Title: How Social Media is Changing Conflict · Peace Science Digest
Headings: How Social Media is Changing Conflict
How Social Media is Changing Conflict
Talking Points
Summary
Contemporary Relevance
Practical Implications
Continued Reading
Footnotes

Content: Social media, according to the author, is “a form of electronic communication and networking sites that allows users to follow and share content (text, pictures, video, etc.) and ideas within an online community”. ISIS used/is using social media to target enemies and recruit followers. Russia uses cyberwarfare and misinformation. Trump used/uses Twitter as a campaign (and now governing) tool. It is no question that social media matters. The extent of the influence of social media on conflict and political struggle and the mechanisms at play still needs to be captured more systematically. In this article, the author presents a framework to understand how social media can influence political conflict on the level of the elites as well as mass-level collective action. On the level of collective action, the author’s review of literature suggests there is strong evidence that social media can raise awareness and the importance of protest and facilitates groups getting “their story” out. Communication is assisted by social media through the exchange of information, the exposure of wrongdoing by elites, and mobilization and coordination of protest.