During previous decades people only had each other to relay information, which means that only the people you knew had information about the topic. During the fight for African American rights whenever there was a sit in, you would know everyone there or at least know someone they knew. Social Media has changed this fact, but mainly in a good way. Social Media helps to get hard facts out almost instantly, and anyone can share and see the information that is broadcasted on the internet.
Without social media most Americans would never know the name Renisha McBride or at least I would not. I also would not know the name Trayvon Martin.
Without social media activist groups would not be able to create their own hashtags such as #NotYourAsianSidekick or #savethetigers.
Groups such as FORCE would not be able to design fake panties to support rape victims and show how wrong it is and claim that Victoria Secret themselves own them without social media.
Social media gets info ration out faster than any other resource. Mainly because all of the youth today use it. I do not have a single friend who does not at least have one social media account. I personally have over three myself.