This document summarizes a study that compares the use of Facebook Groups and Causes as tools for cyberactivism in Chile and the Concepción area. The study aimed to determine if these applications are used for cyberactivism related to real-world issues and places in Chile. It also sought to identify trends in topics of discussion and whether there are correlations between topics discussed nationally and locally. The main findings were that Facebook is mainly used to strengthen existing social ties rather than create new connections, and that it allows for distributed organization without centralized control of information.

1. SNS as cyberactivism tools: the case of Facebook groups in Chile and
the Concepcion's area
Sótero Suazo Vejares, Journalist, B.Sc. In Social Communication, UCSC, Concepción, Chile.
Javier Martínez Ortiz, jamartin@ucsc.cl, Journalist, B.Sc. In Social Communication. Instructor at Journalism
School, UCSC, Concepción, Chile.
Álvaro Elgueta Ruiz, aelguetar@gmail.com, Ph.D. in Public Communication, Professor of Sociology at ARCIS
University, Concepción Campus, Chile.
Abstract
This work presents the results of a study that compared the use of two applications of the Social
Networks Site (SNS) Facebook.com as cyberactivism vehicles. Analyzing Groups and Causes of
that plataform – along the Chile Network and the Gran Concepción related topics – it reached a first
approach to how the people use this online tools with activism objectives.
In addition, this research wanted to stablish variables that allow predict – by the type of the topics
found in Groups and Causes – which of them may constitute cyberactivism.
In it main results, it proves that the Internet's Social Networks are mainly an amplification of our
nearest social circle, this is, empowering existent friendship ties, more than create new ones.
Furthermore, it characterizes by its anarchic and horizontal structure, and the lack of control over
million of nodes that created the network allows a distributed organization and without the control
structures nor information hoarding, enabling a strong communication flow, issue that finally
represents a bigger access into the information and a smaller capacity to limit that access.
Keywords: Social Network Sites, Facebook, cyberactivism.
1

2. In Chile, the penetration of new computer-mediated communication tools – one of the major
references are the Social Network Sites (SNS) – are having a big impact in the rising of new spheres
of citizenship participation and social exchange.
Nowadays, this phenomenon that was announced in early 2000s based on the explosive appearing
and expansion of the chilean blogsphere (based on the blogs or personal online log and by the
expansion that suffered the fotologs or personal pictures sites); multimedia exchange sites such as
You Tube (videos); Flickr (pictures); My Space, site for refering personal contents for friends (pics,
video and audio); and personal audio difusion, like Podcaster.
The world's stats reflect a notable growth with awesome data. For the chilean case, the third report
Generación 2.0: Radiografía de los nuevos usuarios, shows that Chile is the country with more
fotologs all over the world (considering the fotolog.com service), with 2,896,332 users for the last
quarter of 2007. Another important stat is the great propotion of chilean users in internet, counting
326 users per each 1,000, the major quantity of Sudamérica.
Facebook – a tool designed for find friends, mantain relationship with near people and family, and
share multimedia contents – is not the exception on this tendences. From February 2008, the
presence of Chile in Facebook has the biggest growth in the world, with a 2,197 %, that in absolute
quantity means to go from 106.960 usuarios in February to 2,456,480 users in August of the same
year. Nowadays, Chile, with about 3,000,000 users (counted using the Marketshare tool from
Facebook) exceeds the registered number of all sudamerican countries, including Colombia that
leads the stats until mid-2008.
Based on this background, the developed research points into reach a first approach to the uses of
Facebook, refering two applications: Groups and Causes.
This work is focused on determinate if this applications are used as cyberactivism vehicle, on the
“real” geographic place of Chile and the Concepcion's area 1. To obtain that, it understood
cyberactivism as those social conflicts and manifestations evidenced through massive protests
(convened through internet or similar media), without a known leadership and that put in the hands
of the people suggested practices that allow to manifest opposition or discontent on some particular
situation.
