Social media is an important tool for protest movements in countries with limited freedom of expression
In the weeks following the death of the Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, her name has spread across social media. She has become a symbol not only in the fight for women’s rights, but also for the central role played by social media for protest movements in countries with limited freedom of expression, says Kristoffer Holt, professor in media and communication studies.
Since the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran, her name has spread across social media. In comment sections on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, comment sections are filled with posts containing only the name Mahsa Amini.
“It is as if the name has gotten a life of its own. More people have died in the protests in Iran after Mahsa Amini. But it is her name that lives on as a symbol in the fight for women’s rights”, says Kristoffer Holt.
Recurring phenomenon in protest movements
The way that these protests are expressed in social media, focusing on a single individual, is familiar, Kristoffer Holt says:
“In social media, it is important to have a person that symbolises the bigger issue. The person becomes an anchor point that attracts and channel engagement.”
There are several recent examples of this. George Floyd, an American man who became symbol for the whole Black Lives Matter movement, or Greta Thunberg and the climate are two such examples.
Several reasons to spread the name
Why do so many choose to share Mahsa Amini’s name, far beyond Iran’s borders? It is a way to show support, and show oneself.
“We can understand this phenomenon partly as a way to show one’s support, but also as a way to construct a personal identity. It is a way to present one’s values to the world. There is lots of research about why people choose to share things in social media, that point toward these reasons,” says Kristoffer Holt.
Social media as a tool for protest movements
Social media platforms have become an important tool in protests and for change, especially in countries with limited freedom of expression. This has been the case since the Arab spring in 2011, a series of anti-regime protests that spread across North Africa. At the time, the protest messages mainly spread via Twitter across Egypt, Tunisia, and other Arab countries in North Africa.
Since then, social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have been a given for protest movements. In addition, messaging apps like Telegram and Signal help create a new arena for spreading information and circumvent state control.
“In countries with strict censorship, engaging in oppositional activities can be associated with direct danger. The availability of anonymous accounts creates new opportunities. This kind of apps are very important, not just for talking to friends, but for spreading news and opinion”, says Kristoffer Holt.
New ways to reach out internationally
We can see the characteristic of social media in the Iran protests. When people that are there can publish film and other content directly from their smartphones, this opens up new ways to reach an international audience.
“Social media provides new opportunities to challenge those in power about the privilege to define reality.”
At the same time, new means of communication does not necessarily favor people’s movements. They can also be used by states to monitor the public and spread propaganda.
“We should not overstate the importance of social media. They are important, but in order for a protest movement to reach real-world effects, it needs something in the real world that can lead the change,” says Kristoffer Holt.