Once social media was seen as a great leveller: a place for people of all walks of life to discuss ideas, and where anyone could go viral.
This has been particularly emphasised over the last year. Movements like Black Lives Matter and Kill the Bill took off on social media and have helped affect change at home and across the globe. In recent months, entire political parties have been launched on social media and have been able to raise thousands of pounds.
However, it is becoming clear that social media can also be a place where existing inequalities can be entrenched. Large political parties can spend thousands of pounds projecting their content, and big brands can pay influencers to promote their products.
This raises the question: how fair is the internet in 2021? Is it a digital democracy, or is our social media landscape as uneven as our political and economic one?
A webinar by the Bylines Network: 18May, 6pm
On 18 May at 6pm, our panel of experts from politics and business try to answer these questions, looking at how social media can drive change, and the barriers that it can run into.
Mo Kanjilal (chair)
Mo has worked in business for many years, climbing the corporate career ladder, leading teams selling technology and software. She writes blogs about, diversity, inclusion and belonging. She is a co-creator of Watch This Sp_ce, a consultancy to help workplaces reimagine work to include everyone. She is writing a business book and a novel and is one of the Sussex Bylines team.
Hugh Goulbourne
Hugh Goulbourne is a senior commercial lawyer based in Huddersfield. He is chair of the Kirklees Diversity = Innovation Network, a business advocate for Huddersfield Unlimited and a Yorkshire Bylines author.
Hugh believes that, with the right investment, the mill towns of Kirklees and its surrounding areas have the right mix of culture, community enterprise and knowledge to become hotbeds of 21st century industrial innovation. This is the platform on which he recently campaigned to be Labour’s candidate for West Yorkshire mayor.
Paul Mortimer
Paul Mortimer is a former professional footballer, having played with Crystal Palace and Aston Villa. Since leaving football, he has been active in ‘Show Racism the Red Card’, a campaign to tackle racism in the sport. He also works as a consultant and speaker.
Sasha Langeveldt
An environmentalist, humanitarian and activist, Sasha was the first black woman to be elected as Students’ Union president 2019/2020 of Kent Union. She graduated from Kent in 2018 with a philosophy BA and works to better the world we live in.
Reserve your place today!
The webinar will feature a short presentation from each speaker, followed by a live Q&A and the event will be streamed on Facebook live.
The webinar will feature a short presentation from each speaker, followed by a live Q&A. Reserve your free place at this event here (donations also welcome). The webinar will be livestreamed on Facebook.
