As society’s dependence on social media for news grows, professionals in the journalism industry are increasingly being forced to incorporate and rely on user generated content and collective intelligence in their practice.
As defined by Lévy and de Kerckhove, collective intelligence is the term used to describe the “capacity of networks to enhance social knowledge by expanding the extent of human interactions (Flew, 2008, pg. 21).” This theory promotes user generated content (self expression and publication by end users) such as blogs and videos and has the capacity to distribute mass amounts of information (Brand, 2011) Additionally, it allows knowledge to be saved and retrieved through databases with ease (Flew, 2008). Put simply, knowledge passing through new media sources results in collective intelligence (Wikipedia, 2011)
Benefits of networks and collective intelligence include the facilitation of political, economic and military relations, collective learning, the minimization of resource dependency and general variation in activities (Flew, 2008). The negatives include, the inequality of network access, infrastructure failure, which was demonstrated during the immediate aftermath of 9/11 where networks failed in downtown Manhattan and corruption (Flew, 2008).
The collective knowledge gathered through social media has newly begun to weave its way through professional online journalism. Most recently, and notably online social networks and user generated content have played a prominent role in journalistic reporting of the 2011 Egyptian revolution (The Australian, 2011).
Like the social uprisings seen 162 years earlier in France and Sicily, the Egyptian protests were sparked by increasing food prices, a recession, new technologies (mass newspapers in the 1848 revolutions) and a government with old fashioned regimes (Zakaria, 2011). Particularly influential in Egypt’s case is the significant ‘youth bulge,’ existing in the region where 60% of the population are aged under 30 (Zakaria, 2011). It was the millions of technologically savvy young people, tired of the government’s inability to fulfill their aspirations who played the pivotal role in the eventual resignation of Hosni Mubarak (Zakaria, 2011).
While journalism is often accredited with facilitating democracy, it was a Facebook page created by Google executive Wael Ghonim which ignited riots of an unprecedented scale (Fletcher, 2011). The page was in memory of a young man beaten to death by Egyptian police in 2010 (Fletcher, 2011). The video below shows ABC coverage on the first day of political turmoil, with many yet to come.
Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites were utilised to organise protests and gatherings consequently triggering the Egyptian government to severely restrict internet access and block numerous sites (BBC, 2011). Journalism played its role when an independent Egyptian television station aired an interview with Wael Ghonim after his release from 12 days in prison (Fletcher, 2011). The interview further roused the revolution as hundreds of thousands gathered on the streets around parliament (Fletcher, 2011). On February 11, 2011, after days of anarchy Mubarak resigned (Courier Mail, 2011). Since, an Egyptian couple named their newborn child ‘Facebook,’ in honour of the role it played (PerthNow, 2011).
The collaboration of journalism and user generated content ultimately lead to a revolt which has forever altered a country’s political future. Live twitter updates, incorporated into online articles and the dependence of journalists on user generated content for information is an example of collective intelligence being utilised in journalistic practice. For many young Egyptians, social media provided the most accurate and reliable source of information. Social media was the news
The video below demonstrates the worldwide response to the Egyptian protests and action undoubtedly spurred by media and user generated coverage of the event. In the video’s description (found here) links to live streaming of the protests, news organisations and relevant Facebook pages are displayed.
Although, the outcome of the revolution has been historically monumental, the violence and political unrest leading up to Mubarak’s resignation had a significant impact on individual journalists. Most notably CBS correspondent, Lara Logan was brutally attacked, beaten and sexually assaulted (Colvin, 2011). Numerous other journalists were detained and a Greek correspondent was stabbed (Weissenstein, 2011). In such circumstances, the use of user generated content could potentially benefit news organisations unable or unwilling to send journalists into environments of extreme violence. Additionally footage from individuals who witness events when no journalists are present benefits the profession and in turn society when mass media is then able to circulate the footage.
Together, journalism, collective intelligence and user generated content made the political make over of Egypt possible. Consequently it has left many wondering what else social media is capable of. For example, U2 front man and humanitarian Bono, is now adamant technology and media can fix Africa’s problems claiming, “it’s hard to be a corrupt police officer when people can text and tweet about it (Daily Telegraph, 2011).”
The role of social media in the 2011 Egyptian revolution has demonstrated how collaborative online and media efforts can significantly change the world. Twitter, Facebook, mobile phones, the internet and journalism all collaborated and combined their intelligence to achieve a single goal; democracy.
REFERENCES
BBC. (2011). Egypt severs internet connection amid growing unrest. RetrievedFebruary 24, 2011, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12306041
Brand, J. (2011). Digital Media and Society, Week 7 Lecture. Gold Coast, Bond University
Colvin, M (2011). Mob beat journalist Lara Logan with flagpoles and fists. Retrieved February 24, 2011, from http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/mob-beat-journalist-lara-logan-with-flagpoles-and-fists/story-e6frg6so-1226009065311
Courier Mail. (2011). Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns after mass protests. Retrieved February 27, 2011, from http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/world/mubarak-may-soon-respond-to-demands-party/story-e6freoox-1226004762979
Daily Telegraph. (2011). Bono: social media could fix Africa. Retrieved February 24, 2011 from, http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/bono-social-media-could-fix-africa/story-e6frf00i-1226007070918
Fletcher, M. (2011). Egypt regime crumbling fast to people power. Retrieved February 24, 2011, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/regime-crumbling-fast-to-people-power/story-e6frg6so-1226004663889
Flew, T. (2008). New Media: An Introduction (3rd Edition). Victoria, Oxford University Press
Meyerowitz, D. (2011). Twitter no more than a tool for taking on tyrants. Retrieved February 24, 2011, from http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/twitter-no-more-than-a-tool-for-taking-on-tyrants/story-e6frg996-1226009088845
News on ABC. (2011). Protests in Egypt spurred by social media. Retrieved
February 27, 2011, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3-m1HDfJ30&feature=related
PerthNow. (2011). And this is our baby daughter… Facebook. Retrieved February 22, 2011, from http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/special-features/and-this-is-our-baby-daughter-facebook/story-e6frg1ac-1226010283752
Richman, D. (2001). Social search comes of age. Information Outlook, 11(8)
The Australian. (2011). Google ‘very, very proud’ of revolutionary Egyptian executive Wael Ghonim. Retrieved February 24, 2011, from http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/google-very-proud-of-cyber-revolutionary-wael-ghonim/story-e6frg6so-1226006942436
Tshaaban88. (2011). Egyptian Revolution- The World Calls for Peace. Retrieved February 27, 2011, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv9kDyaOylI
Weissenstein, M. (2011). Journalists attacked, detained in Egypt. Retrieved February 24, 2011, from http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/journalists-attacked-detained-in-egypt/story-e6frfku0-1225999949848
Wikipedia. (2011). Collective Intelligence. Retrieved February 24, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_intelligence
Zakaria, F. (2011, February). Why it’s Different This Time. Time Magazine, p. 18.
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