Impact of Social Media Visuals on People’s Visual Communication during Social Movements in Bangladesh

Md Saiful Alam Chowdhury,Monira Begum,Shaolin Shaon

doi:10.34257/gjhssavol19is11pg9

Abstract

The past decade has seen an armorial growth of the influence of social media on many aspects of people’s lives. Social networking sites, especially Facebook, play a substantial role in framing popular view through its contents. This article explores the impact of visuals, especially photos and videos, published in social media during social movements. Importantly that some visuals received attention in social media during agitations which later got featured or become news in print, electronic and online news portal media as well. Some of the visuals later proved to be edited or fabricated contents which created confusion among participants in this research and beyond. The confusion has contributed to the acceleration or shrinkage of the movement in question in many cases. The center of this article is to examine how social media visuals influence people’s visual communication during social movements. Additionally, it digs out the user’s activity on social media during movements.

Highlights

This article explores the impact of visuals, especially photos distorted or edited photo or video
The center of this article is to examine how social media visuals influence people’s visual communication during social movements. It digs a) Social Media Social media is like an umbrella which consists of different types of social media
It is difficult to determine whether a specific website, application, or any platform fit for the definition out the user’s activity on social media during movements

Summary

Method of the Study

This study bridges with a quantitative and qualitative approach to meet its objective. Questionnaires for the study have been prepared based on some selected social movements that occurred recently in Bangladesh. These are ‘Shahbag Movement’, ‘Quota Reform Movement’, and ‘Movement for Road Safety’ ‘Movements against VAT’. Age of the participants is very considerable in this study because the youth always stay forward in every movement. A survey was conducted on people’s activities in social media and their influence on people’s visual communication during movements in Bangladesh. Research questionnaires analysis: Among 150 participants, 68% said that they participated in any of the social movements directly. They were active users of social media during movements.

Use of social media during social movements

Activities of participants before sharing any post in social media

Findings

Result of the Survey