The Contagion Effects of Repeated Activation in Social Networks as a Driver of Social Change
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378873317300928
As we become increasingly reliant on social media as a form of communication, it is important to examine the ramifications of social media networks. Information on the internet is not only readily available but it is able to spread rapidly among social circles. In class, we learned about social networks and how they are often interconnected. Two individuals with a mutual friend are likely to become friends themselves. Furthermore, they may introduce each other to their respective friends, increasing the number and strength of the total connections in the world. This highly connected setting leads to the contagion of behavior. Our actions and viewpoints are often adopted among our immediate friends before being spread to their respective friend circles – and so forth.
A similar phenomenon occurs on communication platforms like Instagram and Facebook where individuals can ‘friend’ or ‘connect’ with the people around them. Like the social networks they reflect, the links between users on social media platforms are far-reaching and highly connected. This means that information is often shared and amplified rapidly.
In the linked article, researchers explore how the social networks on communication platforms can serve as a powerful tool for driving social justice and/or political movements. They identify the role that online platforms play in coordinating demonstrations, protests, riots, and ultimately, in driving political change. Through their analysis of social networks, the researchers determine that the structure of communication networks is highly conducive to the proliferation of information and the mobilization of public support especially when repeated action is allowed. In other words, when users engage recurrently in a collective effort like a mass posting campaign, contagion of behavior is likely to occur. This fits with the growing trend in which large-scale coordination efforts are emerging through social media platforms. One instance of this are the Black Lives Matter protests which occurred across the United States following the death of George Floyd. These demonstrations were largely organized on social media, reflecting the contagion effects of repeated activation in social networks (e.g. sustained posting and content sharing), and how this can be harnessed in order to drive social change.