Over 300 international organisations, universities, think tanks, journalists and trade unions, major specialised companies, social networks and social media activists will meet in Doha today to discuss and find out solutions for challenges facing social media in general and activists in particular.
The two-day international conference being held under the theme ‘Social Media: Challenges and Ways to Promote Freedoms and Protect Activists’ will discuss over 40 working papers in five interactive sessions along four working groups. No doubt that the organisers are well aware of the importance of social media in its various forms that use to draw international attention to host issues in certain countries such as the role played by social media during the most intense periods of some countries and violations of human rights.
Social media not only creates opportunities of massively parallel interconnected networks which helps in getting latest information and communication anytime and anywhere but also offers immense opportunities for collaboration and sharing of user generated content.
In this regard, the incredible role played by social media during what has been known as Arab Spring period was most important social media activism that contributed to the ouster of long-ruling presidents. Users use different forms of social media, mobilise, organise demonstrators, and exchange information in a very speedy form and without control of governments.
The use of social media, especially the posting of stories and footage of brutalities online, drew international attention to governments’ violations to basic human rights, rights to protest and express their desire to changes and better life. Critiques of social media highlight what have been considered as negative role of social media. While it is keeping people from different parts of the world in touch discussing, debating and exchanging information and new ideas, definitely it is leading towards cultural changes by keeping relatives and friends away from each other subsisting social media communications with the traditional socialisation of friends and family members.
The spread of rumours has given chance to some social media activists to block people with whom they disagree. Decentralisation and lack of control make undesired material pass to children and the underaged who are supposed to not have such exposure.
Posting of stories and footage and user generated content in many cases were found violating the privacy of individuals and distracting people from the real work. One of the big challenges for social media activists is the lack of freedom in some countries. Lack of rules and regulations that govern the use of social media and provision of protection of activists will remain on top of the Doha International Conference on ‘Social Media: Challenges and Ways to Promote Freedoms and Protect Activists’ meeting agenda.
