Power in today’s global society depends less on territory, military power, and natural resources and more on the control of information. Activists of all kinds are utilizing the Internet as a power source. Social movements and other organizations have successfully used the Internet as a mass communication medium to reach global audiences.
One of the biggest changes that social media has brought about is the voice that it provides people who feel marginalized by society. The Internet has created a space where virtually anyone can publish their opinions and have an impact on policy making. It allows people whose voice may not have previously been heard to influence decision making.
The Web has become a space for activism and Social Media tools for activists. Social Media reduces challenges and obstacles to mobilization and maximizes available tools and strategies for organizing. The Internet has allowed issues that were once thought to be centered locally to be brought to the attention of the global community.
Howard Rheingold: The new power of collaboration
Howard Rheingold – CollabTech 2010: Keynote: Social Media, Participative Pedagogy, and Digital Literacies