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How social media changed protest How social media changed protest
(2 months later)
By Dominic Casciani BBC News home affairs correspondent   By Dominic Casciani BBC News home affairs correspondent
Over the past month, many parts of the UK have witnessed student-led protests against tuition fees and the end of grants in further education.Over the past month, many parts of the UK have witnessed student-led protests against tuition fees and the end of grants in further education.
On television, the scenes have looked like a typical demonstration: people standing around in the cold waving placards while police run around after trouble-makers. But what's beyond doubt is that social media has played an important role in the anti-cuts demonstrations, but is it changing the nature of modern protest?On television, the scenes have looked like a typical demonstration: people standing around in the cold waving placards while police run around after trouble-makers. But what's beyond doubt is that social media has played an important role in the anti-cuts demonstrations, but is it changing the nature of modern protest?


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This is reminiscent of various sci fi novels. The creation of a hive consciousness or, instant democracy, whereby information and votes can be viewed and actioned quickly. The hope is that this would form the future of government and political power. The reality at the moment seems to be that peoople use technology constructively. The reality, at the moment, is quite destructive/irrisponsible.
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    • As an e-learning specialist, I find this a fascinating use of new media... and as someone interested in the political process I find it sad that even with all the shiny new toys, elected politicians still take no notice of what they are being told by the very people who pay them to act as their representatives!
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    • Single acts of anarchy being carried out instinctively by disparate groups with no single controlling centre, reducing infiltration / detection by security services, if you like guerrilla style tactics. Potentially more damaging than any organised TU / Peace demos could ever achieve.....the latter gets 2 minutes coverage with disputes over real numbers of demonstrators.....
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