Social Media As A Weapon

It is inevitable that social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube would eventually be used in conflicts like the one in Israel and Palestine territory. Surprisingly, it is not only civilians who are using these tools to express their feelings but also the government figures of these regions as well.



It seems as if this conflict is like a volcano, randomly erupting whenever it pleases. And usually both sides do a pretty good job at swaying international opinions. But this time the Israeli government has done its homework and is using the powerful tool of social media as a weapon in the battle.

Much like what businesses are doing today to increase profit and customer interaction, these countries (primarily Israel) are doing with social media. It has been mentioned that the government has also created pages on other rising social media forums such as Pinterest and Tumblr.

Although this has been one of the more extensive ways that these sites have been used, it isn't news that social media has had a role in global conflict. In December 2010, Facebook and Twitter contributed to the infamous "Arab Spring", where millions of citizens of primarily North African countries took to the streets to display their feelings towards the corrupt rulers of their homeland.

Some argue whether these websites were the catalysts or just merely tools, but there is no question that they helped fuel the fire. It was reported that 90% of Northern Africans used these websites to set up demonstrations and protests.

I think it is safe to say that from now on, social media will play a role in events such as these. What do you think of this phenomenon? Do you think these platforms should be used as weapons or an aid to a solution?

I am unsure of how I feel about government officials using these websites to display information. It just doesn't seem right that these role models are posting confidential information and making offensive statements for the world to see. Do you feel as if this is a positive action, or an unprofessional move on their part?

This also makes me think about if our government started utilizing social media to that extent. I know that Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube were used a lot during the recent presidential election, but what about in times of crisis such as this?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/16/israel-palestine-social-media_n_2141862.html