The research's questions raised were: 1) Which are the features of the internet's social networks?; 2)
How are used this features to generate social activism on internet?; 3) What tools delivers Facebook
for developing social activism initiatives?; 4) How are used this tools on Chile Network of
Facebook and, more specifically, which is its use on social activism initiatives on the Concepcion's
Area?; and 5) It exists correlation between the trending topics on Chile Network and Concepcion's
Area topics?
Moreover, it searched determinate which of the two applications serves better to generate
cyberactivism campaigns, as to know if this platform can canalize the social unrest and setting an
independent agenda on the “traditional” mass media. Finally, this work wanted to identify the
people's trending topics, depending of the presence on both geographical places.
Theoretical Discussion
Social Network Sites
The evolution of online tools have allowed more and more stablish computer-mediated
communication systems, mainly dedicated on creation and maintenance of interpersonal networks.
This is the case of the SNS, that Boyd and Ellison define as: “web-based services that allow
individuals to construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, articulate a list of
other users with whom they share a connection, and view and traverse their list of connections and
1
Metropolitan area that includes the colonies of Concepción, Chiguayante, Hualqui, Penco, Tomé, Hualpén,
Talcahuano, San Pedro de la Paz, Coronel and Lota.
2

3. those made by others within the system. The nature and nomenclature of these connections may
vary from site to site” (Boyd & Ellison, 2007: 211).
Futhermore, both authors stablish the diference between Social Network Sites and Social
Networking Sites. Although this terms are commonly used as synonyms by the people, the term
Networking “emphasizes relationship initiation, often between strangers [...] networking is possible
on these sites, it is not the primary practice on many of them, nor is it what differentiates them from
other forms of computer-mediated communication (CMC)” (Boyd & Ellison, 2007: 211).
Related with that, is important to consider that because this concepts are in a knowledge area with a
great development potential, the term Social Network(ing) Sites still generate discussion. In this
sense, the main critisisms points into it width and lack of specificity, and into the absence of a
substantive diference between sites of similiar natures, but that can contain meaning diferences. As
David Beer claims: “Although, it is clear that there is a great deal of overlap between categories
relating to how these various types of site are organised and the information they contain – common
aspects like tagging, profiles, and friending illustrate the complexity of the similarities and
differences between these types of site” (Beer, 2008: 519).
Besides of this accused width, it exists a group of theories that support the idea of Boyd and Ellison,
in that the generated networks goes from offline into online and not in reverse. View the examples
of Stefanone and Jang (2007) and Ellison, Steinfeld and Lampe (2007), and others. That's why this
research supported the first theory.
Social molecularization
Social molecularization of individuals is the collectivization of individual movements, this is, that
the people moves by the movements of a particular group they belong.
In the case of the social molecularization, this mainly occurs by the social momentum2 that maintain
the group joint. This momentum will be greater when exists more people that incites others to move.
This is confirmed by Humphreys (2007) on his study about “Dodgeball”3, a mobile friends location
system that allows find the others members of a group, on an urban environment. This system give
information to the friends on a personal network, about the place where will find one or more of
their friends, making the people move and experience the city on a grouped way.
This mechanism allows an indirect link about the public places that the members visit, meaning that
the people don't have to communicate their social activities or places to join the group, but the
system alerts indirectly the registered members about a new rally point where one or more members
of it group of friends will be found.
About the social “momentum” that make the individuals feel attracted by the group motion, the
study recorded some testimonials that suggests the existance of that characteristic, so called
“network effect”, will rise in direct rate with the number of members that have meet on a particular
place (De Ugarte, 2007). Many of those informers said that if more people where registred on a
place, it was more the need for meeting with them, understanding that they could have losing a big
event.
How to build and what are a Social Networks
As De Ugarte said, the social networks had existed from ever. Consists on the ties creation between
people for find out diferent goals, this over an architecture or interconection framework, that will
define the interaction ways and the posibilities that the network supports (De Ugarte, 2007).
