Big Technology Podcast From Gezi Park to Black Lives Matter, with Zeynep Tufekci
Aug 19, 2020
Zeynep Tufekci, a leading writer and researcher on social media-fueled protests, dives deep into the transformative impact of digital activism. She connects movements like Gezi Park and Black Lives Matter, highlighting how social media mobilizes people and shapes societal shifts. The conversation explores the dual-edged nature of online activism, the complexities of public sentiment, and the urgent need for substantive policy changes in addressing systemic issues. Tufekci also tackles the darker sides of social media, such as public shaming and polarization.
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Shared Experience at Gezi Park
- Zeynep Tufekci and Alex Kantrowicz both witnessed the Gezi Park protests in Istanbul in 2013.
- Turkish citizens protested the government's overreach, similar to Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter.
Social Media's Role in Protests
- Social media fueled protests allow rapid mobilization but often lack stable infrastructure.
- Tufekci observed this during the Gezi Park protests and other social movements.
Rapid Escalation of Gezi Protests
- Tufekci noticed the Gezi Park protests escalating rapidly while at a conference.
- She immediately flew to Turkey to observe firsthand, given her familiarity with the country.
