This post is summary of a report with the complete title of, "Social change and social media: Latin America activists`use of digital tools in the face of the digital divide." Published in May 2012 at http://www.arifyildirim.com/ilt510/summer.harlow.pdf
A free press, freedom of expression, and the availability of alternative information are fundamental for a political participation and democracy. Advocates for a "multiperspectival" journalism, in which citizens voices are in the news, adding diversity and thus strengthning democracy. Informed citizens are more likely to participate politically and the more citizens participate, the more democratic a country is. Activists and other groups excluded from mainstream media turn to creating their own alternative, more democratic forms of communication, which in this digital age often means the use of online social sites. In today`s digital era of web 2.0 and interactivity, scholars have praised the internet`s democratic potential, spotlighting its ability to increase access to information, encourage free speech, and mobilize citizen participation. What is more, the internet provides noncommercial, non-hegemonic media options, and affords opportunities for diverse voices to express themselves. Whether YouTube, blogs or social media sites like Facebook or Twitter, new digital tools open up alternative public spheres, allowing for online horizontal communication that overcome boundaries of time and space. Whether aimed at offering a space for emancipatory discourse, empowering subaltern groups, or simply producing journalism from the bottom-up, alternative media serve as "contraflows" to break up the hegemony and homogeneity of mainstream media. In digital era, scholars look to the internet for its potential, especially with the interactive and participatory capabilities of Web 2.0, has signaled a way for activists to circumvent the gatekeepers of traditional media, taking control of their own messages, in terms of production, content, and dissemination. For example, digital communication tool allow anyone to act as a journalist, providing a viewpoint alternative to those of transnational corporations and mainstream media. Also raises the opportunity for activists information to cross over into the mainstream media realm, thus even further extending activists` audiences. Beyond allowing for the cheap and fast spread of information, also opens the possibility of resistance and activism. But many scholars contend that the internet is just one more tool and some even argues that not only are online interactions unable to create trust required of meaningful collective action, but that in fact in some instances could be harmful, resulting in increased government surveillance, as well "slacktivism" or weakened participation. However, the success of the Arab Spring and the spread of protests from country to country, indicate that perhaps these scholars are being pessimistic. More research suggest that the internet can indeed help to promote a collective identity and establish a sense of community necessary for mobilizing people not just online, but also offline. Further, online activism can facilitate and translate into offline activism, even allowing collectives to form and movements to take shape. The internet could even be creating news forms of activism and participation. Latin America has a long history of alternative media serving as a counterforce to the concentrated, hegemonic mainstream media corporations. Based on concept of conscientization, or the notion that dialogue and horizontal communication are necessary for empowerment and social change, the ideas of citizens participation, self-expression, and dialogue are fundamental tenets to alternative media in Latin America, where ordinary voices are mostly excluded from a mainstream media. Alternative media are critical in a region where truly free, independent press has been hindered by repression coming in the form of violence against journalists, authoritarian laws that restrict watchdog report. Still, online activism often is hamstrung because of the digital divide. Roughly 60% of the region`s population lacks internet access, and only about a quarter uses Facebook. Of course, that does not mean those populations have no access to other ways. Latin American activists hailed the democratic potential of using internet in activism as creating democratic spaces, open spaces for dialogue that shorten distances, facilitate communication between activists and citizens and allow for communication to a larger audience. Internet strengthened democracy by offering a way to skirt potential repression that could result from offline activism. Still Latin America activists said that government censorship and surveillance are threatening internet democratic potential. They cited the possibility of internet being used to wage campaigns against democracy and justice that activists were working towards. As one respondent said, "Internet has lost its egalitarian character. someone can pay an army of people to delegitimize activists`discourse. The internet no longer is just the platform of alternative voices, but also of the establishment." Latin America activists saw the ability of the internet to "amplify" their activism and raise awareness around the world. Internet allow to ally yourself with people with same objectives and to work together. They saw the internet increasing their reach, allowing them communicate with existing supporters worldwide, as well as reach people who otherwise might never had been made aware of or gotten involved with a particular cause. Internet also are creating "imaginary spaces," some activists worried. They express concern that internet were creating the ability to virtually support a cause from afar, thus diminishing physical participation and creating a false sense of involvement, an imaginary activism. Being a fan of a cause on Facebook does not change reality. Being on the street, in meetings with decision makers, in real events, this is what cause changes. Likewise, online activism lets people have a clear conscience, but sometimes could create a fantasy that pressing a button online is enough. This study showed that Latin America activists consider their activism to occur equally offline and online and they believe that internet indeed can benefit democracy and justice, where they can communicate, mobilize supporters, and work toward change. Some activists expressed concern that perhaps the internet was not safe space as it should be, as it facilitate government surveillance, potentially undermining democracy and activists`efforts. While they recognized this potential problem they saw internet offering more rewards than risks, as the internet allows for reduce the costs of informing, communicating and mobilizing, allowing activists more easily unite to work for justice.
