How has social media impacted protest efficacy in rural areas?
Social media and internet accessibility have different effects on rural social movements than they do on urban ones in authoritarian regimes. By increasing the information flows between the central government and citizens, social media lowers the probability that small demonstrations in rural areas will grow into large movements. The timing of government actions to suppress protests is influenced by increased internet access. Due to the lower population density, rural communities struggle more than metropolitan ones to convert increased communication between community members into widespread collective action, yet news of their collective action reaches centralized authority at a rapid rate, allowing for swift government suppression of protests. This has significant implications for future movements and strategies in rural areas. It suggests that social media may not be as effective a tool for mobilizing rural communities as it is for urban ones, and that strategies for protest movements in rural areas may need to take into account the increased information flow between rural regions and the central government. Understanding the differences in communication networks between urban and rural areas is crucial for activists to successfully organize and mobilize their communities.
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