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How social media changed protest How social media changed protest
(40 minutes later)
By Dominic Casciani BBC News home affairs correspondentBy 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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    • Once again we have legitimate protest hijacked by extremists, causing injury and damage. As someone who had to pay for my part-time degree, I feel students should pay for what they get. If that means less students participating in useless subject degrees so be it. Perhaps universities could keep the price of necessary degrees such as science, maths, engineering, etc.
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    • too many armchair protesters...
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    • One key difference between Then and Now has been missed: Widespread Public Support. In the past, many protestors enjoyed widespread support from the general public but, in the case of the recent protests against tuition fees, both the protesters' tactics and, indeed, the underlying demands are nowhere near as widely supported.
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    • More people should protest, we are very lazy. Social media just makes it easier. I just wish protesters would get facts right. A fact has the power to win though, lies just turn me off.More people should protest, we are very lazy. Social media just makes it easier. I just wish protesters would get facts right. A fact has the power to win though, lies just turn me off.
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  • class="dna-comment" id="comment_103996866"> class="comments_user_info secondary_body"> 4. th3_0r4cl3
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    the entire political system in this country is infested with career politicians who will say anything to remain in office and have no other purpose than staying in that job for as long as possible at the expense of the tax payer. Comments 5 of 9
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    • While I might quite like to buy Captain Ska's new single, I can't because I've cancelled my Amazon account and stopped using my credit cards on account of the companies involved messing with Wikileaks.
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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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