Social Media for Social Justice? When a Whisper Turns to a Roar, OR a Whimper is Heard No More

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/06/middleeast/raqqa-whatsapp-messages/

CNN: An exiled mother in the Netherlands "weeps as she waits for two blue check marks confirming Maha (trapped in Syria) has received her message — the only sign that her 23-year-old daughter is still alive." These heart-wrenching WhatsApp messages poignantly point to the power and higher purpose of social media. 

For those unfamiliar, WhatsApp was originally a social networking platform, that transitioned to social media between 2013-2015. Here is an excellent article about the platform's evolution.

https://www.practicalecommerce.com/WhatsApp-to-Change-Social-Media-Marketing

What will become of Maya and her child, trapped in Syria?  The story is still unfolding.  The messages are heartbreaking - she pleads to her mother to rescue her from the hell she is in. Maya's mother has helplessly read WhatsApp messages Now the world can see and feel Maya's terror.  We do not know her fate.  Will her whimper be heard no more?

I belong to the group Social Media Marketing. It is by far the most active LinkedIn Group to which I belong, with dozens of new conversations daily and 1,728,835 members, as of this writing. Topics, such as measuring hashtag performance, and boosting social media reach are de rigueur.  

Recently, I've been struck a number of times how fortunate we are to be able to discuss these topics. Social Media certainly has the power to boost your brand and business. While we focus our attention on the analytics of our latest post, or how many Twitter followers we have, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that we have freedoms that others do not. 

Social Media has the power to transform society, mobilize people to take action, free the oppressed, galvanize groups, and save lives. Losing sight of this power of social media is especially easy to do, when those in positions of power use Twitter as an adolescent broadcasting platform to flame perceived foes.

Do we appreciate the freedoms we enjoy? Do we appreciate the value of social media, beyond marketing our products, and building our brands?

Before reading the heart-wrenching CNN story about Maha, the young woman stranded in Syria, an article recently came up in my feed, that sparked these questions. Technology News reported:  China's bloggers, filmmakers feel chill of internet crackdown. My comment to the post was was "I wish there were an option other than "Like". Bu Hao!!! (Not good) It is disheartening at best, to see information freedoms further eroded in China. Those of us who have traveled there for years have seen the rays of hope, with WeChat, VPNs and ubiquitous mobile phone use. When the Chinese are denied access to information about what is happening around the world, but more importantly, in their own country, the country is on a path to history tragically repeating itself. Writing this comment on Independence Day is especially poignant."

I’ve been attuned to the power and suppression of Social Media across the globe for some time, mostly focused on China. Having traveled to factories there since the late 80’s, I’ve seen suppressed information exchange give way to ubiquitous mobile phones, with WeChat giving workers the ability to organize and demonstrate. China has generally ignored VPN use, but the crackdown has begun. 

What would you do if you suddenly could not do unfettered gathering of information on Google, and other search engines?  What would you do if you were blocked without warning from LinkedIn, Facebook, or other platforms you use to keep up with friends, family and colleagues?  What if you could no longer access digital news?  What if you were blocked from YouTube, when you needed to fix that leaking faucet?  For Pete's sake, what if you could no longer see videos of dancing kittens? 

OK - I'm obviously kidding about the dancing kittens, but think about all of the ways you rely on social media and networking in your life. 

Why did I bother writing this post?  Appreciation for our freedoms and the power of Social Media finally reached a crecendo...

A group of exiled Tibetan Monks is visiting Durango, CO.  They had a screening of the film "What Remains of Us:  Humanity Needs Tibet.  Tibet Needs Humanity", a secretly filmed documentary, that details the views of ordinary Tibetans, regarding Chinese aggression, non-violent protest, and the future of their country.  The story revolves around a young woman, of Tibetan descent (her parents had fled the country to Quebec), who had smuggled a 5-minute video message from the Dali Lhama to his people.  The video was brought from one small, clandestine gathering to the next, delivered on a small portable digital player, no more than 7" square.  The enormous risk that this woman took on, to deliver the message cannot be imagined, and every viewer was at risk of imprisonment, or worse. 

This is the face of suppressed social media rights.  Tightly-knit groups gather in homes, tents, shacks, hillside meadows, and any space where they can hope for 5 minutes of undisturbed time. There is no click to the outside world.  The message is physically carried, on a video player, that if discovered, would have devastating consequences.

This young woman spirited her small video player to at least a dozen small gatherings, throughout the film. From a handful of monks, to an entire family with 7 generations gathered, their faces showed deep reverence and rapt attention, watching the message from the Dali Lhama.  Whispers were telling - the risk was real. Tears welled in eyes.  Viewers leaned forward.  Lips mouthed the words they heard.  Silence after the video concluded made way to tentative, emotion-filled commentary. 

"No one has the right to raise their hand.  No one is willing to voice their thoughts".  "There is no 'Free Tibet'.  How did that happen?"

These whispered comments and questions point to the importance of social media/networking freedom.  We have such great fortune to be able to discuss the nuances of hashtag performance. 

How can we use our diverse expertise in social media to address social injustice?  There are whispers and whimpers around the world.  What can we do?  Are we helpless to use the power of social media to make a real difference? 

I will be posting this to the SHERPA Sustainability LinkedIn Group, of Social Media Marketing, and others....

I am left only with questions for now. If you have read to the end of this post, I sincerely thank you. Are there answers?  If they exist anywhere, I believe they exist in this community, on LinkedIn. Will the whisper become a roar?  Or will the whimper be heard no more?

And of course, please Like, Share and Comment:)