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Why do Facebook and Twitter facilitate revolutions more than TV and radio?

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  • Kiss, Hubert Janos
  • Rosa-García, Alfonso

Abstract

A distinctive feature of recent revolutions was the key role of social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube). In a simple model we assume that while social media allow to observe all previous decisions, mass media only give aggregate information about the state of a revolt. We show, first, that when individuals' willingness to revolt is publicly known, then both sorts of media foster a successful revolution. However, when willingness to revolt is private information, only social media ensure that a revolt succeeds, with mass media multiple outcomes are possible. This suggests that social media enhance the likelihood that a revolution triumphs more than traditional mass media.

Suggested Citation

  • Kiss, Hubert Janos & Rosa-García, Alfonso, 2011. "Why do Facebook and Twitter facilitate revolutions more than TV and radio?," MPRA Paper 33496, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:33496
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lohmann, Susanne, 1993. "A Signaling Model of Informative and Manipulative Political Action," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 87(2), pages 319-333, June.
    2. Lohmann, Susanne, 1994. "Information Aggregation through Costly Political Action," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(3), pages 518-530, June.
    3. Michael Suk-Young Chwe, 2000. "Communication and Coordination in Social Networks," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 67(1), pages 1-16.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rosa-García, Alfonso & Kiss, Hubert Janos, 2011. "Coordination structures," MPRA Paper 30463, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    social media; mass media; revolution; coordination game; sequential games;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games

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