Giving a Voice to the Neglected

By On June 16, 2009 · 4 Comments

The power of word of mouth travels fast when the story is compelling. This is a very pure concept. Whether it is a mom complaining about a brand she once had trust in or a citizen protesting his country’s election results, the tools of the social web have leveled the playing field. And it is a beautiful thing to behold.

where is my vote?

It is no longer an elite few that chooses what media we consume. We all see that daily. The value of a compelling story can project it around the globe in seconds. These same tools that allow many us an amazing marketing channel can be even more powerful as the amplified voice of the  neglected.

The power of social media constantly surprises me. When it is adopted as the voice of a cause as powerful as finding a lost child or championing democracy, we should all take pause.

Is social media creating a better world? Yes, and giving a voice to those who deserve to be heard the most is a big piece of that story.

PCWorld – Iran Protests, Tech Tools at Work
CBCNews.ca – Twitter emerges as news source during Iran media crackdown
Tt=elegraph.co.uk – Iran protest news travels fast and far on Twitter

UPDATE (16:33 EST 6.16.09): Twitter’s Biz Stone reacts to allegations that Twitter delayed scheduled downtime, in support of the Iran protests, at the request of the US State Department. I though this quote from Biz was relevant “the open exchange of information is a positive force in the world.”

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  • http://www.slideshare.net/adrianabeal/small-l-leadership P. Alves

    It is indeed beautiful how social media makes it possible for even small charitable initiatives to reach a big audience. This post just brought to my mind a presentation on “small-l leadership” a friend created and I learned about at Facebook.

    Her presentation is participating on a Slideshare contest. Voting for her entry is a small gesture that will benefit a very well-run project for disadvantaged children in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. Perhaps some of the readers here will want to see it and vote (click on the link in this comment's signature to go to the presentation).

  • Jeremy

    I have been watching the amazing tweets and images coming out of Iran and, I too, have had to “take pause” to reflect on the moment. You phrased it much more profoundly than I could have, but I could not agree more.

    I can only hope that Twitter and other social media will help those not as fortunate to have access to technology, but still just as neglected.

  • http://jasonkeath.com jakrose

    Thanks for the suggest Alves. I will definitely check out the Slideshare contest. I am a big fan of the site and glad to see them doing such a charitable campaign.

  • http://jasonkeath.com jakrose

    Thanks Jeremy, kind words. I think you bring up a good point. Putting cell phones and social media into 3rd world countries would help raise awareness I believe.

    There are plenty of programs working to get the cell and satellite phones to needy people in Africa, but not so much on the social media front. I imagine most people would not see the immediate value in that, but it is worth considering.