Community Engagement & Your PLN

• How does social media engage in advocacy communications? 

As we know, social media is an effective modern platform for individuals to be engaged in public issues and share their opinions based on their own aspirations. Here are some points why I think social media can help people engage in advocacy communications. First of all, social media is one of the few platforms that can be used with a limitless range that allows you to connect with people from all around the world. There is no barrier that prevents you from speaking out your advocation within such a translucent environment. Our positions within the public used to be passive many years ago because most of the time we only receive information rather than spreading our own messages. However, after the Internet came into sight followed by social media, the individual users have moved from being anonymous within the public mass to being the center of media picture (Clark & Aufderheide, 2013).  For example, in the interview video, Simpson pointed out that his followers increased over time and some of his tweets have been retweeted or shared thousands of times, even some leaders and influencers have paid attention to his advocacy in BC Community Alliance.

Secondly, social media helps people to build up a community that consists of supportive individuals who are willing to contribute. Simpson has also shown us how did he contribute to the BC Community Alliance and Black Community by taking advantage of social media and spreading positive messages and take a stand for his communities. Obviously, social media platforms helped him engaged in social issues and so on since his voices are heard by the mass and it makes a difference to the community.

• How does social media use in public discourse potentially challenge advocacy communications?

Besides the benefits of social media, it can also bring up some potential challenges. First of all, the freedom or tolerance for negative speech or messages of social media. Some people who spread misleading information or fake news can also be very influential within the public which resulted in public confusion or unnecessary panic. There are also messages that go against individuals, this usually happens under the tweet comment section where people may have very opposite opinions and attack each other. As it mentioned in the interview, Trump was banned from Twitter after a long time he spreading some very personal opinions that are not positive or supportive within such public discourse. So setting up policies and regulations about social media is very important. “We now have the digital tools to facilitate participatory public media, but we do not yet have the policies, nor do we have the public will” (Clark & Aufderheide, 2013).

• References

Clark, J., & Aufderheide, P. (2013). A New Vision for Public Media – Open, Dynamic, and Participatory. In J. Pooley, L. Taub-Pervizpour, & S. C. Jansen (Authors), Media and social justice (pp. 55-67). New York: Palgrave.

Simpson, Markiel. “EDCI 338 – 2021 – 02 – 22 MARKIEL SIMPSON.”  21 Feb. 2021. doi: https://youtu.be/yCSpm1Lx8-A