Text messaging for protest swarms - 7 views

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  #1 Jacqueline Liu on 16 Apr 11

   

  Flash mobs exemplify a complex cultural and technological phenomenon. Until present, flash mobs have been considered as a purely aesthetic concept. Today, flash mobs demonstrate a remarkable protest potential and use the existing communications infrastructure to coordinate their actions and publicly express their disagreement. Hirsch and Henry (2005) describe the use of the TXTmob technologies and their effects on individual and group intentions to join protest actions. It should be noted, that flash mobs are often described as "a short-lived fad in which people used email to coordinate semi-spontaneous public performances involving dozens of strangers in coordinated acts that resemble absurdist theater" (Hirsch & Henry 2005, p.1456). Yet, flash mobs are no longer apolitical. Based on Hirsch and Henry (2005), flash mobs use reliable information dissemination mechanisms and well-developed communication protocols to organise individuals or autonomous units around a common political goal. TXTmob as an information dissemination technology helps to create a big picture of what is happening all over the city (Hirsch & Henry, 2005). Therefore, flash mobs and information dissemination technologies are slowly turning into a serious means of expressing political dissent.
  
  Reference
  Hirsch, T. & Henry, J. (2005). TXTmob: Text messaging for protest swarms. CHI. Retrieved from http://web.media.mit.edu/~tad/pub/txtmob_chi05.pdf

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Flash mobs exemplify a complex cultural and technological phenomenon. Until present, flash mobs have been considered as a purely aesthetic concept. Today, flash mobs demonstrate a remarkable protest potential and use the existing communications infrastructure to coordinate their actions and publicly express their disagreement. Hirsch and Henry (2005) describe the use of the TXTmob technologies and their effects on individual and group intentions to join protest actions. It should be noted, that flash mobs are often described as "a short-lived fad in which people used email to coordinate semi-spontaneous public performances involving dozens of strangers in coordinated acts that resemble absurdist theater" (Hirsch & Henry 2005, p.1456). Yet, flash mobs are no longer apolitical. Based on Hirsch and Henry (2005), flash mobs use reliable information dissemination mechanisms and well-developed communication protocols to organise individuals or autonomous units around a common political goal. TXTmob as an information dissemination technology helps to create a big picture of what is happening all over the city (Hirsch & Henry, 2005). Therefore, flash mobs and information dissemination technologies are slowly turning into a serious means of expressing political dissent. <br /> <br /> Reference <br /> Hirsch, T. & Henry, J. (2005). TXTmob: Text messaging for protest swarms. CHI. Retrieved from <a href="http://web.media.mit.edu/~tad/pub/txtmob_chi05.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://web.media.mit.edu/~tad/pub/txtmob_chi05.pdf</a></div>

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  #2 peter stanier on 17 Apr 11

   

  Having focused on the impact that online political collaboration had in deciding the 2008 Presidential election, the gulf in class between the methods employed in protests regarding the conventions of both political parties in the preceding election is evident from this paper. While presumably Txt-mob failed to orchestrate political collaboration on the scale envisioned, for many activists it proved invaluable in sharing information and co-coordinating actions during the conventions. This was prominent with the Nyccc's deployment of Txt-mob to maintain effective top-sight and a "big picture" view to attempt to counter aggressive policing during ground protests.
  
  The deployment of Txt Mob in political collaboration facilitated new and innovative ways to empower the individual, as well as offering new forms of participation. What's evident when analyzing this article is the organized strategy employed. As Hirsh (2005) notes the A31 flash-mob style gathering while only releasing details of the gathering a few minutes before the demonstration began, was able to communicate and contact every participant of the protest instantly. While police presence was high for both the convention and in an attempt to deter this kind of political protest, the use of Txt-mob through cell phones to orchestrate these rallies was crucial in maintaining the anonymity and organized presence of participants and it was this factor that led to the success of these Text-messaged inspired protests.
  
  Although the use of Txt mob is left somewhat open-ended in this paper, the selection of various protest locations in order to intensify the message of the participants in my opinion separates it from being a standard flash-mob and elevates it to being an organized and strategically planned political collaboration. The use of such a service to inspire and empower ordinary voters was unquestionably revolutionary and would no doubt lay the foundations for not only an advanced from of online social organization but arguably the political revolution that was to come.
  
  References:
  Hirsch & Henry, (2005) TXTmob: Text Messaging For Protest Swarms, CHI 2005, Late Breaking Results: Posters. Portland Oregon, Retrieved from: http://web.media.mit.edu

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Having focused on the impact that online political collaboration had in deciding the 2008 Presidential election, the gulf in class between the methods employed in protests regarding the conventions of both political parties in the preceding election is evident from this paper. While presumably Txt-mob failed to orchestrate political collaboration on the scale envisioned, for many activists it proved invaluable in sharing information and co-coordinating actions during the conventions. This was prominent with the Nyccc's deployment of Txt-mob to maintain effective top-sight and a "big picture" view to attempt to counter aggressive policing during ground protests. <br /> <br /> The deployment of Txt Mob in political collaboration facilitated new and innovative ways to empower the individual, as well as offering new forms of participation. What's evident when analyzing this article is the organized strategy employed. As Hirsh (2005) notes the A31 flash-mob style gathering while only releasing details of the gathering a few minutes before the demonstration began, was able to communicate and contact every participant of the protest instantly. While police presence was high for both the convention and in an attempt to deter this kind of political protest, the use of Txt-mob through cell phones to orchestrate these rallies was crucial in maintaining the anonymity and organized presence of participants and it was this factor that led to the success of these Text-messaged inspired protests. <br /> <br /> Although the use of Txt mob is left somewhat open-ended in this paper, the selection of various protest locations in order to intensify the message of the participants in my opinion separates it from being a standard flash-mob and elevates it to being an organized and strategically planned political collaboration. The use of such a service to inspire and empower ordinary voters was unquestionably revolutionary and would no doubt lay the foundations for not only an advanced from of online social organization but arguably the political revolution that was to come. <br /> <br /> References: <br /> Hirsch & Henry, (2005) TXTmob: Text Messaging For Protest Swarms, CHI 2005, Late Breaking Results: Posters. Portland Oregon, Retrieved from: <a href="http://web.media.mit.edu" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://web.media.mit.edu</a></div>

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