The Role of Social Media in the Writers Strike and Hollywood Activism

Writer strikes can be devastating for the people responsible for creating our favorite shows and movies on television - but can also give social media an invaluable boost as activists and disgruntled consumers take to the web in droves to express their frustration against studios while showing support for striking writers. Social Media as a Tool for Activism Social media platforms give activists a means of organizing their work and disseminating messages to an international audience, offering an effective tool for garnering support and mobilizing change on a more extensive scale than possible through traditional forms of activism such as protesting in person or organizing events. Social media offers activists an effective tool for monitoring and holding politicians to account for their decisions, providing transparency while ensuring they act in their constituent's best interest. One of the key components of using social media for activism is acting with integrity. When sharing news or posting about causes, it's essential to think carefully about its broader message and potential repercussions for others. Social media provides people with an important tool for connecting and communicating, which can be particularly effective at unifying communities by sharing resources and information. One such community was the #MeToo movement which brought survivors of sexual assault and harassment together with their support networks; similarly it could serve as a tool to build movements for racial equality, LGBTQ rights or any number of causes. Social media provides an effective platform to raise awareness of human rights violations and other forms of oppression, through first-person accounts that provide greater depth of understanding for people connected with an issue. Even though these stories can be powerful, it's important to keep in mind that they can also be harmful. For instance, inaccurate or exaggerated accounts of injustice may dehumanize those affected. Political campaigns and other content that seeks to change an existing system also often utilize social media as an effective platform. While it is true that this form of promotion can have great potential impact, for real change to occur it's best suited for offline efforts. When using social media as a tool for activism, the most crucial consideration should be integrity and compassion. Doing this for personal gain could end up harming your cause rather than aiding it. Social Media as a Tool for Organizing Utilizing social media as an organizing and communication tool is an excellent way to build community and reach an audience, while also being effective for political campaigns. But keep in mind that its power is limited, so use with caution! As with any campaign, the key is using tools that work for both you and your target audience. Avoid overusing generic messaging or canned responses, instead get to know your target audience well so you can personalize every message and engage them at just the right time. Strikes were initiated due to negotiations between the WGA and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), with writers seeking higher pay and residuals in response to inflationary pressures; additionally they're pushing for more writers per show and less exclusivity on individual projects. AMPTP is countering with offers that appear fair, while the WGA believes they don't address writers' key concerns: streaming services' growing dominance and artificial intelligence's threat of altering how writers write. Streaming services have become an increasingly popular way of watching shows, while simultaneously cutting advertising revenues. As a result, studios and production companies must find ways to reduce costs to stay competitive against streaming competitors. Many writers on strike have complained about being paid too little and their writing rooms having shrunk to accommodate more people, which poses a problem because this is where scripts for television shows and movies are created; without access to an area to write their stories, their tales won't ever make their way onto air or streaming platforms. Before they can negotiate a new contract, all writers will go on strike and will not be permitted to write new scripts for television or film projects - this will have an enormous effect on entertainment programs that rely heavily on writers for creating episodes such as late night comedy shows. Social Media as a Tool for Communication Social media provides a global communication channel between friends and families alike. People use it to express their views, knowledge and moments of personal interest while companies utilize it as an advertising and promotion platform. Social media may provide great ways of communication, but it can also be an enormous time waster and have detrimental consequences in our personal lives. People may spend hours scrolling through their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds; which can result in feelings of inactivity and deprivation. Social media also provides for anonymity and deception of identity, which can have severe repercussions for individuals. People may come to believe all the information they see on their screens is factually correct; this can lead them down a dangerous or irresponsible path such as spreading lies or harassing other users. People should be mindful of the potential risks involved with using social media professionally, and its attendant rules of etiquette (netiquette or network etiquette), in order to maintain an appropriate, respectful, and professional tone on these platforms. They should also take note of copyright/intellectual property issues as well as needing to avoid content that violates copyright, such as libelous or sexually inappropriate material. Numerous celebrities have used social media to advocate for causes, particularly women's rights and environmental concerns. Their fan bases can help spread their message and raise awareness of certain issues. Regina King used Hello Sunshine media brand to advocate for greater representation of women, LGBTQ and disabled people in Hollywood, while simultaneously being an advocate of women's rights in the workplace. Katy Perry has used her star power to promote various causes. She has spoken out in support of #metoo and encouraged artists to take a stand against issues like climate change. Social media has played a powerful role in rallying people together against injustice or creating a better world, whether that is fighting injustice directly or working toward creating one through creating awareness of various causes like human rights or animal welfare. It provides a useful platform for organizing and communicating on various campaigns across a spectrum of causes from human to animal. Social Media as a Tool for Negotiation The Writers Strike provides an outstanding example of how social media can be leveraged as a powerful negotiation and communication tool. Many negotiators may not even realize its potential yet; yet its potential may prove invaluable in negotiations and business deals. As our global economy has become more technologically advanced, social media has become an integral part of how people communicate. It has revolutionized how we connect with friends and family, share news and entertainment content and engage in political activism. Political campaigns and advertisements have altered how governments engage with citizens and each other, as well as altering how businesses deal with customers and each other. Social media can drive markets and foment unrest - but also be used to gain power for politicians or sow disinformation among employees of companies or campaigns. With 45% of the world's population using social media, negotiation practitioners should understand how best to utilize this powerful resource for negotiation purposes. Our research provides guidance on using social media as a negotiating tool; doing so may enable negotiators to gain a better understanding of all parties they are dealing with as well as opportunities and challenges they may encounter during negotiations. Social media can be particularly powerful in situations with high stakes, such as negotiations between corporations and governments. A recent case where a hospital CEO faced with a multi-million-dollar unionization campaign used his personal blog to secure his contract win! Writers Guild of America has requested that the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, representing major studios and streaming platforms, negotiate a deal that addresses its members' pay, residual fees and length of series concerns in today's streaming era. Specifically, they'd like an increase in writers' compensation for streaming shows as well as studios providing enough writers over specific periods for television series as well as payment for preproduction/production costs, among other changes.