How to Use Social Media for the Greater Good: A Guide for My Nonna
Unless you’ve been living under a rock your entire life or you’re so technically-challenged that you refer to all technologies as “a machine” (shout-out to my 80 year old grandma, hi Nonna!), then you understand the significance of social media and its impact on today’s society. From hilarious memes & fail videos to social movements & Donald Trump’s ridiculous tweets, the absorption of social media influences almost all of us.
When large discussions focus on national issues in which big portions of a population follow, they become a part of a public discourse. These are large debates meant to include and influence the public. What does this have to do with social media though? Well, Nonna, if someone has a high following on their social media account(s) then they can use their voice to express their beliefs, needs, and desires to motivate their fans and persuade them into doing something. For instance, during the US presidential election in 2016, artists and celebrities alike were using their social media “power” to influence their fans into voting for who they believed to be the best-suited President. Some are more vocal than others, such as the amazing Chrissy Teigen, but these celebs are using social media as a form of personal marketing to try and shape public discourse.
To successfully shape public discourse using social media, artists need to understand what it takes to be an effective propagandist. According to ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle (sorry Nonna you probably have never heard of him), persuading an audience depends on three things:
1) Character of the speaker
2) Emotions of the audience
3) Demonstrating (or trying to demonstrate) that something is the case
If an artist on social media appears to be credible, intelligent and virtuous then their followers are more likely to believe what they are saying. Targeting their fans’ emotions, whether positive or negative, will help motivate them into making decisions and persuade them. Additionally, the artist needs to be able to demonstrate, or attempt to demonstrate, that their claim is real and why it should be supported. Artists with large followings on social media are influencers, and being a group leader of a large platform can help mould the public opinion. Just look at Chelsea Handler, she’s doing a great job.
When these influential people with hundreds of thousands of followers, even millions, are promoting the greater good then of course it’s fantastic. However, sometimes their voices are stuck in an echo chamber.
An echo chamber is a metaphor for when information, ideas, and opinions are amplified through communication. It reinforces a person’s own views to make it seem more correct. In relation, a lot of artists, mainly rappers, share their opinions through their music and this can sometimes create an echo chamber. Take Eminem for instance; he released a video during the 2017 BET Awards of him freestyle rapping that slams Donald Trump. At the end of the video, he says “any fan of mine who’s a supporter of [Trump], I’m drawing a line in the sand. You’re either for or against, and if you can’t decide who you like more and you’re split on who you should stand beside, I’ll do it for you with this: f*** you.”
He expresses his opinion in this rap and those who decide to support him will repeat what he’s saying, which creates an echo chamber. Artists like Eminem create content to use their voice in spreading a message. However, echo chambers limit what a viewer is exposed to. It is an environment in which somebody encounters beliefs and opinions that corresponds with their own so that their views are fortified and alternative opinions are not even a consideration. The danger with this is that information that people receive is filtered to largely support their current existing ideas. They are not exposed to other views that would allow them to asses and make their own judgement.
Similar to filtered echo chambers, social media is full of filter bubbles. And no Nonna these are not actual bubbles. They are a result of personalized search when websites and other forms of online media selectively guess what information a user would like to see based on algorithms and information about the user (i.e. location, past click behaviour, search history, etc.). As a result, users are separated from gaining knowledge that goes against their current viewpoints and isolates them in their own tiny bubble.
However, influencers like Taylor Swift can potentially burst these.
People with a very large following, like Taylor, have the power to pop these bubbles by sharing something that is currently not occurring in their audience’s current bubble. With 106 million Instagram followers and 85.7 million Twitter followers, Taylor Swift has the ability to use these numbers and spread necessary awareness of social issues. But, unfortunately… she’s not.
Recently across all media, there have been some incredible social movements. From the my/her body, my/her choice movement to the #MeToo movement (that’s not a number sign Nonna, that’s a hashtag. I’ll call you later and explain what it means), A-listers have been able to raise awareness using their social media accounts and sharing information on such topics so that society can help carry out, resist or undo a social change. What has Taylor Swift done?
She disappeared from social media for a while:
She came BACK to social media (with an interesting entrance)
And now she’s using her social media position to promote her new music about ex boyfriends, love, and her beef with Kim & Kanye West
Taylor has hundreds of millions of listeners and counting, so why doesn’t she use this power and raise awareness on necessary topics? Maybe it’s because she doesn’t know where she stands, or maybe it’s because she doesn’t know how to succeed in expressing her own views. She could maybe collaborate with Eminem in a freestyle song and rant about societal issues. Together, that duo could shape public discourse.
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Paitra Walker
Ryerson Creative Industries
@paitrawalker
#CREATE
