Should anti-capitalist movements embrace social media?

[CriticalJames]

In the supposed Arab spring over the last few years, we've seen social networks such as Twitter and Facebook becoming very significant to revolutionary movements - allowing people to co-ordinate protests, share videos and raise awareness of horrific atrocities. The power of long-distance instantaneous communication has really been embraced in movements across the world, however do the platforms that these communications run on pose an issue for real leftist movements? The growing corporate powerhouses are, unsurprisingly, often intertwined with technology and social media. What does this mean for a revolution or reform? Well firstly, I'm concerned that companies can completely monopolize the means of communication. In fact, we're already seeing email (a solution that can be self-hosted) being replaced with a growing reliance on the messaging services of Facebook, Blackberry and Twitter.

Our growing reliance on these platforms makes us subject to the whims of these powerhouses, and I'm wondering whether this could give capitalist forces a greater capacity to crush and manipulate social movements. What's to stop Twitter from suddenly removing a revolutionary hashtag trend? Or what's to stop Facebook from deciding to delete a revolutionary community group? The answer to those two questions is probably nothing at all.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on the role of social media in the leftist movements of the future!

[Petrol Bomb]

I'd like to also point out that it will give the authorities more knowledge of details, which would aid them in stopping and opposing demonstrations. Not only that, if a video is posted of someone breaking bourgeois law, it would be pretty easy for the authorities to track them down and charge/arrest them. There may be some use to social media for revolutionary movements, but it's just too controlled, and provides the authorities with too much knowledge. I am split on it at the moment.

[Nevsky]

If the revolutionary left doesn't use the immense possibilities offered by social medias, it is truly fucked. 40 years ago, young revolutionary organizations could only have dreamed of today's means of communication. They needed to rely on flyers, secret meetings in god knows where, public rallies and so on. Today, hundreds of thousands can be mobilized within a second through a simple click on facebook. While the young masses at the moment are more likely to crush parties rather than the system, the objective power of the medium is still quite obvious. Furthermore, we have already witnessed social medias taking on an important strategic role for progressive forces during the Arab Spring.

[Quail]

I'd like to also point out that it will give the authorities more knowledge of details, which would aid them in stopping and opposing demonstrations. Not only that, if a video is posted of someone breaking bourgeois law, it would be pretty easy for the authorities to track them down and charge/arrest them. There may be some use to social media for revolutionary movements, but it's just too controlled, and provides the authorities with too much knowledge. I am split on it at the moment.
So just be careful about what you post/say on social media. Sensitive subjects are best saved for private meetings anyway, but I do think social media can be useful for networking and spreading ideas, news, etc., so it would be a bit silly not to take advantage of that.

[AnSyn Blackflag]

If you are careful and clever, than social media could be absolutely the best way to spread revolutionary philosophy throughout the world. Anything truly radical, or revealing should be saved for meetings in person when possible. By using multiple social media websites you could make it very difficult for them to cripple your information stream. Also if they do happen to start censoring all they would do is give us a stronger platform to speak out against. The dangers of social media could be turned into a great weapon for protest if push comes to shove.

[CriticalJames]

So just be careful about what you post/say on social media. Sensitive subjects are best saved for private meetings anyway, but I do think social media can be useful for networking and spreading ideas, news, etc., so it would be a bit silly not to take advantage of that.

I agree with taking advantage, but I do think we can take that even further. How about taking the technologies from platforms like Facebook and Twitter and turning them into a newer platform that's ran and funded collectively? To some extent, we're already doing that with communities like Revleft and countless other leftist boards that are popping up all over the net.

[d3crypt]

Billions of people use social media. Of course we should use social media.

[BIXX]

I agree with taking advantage, but I do think we can take that even further. How about taking the technologies from platforms like Facebook and Twitter and turning them into a newer platform that's ran and funded collectively? To some extent, we're already doing that with communities like Revleft and countless other leftist boards that are popping up all over the net.

I would contribute in some way, but we would need to make it very user-friendly so that it will attract new people. Unless you're trying to keep it to a limited number of people for security culture reasons.

Honestly, security culture is my biggest concern when it comes to social media. So if we could make it safe to say/advocate any revolutionary activities without the person who advocated it being in danger of having their post used to catch them in reality, that would be great.