Faster is different by Zeynem Tufekci

Zeynep Tufekci, Ph.D.Zeynep Tufekci, Ph.D.

@techsoc@techsocwww.technosociology.orwww.technosociology.or

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NAFACNAFACApril 12thApril 12th, 20, 201111

Faster is DifferentFaster is DifferentSocial Media, Social Social Media, Social Change and Causal Change and Causal

MechanismsMechanisms

What Does Social Media What Does Social Media Change?Change?

►Network effectsNetwork effects Shape/structure of the networkShape/structure of the network Speed of transmissionSpeed of transmission

►Field effectsField effects Reshaping/recreating a public sphereReshaping/recreating a public sphere Revealing hidden preferencesRevealing hidden preferences

►Does social media give us the same Does social media give us the same results, just faster?results, just faster?

►Or, does it qualitatively change the Or, does it qualitatively change the dynamics?dynamics?

Social media alters the shape of Social media alters the shape of the networkthe network

►Existing:Existing: One-to-Many (Broadcast)One-to-Many (Broadcast)

► Powerful to the powerlessPowerful to the powerless One-to-one/few (Face-to-face, telephone, One-to-one/few (Face-to-face, telephone,

etc.)etc.)►Peer-to-peer Peer-to-peer

►Addition:Addition: Many-to-many Many-to-many

► Peer-to-peerPeer-to-peer

One-to-Many Network (Broadcast)

One-to-Many Network (Broadcast)

First Target in a Coup!

One-to-OneOne-to-One

Many-to-Many NetworksMany-to-Many Networks

Lessons from EpidemiologyLessons from Epidemiology

►Speed of TransmissionSpeed of Transmission►Speed of RecoverySpeed of Recovery►Shape of NetworkShape of Network

Hubs and connectivity increases Hubs and connectivity increases contagioncontagion

These factors determine These factors determine

whether a quarantine will workwhether a quarantine will work

Altered DynamicsAltered Dynamics

►State is a resource-constrained actorState is a resource-constrained actor►Autocracies often have evolved to play Autocracies often have evolved to play

“whack-a-protest” “whack-a-protest” ►Social media, by allowing mass Social media, by allowing mass

coordination and rapid information coordination and rapid information diffusion, complicates “whack-a-diffusion, complicates “whack-a-protest”protest”

Example: TunisiaExample: Tunisia

►Gafsa: 2008. Gafsa: 2008. Mining town, protests over corrupt hiringMining town, protests over corrupt hiring Isolated, crushed (quarantined)Isolated, crushed (quarantined) 28,000 Facebook users in Tunisia28,000 Facebook users in Tunisia

►Sidi Bouzid: 2010Sidi Bouzid: 2010 Mohamed Mohamed BouaziziBouazizi’s self-immolation’s self-immolation Protests spread (viral)Protests spread (viral) Almost 2,000,000 Facebook users in Almost 2,000,000 Facebook users in

TunisiaTunisia

Thank you! Thank you!

Zeynep TufekciZeynep Tufekci

zeynep@umbc.eduzeynep@umbc.edu@techsoc@techsoc

www.technosociology.orgwww.technosociology.org