How Twitter and Teargas Changed My View on Social Media and Social Movements
We often hear that social media is either the reason behind our isolation and disconnection or a tool for ultimate connection, making it possible to know what's happening anywhere, anytime. But how true is that, especially when it comes to collective movements? Today, I want to introduce a book that gave me new insights into how social media can both help and hold back social and cultural movements.
The book, Twitter and Teargas, was written in 2017 by Zeynep Tufecki, an academic with Turkish roots and a background in programming. Tufecki's work dives deep into the impact of digital technologies on politics, and in Twitter and Teargas, she examines how social media shapes collective movements by looking at major examples like the Arab Spring in the early 2010s and the Civil Rights Movement in the United States during the 50s and 60s.
Tufecki argues that we can't evaluate today's movements in the same way as those before social media. Why? Because the ways movements signal power and push for change have transformed. With social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, everything revolves around short, attention-grabbing videos and images that get more reach based on engagement. This setup changes how we organize, spread information, and even who gets to participate in these movements. People who can't post regularly or don't have the tech access to do so are often left out, limiting whose voices are heard.
Tufecki's work is a must-read if you want to understand both the potential and the pitfalls of social media for modern activism.
Have you read Twitter and Teargas? What did you think? Let's chat in the comments!