It is often blamed for fueling hate and spreading lies, but social media could actually be one of the most effective tools for stopping mass atrocities before they start, according to new research.
A study co-authored by Binghamton University, published in the Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis, challenges the view that digital platforms are merely engines of division. By analysing thousands of posts from crises in Syria and Canada, researchers found that hashtags can act as vital early warning systems and spark international intervention — if used correctly.
“Governments are increasingly using social media, though often not with atrocity prevention in mind, and social media companies have largely abandoned efforts to try to monitor hate speech,” said co-author Eric Wiebelhaus-Brahm, Professor of Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention.
Despite this retreat by tech giants, the study argues that strategic digital campaigns can still force accountability and save lives.
A tale of two crises
The researchers, including Professor Arnaud Kurze from Montclair University, examined more than 5,000 social media posts. They selected two vastly different case studies to test whether digital activism works across different types of conflict:
- #SaveSyria: An active, violent civil war with immediate humanitarian needs.
- #TruthAndReconciliation: A campaign in Canada addressing historical injustices against Indigenous people.
“In looking at Canada and Syria, they’re two places that arguably were… some of the first countries where contention around mass atrocity and trying to prevent future atrocities was happening in social media space,” Wiebelhaus-Brahm explained.
The analysis revealed that social media is not a “magic bullet” but a tool that works best when tailored to the specific crisis. When applied strategically, hashtags performed three critical functions:
- Early Warning: Identifying signs of escalating violence before they spiral out of control.
- Amplification: Giving a voice to local populations who might otherwise be ignored by the global media.
- Attention: Forcing the international community to look at crises they might prefer to ignore.
However, the authors warn that these efforts remain fragile without better policy support. They hope the findings will move the conversation beyond speculation and provide empirical proof that online activism can have real-world consequences.
“This is one of the earliest empirical explorations of this question,” Wiebelhaus-Brahm noted. “I hope comes of this is more research… looking at different social media platforms at different points in time.”
