| Front | Back | | --- | --- | | Compare the impact of international media coverage on the 1994 Rwandan Genocide versus the Syrian Civil War. |

Rwandan Genocide (1994): Limited international media coverage contributed to a slow, inactive global response.
Syrian Civil War: Extensive, real-time digital reporting kept the conflict in the global spotlight, though policy outcomes remained highly contested and mixed.

| | How did the Arab Spring (2010–2011) demonstrate the power of digital media over traditional state-controlled media? | Protesters used social media to bypass state-controlled traditional outlets, allowing them to mobilize protests, share real-time tactical updates, and broadcast human rights abuses directly to a global audience. | | How did foreign actors exploit digital media during the 2016 US Presidential Election? | Russian actors used social media platforms to target voters with personalized ads and spread misinformation to sow political division and influence voting behavior. | | How does the Chinese state manage social media platforms to maintain political control? |

Bans foreign platforms: Blocks major Western platforms like Facebook, X, and YouTube.
Promotes domestic alternatives: Encourages platforms like WeChat and Weibo, where user data is accessible to state authorities for monitoring and censorship.

| | Under what specific domestic conditions do governments in Turkey and Iran typically restrict or block social media access? | During periods of political unrest, protests, or national crises, to disrupt activist mobilization and control the flow of anti-government narratives. | | How would a realist and a liberal view state-led social media bans (such as those in China or Iran) differently? |

Realists: View bans as legitimate, sovereign actions by the state to protect national security and preserve internal political stability.
Liberals: View bans as violations of universal human rights (freedom of expression) that damage democratic accountability and global civil society.

| | How do digital media algorithms impact political polarization? | They curate content based on user preferences, creating echo chambers that reinforce existing ideological beliefs and shield users from opposing viewpoints. | | What is the distinction between the media's "agenda-setting" role and its "framing" role? |

Agenda-setting: Dictates what issues the public and policymakers focus on as important.
Framing: Dictates how those issues are presented and interpreted by the audience.

| | What is the "watchdog function" of investigative journalism in global politics? | Holding governments, corporations, and international institutions accountable by exposing corruption, abuses of power, and illegal activities. | | Why has citizen journalism become crucial in modern conflict zones and authoritarian states? | It allows local individuals to bypass state censorship and media blockades, providing real-time, unmediated updates directly to the international community. | | How would a Marxist perspective explain the impact of commercial pressures on mainstream media reporting? | Corporate ownership and the drive for advertising revenue force media to prioritize profit and sensationalism, reinforcing capitalist hegemony and sidelining class struggle narratives. | |

How does the primary role of media as an information disseminator shape the distribution of power between states and citizens?

| It can democratize power by informing citizens to challenge authority, but can also centralize power if states or elites monopolize and manipulate the flow of information. | | Why is social media described as a "double-edged sword" in global politics? |

Positive: It empowers individuals to bypass state control and mobilize for democratic change.
Negative: It accelerates the spread of misinformation, foreign interference, and political polarization.

| | The process where media outlets decide which political topics deserve public attention is called agenda-setting, whereas the way an issue is packaged to influence interpretation is called framing. | The process where media outlets decide which political topics deserve public attention is called agenda-setting, whereas the way an issue is packaged to influence interpretation is called framing. | | During the 2016 US Presidential Election, the spread of the "Pizzagate" conspiracy highlighted the threat of digital misinformation, while Russian actors used targeted social media campaigns to sow political division. | During the 2016 US Presidential Election, the spread of the "Pizzagate" conspiracy highlighted the threat of digital misinformation, while Russian actors used targeted social media campaigns to sow political division. | | To maintain control over information, China has blocked major Western social media platforms since 2009, promoting domestic alternatives like WeChat and Weibo which allow state data access. | To maintain control over information, China has blocked major Western social media platforms since 2009, promoting domestic alternatives like WeChat and Weibo which allow state data access. | | The tension between protecting free speech and combating misinformation remains the central regulatory and ethical challenge for democratic governments in the digital age. | The tension between protecting free speech and combating misinformation remains the central regulatory and ethical challenge for democratic governments in the digital age. | | The international community's slow response to the 1994 Rwandan Genocide is often blamed on limited media coverage, contrasting with the extensive digital reporting during the Syrian Civil War. | The international community's slow response to the 1994 Rwandan Genocide is often blamed on limited media coverage, contrasting with the extensive digital reporting during the Syrian Civil War. |

IB Global Politics The Media Flashcards

Core: Understanding power and global politics6 subtopics

Rights and Justice4 subtopics

Development and Sustainability4 subtopics

Peace and Conflict4 subtopics

IB Global Politics The Media Flashcards

Core: Understanding power and global politics6 subtopics

Rights and Justice4 subtopics

Development and Sustainability4 subtopics

Peace and Conflict4 subtopics

Flashcards for The media

Flashcards for The media - IB