After the Protests - NYTimes.com - 1 views
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Protests like this one, fueled by social media and erupting into spectacular mass events, look like powerful statements of opposition against a regime
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Yet often these huge mobilizations of citizens inexplicably wither away without the impact on policy you might expect from their scale.
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Now movements can rush past that step, often to their own detriment.
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Media in the hands of citizens can rattle regimes. It makes it much harder for rulers to maintain legitimacy by controlling the public sphere. But activists, who have made such effective use of technology to rally supporters, still need to figure out how to convert that energy into greater impact. The point isn't just to challenge power; it's to change it.