WIll Social Media Actually Change Anything?

An article in E-Business Blog provides an interesting, if rather academic primer on social media's potential (and limitations) as a tool to bring about social change.

Key points:

- While individual opinions can be dismissed, argue enthusiasts, social media represents a more effective public sphere because it aggregates the voices of thousands and is able to respond to issues immediately (the 'collective common sense' also known as "the wisdom of crowds.) New forms of action are created that extend beyond the boundaries of cyberspace into the 'real' world.

- the critical camp asserts that social media takes the next step by altogether removing any trace of the individual's identity in the name of a higher collective intelligence.

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Does Social Media Give More Weight to Information? from DoRealTime
BL Ochman pointed out this article at E-Business Blog about social media as a tool for change.  She takes issue with their assertion that social media removes individual identity and I agree with her comment,On the contrary, the value of... [Read More]

Tracked on July 31, 2006 1:09 PM