Social Media for Social Justice

Social Media for Social Justice
Writer :
Nusation Anwar
Editor :
Intan Qonita N
Translator :
Intan Qonita N

It is certain that the existence of mobile phones (cellphone) has now become a basic need, almost not limited to all ages. Newborns until the end of life are immortalized through this one sophisticated tool. Sometimes because a cellphone is so meaningful to someone, we often hear the chatter of 'it's better to lose your wallet than to miss your cellphone'.

Indeed, in reality, it is hard to deny that at this time cellphones are very much in control of our activities and behavior even more than that. Almost all activities of life, from waking up to going back to bed are always accompanied by this item, whether it is young or old generation. Dependence on this one object is difficult to avoid by anyone.

One of the mobile phones benefits that is very prominent and affects our behavior is the ease of social interaction in cyberspace. Social media is today's broker that anyone can rely on in building opinions and even being able to form new values ​​and norms for our social life. Someone who is adept at playing the role of social media as a means of communication and a source of information allows someone to easily reach the source system and solve problems more quickly and effectively.

For example, when someone needs blood as a result of giving birth, which is then told through social media to the public. Within minutes, various netizen responses flooded social media accounts providing information and resource systems that could be used. News like this is so fast and responsive without needing to take a long time, effort and cost a lot of netizens' spontaneity to provide moral and even material support.

This is just one example of thousands of netizen posts with various problems. This fact indicates the magnitude of the power of social media to gather and mobilize social potential in cyberspace. Another example is how the response and excitement of netizens sympathizes with someone who has been wronged or persecuted by raising funds to help reduce the burden of family life because they do not get fair treatment. There is another bigger case, often complicated issues and legal implications are resolved with the enormity of pressure and support from netizens.

We also often see efforts to take action, arrest and eradicate crime starting from reports or posts by netizens. The foresight and skill of law enforcement officers must be in line with the progress of this information technology. If not, it could be that the solution to the problem broke without a trace due to a unilateral judgment.

So, there is no doubt that the high contribution of social media is a bridge of hope for most people who are facing life's problems. The trust of netizens complaining to social media sometimes goes beyond normal limits and even social rules. This shows that social media is considered part of the solution to their lives more than the people closest to them.

Netizens' expertise and concern for surfing and sharing stories through social media on the positive side really helps some people to find the information they need. It doesn't stop there, sometimes even life justice can be obtained from social media. Testimonies of life are often thrown out and exposed, which were initially limited to outpouring of their hearts, but netizens caught them as a form of solidarity between people. In real life, justice is often a rare item that is very difficult to enjoy. However, in cyberspace it turns out that justice is not as sacred as most people think.

Social media does not recognize class, education, occupation, skin color, origin, religion, gender, ethnicity, culture and various other social status devices, but exists as if fighting for mutual justice. The adage 'the law is sharp down, blunted up' seems to be less applicable in the social media arena, where the law must be judged 'socially'. Social actions demonstrated on social media are even used as a 'judicial table' to gather moral strength and break arrogance.

The phenomenon of social behavior that appears in the world of social media triggers a shift in the pattern of solving problems from a normative to a substantive one because it tends to be more practical, fast, cheap, easy and open. On the other hand, social media is also sometimes used as an arena for blasphemy, insults, terror, extortion and even fraud among hundreds of other negative action models. For the buzzers or influencers, social media is the field of life to seek profit with various behaviors to build opinions and develop discourse with a specific purpose. Regardless of the way and purpose of using social media as a means of social interaction and long-distance communication as an option for its users, the existence of social media is at least able to become a catalyst and mediator for various netizen problems to find solutions, both positively and negatively charged.

Well, that's how it is. Only wise and honest people are able to capture the positive side, while on the other hand it can be an opportunity and chance for depraved and opportunists who have a motive for seeking personal or group gain.

Social justice as advertised in our constitution is not a new discourse, it has lived for so long and is coveted by all citizens. The presence of social media today has inspired and encourage us to think and behave in a new style. Social media is an alternative to solving problems in an instant, contemporary, inexpensive and effective way. A place to seek justice when it is difficult to find it, then social media is the choice to lean on.

Social media can be expected to be a guardian of social justice when the normative path is difficult and deadlocked for some people, awareness to defend truth and justice seems to be more trusted through this social media. The contribution of social media is undeniable in upholding social welfare as well as a hope for social justice. Of course, we still place favorable prejudices on social media, for the time being, because it is inherent in our social life.

Let's think smart, behave normally, act according to values ​​and norms should be used as a guide. Although free expression is not prohibited, ethics and law must be obeyed so that social justice for all can be realized without sacrificing oneself, others, the nation and this beloved country.

Social media belongs to us, by us, of and for social justice.
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