Social media as an alternative platform for social mobilization in the US

This study aims to review the effectiveness of social media as a platform for social mobilization and to show how social media influence social movements in the US. It seeks to offer a literature-based comparison between the traditional and the new ones, answering the question why social media is a matter in American politics. It offers practical data about the role of social media in raising awareness, creating movements, influencing policy decisions, and changing Americans’ minds. This paper builds on several meta-analysis studies. It reviews and discusses previous results found in literature. It also uses the Pew Research Center which offers critical data relating to the research topic. It finds that social media successfully encourage the Americans to engage in political discussions and increase their participation. Social media are an alternative space to social mobilization, which has positively influenced social movements.