#MeToo: Information Cascades and the Power of Social Media
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/23/us/metoo-replacements.html
An information cascade is a situation where each person makes a decision/choice based on the observations or choices of others. The #MeToo movement began with the downfall of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, after multiple women came out and accused him of sexual assault and other sexual crimes. Since then, the New York Times reported that “at least 200 prominent men have lost their jobs after public allegations of sexual harassment. A few, including Mr. Weinstein, face criminal charges. At least 920 people came forward to say that one of these men subjected them to sexual misconduct. And nearly half of the men who have been replaced were succeeded by women.”
The #MeToo movement relates directly to our Networks class, as it demonstrates the power of social media, and how it can easily create an information cascade that can pervade through the rest of the social network. Social media has become a platform for information to be shared and spread, and in this specific case, women have been emboldened by each other, as they share their own experiences, and continue to defend and support one another. The New York Times states, “the analysis shows that the #MeToo movement shook, and is still shaking, power structures in society’s most visible sectors.” In this situation, there are two decisions for women who have been sexually assaulted: speak out, or remain silent. In the past, women might have been afraid to publicly speak out against their attackers, especially if they were men in positions of power, with money and influence. Now, with social media, we can see how the choices of others are affecting individuals. Women can see that other women decided to speak out, and that decision has been met with overwhelming support, and this in turn helps them make their own decision to speak out. This process continues, and eventually becomes a cascade. The MeToo movement is a great example of an information cascade that was created due to the powerful ties and links of social media.