It is well known that U.S. President Donald Trump is a big fan of Twitter — it is his platform of choice for attacking opponents, praising allies and making outlandish claims. This week, however, Trump made one of the most impactful tweets of his presidency: he both announced and cancelled peace talks with the Taliban in 164 characters:
“Unbeknownst to almost everyone, the major Taliban leaders and, separately, the President of Afghanistan, were going to secretly meet with me at Camp David on Sunday,” Trump tweeted Saturday night.
This shows just how impactful all platforms of social media have become in today’s political world. For the first time in American history, our president is altering both domestic and foreign policy in real time. With his use of Twitter, the global community may become aware of the president’s actions before the very people who carry them out.
Between Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, Trump can utilize his massive following to speak his mind directly to the people at any time during the day.
Long after the conclusion of the Trump presidency, social media’s ability to deliver messages instantaneously to the public will be a major tool for all politicians going forward. We are already beginning to see both new and old politicians expand their presence on the internet.
But it is not just politicians who benefit from the use of social media — several organizations and small groups have been able to create political movements through the internet. Events such as the Women’s March and the March for Our Lives would not have created such an impact had they not been able to spread their message online.
It is important to note that the expansion of social media into politics has not come without major problems. It has exploited the distrust and distaste many have with those who do not hold their same values and opinions.
The world wide web has been one of humanity’s greatest resources, allowing us to expand our knowledge in almost all subject areas. Social media has allowed us to connect to and help people from all across the globe. It has also transformed politics, uniting millions around causes and inspirational candidates.
And yet, despite the benefits brought by social media, it is important to remember how much responsibility we take on when we use it. This is especially necessary when using these platforms in the same era of President Trump and his incessant tweets.
