By Nicole Melzer
The restructuring of Stuttgart’s central train station – a project called ‘Stuttgart 21’ – seemed to be a straightforward, local transport project in the south of Germany. The enactment took place in the 1990s, however today thousands of people are protesting against the decision because they believe the area to be too unstable for large underground works.
Social media has undoubtedly accounted for this recent surge in protests, but can thousands of people tweeting and texting their concerns about the project really generate a vox populi? Globally, the number of active social network users is growing by 30 percent , with Facebook and Twitter posting large year-on-year gains in terms of unique visitors in the US alone (69 percent and 45 percent respectively), so there is certainly a loud enough voice out there.
Social networks have rapidly become the perfect platform for protesters, largely thanks to their free, mobile, accessible and quick nature – an ideal canvas for any budding crusader. For instance, in the Stuttgart case, campaigners are using Twitter to recruit and update followers, publishing live streams on the internet, opening up digital signing lists and linking to Facebook groups.
A prime example of just how effective social media campaigns can be is Greenpeace’s ‘meant to shock’ YouTube video – initially aimed at Nestle – which documented the devastating effects of palm oil such as deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions and endangered species loss. The provocative ‘Killer’ video generated some unpleasant backlash on Nestle’s Facebook fan page, which eventually forced the food conglomerate to modify the way in which it uses said palm oil in its products. What’s more, the campaign had wider reach, with a number of western companies dropping any palm oil suppliers with links to illegal deforestation, while Cadbury New Zealand dumped palm oil altogether after consumer complaints.
Back in Stuttgart, not only are there thousands of citizens on the street who want to get involved with ‘Stuttgart 21’, there are also masses of followers already discussing the project in various blogs, chat rooms or across certain platforms. With the trusty pamphlet giving way to the power of the tweet, social media has not only infiltrated our society, but now digital protests can reinforce demonstrators on the street – through technology, a new form of public opinion is taking shape.
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