imadethisforschoolsblog-blog

[imadethisforschoolsblog-blog]

Social media can (and will) connect anyone and everyone.

One unfortunate reality of social media has been its ability to mobilize like-minded individuals on polarizing issues, no matter what those issues are. This means that people can use social media to organize a protest or to organize a counter-protest in equal measure. And while people like to ruminate on how social media can give voice to oppressed people, it can also provide those with harmful agendas a platform to spread lies and hate.

A recent example of this was the discovery of 2 Facebook groups that were made up of over 5000 US Special Forces soldiers (many of them were currently on active duty). These forums were places where they shared their support for QAnon conspiracy theories, lies about election fraud in 2020, and racist comments. This story actually reminded me of some of the groups that were banned in the New Yorker article Reddit and the Struggle to Detoxify the Internet.

[imadethisforschoolsblog-blog]

Watch as Amonge Sinxoto Speaks about how she used social media to mobilize a group for social change.

https://youtu.be/4G3OqmGhLgc

[imadethisforschoolsblog-blog]

Over 5000 US Soldiers caught using private facebook groups to spread QAnon conspiracies and racist views. https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-army-lieutenant-files-suit-against-two-virginia-police-assault-during-traffic-2021-04-10/

[imadethisforschoolsblog-blog]

“Does free speech mean literally anyone can say anything at any time?Or is it actually more conducive to the free exchange of ideas if we create a platform where women and people of color can say what they want without thousands of people screaming, ‘Fuck you, light yourself on fire, I know where you live’? If your entire answer to that very difficult question is ‘Free speech,’ then, I’m sorry, that tells me that you’re not really paying attention.”

- Melissa Tidwell, Reddit's General Counsel https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/03/19/reddit-and-the-struggle-to-detoxify-the-internet

[imadethisforschoolsblog-blog]

The Privilege Institute Is an organization that has been around for 22 years. Their mission statement is: The Privilege Institute provides challenging, collaborative and comprehensive strategies to empower and equip people to work for equity and justice through self, organizational and social transformation. They offer a variety and resources to educate and help enact change.

[imadethisforschoolsblog-blog]

The Privilege Institute Is an organization that has been around for 22 years. Their mission statement is: The Privilege Institute provides challenging, collaborative and comprehensive strategies to empower and equip people to work for equity and justice through self, organizational and social transformation. They offer a variety and resources to educate and help enact change.