The sculpture “Charging bull” from Italian Artist Arturo Di Modica is our source of inspiration to analyse Social Media capacity as a democratic engine to grow, and not at the service of private financial interests. Like this Wall Street symbol: an “aggressive financial prosperity and optimism” that is a great reminder of the need to reshape and visualise a new planet through new colours. This amazing knit art cover all that negativity and make of Wall Street symbol, a friendly expression of power. That is the reason that becomes so inspiring for our analysis: a big power that must be stopped from being a monster at the service of obscure goals, and become a driver to healthy transformation and the boost of Global Goals, inclusive and open enough to allow ALL actors including financial benefits for ALL.
Currently we are holding a financial monopoly that supposes a true power towards the transformation of a private group into a just one actor. This is the big and most negative contradiction for the pursue of a global model, as is precisely the capacity to join that make it successful. Powered by all actors and not a few ones that establish evolutionary codes that surprisingly -or not-, in the end, creates a huge financial impact. As a named on one of my articles about Social Media*, is an “skilful octopus” that change colours to hide from predators, instead of an open network that engages communities into clean and mutual beneficial relations.
The own meaning of Social Media is enough confusing to make a reflection of its purpose and direct benefit for a new life within new codes : socialising within the capacity of keeping distances and somehow isolating ourselves on a different sense of individual freedom. The use of tech has brought positive aspects but also an stage of anarchical approaches, for whom we turn individual freedom into a negative individualism and mediocrity that do not allow to enrich the Media or/and grow with it, but to sink into a model of standardisation, and no control over ethics, and the use of private information.
At this stage of evolution of our societies after COVID19 , Social Media may become a burden or an opportunity to thrive innovative and differently. If we see it through the eyes of kids probably it will boost obsessive and almost autism behaviours far away from a purpose of creating a better society. The latest is a key fact to look for a purpose: is it for growing and become resilient and more and better communicate it or is it for commercial purposes? The more individual freedom seems to be the less in terms of intimacy and control over our data. The debate on “big data: yes or no” become more than relevant and it looks as it is only through blocks of Nations that we can find balance. BRICS, the European Union, Mercosur, and all regional agreements are suitable for the job of reinforcing transparency and accountability and make of only one power a superpower adapted to each culture, habits, and reality* (see my previous article on Social Media: the true colours of a skilful octopus”.
Is it indeed a risk, tech may boost a global way of living, full of information, exchange, connections, reshaping the very essence of what means friendship and business as well as push into individualistic lives, negative, biased, irrelevant information, trolls. and poor connections in terms of ideas. Creating new concepts of relationships that do not help on the journey to search for resilient tools that allow us to do better during and beyond pandemics.
The successful achievement of the SDGs goals are linked to a powerful technology, in fact most of innovative projects as start ups, take it as the main driver to success. Is it so, that technology and Social Media relations become a must to address, although from ethical codes and open minded goals. Is it precisely the essence of a start up the one we need to take to truly make of Social Media a driver to thrive together.. Also in terms of challenges they are similar: big giants that dominates and impose a chaotic stage ethically and on reliable information, meanwhile small initiatives navigate without a real impact that makes a change, except for their own positioning in the market, but without chances to compete or been able to change the current status quo. The impact of a disempowered condition from small business it what makes of Internet a “big monster,” instead of a “big resource”.
The capacity to make of digital platforms democratic should be a goal not only in terms of accessibility, but also on cultural impact. The codes of living has been changed and that supposes a new way of consumption as well as relations. However, after COVID it seems that the new culture is about profits from big corporations. Not necessarily wrong but certainly risky if we see in terms of power and unfair use of data and violation of commercial competition rules.
Is indeed a monopoly that is transforming Social Media relations into a power within new culture codes. Is not the same that we all agree in been part of a well organised, transparent and accountable network , instead of being actors of well planned stage where there is a centred authority out from rules and international law. Is it a surprising fact that digital platforms are out from any control, and on top of that gaining direct profits. Changing codes on consumption and relations is an earnest business that must be addressed by new rules and balanced power. The capacity to change societies involves direct changes on rules as well.
Social Media has been powered by the pandemics, helping to change consumption habits and settled digital ways of living however, without legal rules -think of homeschooling for instance that only seven countries hold regulation-* We need new rules for new codes, not old financial codes of monopoly. If the virtual world is our future, our action to move forward its about transparency and engagement. To get into Global Goals from the arbitrary and negative freedom from a private group, out of a law framework and ruling by their own, also on ethics principles, is utterly unacceptable.
Social Media is changing relations personal and professionally, although we need to address those changes towards a better and more demanding system that involves the State as an essential service that represents for the citizenship. Specially in relation to intimacy, bullying and fraud for whom there is a legal void that undermines high interests of the society.
Social Media with a purpose, and not a big circus of irrelevant information without a global focus that benefit all, equally, fairly and transparent.
Covering the “bull” of Social Media into a colourful art based on diversity and peaceful acceptance of public-private-citizenship influence.
Taking Social Media to the next level: transparency, accountability and full engagement of all actors within equality and sense of ownership. From monopoly to “full”poly.
*https://forum.xcitefun.net/amazing-knitting-art-t62709.html
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charging_Bull
*https://thesustainabilityreader.com/2021/06/14/social-media-the-true-colours-of-a-skilful-octopus/
*https://thesustainabilityreader.com/2020/09/10/homeschooling-if-it-is-not-now-when/
thesustainabilityreader 