ABSTRACT
Successful activism in the digital age requires engagement, advocacy, and amplification as the Women's Movement has utilized since its earliest days in the late 1800s and early 1900s through the social media mobilizing and networking that has energized millions of supporters regularly since 2017. Aspiring communications practitioners and information professionals need to understand the core issues related to social media's roles in inspiring and supporting activism, the distribution of misinformation, and influence on the minds of voters. The future of America's democracy just may depend upon it. Drawing on a range of theoretical and empirical perspectives, this chapter examines how multiple transformations and the various implications social media has impacted American democracy. The insights and debates found within the pages of this book will provide a stronger understanding of the core issues and move toward improved curriculum and research aimed at a better democracy.
