Social media to Social Action, Part 2: Gap-bridging

Of course, I'm not the first to ask the question of "how".  Non-profits and social media researchers are, naturally, already all over it.  In fact, they've started reframing the dangers of the apparent ease social media bring to positive social action.  There's nothing like positive thinking: social media, they say, is not the ends of doing good, it is the beginning; social media is the first rung of the "social engagement" ladder, and we can use people habits of Faecbooking or twitter to sow positive change seeds.  That is, part of the power of social media is that it can spark the interest of innumerable people - and, if they're interested enough to post a link on their Facebook page, perhaps they can be suggested into getting more deeply involved.  And let's not forget the power of suggestion.Research has shown that if an idea or action is portrayed as popular, others will feel more comfortable - even encouraged - to do it.  (This, of course, can go both ways: if one driver sees another double-parked, they are much more likely to double park themselves).  One social trick to divert a bad behavior (say, littering, because we're all about doing good here) is to make it appear as if, by dropping that candy bar wrapper on the ground, you'd be the only one to do so.  Social media, by its very nature, has a built-in guard against that.

So, yes, there is a danger with "the buck stopping" just at interaction with social media (and here again, I must admit my own guilt in this, simply thinking that a Google buzz, or Facebook post will be enough to galvanize others when I'm merely walking away after posting).  But, it doesn't have to.  That's because the real power in social media is kinetic.  That is, it has the power to mobilize people for change.  It is a ridiculously accessible way to share information, ideas, and spread the word about offline, on-the-ground events for social change.  And non-profits have started taking new approaches to their supporters who use social media, and only social media.

That is, instead of seeing the tweeters, buzzers and Facebook posters as precarious "slackers", non-profits are starting to praise any type of interaction, however small the action, with their organization.  There's nothing like positive feedback.  The important thing NPOs are learning is that, paradoxically, people are not necessarily using social media tools (like Facebook and Myspace) for explicitly social media reasons.  They join Facebook Causes, for example, or other groups primarily to make a statement, not necessarily to feel like they are part of group.  This is why praise works.  It says, "You've made a statement and we've heard you!"  And this, all "positive reinforcement" theories aside, can spur these statement-makers on to further, bigger and more long-term action.  So, social media in the social action world is not just about spreading the word about latest event or action, and linking with others who share interests.  Social media in the activism (and thus, NPO) world is about making a statement and letting your voice be heard.



Photo credit: http://travelintoaprworld.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/social-media-people.jpg