Outbreak of Global Protest with the Digital Knowledge of Protesters

Somewhere in the world, certain group of people are struggling and protesting every day for their rights. These struggles are mostly against their government for inequality, corruption and anger at the elites.

In last 20 years, there is a substantial increase in protests, which is mainly because of raise in usage of the internet or social media among people. The most important reason for a protest movement to be successful is communication, which unites the protesters throughout the struggle.

Social media has made it easier for the people who organize the protest, coordinate with the supporters and other communities or group who are interested in protests. Demonstrators trying to conceal their identities are increasingly using encrypted messaging app such as telegram to communicate.  

The attacks against the people by the government during the protest were tackled in different ways through the help of the digitally connected young people sharing their mantras, tactics and words of support. Most of these are arising from Hong Kong, where protests have been going on for months.

Powerful ways are spreading too!

A Chilean sociologist in Hong Kong shared a video to the protesters of Chile regarding how people of Hong Kong defusing a tear gas canister and it have been shared online more than 200 thousand times. Similarly, many ideas from different parts of the world are exchanged across the protesters:

§  Chile: Building road blocks with bricks will help to slow down police force

§  Hong Kong: Using lasers to avoid facial recognition cameras

§  Sudan: Mixture of Yeast and water to defuse a tear gas canister

§  Latin America:  In order to call for attention, a group of people making noise by banging their pots, pans and other utensils. This way of protest is known as Cacerolazo (a cheap and effectively irritating way to show the rage). This method has also been inspired by Colombia, Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador.

§  Colombia: Movements are sharing anthems as well, El baile de los que sobran, a Chilean rock song from 80’s become part of the Colombian movement.

Even countries which do not have long history of protests are sharing their anger at elites through different ways protesting. Protesters in Lebanon gather together and singing their support for Iraq and Chile. Which further inspired by the people of Iraq by bringing children, games and even weddings into their protests.

Compared with the past social movements led by prominent activists, today’s demonstrations are more fluid and spontaneous. This is because they rely on group decisions to guide their tactics and the attacks against people by government during the protest were tackled by their digital knowledge.

Despite so many problems caused by the government, many protesters they move forward and keep fighting for their rights. Revolution might be in different forms but it is the digital knowledge which makes them together.