Following the tragic death of Michael Brown, aged 18, social media has been used as a significant medium in order to further shine light on the issue. Currently Ferguson, Missouri is blanketed with riots and violence as protestors fight for justice for the African-American teenager, whom was revealed to have been shot six times by a white police officer.
Due to the ever-changing nature of the situation in Missouri, resources such as Twitter have been utilized in order to bring news to the masses in an efficient manner. The controversy over the tragedy has managed to attract more eyes to the issue through various social media networks.
Here are some tweets below, updating followers on the status in #Ferguson:
http://www.thewire.com/national/2014/08/no-curfew-tonight-in-ferguson-as-national-guard-rolls-in/378727/ …” 18 Aug. 2014, 11: 11 p.m. Tweet.
At at time when corporate influences of media are no secret to the public, the people are able to create their own source of news outlet to the world. With real time updates from everyday people at the scene, there is less room for biased information produced by mainstream press. Social media is also allowing more public debate over the controversy. With the use of the world-wide web, people have the ability to call on bigger names in pop culture to take action.
The above tweet, which has been retweeted several thousand times, has insinuated the debate over the role, or lack thereof, of popular figures in the media, who embrace “black culture.” We all listen to their music and watch whatever they are in, these celebrities undoubtedly have some of the most powerful voices today. Miley Cyrus alone has accumulated approximately 18.4 million followers on Twitter. Yet, some of these celebrities have been reluctant to voice their opinions on the issue in Missouri.
Other pop icons, however, have been using their influence over social media to direct the attentions of their fans to #Ferguson.
Celebrities like Mark Ruffalo, popular for his role as the Hulk in the Avengers, posted this status on Facebook recently, encouraging people to take action to seek #JusticeForMikeBrown.
Social media has revolutionized not only what people talk about, but the community of people who talk about anything and everything. The situation in #Ferguson would not have been as blazoned by onlookers and supporters, if it had not been for the aid of social media. The Internet and social media networks have created a world where conversations cannot be destroyed, a world where conversation becomes encouraged and proves to be significant in the decisions of society’s most powerful players. Nothing and no one can hide.