Social media is maturing and proving to be excellent tools for information sharing and developing contacts. Of course, it can be said that these may not provide an alternate for face-to-face interaction.Nonetheless, social media will ultimately transform – the structures of social, political and economic power and there can be little doubt about that.
There can be no denying that information sharing has been the key achievement of social media to date. Political parties will, therefore, find social media highly useful for their campaigns and spreading their messages to the people.
Politicians will be able to uploading self-authored content expressing their political opinion on the social media that will almost instantly spread the message to the far-flung corners of the world.At the same time, politicians can no longer hope to hide inconvenient facts or rewrite their narrative when there are so many sources of opposition information and analysis available.
Coordination has been another key feature of the social media – getting people to get in touch with one another and act in unison to rally together to oppose the party in power. Politicians can send mass emails, sign digital petitions or actively collect funds.
Governments have tried to keep pace with these advances made by social media. There is today a lot of online spying and other nefarious activities. Social media is also proving to be an effective tool for the spread of terrorism.None can think – least of all government officials – that the global public sphere will ever be the same again with the social media becoming hugely popular.
Some governments however have not taken kindly to the rapid growth of Social media. Facebook is largely banned in China though millions of Chinese people cleverly circumvent the ban. People aver that social media are powerful and will always find a way to reach people.
Governments and politicians find themselves the object of unwanted critical attention and often subject to adverse criticisms. Online reputation management is becoming a serious problem.
The more social media-based organizations make demands that remain unmet; the government and politicians will be under strain.
Social media is freely indulging in ‘naming and shaming’ corrupt officials, tax defaulters, political turncoats, etc.
Politicians will have to be henceforth more vigilant as social media will be ever ready to malign them for their wrongdoings that were hitherto conducted clandestinely.
Interesting post. I think social media has been transformative in a number of ways, including its influence on politics. There are now ways for people to express their sentiments publicly and immediately, so you’re right—politicians will need to be proactive.