9/11 Through the Eyes of Social Networking Websites
What if social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter existed at the time of the attacks on September 11? In 2001, social media was not well developed and was uncommon. Unlike today, we could not easily access social media simply by unlocking our phones. When the attack on September 11 occurred, information was learned through news outlets such as radio stations, newspapers, and news television. Then in 2003, networking websites LinkedIn and Myspace launched, marking the start of a new era of communication. In 2004, Facebook was launched, and soon after in 2005, YouTube was launched (Dugan 2012). These two websites have since become number one and number two, respectively, on the list of the most popular social networking sites. With over one billion visitors a month per website, Facebook and YouTube has become a game- changer in how news is delivered and received (Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites, 2016). The accessibility of unregulated networking and social media websites has contributed to the formation of conspiracy theories.
When the attack first occurred, the only footage of the chaos that people were able to see was only presented on television. Although people had cameras and camcorders, a platform for uploading videos did not exist until 2005. After YouTube was launched, never before seen footage of the scene around the World Trade Towers during and after the attacks were uploaded to the website and as a result, there was a surge of paranoia and conspiracy theories to explain the events that happened around the country that morning because these videos on YouTube made it possible to replay clips over and over. These clips depicted the attack at angles that news stations were unable to capture. There is a popular conspiracy theory that states that airplanes did not collide with the Twin Towers but instead the towers were rigged with bombs and that President Bush was responsible for the devastating event. In fact, those responsible for this conspiracy theory believe that there were no hijacked airplanes at all. A popular method to support this theory is to show a clips of the airplanes colliding with the towers. However, at the angle at which the video is recorded, it appears as if the first plane was actually a computerized effect and the second plane seems to disappear behind the building. With an arsenal of convincing video clips and examinations of news reports and speeches made by President Bush, videos about the conspiracy circulated on Facebook, which has been seen on the timeline of millions of users.
After conducting a field experiment, researchers have discovered that there is a possible correlation between the usage of social media and believing conspiracy theories. Stempel, Hargrove and Stempel (2007) explain an idea called the “paranoid style theory” in which “less regulated media sources […] play a prominent role in creating conspiracy beliefs.” This theory is more prevalent among marginalized groups, such as minorities and the youth. These groups believe that people are manipulative and what happens is beyond their control. As a result of the attacks on 9/11, the Patriot Act was signed into effect, which gave authorities more control. The Patriot Act allowed authorities to conduct searches without warrants. Before this, they were unable to enter without one, giving some power to civilians.
Another reason for conspiracy theories forming can be explained by cultural sociology. People who watch less mainstream media are exposed to events that appear to have less coverage (Hargrove, Stempel, & Stempel, 2007). Robert Alan Goldberg believes a major contributing factor to the rise in conspiracy theories is the increasing events of government secrecy. A popular belief of government secrecy is the question of Area 51. It is believed that the government harbors extraterrestrial life along with UFOs.
Having social media and networking platforms at the time of the attacks on September 1 would have drastically changed how news was delivered to both the public and the families and friends of the civilians trapped inside the towers or around the towers. If Twitter was launched in 2001 instead of in 2006, messages could have been spread in just 140 characters. Nowadays, Twitter is typically used to “live-tweet” events such as football games and concerts, as well as catastrophic events. If Twitter existed during the attack, people could have been informed in a matter of seconds about the attack on 9/11. There would be no need to wait on news reports that could have possibly be presented with bias or “cover ups.” If Snapchat, an app that allows users to view short video clips called “stories” within twenty- four hours of being filmed, existed at the time of the attacks, people would be able to see the events as it unfolded with very little delay, and usually from trusted sources, such as friends and family members.
The role of social media in understanding current news allows people to form their own opinion without the words of news stations attempting to push a certain agenda. Not only that, but as Dean Praetorius (2012) mentions, having social media would have provided closure by allowing many to say final goodbyes to their loved ones. Having social media in 2001 would have given citizens a better understanding by allowing them to get a deeper insight from video clips, and reading personal words from those around the area when the attacks occurred. Although the paranoid style theory states that less regulated sources of media, such as networking and social websites such as Facebook and Twitter, promote the formulation of conspiracy theories, having unregulated social media and networking websites could have helped keep conspiracy theorists at bay by allowing more witnesses to tell their story and share videos. Having many witness accounts could have prevented the government from sufficiently “covering up,” as conspirers would say.
References
Dugan, L. (2012, March 15). The Ultimate Timeline of Social Networks, 1960–2012 [INFOGRAPHIC]. Adweek. Retrieved October 16, 2016, from http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/social-networks-timeline/460981
Praetorius, D. (2012, September 11). How Social Media Would Have Changed New York on 9/11. Huffington Post. Retrieved October 16, 2016, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dean-praetorius/social-media-9-11-new-york_b_1872764.html
Radford, B. (2014, June 12). 9/11 Conspiracies: Social Media and Their Enduring Appeal. Seeker. Retrieved October 12, 2016, from http://www.seeker.com/911-conspiracies-social-media-and-their-enduring-appeal-1768678575.html
Rowen, B. (n.d.). Post-9/11 Changes By the U.S. Government. Infoplease. Retrieved October 16, 2016, from http://www.infoplease.com/us/history/911-anniversary-government-changes.html
Stempel, C., Hargrove, T., & Stempel, G. H. (2007, June 01). Media Use, Social Structure, and Belief in 9/11 Conspiracy Theories. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 84(2), 353–372. doi:10.1177/107769900708400210
Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites | October 2016. eBizMBA | The eBusiness Guide.. (2016, October 1). Retrieved October 16, 2016, from http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/social-networking-websites
