Do you think that social media has the potential to bring about real social change?

Do you think that social media has the potential to bring about real social change?

I believe that social media has the potential to bring about real social change and has already started today.

Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and fan pages are examples of how social media has really changed the way people associate with one another. I personally am constantly using my blackberry to go on Facebook, YouTube or websites to communicate with the people I communicate with on a regular basis. Whenever I’m with my friends someone will bring something up they saw on a website or a Facebook/twitter page they saw. Whether its good news like a Toronto team making a blockbuster trade that will bring us to the next level or bad news where they made a bad trade, people will find out about it because of these social media tools we have now. I remember recently when UFC was legalized here in Toronto, I didn’t find out through the daily news or newspaper, I found out through my Facebook page because so many of my friends are UFC fans and were posting Facebook statuses about it. Of course there were people against the UFC being legalized and it just so happened they used social media tools to voice their opinion. I saw twitter accounts that were being negative towards it and even tweeting to other fans they shouldn’t watch the sport because it promotes violence to younger teens and that they were foolish or stupid to actually enjoy this sport. Celebs are using these tools as well. Some have used their own YouTube accounts to post videos about events they would like their fans and other people to support. An example would be when Haiti was it with the earthquake. Many were saying all they have to do to help support or donate to the charity was to click the link below their video and that’s all. Many people did and it was a success. One video made thousands of donations to the charity.

For sure social media is bringing out real social change and already has begun. It will only get stronger as we continue to develop our technology and people continue to use these tools as a way to communicate with everyone.