The social networks are built closely to the socialization, from the establishment of ties between
people. This ties will increase as consecuence of network effect, joined with the previously
2
Concept taken from the Physics, that means thrust that causes the movement of a body.
3
Now known as foursquare.com.
3

4. supported by those that established that ties, allowing an exponencial growth on the size and reach
of personal networks, generating an abundance logic.
For De Ugarte “the typical example of the network effect is the phone or the fax. Always it count
that for a third user on the phone network, access into the network supposed to can talk with two
person. But the fourth can talk with three... and so. The network effect make that the more members
on the network, the more value for a non-member to be registered on it...” (Ibid). On the same way,
any person that be registered on that network won't generate a significant change on the benefits of
the rest of the members of the same.
Network topologies, information archicture and empowerment on social netwoks
Another basic concept to understand the social network phenomenon is the network topologies, that
explain the forms as the network's nodes interconect between it, that can be in three ways. “This
three dispositions describe three completly different ways for organize a network: centralized,
decentralized and distributed” (De Ugarte, 2007).
Meanwhile the information flow only depends on one node in a centralized network, in the
decentralized network the information is hierarchicaly ordered on several nodes, this is, multiple
small centers where the information pass by before arrive into it goal.
Although the descentralized network is more efficient than the centralized, it don't allow an optimal
communication between the nodes as any connection through two nodes have to pass by an
intermediary.
According to De Ugarte, the centralized and decentralized networks are remnants of ancient power
and control structures that, at least on the network, are falling in the past.
The early 90's hispanic cyberpunk slogan that said: “Behind all informational architecture, is hiding
a power structure”, is one of the first change signals that is starting to materialize. This change
arises mainly as “a reaction to the concentration of power and the decrease of the personal rights
through monopolizing and hoarding of new technologies, especially those informatics related”
(Ciberpunk.org, 2008).
The birth of informational anarchy represented by the Distributed Networks is the manifestation of
this social process in that transform the way how the information flow, this is because this kind of
network allows the communication between any node, without intermission of third-parties nor
hierarchy, generating a real horizontal structure for major empowerment of all the members.
A network that have not filters or censorship and where the old power structures can't limit the
access, allows the arise of new forms on the power distribution, with higher participation
posibilities and a group of advantages based on the distributed structure.
On this sense it count a rich generation of content, a major interaction stability and efficence on the
system, substancial improvement on security issues and data rescue capacity on any emergency.
This is because, if on a centralized and descentralized network the information is located only in
one or several central nodes, respectively; on a distributed network is present on every place,
making -in consecuence- harder to loose information.
Cyberpunk Culture vs. Internet descentralization as today's cybercultures origin
The rising of Cyberpunk movement as reaction against the tecnology concentration appeared on
various forms. One of the more remarkable was the creation of ciberpunk.org identity document on
1989, that established a a set of principles and key ideas where the Spanish Ciberpunk movement
grew.
The document on it successive versions -Berlín (1994), Madrid (2002), Larnaca (2004) y Tamarán
(2005)- defends the new technologies opening, through the use of various toolkits that allow the
participation, interaction and uninterrupted information flow, without obstacles or hoarding.
4

5. Nowadays, this movement defends the content selfmanagement as the main way to object the
technologies hoarding and the Internet's excesive media covering. The blogsphere appeared as the
realization of this paradigm, passing by the media coverage and converting it on the first distributed
media (Ciberpunk.org, 2008).
Another manifestation of that culture was the birth of Electronic Frontier Fundation (EFF),
founded on 1990 by Mitch Kapor, John Perry Barlow and John Gilmore. From it birth, EFF had
presented a set of legal actions against the United States government and private that tried to restrict
the individual freedom on the cyberspace, trying to settle a legal precedent that avoid similar actions
on the future (EFF, 2008).
The Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace, wrote by John Perry Barlow on 1996, contains
the basic principles defended by the EFF. The former writer of the rock band Grateful Dead,
declared that this is a place of the Human Mind, where the Government and old power structures
are irrelevant, powerless and don't have any legitimacy (Barlow, 1996).
