, expert opinions, and real-world examples, we have come to the conclusion that social media has become a catalyst for change on a scale never before seen in human history. From hashtag campaigns to political ads, social media has empowered individuals and communities to raise their voices, share their stories, and demand change. Social media is a powerful tool for social media has empowered individuals and communities to raise their voices, share their stories, and demand justice. As we all log off our devices and continue with our day, I want to remind you all to amplify the voices of the marginalized, challenge injustice whenever you see it and wherever you see it, and never underestimate the power of your own voice. Thank you all for joining me today for another weekly episode of Campus Corner. See you next week. Bye!