Subject introduction to british and american studies topic the role of social media in the january 6th 2021 riot in capitol hill

DIPLOMATIC ACADEMY OF VIETNAM ENGLISH LANGUAGE FACULTY END OF TERM ESSAY Subject Introduction to British and American Studies Topic The role of social media in the January 6th 2021 riot in Capitol Hil[.]

DIPLOMATIC ACADEMY OF VIETNAM ENGLISH LANGUAGE FACULTY

END OF TERM ESSAY Subject: Introduction to British and American Studies

Topic:

riot in Capitol Hill

Table of Contents

Introduction 3

I Social media 3

1 Social media usage in the United States 3

2 Social media impacts on the U.S politics 5

II 2021 United States Capitol attack 6

1 Casualties 6

2 The meaning of the Capitol lockdown 7

3 The development of the riot 7

III The role of social media in the Capitol riot 10

1 The role of social media in delivering, understanding and combating political chaos in the US 10

2 How Trump’s internet built and broadcast the Capitol insurrection 13

3 Will the Capitol Riots Force a Reconsideration of How Social Media Platforms Handle Free Speech 20

Conclusion 23

References 24

The disturbances at the Capitol on January 6 certainly had a social media component All who love America and the liberties it stands for were gravely disturbed by the riots However, the reactions of businesses to deactivate social media accounts and even entire social media networks are concerning We must now face the fact that we have handed some of our most fundamental civil freedoms to companies with just shareholder duties, not democratic obligations

The following essay will dig deeper into this phenomenon

I Social media

1 Social media usage in the United States

The United States has one of the highest rates of social media adoption in the world Over 223 million Americans used social media in 2020 to share photos, like and

comment on other people's material, and send private messages These platforms and services have become some of the most popular online activities of the previous decades, with over 70% of the US population having a social media account The number of social network users in the United States is expected to rise to over 243 million by 2025

The primary uses of social media are for entertainment, communication, news

coverage, and business Social networks, media-sharing platforms, instant messaging services, and microblogging are the most popular platforms among internet users in the United States These websites and applications have become ingrained in the everyday

lives of many internet users in the United States During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020, the average daily usage duration jumped from less than an hour in

2018 to 65 minutes in 2020 In March 2020, when many Americans began to sequester themselves at home, social media and other forms of digital communication witnessed an unprecedented surge in usage across the country

Based on monthly active members, Facebook is the most popular social network in the United States The platform has over 190 million account holders in the United States

by the start of 2021, with a market share of roughly 72 percent Facebook's dominant position in the industry is based on the fact that it is also the most popular mobile social networking app in the United States in terms of reach, engagement, and audience The importance of mobile-friendly user interfaces cannot be emphasized, given that

smartphones accounted for 83 percent of social media visits in the United States at the end of 2019

Despite Facebook's dominance, alternative social media sites are gaining traction, particularly among teens and young adults in the United States Instagram, a popular photo and video-sharing app that has witnessed massive user growth in recent years, is one of the major players In the United States, the platform has 107.2 million users in

2019 and was expected to reach 120 million users by 2023 Marketers are increasingly adopting Instagram for advertising purposes, as the bulk of Instagram account holders are Millennial and Gen Z internet users, who make up the country's greatest potential

customer base Brands can reach a huge audience and take advantage of the purchasing power of Instagram's growing community by posting sponsored photo, video, or story advertising

In recent years, alternative social networks have drawn enormous audiences

TikTok, a short-form video platform, was a crucial participant during the coronavirus epidemic, and short-form video is here to stay with fashionable, catchy, and easily

accessible material Twitter, Pinterest, and Twitch are among the other sites that have seen a surge in popularity

2 Social media impacts on the U.S politics

The movement in audience choice away from traditional mass media and toward digital sources has been one of the most remarkable trends of the last decade In the United States, this shift has had a profound impact on how individuals follow politics and what information they have access to As more people in the United States get live news updates on their social media feeds, these platforms are becoming more effective political instruments

The impact of digital technology on the political arena in the United States is most visible in the usage of social media The way political campaigns are run, information is exchanged, and individuals connect with their elected representatives is constantly

changing thanks to apps like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube During the 2016

presidential election and the 2018 midterm elections in the United States, social media was one of the most popular digital platforms for political parties and candidates to

promote their views and engage with supporters Politicians spent about 1.8 billion

dollars on digital advertising in 2018, making it the country's fastest-growing advertising channel

During the 2020 presidential race, political spending on social media advertising surged even more: between January and May, incumbent President Donald Trump spent 40.87 million dollars on Facebook advertising, only being topped by then-Democratic presidential contender Michael Bloomberg In terms of content, President Trump was the candidate who spent the most money on immigration advertising

On the other hand, social media users learn about and participate in political

movements in addition to seeing, sharing, and commenting on political advertisements While reduced entry barriers and real-time news monitoring are considered as

advancements in political engagement, social media can also be used to micro-target certain groups of individuals with specialized political campaign advertising

