Series of Trainings on New and Social Media

Series of Trainings on New and Social Media [Photo US Embassy]

Series of Trainings on New and Social Media [Photo US Embassy]

The emergence of new and social media is carving out a new type of public space based on networking, active participation, diversity of information sources, and overabundance of content.

Right now, many organizations are questioning the impact of new social media (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.), and the role these networks could play in their organizational strategies.  In fact, more than 800 million people worldwide use Facebook.  Senegal is in 10th place for Facebook use in Africa.  An estimated 650,000 people or 4.69% of the population of Senegal, use the tool.  Twitter is the second most used tool in the world.  But the results of a study showed that using Twitter is not widespread in Senegal.

The U.S. Embassy in Dakar invited Mathilde Piard, American journalist and expert in new and social media, to speak to Senegalese audience from June 23 to 29, 2012, both in Dakar and in Thiès.  She spoke to many different groups, including journalists, bloggers, students, government officials, teachers, etc…

Topics discussed ranged from "social media and journalism," "the legal environment of social media," "social media job search," "civic engagement through social media," "code of conduct for bloggers," to "the next trend in social media."

Mathilde believes that social and new media are powerful tools for documenting sources.  Journalists can location useful pictures and videos and more easily research stories.  More than 150 Senegalese participated in the training.

To see what we all texted last week, check out #USembtagat on Twitter.