MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government Social Media and Political Activism James Chen April 6, 2009
Jan 15, 2016
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Social Media and Political Activism
James ChenApril 6, 2009
Overview• Politics and social media theory
– The Four C’s of Social Media– Yochai Benkler’s “Networked Public Sphere”– Country-level factors
• Case Studies– U.S.: Barack Obama presidential campaign– China: Charter 08, human flesh search engines,
cyber-nationalism, Internet censorship– Election campaigns in India and Taiwan
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Politics and Social Media Theory
The Four C’s1. Content2. Collaboration3. Community4. Cumulative value
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Politics and Social Media Theory
Yochai Benkler’s “Networked Public Sphere”• The public sphere before social media• Enabling technologies and their effects• What social media changes
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Politics and Social Media Theory
Country-level Factors• Level of Internet and social media adoption• Degree of political openness
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Case Study: United StatesInternet and Social Media Adoption• 73% of U.S. population is online: 220 million
Internet users• 60% read blogs, 43% use social networking
services, 74% watch online video clips
Political Openness• Wide latitude for political expression and
organizationMSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Barack Obama Presidential Campaign
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Barack Obama Presidential Campaign
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Barack Obama Presidential Campaign
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Barack Obama Presidential Campaign
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Barack Obama Presidential Campaign
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Barack Obama Presidential Campaign
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Barack Obama Presidential Campaign
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Houdini Project
• Vote tracking database
• Real-time updating
Social Media and the Right
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Social Media and the Right
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Case Study: China
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Internet and Social Media Adoption• 26% Internet penetration rate – 298 million Internet users• 54% of netizens are bloggers, 75% use instant messaging,
19% use social networks, 67% view online videos
Political Openness•Limited room for political expression•Tight government control of Internet
Charter 08
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
• Published on the Internet in December 2008
• Call for legal reforms, human rights protections, political freedoms, and democracy
• 303 original signers, 8,100
additional signatures after
release
Charter 08
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Government Response• Arrest of Liu Xiaobo• Police questioning of other signers• Removal of charter text and references online
Current Status• Most Chinese have not heard of Charter 08• No significant follow-up activity
Human Flesh Search Engines
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Cyber Nationalism
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Internet Censorship
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Conventional Tactics• Blocking• Keyword filtering• Modified search results
Updated Tactics• 50 cent party• Selective filtering
Case Study: India
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Internet and Social Media Adoption• 4.5% Internet penetration rate: 49 million
Internet users• Most popular social media services: Orkut,
YouTube, blogsPolitical Openness• Civil and press freedoms enshrined in law, but
they are threatened by extremists
Parliamentary Elections
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Parliamentary Elections
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Parliamentary Elections
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Case Study: Taiwan
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Internet and Social Media Adoption• 66% of population online: 15 million Internet
users• Most visited website last year was a blog
hosting service. IM, video sharing, and photo sharing are also all popular.
Political Openness• Wide room for political expression and activity
since democratic transition.
Legislative By-election
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Legislative By-election
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
Conclusions
MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government
• Social media’s disruptive potential• Local context matters• Social media in closed societies