On confrontation with this culture, the strong thrust towards the Internet structuration from a
descentralized logic4, have been manifested on the marketing and media coverage of the so-called
cyberspace, also the use of social networks for corporative and work uses (Wellman, 1996;
Haythornthwaite, 2005).
Meanwhile the marketing has converted Internet on a new “market”, the media coverage has
convert the net on a “traditional” media.
The confrontment between descentalization and distribution is the base from the cybercultures had
birth. This is why the presence of both on the so called cyberspace, had allowed reach a synthesis of
ways of work and forms to interpretate what to install between the marketing and the abundance
logic of the distributed networks, and between the traditional media use and the selfmanagement of
hypertextual contents.
While for some authors the cybercultures are merely digitalizations of the existent cultural products
(Contreras, 2003; Figueroa, 1997), for others the cybercultures are metacultures that include the
analog cultures from it come and also reorganize it (Galindo, 2003).
For this work, however, the more appropiated definition comes from Ricard Faura that define the
cyberculture as “set of techniques, folkways, mores, values and representations related with the
extension of Cyberspace” (Faura, 2000).
In consecuence, the cybercultures present various characteristics. This is: 1) rise as communities
where exists a new concept of freedom associated to the posibility of share their own benefits with
other members of the community; 2) it constituted as virtual meeting spaces, that allow share
without need a physical space; 3) have specializated languages that allows the mutual recognition of
the members of the community and distinguish experts from newbies; 4) present various marketing
posibilities; 5) mix up marketing, media and distribution sights to understand the cyberspace; 6)
include organizations and individuals that support the hacker and protestant work ethics; and 7) help
for the management of descentalized organizations.
Three examples of cyberculture, as synthesis of the different Internet development sights, are the
free software communities, the blogsphere (as distributed/institutional media), and the Social
Networks Sites, understood as social tools and commercial/corporative media.
The Hacker Ethics role on the Cyberspace
At this point it is totally relevant to understand how the distributed networks generates changes on
the people's mind, how the social molecularization unchains new association ways that derivates on
social movements. In short, how is that a different ethics, passioned and non-forced by a duty call
4
See Network topologies, Information architecture and power distribution on social networks.
5

6. emerges to make changes.
The hacker, a misunderstood character on our society, is the incarnation of this new ethics. So, what
we mean with “Hacker Ethics”? Why represents a new vision?
To answer this questions we start by awareness about the ethics that has survived to the current
epoch. On a particular way we referred the protestant work ethics, that inclusive nowadays is still a
referent on most of human employments, as an immovable conveniently paradigm.
The concept of protestant ethics had it origin on a Max Weber's essay entitled The protestant ethics
and the capitalism spirit (1904-1905), that describes the way on the notion of work as a duty is
found on the core of the XVII century capitalist culture (Himanen, 2002).
The hacker work ethics poses a confrontation on this position. The hacker don't understand the work
as an obligation, since it is dedicated to what he likes and passion. Since there is not an obligation,
is not subject to working hours, but instead works when it think, without leaving leisure..
According Himanen, for the hacker it whole work objective is their mates recognition. The main
idea behind this ethic is then that the fruit of labor should be a good social use: “The original ethics
of the computer programming hacker emphasized on the openess, the free access 5” (Himanen,
2002).
As the current social breakup and change situation is assimilated, what relation could have between
distributed networks, hacker work ethics and all the previous topics? The answer is the
cyberactivism. This consists on the calling of multiple agents that can be spontaneously coordinated
into the network, allowing that the conflicts be on multichannel, this is, that can be developed on
several fronts (De Ugarte, 2007).
In consecuence, based on the hacker ethics and on the distributed networks, a technological toolkit
was generated and placed for the people's service.
For De Ugarte, thanks to that gracias a esto, has been a genesis generating a change that may
reorder the axis of power.
