Social Networks Not the Place for Social Change for African Americans?

African Americans are narrowing the digital divide, but filling it with what?

DryerBuzz.com Commentary Y. Lattimore – We’ve spent the last twenty (20) years at the fore-front of the coming age of technology, all be it to say waiting for African Americans to catch up.  Knowing that if ever a place existed to disseminate information, act or react as a cohesive group, or define some semblance of unity – the Internet would be the place.

During the first ten years, we watched the so-called digital divide.  In a previous wave of Internet growth (2002) the outlook of the divide was as such:

(2002 news.cnet.com) — More than half the population of the United States is now online, an increase of 26 million people in 13 months, and the number continues to grow. The report also shows that Internet use is continuing to increase for everyone regardless of income, education, age, race, ethnicity or gender. Even groups not historically “early adopters” are growing their online presence. For instance, the DOC report shows that 39.8 percent of blacks and 31.6 percent of Hispanics are online.

Today, watching online interaction in real time, we ponder if social networks will ever be the place for social change for African Americans? Perhaps its another five to ten years away.

(2009 – pewinternet.org) Some 39% of Americans have positive and improving attitudes about their mobile communication devices, which in turn draws them further into engagement with digital resources – on both wireless and wireline platforms.

Despite the availability of infinite information and access with PDA’s (personal digital assistants i.e. cell phones, iphones, blackberries etc), and despite Google, YouTube, Twitter, Ustream etc., the responsibility for social change still today falls in the hands of or on the backs of a few.

You can’t log onto the NAACP website and get 24/7 real time information. At post time, there are only four (4) NAACP twitter accounts with a total of 227 followers combined. There are also four accounts with the name Al Sharpton with a total of 55 followers.  National Urban League [ @NatUrbanLeague ] has 127 followers. Not to negate what each has done or is doing, but if we are not using the tools available, it’s no wonder the faith of the community waivers in time of need.

At post time, there have been three African American men (aside from President Obama) to take the top tweet spot at twitter — entertainers Ray J, Diddy and Snoop Dog.  Comments about Ray J and his reality show were purely driven by African Americans so the possibility to be on one accord exists.  There were a couple of others that we won’t mention as they were trending because of criminal activity.  At the same time, the exploding agenda that should be trending amongst African American online but the trail runs dry.

Change could come.  We’d like to know and see from this explosion of African Americans narrowing the digital divide in 2009 that there will be social change.  That today’s infinite access will:

• decrease the number of African American males and females entering the prison population
• decrease the number of African American unwed mothers – now 80% by current reported stats
• decrease the number of police brutality incidents and murder
• dramatically decrease and affect the HIV/AIDS epidemic
• decrease the stigma associated with African American fathers
• bring a halt to high crime rates (often reported to come from lack of education, resources and single parenting)
• decrease dependence on celebrity as a means out of poverty and social acceptance
• increase support of African American institutions, organizations and charities
• increase visibility of positive lifestyle and culture of being African American
• we could go on and on

But here’s what we’ll do, beyond our daily headlines:  as we continue to monitor African Americans in real time, we continue this post below in the comment section with real time updates and links. One thing we have learned in this process is that change, though inevitable, takes time and must be desired.  Sometimes those looking for change, just don’t know where to look.

follow real time opinions, news, and links: African American | Black Women

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