Activism and communication in the digital age: Do social networks affect citizen mobilization?

Abstract

This article analyzes the relationships between communication and activism in the digital age. Two cases are analyzed - the Spanish 15M and its American sequel: the Occupy Wall Street movement - because both occur at the same time and in democratic countries with free media. In order to understand the differential between the analogue and the digital era, they are compared to the African American rights movement in the 1960s. The article has been constructed with statements in the media, books and academic works of protagonists and analysts. The conclusion is that social networks can facilitate movements that do not attack the system, but can harm those who seek real change.