Furthermore, social media firms' lack of control, mediation, and fact-checking makes

these platforms a direct route of contact, which can encourage the propagation of

disinformation, alternative facts, and false news According to a 2019 poll, half of

internet users believe social media corporations should impose tougher standards for posting political information

In May 2020, Twitter did just that, placing warning and fact-checking labels on a series of tweets by President Trump The social media platform has not only become one

of the most important sources of political and electoral news in the United States in recent years, but it has also fundamentally altered how politicians, voters, and the press communicate Among members of the United States Congress, Twitter is by far the most popular social media network Despite the fact that 60% of Americans believe Trump's use of the app as President of the United States is improper, he is still the most followed leader on the planet

II 2021 United States Capitol attack

Thousands of President Donald Trump's fervent fans physically stormed the US Capitol building Wednesday, forcing evacuations, injuries, and arrests, as seen on live television

Earlier in the day, protesters gathered on the National Mall to protest the November election results as Congress began tallying the Electoral College votes, but the

demonstration quickly devolved into violence as Trump pushed his followers to proceed

to the Capitol

Rioters brandishing "Make America Great Again" caps and Trump flags shattered windows and stormed the Capitol's balcony, forcing Vice President Mike Pence to be escorted to a safe place and the Senate chamber to be evacuated

1 Casualties

During the rebellion, a lady was shot and transported to a hospital, where she was subsequently pronounced dead, and at least a dozen others were arrested According to

Alaina Gertz, a spokeswoman for the Washington D.C police department, one lady was shot and brought to a hospital, where she was later declared dead, during clashes with security Her true identity has yet to be revealed

A video shared to Twitter earlier on Wednesday claimed to show a woman inside the Capitol with blood pouring from her lips, as a guy responding to her yelled, "Where is she hit?" After surging inside the chambers, cops called for the mob to return, according

to one witness, Thomas from New Jersey As they ran to the room windows, he stated the woman "didn't hear the call." "They shot her in the neck after that," Thomas explained During the pro-Trump protests in Washington, D.C., police chief Robert J Contee III stated at least 13 individuals were detained and five guns were confiscated It is projected that the number of arrests would increase Anyone seen on the streets after the 6 p.m ET curfew will be detained, according to police

2 The meaning of the Capitol lockdown

Shortly after the Trump demonstrators burst past barricades, Capitol Police issued a lockdown order, prohibiting anybody from entering the building while senators and members of the House of Representatives were trapped, sometimes barricaded, inside their respective chambers Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C., has issued a nightly curfew for the city, which will begin at 6 p.m local time

The National Guard of Washington, D.C., has been activated to assist local law

enforcement, according to the Pentagon The Capitol was pronounced secure after nearly three and a half hours of lockdown

3 The development of the riot

In the early afternoon, just a small squad of riot police waited at the back of the Capitol building Hundreds swarmed into the vicinity as activists called for a breach of the structure, according to reporters on the scene Wednesday

Police seemed to retreat as protesters began climbing up the side of the building and onto the back balcony According to reports on the scene, police attempted to control one portion outside the building after the break-in but were swiftly swamped

Men in police uniforms were seen taking pictures with rioters and dismantling exterior obstacles for them in videos posted on social media, which USA TODAY was unable to independently verify

Civil rights activists chastised law enforcement for their delayed reaction to rioters, pointing to the enormous police presence at last year's Black Lives Matter protests in response to police deaths of unarmed Black men and women

As the Senate went into lockdown, Pence, who was presiding over the Electoral College vote tally, was transported to a secure area Pence denounced the demonstrations, promising that individuals who took part will be prosecuted "to the fullest extent of the law." "The bloodshed and devastation at the US Capitol must come to an end, and it must come soon Anyone participating must show respect for law enforcement authorities and exit the facility immediately "Pence sent out a tweet

- President Trump’s statements

President Trump released a one-minute and seven-second video message on his Twitter account, shot outside the White House, hours after protests in his name devolved into violence at the US Capitol building He said in the video that the crowd should "go home in peace" and that "we love you, you're extremely wonderful." He made several false assertions about the election being rigged YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook have all taken down the video

Trump sent out another tweet, this time writing, "These are the things that happen when great patriots who have been treated terribly and unfairly for a long time have their sacred landslide election win taken away so abruptly and violently Return home in peace and affection Remember this day for the rest of your life!"

- President Joe Biden’s statements

The tumult at the Capitol was described as "insurrection" and "chaos" by Biden, who will be inaugurated on Jan 20 He urged Trump to take action "stand up" and "go on national television right now to fulfill his oath of office and protect the Constitution by calling for an end to the siege." ""What we're seeing is a tiny group of fanatics bent on breaking the law." This isn't dissent; it's anarchy and mayhem It's very close to sedition And it has to cease right now," Biden declared from Wilmington, Delaware's Queen Theater "I implore this mob to stand down right now and let democracy's job to

continue.”

