Social Media is More Than Likes and Retweets

Social media is constantly transforming. What once was a way to simply connect with friends has become a path for major change.  As social media has grown more popular, it has become a way in which people have begun to spread not only their own personal personas, but ideas, news, and awareness about events and social issues. 

Social media gives its users the power to become whoever they want to be and control their own image. This makes social media intrusive only to a certain extent. People using social media do have control over the type of content that they post, where it is seen, and even have the power to take advantage of privacy settings controlling who sees it. It is possible to view social media as being intrusive because of the rapid spread of news stories or rumors that allow the public to scrutinize, comment, and speculate about the nature of other user’s posts. However, this mass form of fast communication is something that makes social media what it is.

In recent times, we have seen social media being used as a tool for awareness, advocacy, and change. The past couple of years saw the rise of the #MeToo hashtag on Twitter. This hashtag, created by Tarana Burke nearly a decade ago and made popular by a tweet from actress Alyssa Milano, was used as a way for women to speak out about their experiences being sexually harassed or assaulted. The hashtag became a full-blown movement that spread internationally and saw millions upon millions of women sharing their experiences and spreading awareness for change—particularly where work environments were concerned. The impact that social media had on this event is a clear example of social media’s abilities when used positively. High profile figures who had been harassing or assaulting female employees were forced to step down after their actions were made public. The viral nature of the hashtag made way for sexual harassment and assault to become actions that were forced to be spoken about and given consequences for. Most importantly, perhaps, the hashtag allowed survivors to see that they were not alone and gave power to them in ways that had never been done before. Without social media, the #MeToo movement simply would not exist.

Social media will continue to be an avenue for change and a tool for organization when it comes to creating these changes. It is how people will be able to get their messages across and it will be a vital tool for anyone trying to reach any audience. Because social media is so often used as a marketing tool, what people use it for will perhaps become more calculated. Users will understand that social media is part of their brand, and they will treat it that way. This may make social media less intrusive, since it may become less personal or authentic. Social media’s power will only grow as time goes on and more people become fixated on these platforms and their posts.

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