Reaction to #YoSoy132
Emiliano
Trere’s presentation on social media and politics in Mexico last Wednesday was
most interesting for me, especially hearing his descriptions of Mexicans. Though
I was only 16yrs old and half way around the world when #YoSoy132 was happening
in 2008, I was and still am very much aware of the political situation and
corruption in Mexico. When Trere mentioned the fact that the majority of rural
areas in Mexico rely mainly on television or radio for news because they do not
have access or very limited access to the Internet, I couldn’t help but think
about my family. My family is all from rural areas in Northern Mexico, and it’s
like disappearing from the digital world when we go visit because there is no
Internet and no cellular reception. People like to listen to the radio and all
the news they hear they believe. It’s a strange situation because the majority
is aware of the corruption and rigged elections in Mexico, yet they still
believe what is broadcasted on Televisa or on the radio. As Trere mentioned,
Mexico has a history of being an oppressed population, always trapped in this
hierarchal system of power. #YoSoy132 was the beginning of a revolution, as
mentioned in the article, a nationwide step towards facing the bad men and
letting our voices be heard (Trere, 2014). Mexico still has a long way to go,
what with changing the behavior of holding back for fear of the consequences,
but the younger generations (myself included) are being infected with this
modern way of thinking that everyone needs to be heard and we need to fight for
equality and fairness.
Resources
Garcia Gomez, Rodrigo, Trere, Emiliano. (August 2014). The #YoSoy132 Mexican Social Movement and
the Struggle for Media Democratization. Convergence. Retrieved on 26
February 2013 from https://www.dropbox.com/sh/buv9te8a3fxjybc/Cb4rsz_Ngz/Basic/2014%20forthcoming%20The%20%23Yosoy132%20Mexican%20social%20movement%20and%20the%20struggle%20for%20media%20democratization.pdf
I was interested in the development of mobile communication platforms. I know his talk was more a discussion about social media's role in the movement of people, but I also know that with the advent of cheap 'smartphones' many people are are accessing their social media channels through these devices. What specifically interests me is the connection of Carlos Slim, the billionaire mobile communications owner and his connection to powerful political elites. Is there any unlawful transfer of information, or is it possible under the Mexican constitution? What then are the implications and impediments of such a system?
ReplyDeleteBeing of a particular interest to me, to the point where I wrote my final paper in Professor Poulson's class about the Arab Spring and the use of social media, and am currently taking Professor Chenoweth's class on Civil Resistance, Emiliano Trere's presentation was nothing short of fascinating. There's significant evidence that nearly all communications networks are compromised, and that even here in the United States, if you use a cellphone you are being monitored (as is this message) by sophisticated software filters that connect words associated with undesirable activities, including non-violent civil resistance. Looking at a list of these words, incidentally, reveals that words as simple as 'sick', 'exercise', and 'recovery' are all among many other innocuous words that will flag your phone number or email address for ever-after monitoring. In other words, as I said, if you use a cellphone in this country, you are currently under surveillance even if the data goes "unused".
ReplyDeleteHowever, despite all that nonsense, it was very interesting to hear about the use of certain memes in Mexican culture. Although a lot of research has been shown to demonstrate the relative ineffectiveness of social media in successful non-violent campaigns, and also that social media use often has dangerous and violent repercussions for many activists, Trere brought up a point that resonated well with me. He mentioned that culturally Mexicans, as well as many other latin cultures, actively participate in the use of meme proliferation as a means of social communication and information sharing. I think there is a very good possibility that this culture, in and of itself, is a significant factor in the success of civil resistance campaigns of any sort. I think there is plenty more work to be done in these fields of communications and political strife.
For more information on flagging keywords, read here or any of another news sites:
https://gist.github.com/jm3/2815378