- Rioter’s identity

Following months of Trump's bogus allegations of election fraud, a mob of

maskless Trump supporters invaded Capitol Hill, many wearing patriotic colors and

"MAGA" clothing The rioters were described as "special individuals" by Trump, who added that he and his fans adored them Despite a 6 p.m ET curfew set after rioters stormed the Capitol, dozens of pro-Trump protestors stayed on the streets of the nation's capital

At a rally outside the White House earlier Wednesday, Trump urged supporters to march to Capitol Hill, where the House and Senate were meeting in joint session to tally the electoral votes and formally certify Biden's victory Trump continued his litany of bogus assertions about the election during his campaign-style protest rally The usually regular process of tallying Electoral College votes has been presented by Trump as a test

of devotion to him and his proven claims At the gathering, Trump urged his supporters,

"We will never give up, we will never concede."

The president told the gathering that "radical democrats" and the "fake news media" had "rigged" the election, and he urged "weak Republicans" to overturn Biden's triumph

“We're going to walk down there, and I'll be there with you, we're going to walk down

to the Capitol and we are going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women," Trump told the crowd "And we're probably not going to be cheering so much

for some of them Because you'll never take back our country with weakness You have

to show strength and you have to be strong."

III The role of social media in the Capitol riot

1 The role of social media in delivering, understanding and combating political chaos in the US

- Past vs Future

The year 2020 was not at all what anyone had anticipated It contained worry and anxiety over the United States election results, which were reaffirmed by the United States Electoral College on December 14th in favor of former Vice President Joe Biden

as President-elect Trump supporters, who feel there were evident indicators of voting fraud and political corruption, contested and pushed back against these findings

As the year 2021 began, the country was hoping for hope, resiliency, and

togetherness to counteract the challenges of the previous year On Wednesday, January 6th, the United States made international headlines when a presidential protest over election results became violent at the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C – leading to the first Capitol building insurgency since British forces set fire to it during the War of 1812

- The days leading up to the 6th of January

Throughout November, December, and early January, there were several signals of political discontent among Trump supporters on social media Platforms like Twitter flagged messages that provided false information before the election Trump's online postings were promptly contested by platforms as a method of disseminating

disinformation during the height of the political tensions in November and December

New tweets with the hashtag "Stop The Steal" were consistently posted on Twitter many weeks before the Capitol siege Between Dec 23 and Jan 7, the SITE (Search for

International Terrorist Entities) Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist

organizations, submitted more than two dozen notifications to federal authorities, citing the increased potential of violence associated with the upcoming meeting

According to the Washington Post, there had been some angry and hostile

conversation on Twitter and Facebook, as well as niche conservative sites like

TheDonald.win, Gab, and Parler The US Capitol and the Mall in Washington, the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City, and other major places in Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio, were all considered for event preparation

Participants were seen on Gab visiting Congressional offices for both House and Senate leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and performing a thorough search for Vice President Mike Pence in Senate chambers, according to the New York Times Since January 1, there have been more than 1,250 tweets on Twitter from accounts

associated with QAnon conspiracy theories concerning Wednesday's events containing phrases of violence, according to CNN Business

- The political spotlight shines on social media

According to Washington D.C police director Robert Contee, 41 persons were detained on Capitol grounds late Wednesday and early Thursday During or immediately after the incident, several participants freely posed for photographs and films from within the Capitol, which were then put on social media and verified livestream accounts,

revealing conduct that constituted significant felonies Many rioters stood in front of cameras dressed in distinctive garb, including ID badges in some cases

As the hunt for Capitol rioters continues, social media networks are quickly

eliminating Donald Trump's account, as well as accounts linked to pro-Trump violence and theories, such as QAnon and #StoptheSteal Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, SnapChat, Apple (app store), Google (app store), Pinterest, Twitch, Reddit, Shopify, and many more sites had banned or restricted accounts as of Sunday evening In the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol, huge internet corporations including Amazon,

Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Salesforce, as well as other businesses around the country, began efforts Monday to suspend political donations

Parler, a "free speech" social network, has been removed from Google's app store for failing to delete "egregious information." Parler bills itself as a "unbiased" social media platform, and it's been popular among those who have been banned from Twitter The app has failed to delete postings that incited violence, according to Google

Apple has also informed Parler that if the app does not meet its content-moderation rules, it would be removed from the app store Following Amazon Web Services'

decision to ban them from its cloud hosting service, Parler filed a lawsuit against the company on Monday

The importance of social media in law enforcement and what to expect in the future

Law enforcement used social media extensively to seek out and prosecute rioters Throughout the turmoil, several rioters shared photographs and video of themselves and the individuals they were with on different social media networks Even if the individuals sought to delete their posts, media outlets and other users had already copied and shared the photographs and videos

The FBI is asking the American public to assist identify persons who took part in the pro-Trump rioting at the US Capitol by using social media This includes selfies shared by attendees as well as recordings of Trump supporters at nearby hotels before to the event The FBI's Washington Field Office announced Thursday that it has received over 4,000 internet tips, including images and videos of individuals rioting at the Capitol

Parler's search algorithm, from a social media algorithm standpoint, employs

hashtags to speed up conversations and make it simpler to share material for its

conservative consumers Conservative users are rushing to alternative platforms like Telegram, Rumble, MeWe, 2nd1st, and others to keep their thoughts heard since their legal battle with Amazon began last week