Social networking technologies provide tools that allow people, governments and organizations to create, share and or trade information. The platforms set up by such media are highly interactive and serve as a vital mode of communication in the twenty-first century. Since its inception, the functions of social networking technologies have significantly evolved from casual uses to more formal and even revolutionary applications.
Claim
Even with its immense potential, the ability of social networking technologies to empower governments and the public is significantly limited to the people using social networking tools.
Reason I
Considering the numerous challenges in our societies today, the use of social networking technologies in government is vital (Microsoft 2) On such a platform, social media can empower governments to improve the quality of life of its citizens. This is possible only if the citizens provide required data and if the governments are agile, responsive, and adaptive to the information.
Counter Argument
The British Council highlights several benefits of E-government, such as reduced corruption, reduced service delays and improved efficiently (Harris 4).
Rebuttal
However, such improvements in service delivery are incomparable to democratic transformation or public participation and empowerment. Moreover the ability of social networking technologies to empower governments in improving the lives of its citizens lies in the willingness of citizens to share information and the government’s flexibility and agility to respond to issues.
Reason II
Social technologies have been used in most part to establish and maintain relationships. These relationships can be between individuals, companies, and or producers and their clients. The ability of social media to empower people is occasionally seen when people come together to shed light on a common cause. A good example is the role social media played in sparking the 2011 Egypt revolution.
Counter Argument
The role social networking technologies played in the Egypt revolution of 2011 cannot be ignored. It acted as a one on one platform through which activists interacted and communicated in real time irrespective of time and distance. Through this, we see social networking tools empowering people by providing a platform for dialogue which in turn inspires people to take their cause in the public eye.
Rebuttal
Activists Ghonim and Salah credit social media platforms as vital in the role of planning protests and sharing news similar to the events in the Tunisia revolt (Rathbone). In the case of Egypt and Tunisia, social technologies empowered the people towards democratic change and public participation. This empowerment is however limited to the aggregation of like-minded people on a social networking platform.
Reason III
Activist groups scarcely use social networking techniques to influence and inspire values among the public. These technologies are often used to showcase a cause or justify a mission and consequently lure like-minded people. When people of different values and opinions meet on a social platform, the cause is lost because they are not united and cannot speak with one voice.
Counter Argument
Social networking technologies can empower the public especially because they are ideally a source of information. By expressing opinions and sharing giving these tools can inform and, therefore, inspire the public towards a cause.
Rebuttal
However, the power of social media has been criticized and associated with fragile networks (Rathbone). While the relationships created by social media exist, they are not robust enough to inspire an indecisive public to fight for a cause beyond the security of social, technological tools. Consequently, these techniques are more effective in empowering people of one mind.
Conclusion
The limitation of social media is that though it provides a platform for participation, it does not influence elements such as motivation and values which are the underlying elements of empowerment. Cases such as Egypt and Tunisia exist because social media provided a meeting platform for already empowered individuals. The empowering nature of social media lies only in its ability to provide communication networks. Communication platforms are an active force that can mobilize communities and initiate change. However, such change is only possible through the efforts of like-minded individuals and not social networking technologies solely.
Works Cited
Harris, Kevin. Engaged Democracy in the Network Society: Exploring The Gap Between E-
Government and Social Media. Didcot: British Council. Print.
Microsoft.com. "2014 Microsoft Global Public Policy Agenda: Microsoft Technology." N.p.,
2016. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
Rathbone, Emma. "Can Social Networking Spur A Revolution? Virginia Magazine".
Uvamagazine.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
