Society - MAHAMAG Magazine beyond boundaries

The end of 2014 and the beginning of this year witnessed on several social media movements that have been started across the world to protest against various issues. Even in just the past five years, there have been several successful protests and revolutions that can be credited to social media. “I am more than a Distraction”, “Show Your Shoulders”, “Crop Top Day”, “Pink Chaddi Campaign”, “Slut Walk” are some of the protests which became viral through the social media and which influenced the younger population all over the world. How?

Now people are more connected than ever, and it is becoming increasingly more apparent each year as social media like twitter and facebook are able to collectively express the opinions of its users. Whereas it once could take weeks to organize a mass protest, now it can be done in seconds while sitting in the one’s comfortable zone.

Such ease makes the possibilities of inspiring change through social media endless. As time goes on, it is not inconceivable that major corporates,

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celebrities and politicians are influenced more and more by what trends on social media,as simple hash tags are reinforced by millions of users.It sends a message that is impossible to ignore, and it is exciting to wonder the many different ways social media can act as a platform for social change. It was through facebook that the “Occupy Wall Street” movement went

from a relatively localized protest in New York to a widespread national phenomenon. Even throughout the rest of the world, social media has proved to be a catalyst for movements as well. During the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, facebook was absolutely critical in spreading information around the world regarding theprotests as well as coordinating the events. Just as

quickly as accurate information can spread so can misinformation too. Still it ishard to argue with social media’s ability to influence society and the positive effects it can have. No longer is it difficult to spread awareness of an event to inspire change, as to do so is simply a click away. There are no more excuses for not attempting to spread awareness of a cause.

In the beginning of these social medias it was used only for time pass and fun but now a days it plays as the tool for protest and change, yet social media has done just that. While these websites are still relatively new in their conception, already they have had a profound effect on society. They have given a stronger voice to the people that use them, enabling people to express themselves in mass like never before. In the case of “Slut Walk”, it was first organized in Toronto in April 2011 and after it spread to the USA, England, Europe, Latin America and India only because of the influence of social media.