Social media as public journalism? Protest reporting in the digital era

This article reviews recent research on social media platforms as outlets of street protest reporting by activists, posing the question of whether such outlets constitute a cultural source for protest movements. Given the “many‐to‐many” dynamic that alternative journalism via social media offers in contrast to the “one‐to‐many” approach of traditional media, there are implications for incursions into more democratic, participatory cultures and structures. Existing literature indicates that user‐generated content via social media potentially is known to supplant traditional journalism in protest situations due to advantages such as first‐hand access. Further, research demonstrates that activist reporting supplements and integrates with traditional journalism, and that interdependence develops. We also review the boundary conditions that constrain the use of social‐media platforms for protest reporting.