Social Media
Social Media
Feel Good Activism - Clicking Isn't Enough
The phrase ‘it starts with the person in the mirror’ is often used as a call to action. A way of telling us we should be the change we want to see. It’s a cliché that’s inspired many into doing some great things, be it cleaning up their environment or even volunteering for a good cause. But I believe we only grasp the phrase at surface level, ignoring the deeper meaning it possesses. When we think of the person in the mirror we shouldn’t only translate it as a call to action, we should start by thinking about our motives and interrogating why we want to take action.
Being an ‘activist’ is considered the ‘in thing’ at the moment. Everyone’s declaring their activism left, right and centre and there’s a lot of ‘outrage’ on the social networks to prove it. But it’s fast being used as a social network industry - a method of self-promotion - judging by how hypocritical and condescending it’s become.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, after all social media has made it easy to condemn what happens at a distance even if we continue to ignore what happens on our doorstep. Perhaps we find it easier to ignore the suffering and injustice closer to us because speaking about it would compel us to actually do something about it. And besides walking the talk is not always as glamorous as tweeting the talk. There are no followers to pat you on the back for a job well done. All this is creating an environment that’s fast seeing activism reduced to personalities. Instead of discussing the issues raised conversations become about ‘who is the better writer, ‘who is the most radical’, ‘who can best articulate theory’ and even ‘who is the better feminist’ - all of which prove to be a distraction. Even legitimate concerns from dissenters are shot down merely because people are increasingly taking sides in these battles and the person dissenting is from the ‘other’ side.
Read the full post on the Mail and Guardian's Thought Leader.SA Loses R3.7m Due to Cybercrime
South Africa has lost R3.7 billion due to cybercrime over the past year, according to a cybercrime report compiled by global firm, Norton.
The growth of the mobile web in South Africa means more consumers than ever before are vulnerable to cybercrime as they access the internet using their cellphones.
In its report, aimed at understanding how cybercrime affects consumers, and how the adoption and evolution of new technologies affects people’s security, the company states that the top cyber services targeted are Internet banking, ecommerce and social media sites.
To read the article titled, “Cybercrime costs SA R3.7bn over past year,” click here.Source:Business Day LivePolela’s Controversial Tweet Slammed
According to a comment published on The Citizen website, rape in South African prisons is a terrible reality that has severe consequences for the psychological and physical health of victims.
Rape is not a subject to be treated lightly, least of all by anyone representing any section of our criminal justice system.
The comments follow an incident in which spokesperson for the crime fighting unit, The Hawks, McIntosh Polela, tweeted that, “I trust that Jub Jub’s supporters gave him a jar of Vaseline to take to prison.
To read the article titled, “Polela is unfit as Hawks spokesman,” click here.Source:The CitizenLifeline Launches Mobile Chat Counselling Service
Coinciding with Mental Health Awareness month in October, Lifeline has expanded its counselling services to include an online option.
The new mobile chat counselling service, which is being sponsored by Mxit, is expected to target and reach people between the ages of 12 to 29 - an age group which is very familiar with Mxit.
“This is exciting news for our nonprofit counselling organisation as it opens up a whole new world for our callers - especially those who cannot afford a telephone call,” explains Janet King, acting director, LifeLine Johannesburg.
To read the article titled, “LifeLine counselling services go online,” click here.Source:IT OnlineMicrosoft Unveils a Facebook-Friendly E-mail Service
Microsoft has unveiled a revamped, Facebook-friendly version of its free, online e-mail service in an attempt to reverse market share losses to Google's fast-growing Gmail.
The world's largest software company is renaming its Hotmail service Outlook.com, giving it a sharp new look, social network links and new features for handling the tide of junk and mass mail that swamps many users.
Hotmail was still the world's largest online mail service as of June, according to the latest comScore figures available, with 324 million users, or about 36 percent of the global market.
To read the article titled, “Microsoft revamps, renames Hotmail,” click here.Source:News24Facebook Group to Launch NGO
The Facebook group, Fight Crime in Gaborone, which was initiated to raise awareness about crime-related issues, intends to set-up as a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
Official spokesperson for the group, Phenyo Motlhagodi, explains that ‘Fight Crime in Gaborone’ was formed as a pressure group to ensure that government prioritises on issues that affect the public in relation to crime.
Motlhagodi, who states that the group has grown over the years, notes that it was set-up to create a link between the police and people and to carry out research work on common crimes and how they occur.
To read the article titled, “Facebook group to setup an NGO,” click here.Source:Mmegi OnlineComplaints Over Racial Remarks on Social Media
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) says it has received a flood of complaints relating to recent racial remarks on Facebook and Twitter.
The Commission says such remarks have the potential to violate provisions of the Constitution and the Equality Act.
HRC chief executive officer, Kayum Ahmed, says this trend is disturbing, especially in light of the many workshops and dialogues that they have hosted on hate speech countrywide. Kayum warns that giving voice to racist views in the name of freedom of expression is not acceptable.
To read the article titled, “HRC flooded with complaints over social media,” click here.Source:SABC NewsSchool Cell Ban ‘Impossible’ – NASGB
The National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) has called on schools across the country to focus on their academic programmes and not allow pupils to concentrate on social media on their phones during class time.
NASGB general-secretary, Matakanye Matakanye, points out that, “Children spend more time on Facebook, Twitter and other chatting sites, while not paying attention to their teachers during lesson time.”
In the same vein, the Federation of Associations of Governing Bodies warns that it will be very difficult to ban cellphones in schools.
To read the article titled, “School cell ban ‘impossible’,” click here.Source:The CitizenSwaziland Plans to Ban Social Media
Swaziland is planning a censorship law that will ban Facebook and Twitter users from criticising its ruler, King Mswati III.
Justice Minister, Mgwagwa Gamedze, points out that, "We will be tough on those who write bad things about the king on Twitter and Facebook. We want to set an example."
Gamedze states that once Swazi people cross the border to neighbouring countries, they begin to go on a campaign to disrespect their own country and king.
The country is facing growing protests over his undemocratic regime which has pushed the tiny mountain kingdom to the brink of bankruptcy.
To read the article titled, “Swaziland's Mswati III cracks the whip on social media,” click here.Source:Mail & GuardianMore Social Media Platforms for South Africans
With the popularity of social media platforms continuing to grow, South African users should brace themselves for more and more players in the market, according to Trevor Neethling.
Neethling argues that Google raised its stakes in the battle for South African social media users with the launch of its Google+ platform in isiZulu and Afrikaans last week.
He further says that in the same week, Yookos, an ‘Africa-specific’ social media network, announced its entry into the space, claiming six-million users across the continent.
To read the article titled, “Scramble is on for social media users in Africa,” click here.Source:Business Day
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