MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Social Media and Political Activism

James ChenApril 6, 2009

Overview• Politics and social media theory

– The Four C’s of Social Media– Yochai Benkler’s “Networked Public Sphere”– Country-level factors

• Case Studies– U.S.: Barack Obama presidential campaign– China: Charter 08, human flesh search engines,

cyber-nationalism, Internet censorship– Election campaigns in India and Taiwan

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Politics and Social Media Theory

The Four C’s1. Content2. Collaboration3. Community4. Cumulative value

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Politics and Social Media Theory

Yochai Benkler’s “Networked Public Sphere”• The public sphere before social media• Enabling technologies and their effects• What social media changes

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Politics and Social Media Theory

Country-level Factors• Level of Internet and social media adoption• Degree of political openness

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Case Study: United StatesInternet and Social Media Adoption• 73% of U.S. population is online: 220 million

Internet users• 60% read blogs, 43% use social networking

services, 74% watch online video clips

Political Openness• Wide latitude for political expression and

organizationMSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Barack Obama Presidential Campaign

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Barack Obama Presidential Campaign

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Barack Obama Presidential Campaign

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Barack Obama Presidential Campaign

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Barack Obama Presidential Campaign

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Barack Obama Presidential Campaign

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Barack Obama Presidential Campaign

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Houdini Project

• Vote tracking database

• Real-time updating

Social Media and the Right

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Social Media and the Right

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Case Study: China

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Internet and Social Media Adoption• 26% Internet penetration rate – 298 million Internet users• 54% of netizens are bloggers, 75% use instant messaging,

19% use social networks, 67% view online videos

Political Openness•Limited room for political expression•Tight government control of Internet

Charter 08

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

• Published on the Internet in December 2008

• Call for legal reforms, human rights protections, political freedoms, and democracy

• 303 original signers, 8,100

additional signatures after

release

Charter 08

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Government Response• Arrest of Liu Xiaobo• Police questioning of other signers• Removal of charter text and references online

Current Status• Most Chinese have not heard of Charter 08• No significant follow-up activity

Human Flesh Search Engines

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Cyber Nationalism

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Internet Censorship

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Conventional Tactics• Blocking• Keyword filtering• Modified search results

Updated Tactics• 50 cent party• Selective filtering

Case Study: India

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Internet and Social Media Adoption• 4.5% Internet penetration rate: 49 million

Internet users• Most popular social media services: Orkut,

YouTube, blogsPolitical Openness• Civil and press freedoms enshrined in law, but

they are threatened by extremists

Parliamentary Elections

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Parliamentary Elections

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Parliamentary Elections

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Case Study: Taiwan

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Internet and Social Media Adoption• 66% of population online: 15 million Internet

users• Most visited website last year was a blog

hosting service. IM, video sharing, and photo sharing are also all popular.

Political Openness• Wide room for political expression and activity

since democratic transition.

Legislative By-election

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Legislative By-election

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

Conclusions

MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

• Social media’s disruptive potential• Local context matters• Social media in closed societies