A series of weeklong protests and riots, coinciding with the increasing political polarization, once again exposed chronic tensions within French society. The recent demonstrations laid bare the profound injustice, racial discrimination and feelings of abandonment that only those living in France's poor, underprivileged and ethnically diverse neighborhoods can understand. Protests started after the police killing of 17-year-old Nahel during a traffic stop and have transformed into a popular uprising centered on social media.
The 1961 Paris Massacre, in which nearly 400 demonstrators were killed and thrown into the Seine River during a peaceful demonstration organized by almost 30,000 Algerians gathered to support the Algerian independence movement, has not been forgotten despite the passage of 59 years. Despite the extensive efforts of the victims' families, France attempted to conceal the full scope of the murder by disregarding the facts for 37 years after the atrocity and claiming that just 40 people were killed.
With the emergence of new media technologies, we can observe that the situation in today's world has drastically changed. The recent Nahel episode exemplifies this, as it has resulted in the need for accountability for both the head of state and the police officers involved.
Although the current disorder has not reached the magnitude of the 2005 riots, French authorities said they were alarmed by the potential for widespread violence. Social media played a significant role in this unrest, which will only fuel the far-right discourse that has gone from strength to strength since 2005. French President Emmanuel Macron and his government adopted a different approach, trying to calm rather than escalate tensions. However, critics argue that it is still challenging to balance addressing complaints and maintaining law and order.
When we delve into the origins of racism, we, unfortunately, encounter a pervasive and chronic problem that has been present throughout history up to the present day. Looking back, we see that the voice of racist incidents has not been fully heard, adequately addressed, and at times even disregarded due to the limiting characteristics of traditional media. This has hindered the broader understanding of the realities of racism by society at large.
With new media, mass communication has gained new dimensions and social sharing networks that enable unprecedented interaction. These developments have played a significant role in transforming the structure of individuals and society.
The butterfly effect is based on the idea that a small event can cause a big impact. The event ignited by Muhammed Bouazizi's self-immolating in Tunisia ignited the anger and reaction of the people. This event has also mobilized people in other Arab world and led to protests against authoritarian regimes. This butterfly effect led to similar demands in different countries and the growth of popular movements during the Arab Spring.
State control of traditional mass communication tools, censorship and pressures on private broadcasting organizations have prevented the public from accessing accurate information. However, in this complex environment, social media has provided the exchange of information in society and contributed to the peak of popular movements by keeping them informed about developments. If there had been social media, the Arab people's struggle for freedom could have continued in a subdued manner within societal deficiencies and constraints.
The rapid spread of the internet and social media in the Arab geography inevitably says that popular movements have found broad support. The Arab Spring was broadcast to the entire globe via social media, has been at the center of political inequality and economic stagnation, and has accelerated change and transformation movements in Arab countries. New media has been an important tool in the spread of the Arab Spring.
New media allows people to voice their voices and reach people in different regions of the world without time and space limitations. It also offers the opportunity to organize protest movements. In recent years, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has stood against issues like racism, discrimination and police violence against Blacks in America. Social media greatly impacted BLM, transforming it into global action.
Again, the tragic death of George Floyd has had a tremendous global impact as a significant example of racism and police violence. This event has quickly spread into a worldwide movement through new media platforms.
Floyd suffocated and died while being detained by police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis and the incident reached a broad audience after the video went viral on social media. This video has been a powerful channel for eyewitnesses and activists to express their demands for justice.
Social media platforms, especially Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, have become tools for organizing protests, sharing information and voicing concerns immediately after this event.
Different social movements using hashtags have drawn the attention of millions of people to particular issues, including social inequality and racism.
Thanks to news sites, video-sharing platforms and social networks, new media has turned the quest for justice for George Floyd and the struggle of Black individuals to defend their rights into a global movement. This movement has not only increased the awareness of people globally, it also triggered anti-racism actions in America.
Nonetheless, the impact of new media is not limited to raising awareness and provoking emotional reactions. Social media has the power to mobilize the public. As in this event, mass protests, demonstrations and other actions have been organized and strengthened through social media platforms.
It is possible to say that new media has facilitated the organization of people's protests and mobilization. In the past, if people wanted to protest a police killing of someone due to racism, they had to rely on traditional mass media to spread the news. However, with new media, people can now use social media to organize in a few hours, creating waves and making it much easier for people to hold the authorities accountable for their actions.
By facilitating people to raise their voices by sharing videos and information, new media makes it difficult for police or those who engage in racist actions to cover up or deny their mistakes. This is an important element for our age that helps to hold people in positions of power accountable for their actions.
*Multimedia editor at Daily Sabah
