Osama=0, Facebook & Twitter=2

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Communication Studies, IMC, Social Capital, Social Media

Last night social media networks exploded with the news of Osama Bin Laden’s death. If you have a social media account, there was no way you did not hear the news before President Obama’s speech. Most people, especially members of the millennial generation, spread the news around the world like wildfire. On Facebook, statuses were updated every second with celebratory posts of the death of the most hated person since Adolf Hitler. Twitter set a new record on traffic, with an average of 4,000 tweets per second from the beginning to the end of President Obama’s speech.

How does this relate to IMC? IMC incorporates social media, which helps create social capital. It is evident that last nights social media event fostered a community around the country and globe of American nationalism, helping to reunite the country once again as the United States of America. In all of our debates over whether social media inhibits social capital, it is now quite clear that social media is a driving force in creating social capital, and on a large scale.

Here’s to you IMC, for helping create a community one status and tweet at a time.

-Allison Day, Jessica Berinson, Megan Canny, Melissa Gagliardi, & Scott Burgess

9/11 Facebook News Osama Bin Laden Social Media Team America Twitter United States of America

Comments

20 responses to “Osama=0, Facebook & Twitter=2”

May 2, 2011

Kaitlin Green

I was among the many to read and post about Osama’s death. I was actually in a bit of shock when I saw some facebook “friends” of mine had posted statuses discussing how it was wrong to kill another human being no matter the circumstance. Facebook has definitely been in uproar over the last 24 hours. People “liking” and commenting on statuses, strongly voicing their opinions. For the most part, I think it has raised patriotism, and our troops have gained more support..the support they deserve as they live and die by this country. I am proud to say that I am American! God Bless our country!
Kaitlin Green

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May 4, 2011

Kevin Brinkley

I agree that this event has created the enhancement of social capital. I was also another one of those who found out through facebook. One of my friends was complaining that her entire feed was nothing but Bin-Laden related. In my opinion, the angle of this blog wasn’t quite there, but I do agree that an event like this did exemplify social capital. If facebook and twitter would have been around for September 11th, we would have seen a similar reaction as with the death of Bin-Laden. Seeing as technology has advanced greatly, even within the past decade, social capital will only continue to grow, and as more major events occur such as this one, this reaction will only become the norm.

-K

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May 6, 2011

Craig Dykstra

Without a doubt, social media creates social capital. Social media is something that constructs so much meaning for society. We live in a viral community of information with the internet and social media. There is no more surprises anymore. Information leaks and then spreads like wildfire. It is an amazing time for communication and marketing. When millions of people flock to the internet to figure out what exactly is going on, we are constructing new meaning. We now live in a society that is based on quick interaction over electronic sources. Our society has found value in small amounts of information compiling together into a complete accurate story.

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May 8, 2011

John Ernstes

It really is astounding how influential these social media technologies are in today’s society. They have influence in numerous ways, and without question they help to influence social capitol. One of the most exciting aspects of these technologies like Facebook and Twitter are that one is able to see the extent to which events such as Osama’s death really impact our culture through tweets and statuses on Facebook, and it is re-assuring to see how patriotic and united the citizens of the United States really are.

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May 9, 2011

Andrea Blanton

I know I found out about the news through Facebook before the presidential speech. It was really neat to see all of the status about America and how much people really do care about their country. Some of them were really clever and funny, and others were very sentimental that were thanking our troops. I enjoyed all of the “places” jokes about the CIA finding Bin Laden through Facebook, but in the end… social media did play a big role in reuniting to country and letting every express their excitement.

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May 9, 2011

Caitlin Johns

I definitely agree that social media is revolutionizing the way we receive news information. Like everyone else, my newsfeed was full of reactions to the news. However, I think the story of Sohaib Athar (the man who tweeted the Osama raid) is even more interesting. He was unknowingly live blogging history. Or consider US Airways flight 1549 that landed on the Hudson River; the first picture was released via Twitter. People are become journalists, whether they know it or not.

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May 9, 2011

Hannah Miller

It is crazy to think of the evolution of technology since we were five or six, let alone to think of what is going to be the ‘new thing’ when we have children of our own. For National events and breaking news, our parents would wait for the evening news and the newspaper the next morning. This day in age we are fortunate enough to retrieve our information a little faster than that, in fact a lot fast than that. When the death of Osama was known, as mentioned, Facebook statuses were blowing up. After completing my own IMC plan, brand personalities are one my mind still. I could not help but think of the sudden bust in social networking as part of brand marketing. The technology sweep of our time is one of the brand personality traits of Generation Y. We are assumed to be able to work and fix anything technological that comes our way and for each of us to be the next Mark Zuckerburg.

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May 9, 2011

Kristen Barnhardt

I found this hysterical. I found out through Facebook about this whole situation and just that right there shows how social media has revolutionized society. I think it is amazing how much both Facebook and Twitter informed their networks of this momentous occasion. Also social media kept people updated with the situation and what was upcoming, for example, the President’s speech. Many news stations who have Twitter constantly posted keeping their followers updated on when he would speak. This is a momentous occasion for America but I couldn’t help but laugh about how creative people with their Facebook statuses. But I completely agree that social media helped “foster” a sense of American unity and pride.

