Can Social Media save the world?
Greenpeace, known for its outspoken criticism of corporate giants destroying the planet, harnessed the power of social media for its campaign against Nestle’s use of rainforest-destroying palm oil in their Kit Kat bars. A gory parody ad for said Kit Kat was created by Greenpeace and posted on YouTube, and despite Nestle’s request for it to be removed, soon went viral, getting over 1.5 million views.
Nestle felt the brunt of public anger on its official Facebook page, where ‘fans’ berated the brand for contributing to the destruction of the rainforest and the subsequent effect on the orang-utans living there.
As a result of the massive public outcry, delivered primarily through social media, Nestle promised to implement a comprehensive ‘zero deforestation’ plan. So, maybe step by step, the power of social media and the way it can be used to put pressure on corporations can help to save the world.
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It’s the enabling power that social networks provide – e.g. instant global communication and interaction – that allows mass-alignment of ideas and behaviours to manifest as a force larger than any other committee. This is what has changed/is changing the world IMHO. Social Applications are really just enablers – it’s always down to the people in the end.