The Influence of Facebook

Facebook is a large part of our lives as this point, for better or for worse.  We may not like what we “pay” to use these services from time to time, and yet most of us wouldn’t want to spend more than a few days without it (maybe even just a few hours?).

Some of us may debate how reliant they actually are on Facebook and other technology, but that isn’t what I want to talk about.  What I want to talk about is the type of Facebook use we saw in Arab Spring.  The type of usage that makes a real difference in the world, not the useless opinion sharing and the hours wasted perusing someone’s wall and changed relationships status’.  I’m talking meaningful events coordinated through Facebook. 

Gathering of people in "Arab Spring"

 

The difference Facebook made in the lives of these people is both astonishing and undeniable.  That isn’t to say there weren’t other things that played a role in the success of their uprisings, like the plan to spread word using cab drivers or the willingness of people to gather, but it played an extremely important role in helping them organize and spread their unified message of hope and solidarity.  This is what made everything possible.  Word of mouth is not fast or reliable, but the instantaneity of the internet, specifically Facebook, was exactly what they needed.

I honestly believe that without Facebook, or at least another medium like Facebook, their uprising would not have happened, at the very least as quickly as it did.  The situation was such that eventually the people were bound to rebel, but it would have been much sloppier and would have taken much longer.  It might have cost them more bloodshed as well, because if they were not able to show such a united front, they may not have had support from everyone and the government may have been able to more easily suppress the people.

Overall, the influence of Facebook has been vast and far reaching.  Its most impressive feat has to be its facilitation of these uprisings of the people in the Middle East.  Though I’m sure this was not in any way an intended outcome in the creation of Facebook, it happened.  I for one am glad that there is still a voice out there for people who have had everything else stripped of them.