2011
Democracy Promotion in the Age of Social Media
Risks and Opportunities
Social Media
The debate on this issue is controversial. The prominent role played by Social Digital Media (SDM) in the popular uprisings across North Africa and the Middle East has led to the coining of the catchphrase “Social Media Revolution”. Yet critics argue that some Western policy-makers may be hamstrung by a cyber-utopian view that regards the Internet as inherently pro-democratic. Any serious debate on the promise of SDM to aid democracy promotion must consider that different types of SDM vary in their specific characteristics and that such variation translates into different opportunities and risks depending on the political context in which they are employed.
© 2011 German Development Institute (DIE)
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Author:
Anita Breuer
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2011
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12
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