Abstract
The article examines how social networks influence the boundaries of social change. The study was conducted on a Saudi Arabian model firm using Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to empower women and members of cultural communities. The research led to the definition of four stages for addressing social problems: creating boundaries, encouraging diversity, rethinking boundaries, and opening them to social change. The study’s primary objective was to investigate the stimulating effect of social networks on social change. The article concludes that all the studied platforms can be utilized for rethinking the boundaries of social problems and outlining effective ways to address them.
Research Question: What role do social networks play in driving social change?
Motivation and Argumentation
Using the example of Saudi Arabia, the critical role of social networks in promoting social change is considered. Boundary work has spurred change by offering a means of cultural expression. Netnographic data and stakeholder surveys prove that social media influences people’s attitudes towards notions of social justice. Through social networking platforms, vulnerable groups in society are given a means of self-expression, fostering diversity.
Activists can use YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to promote the cutting-edge ideas of social movements. Finally, social networks have a unifying effect on impressive masses of people. Thus, with the help of digital technologies, it is possible to outline the boundaries of a social problem for its further joint solution.
Literature
The literature used in the study is devoted to discussions about social networks, their functioning, influence, the concept of social boundaries, and the new social law, MGL. Researchers express conflicting opinions regarding the impact of social networks on modern society. Finkel et al. (2020) perceive social media as a platform that polarizes society. In contrast, Phang et al. (2015) highlight the unifying power of social media for political change. The binding power of social media is highlighted in research by Vaast et al. (2017).
Miranda et al. (2016) are concerned about the complex role of digital technology in shaping inequality. However, it is clear that to promote social change, it is necessary to utilize social networks as a platform where large numbers of people are involved. Internet spaces can be practical resources for rethinking social boundaries (Castells, 2013). The theoretical basis provides the study with rational evidence for conducting a practical experiment proving that social networks are a suitable platform for working with boundaries.
Methods and Results
The study used both qualitative and quantitative data to substantiate the results. Data collection for the research covered two periods: before 2016-2018 and after the social reforms in Saudi Arabia (2022). The data collected included hashtags from Instagram, interviews with stakeholders, opinions expressed on social media, and surveys of social activists. The open coding method was used for each platform: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. The study’s results led to the development of an effective model of social change utilizing social networks in four stages: creating boundaries, encouraging diversity, reworking boundaries, and fostering openness to social change.
Contribution and Future Research
The article proposes a new model based on the reconfiguration of social perception. This model adds a new understanding of working with configuration boundaries and the role of social networks in encouraging interaction. The study contributes to the literature on social networks by showing the possibilities for adjusting social understanding. While the research is limited to country-specific data collection, the collected information is exhaustive enough to draw conclusions about the model’s effectiveness. Further research may explore the platform-enabled boundary work created by participants between the crowd and organizers of the platform ecosystem.
Conclusion
The study highlights the possibility of using social networks as an effective tool for social change by influencing social boundaries. The developed model of cross-platform border work emphasizes the importance of digital technologies for forming opinions and connecting people. The primary role of the researched platforms is to provide a unifying impact, create a means of self-expression, and offer a way to rethink the boundaries of social problems. The article makes a significant contribution to the development of a theoretical basis for the influence of social networks on the masses and the positive results of boundary work.
References
Castells, M. (2013). Communication Power. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Finkel, E. et al. (2020). Political sectarianism in America. Science, 370(6516), pp. 533-536.
Miranda, S., Young, A. & Yetgin, E. (2016). Are social media emancipatory or hegemonic? Societal effects of mass media digitization in the case of the SOPA discourse. MIS Quarterly, 40(2), pp. 303-330.
Phang, C. W., Kankanhalli, A. & Huang, L. (2015). Drivers of quantity and quality of participation in online policy deliberation forums. Journal of Management Information Systems, 31(3), pp. 172-212.
Vaast E, H, S., Lapointe L & B., N. (2017). Social Media affordances for connective action: An examination of microblogging use during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. MIS Quarterly, 41(4), pp. 1179-1206.