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

1. Social Media and Political Activism James Chen April 6, 2009 MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

2. 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

3. Politics and Social Media Theory The Four C’s • Content • Collaboration • Community • Cumulative value MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

4. 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

5. 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

6. Case Study: United States Internet 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 organization MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

7. Barack Obama Presidential Campaign MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

8. Barack Obama Presidential Campaign MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

9. Barack Obama Presidential Campaign MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

10. Barack Obama Presidential Campaign MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

11. Barack Obama Presidential Campaign MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

12. Barack Obama Presidential Campaign MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

13. Barack Obama Presidential Campaign • Houdini Project • Vote tracking database • Real-time updating MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

14. Social Media and the Right MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

15. Social Media and the Right MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

16. Case Study: China 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 MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

17. Charter 08 • 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 MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

18. Charter 08 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 MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

19. Human Flesh Search Engines MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

20. Cyber Nationalism MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

21. Internet Censorship • Conventional Tactics • Blocking • Keyword filtering • Modified search results • Updated Tactics • 50 cent party • Selective filtering MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

22. Case Study: India Internet and Social Media Adoption • 4.5% Internet penetration rate: 49 million Internet users • Most popular social media services: Orkut, YouTube, blogs Political Openness • Civil and press freedoms enshrined in law, but they are threatened by extremists MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

23. Parliamentary Elections MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

24. Parliamentary Elections MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

25. Parliamentary Elections MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

26. Case Study: Taiwan 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. MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

27. Legislative By-election MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

28. Legislative By-election MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government

29. Conclusions • Social media’s disruptive potential • Local context matters • Social media in closed societies MSFS 556: Social Media in Business, Development, and Government