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May 9, 2011

James Burton Swain

I saw many of these Facebook status updates as well and my favorite was a picture of what looked like Osamas profile pic and his status was “someone is at my door brb” the only like was US Navy Seals. I thought that the excitement portrayed by americans was a salute to our military and the victims of 9/11. Go America!

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May 9, 2011

Claire Outlaw

Discussing Osama bin Laden’s death in a few of my classes, many students stated they found out about this act through their social media sites. It was interesting to hear how some students were actually upset that they found out via Facebook before any other news source. It’s almost unfathomable how fast information travels over these social networking sites. This just goes to show how much times are changing and how technology is shaping how we remain up to date on happenings within our world.

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May 9, 2011

Nick Kusko

I, as well as almost everyone else, heard of Bin Laden’s death through Facebook and Twitter. It was such an uproar, it compelled me to turn on my TV and follow it on the news. I think it’s astonishing how far social media has come over the years. I know this event had the largest response since I joined the FB/Twitter frenzy. I see the industry only growing from here. The only disappointing aspect of the whole thing was why can’t there be a response like this on days like 9/11 when we remember the heroes from that day? Or in response to the Japan’s tsunamis or the current flooding of the Mississippi River? Although Bin Laden’s death is monumental, and it has brought out American pride in all of us, I feel if everyone showed as much support for these other tragic events, people in need can be helped in a time of despair.

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May 9, 2011

Monique vanderlinden

I think it is amazing to see how many people using social media like twitter and facebook. The purpose of these social media is to update the world anytime and anywhere in the world. It is interesting to see how involved people are in certain topics, with the use of social media you give people a platform to give their opinion on such subjects. I think the announcement of the death of Osama Bin Laden on twitter and facebook spread the news fast around the world and gives people all over the world an opportunity to give their opinion.

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May 9, 2011

Bailey Wilson

It is insane how many people Tweet and Facebook nowadays. I definitely heard about Bin Laden’s death on Facebook, and my mom texting me, before I saw it on television. I think that social media does help keep people informed and it has become a good way for people to get news information. I think the best thing about social media is that people can put their input in and get feedback about feelings and thoughts about the news.

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May 9, 2011

Ben Rutledge

I was contacted via text from a friend who was on his twitter account when he found out about Osama Bin Laden being killed. Thanks to social media news has been able to be spread at such a rapid pace that within an instant of the news hitting the web or social network it becomes global. This makes me realize how if used correctly social networks can useful as opposed to being bored to death with people’s vacation photos, thanks Betty White.

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May 10, 2011

Josh Bowman

I too found out about the death of Osama Bin Laden over social media sites. It was amazing to see how fast people were liking and commenting on each others statuses and messages. It was digital wildfire except it spread faster than any wild fire ever could. Social networking sites such as twitter and Face book have expedited the process for people to read, comment, and debate about issues such as this. Within only ten minutes of posting a status I was in an intense Face book chat debate over the Death of Osama because different friends of mine voiced their ideas and opinions on my status. Everyone is now a writer, and everyone has an opinion.

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May 10, 2011

Vincent Murphy

My friends and family always ask me how I can live in the 21st Century and NOT watch the news. I guess they need to read this blog because they would understand why. The reason I don’t watch the news is the same reason I don’t follow professional sports teams on a regular basis: I am way too busy living my own life to be caught up in other peoples business / news. Plus the news is always so negative and depressing and I’m ore of an upbeat and happy kind of guy. If something in the world happens that is of such importance that I need to know about it then I’ll hear about it on Facebook. Not by watching the news. That’s it. Case closed.

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May 10, 2011

Kaitlin Riggs

Social media is something that constructs so much meaning for society. It is an amazing time for communication and marketing. When millions of people flock to the internet to figure out what exactly is going on, we are constructing new meaning. I was also another one of those who found out through facebook about Osama Bin-Laden. As I logged on that night my news feed was filled with Osama statuses, comments and videos. Facebook has definitely been in uproar and when information leaks it then spreads like wildfire. People are becoming journalists, whether they know it or not by posting such photos, comments, and blogs about the things that are going on around us in the world. Even when the tsunami hit Japan or there were earthquakes going on all this information could be found on people’s facebook as if they were delivering the news to us. Without a doubt, social media creates social capital and now seems like one of our main sources for gathering information!

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May 10, 2011

Kelly Penny

Before reading this blog I have never really though about how social media and technology could have the abilty to bring togther a nation after an event that occured the other night about the news of Bin Laden’s death. Social media can really make an impact on this world and for the good of a nation. We now receive more news and updates through social media rather then the actual news or television braodacast. Social media has turned into social capital and is the leader of information sent and recieved around the world.

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May 10, 2011

Matt Easton

After discussing with some of my friends the death of Osama Bin Laden I found out that many of them (unlike myself) had found out through facebook or twitter. I think it is amazing that social networking sites are overtaking the news as a primary source of information. Between facebook and twitter I feel like it is the fastst way for news to travel worldwide. Once one person put up important infomation it is only a matter of time before everyone knows about it. Social media has 100% turned into social capital.

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May 10, 2011

Crimson Walton

When this first happened it didn’t seem real to me. For the first few days after hearing of the event I thought for sure that didn’t actually happen. Since taking IMC I find myself so overly aware of marketing and social media (good or bad) and what it can do for, and to our society. I question everything, which is a good think, but it also makes me think I’m not being told the truth about many issues. I now realize that this probably has happened, but still I remain in question of the details.

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