Dakota Access Pipeline Project Analysis
As a defining factor of life in the modern world, social media is an essential tool for advancing social activist movements such as the recent protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).
Perhaps more commonly known by its hashtags on Facebook and Twitter, the #NoDAPL campaign existed as early as Oct. 2014 and has gained more momentum in the recent weeks. These protests sweeping across the nation revolves around the bitter reaction to the proposed construction of Energy Transfer Partners’ DAPL.
Presented to the public in June 2014, the $3.7 billion DAPL project involves the construction of 1,134-mile long, underground oil pipeline. The pipeline would stretch from oil fields in North Dakota, through South Dakota and Iowa, and end …show more content…
at an oil tank farm in Illinois.
Those severely criticizing DAPL raise concerns about its necessity, potential harms it will impose on the environment, and impact on climate change. Local Native American tribes, including the Meskwaki and Sioux tribal nations, also fear how the pipeline built along ancestral lands will affect their cultures. Protestors not only sharing these issues but also documenting the movement on social media platforms have attracted the attention of the national, as well as international community.
Social media has proven to be the greatest ally and strongest supporter of social activists determined to put an end to the DAPL project. After a post asking Facebook users to check in at Standing Rock went viral, the Los Angeles Times reported nearly 1.3 million people checked in as a sign of support.
Involved celebrities such as Shailene Woodley, most famous for her roles in the Divergent series and The Fault in Our Stars, have been instrumental in drawing more attention to the protests. While in North Dakota, Woodley live streamed the protest to 40,000 viewers and even captured her own arrest on video.
“We were going to our vehicle when they had all surrounded and waiting for me with giant guns and a giant truck behind them just so they could arrest me,” Woodley told her audience. “I hope you’re watching this mainstream media.”
This type of occurrence during the protests did stir some activity among mainstream news outlets such as NBC and ABC who had remained relatively silent on the issue until recently.
By excluding updating on these protests in their news coverage, these particular organizations are isolating a large portion of the population who are interested in learning about the developments in this story. When it comes to journalistic standards, these organizations do have a responsibility to keep the public informed and by not covering the DAPL protests, they fail to fulfill their duty.
Putting the lack of coverage by major news organizations aside, the social media aspect of the DAPL protests demonstrates how easily activism can progress through communication. One simple Facebook post led to thousands of users taking a moment to support the greater cause. It’s because of hundreds upon hundreds of social media posts that news organizations like The New York Times or CNN are now covering the issue.
Yet social media can be a short-lived phenomenon. For more than a week, newsfeeds were filled with the latest information on the protests. DAPL is now taking a backseat while newer issues take center stage. While social media is undoubtedly a valuable tool for activists, it’s not necessarily a place to sustain a
movement.
Whether it’s checking in or updating your profile picture with the latest filter to show support for a cause, social media often draws the attention away from the real issue at hand. Users can easily be swept into a movement because it’s the current trend, not necessarily because they care about or even know much about the issue.
In order to be used effectively as a tool, social media should be recognized as not just an instrument used to attract attention but also as a method of spreading awareness and educating the public about issues that really matter.
Perhaps more commonly known by its hashtags on Facebook and Twitter, the #NoDAPL campaign existed as early as Oct. 2014 and has gained more momentum in the recent weeks. These protests sweeping across the nation revolves around the bitter reaction to the proposed construction of Energy Transfer Partners’ DAPL.
Presented to the public in June 2014, the $3.7 billion DAPL project involves the construction of 1,134-mile long, underground oil pipeline. The pipeline would stretch from oil fields in North Dakota, through South Dakota and Iowa, and end …show more content…
at an oil tank farm in Illinois.
Those severely criticizing DAPL raise concerns about its necessity, potential harms it will impose on the environment, and impact on climate change. Local Native American tribes, including the Meskwaki and Sioux tribal nations, also fear how the pipeline built along ancestral lands will affect their cultures. Protestors not only sharing these issues but also documenting the movement on social media platforms have attracted the attention of the national, as well as international community.
Social media has proven to be the greatest ally and strongest supporter of social activists determined to put an end to the DAPL project. After a post asking Facebook users to check in at Standing Rock went viral, the Los Angeles Times reported nearly 1.3 million people checked in as a sign of support.
Involved celebrities such as Shailene Woodley, most famous for her roles in the Divergent series and The Fault in Our Stars, have been instrumental in drawing more attention to the protests. While in North Dakota, Woodley live streamed the protest to 40,000 viewers and even captured her own arrest on video.
“We were going to our vehicle when they had all surrounded and waiting for me with giant guns and a giant truck behind them just so they could arrest me,” Woodley told her audience. “I hope you’re watching this mainstream media.”
This type of occurrence during the protests did stir some activity among mainstream news outlets such as NBC and ABC who had remained relatively silent on the issue until recently.
By excluding updating on these protests in their news coverage, these particular organizations are isolating a large portion of the population who are interested in learning about the developments in this story. When it comes to journalistic standards, these organizations do have a responsibility to keep the public informed and by not covering the DAPL protests, they fail to fulfill their duty.
Putting the lack of coverage by major news organizations aside, the social media aspect of the DAPL protests demonstrates how easily activism can progress through communication. One simple Facebook post led to thousands of users taking a moment to support the greater cause. It’s because of hundreds upon hundreds of social media posts that news organizations like The New York Times or CNN are now covering the issue.
Yet social media can be a short-lived phenomenon. For more than a week, newsfeeds were filled with the latest information on the protests. DAPL is now taking a backseat while newer issues take center stage. While social media is undoubtedly a valuable tool for activists, it’s not necessarily a place to sustain a
movement.
Whether it’s checking in or updating your profile picture with the latest filter to show support for a cause, social media often draws the attention away from the real issue at hand. Users can easily be swept into a movement because it’s the current trend, not necessarily because they care about or even know much about the issue.
In order to be used effectively as a tool, social media should be recognized as not just an instrument used to attract attention but also as a method of spreading awareness and educating the public about issues that really matter.