Emily Weinstein & Howard Gardner— While there was never a “golden age” of politics, journalism, or democracy, social media has permanently disrupted assumptions that were widely shared for much of the twentieth century. In that earlier era, political parties were strong; candidates for major offices were vetted by people who
Philip N. Howard— Since the great tragedy of Charlie Hebdo, politicians and pundits around the world have succumbed to the notion that social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, are to blame for violent online extremism. They argue that social media is not only a conduit for terrorists it is
Gerard Lemos— The protesters had already started gathering last Saturday afternoon. It was hot and sunny in Admiralty, the business district, and there are no trees, no shade. They sat around on walls, chatting, doing nothing. There were no leaders, no banners, no speeches, no chanting. This was quite a
Goodreads is hosting a February book giveaway of It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens by danah boyd. Enter now to win your free copy of this timely book that analyzes teenage behavior on social networking sites and how it affects the personal development of today’s teenagers. In the meantime, you can
Follow @zephoria Follow @yaleSCIbooks It’s a common sight these days to see young people glued to their smartphones, tablets, and assorted other electronic devices–and that continues to confuse and worry many parents. Why do teenagers text their friends instead of talking to them when they’re in the same room? Are
Read a piece from Alice Marwick on why “social media is making us anxious and paranoid” on Medium.com! (13-min read) Follow @alicetiara Follow @yaleSCIbooks In her new book, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity, and Branding in the Social Media Age, Alice E. Marwick explores how Web 2.0–or social media–encourages a preoccupation with
How does the “Facebook marriage” option change the kind of relationships young people form? At what point does texting to stay in touch with friends and family become texting to maintain safety blanket of connectivity? Why do kids need school when they can look up the answers to all of
Who rules how Facebook connects more than nine hundred million monthly users, some 80 percent outside of the United States? Facebook, now connecting one tenth of all humanity, has become its own nation, complete with currency and international diplomats. To achieve citizenship, all a person must do is share the
Since December 2010 countries across the Middle East have employed a variety of tactics that have brought down multiple dictators and irrevocably changed the region. In The Battle for the Arab Spring: Revolution, Counter-Revolution and the Making of a New Era, Lin Noueihed and Alex Warren break down the timeline and
Ivan Lett— I’m no political junkie, just a book publishing historian who comes away from the glory of Britannia every so now and then to find the ever-changing world around me to be…well, ever-changing. When news of the revolution in Egypt broke last winter, I was still in a holiday