For this study effects, the De Ugarte's cyberactivism will be used, that have the following features:
i. A speech that poses an empowerment on the people and don't set hierarchies.
ii. The establishment of ranges of conduct that produce life styles, that allows more
identification on the people group. This identity generation will be the network binder, that
facilitate the peer exchange between strangers with no mediation of a center, will present the
distributed features and therefore will be more robust.
iii. The generation of tools enabling the visualization of a change from people. In other words,
deliver to the people tools that allow to show it dissent.
iv. The visibility of the tools must to be on a way that allow the person can fell identified
through small gestures with the people of the network, finishing the empowerment strategy.
Cyberactivism in Chile
In Chile, there are two notable cyberactivism facts. The first one was the campaign Mi primer PC...
pero de verdad –in short, MPPCDV, My first computer... but for real-. Although this campaign was
generated spontaneously on the cyberspace, this reach participation levels as never seen before, that
surprising even to their precursors.
This initiative had it origin on the protest against the failures on the Ricardo Lagos government plan
“Mi primer PC” -My first computer-, that wanted to reduce the technologic breach that affected the
poorest segments of the population, by providing a low cost personal computers.
For the chilean bloggers the plan presented a set of problems, counting from (Sandoval, 2005): 1)
5
Free as in freedom.
6

7. the availability on the computers market of cheaper or for the same price solutions than the
campaign offer, even with better features some times, 2) software licences that rise the price of the
equipment, existing free and open source software options, 3) market existence of cheaper options
for same performance hardware -i.e. a more expensive processor existing the posibility of get the
same performance with a cheaper part-, 4) the high relative cost on the chilean internet conectivity
and the lack of measures to give solution to this problem, and 5) the irresponsible delegation
financing on the big departamental stores, that urged the prices.
“To the weaknesses of the plan, disident voices appeared that was mainly rough by three people: the
tech journalist Christian Leal, the designer Alberto Contreras and the psycologist Claudio Bustos.
This three bloggers articulated on an unexpected way the later succesful campaign Mi primer PC...
pero de verdad. The campaign searched, on a first instance, to collect 2,500 signatures for send a
letter to the president Ricardo Lagos. However, the three bloggers surprise was big when in the first
48 hours managed to gather 3,860 signatures. Finally, the letter arrived to La Moneda on a CD
format, with more than 14,000 signatures. That day was the first when that bloggers met personally”
(Ibid).
The second case occurred after the intervention of the chilean senator Alejandro Navarro, who
asked for explanation about a document that he had access (Leal, 2007). The so-called document
was the cooperation frame agreement between the Economy Ministry and Microsoft, signed without
public knowing on may 2007.
The agreement written on the tipically confuse language of Microsoft's licence contracts included a
set of polemic points, of which the most criticism were those on "Domicilio Digital" -Digital Home-
and "Municipio digital" -Digital City-.
The main criticism pointed into the unauthorized personal information delivering, the intrusion and
possible involvement of corporations in various areas of the government and the expense of the
possibilities of developing a national software industry (Prieto, 2007; Leal, 2007; Liberación
Digital, 2007; Hollman, 2007). To this criticism was added “lack of transparency references and
adolescence of a study demonstrating Microsoft as the best option” (Leal, 2007), the government
resources commitment poor and inaccurate justifying (Leal, 2007; Liberación Digital, 2007), and
the promotion of Microsoft from the government (Prieto, 2007; Leal, 2007; Hollman, 2007).
The reactions about the agreement didn't wait. “The MPPCDV stuff delay a week on get triggered -
chain reaction, media coverage and involved declarations- this time took minus than 48 hours, with
a growing crowd expressing its points of view” (Leal, 2007).
Several manifestation forms rose in the blogsphere, some more elaborated and/or sponsored than
others. Different bloggers accused the weak points of agreement and showed great indignation at
the blow that this arrangement amounted to the freedom of choice of the chilean people.
It was created, moreover, a signature collection campaign against the agreement and a movement
called “liberacióndigital.org” appeared, that in addition to the signatures collection tried to get the
campaign out from the cyberspace.
The movement wanted, from the start, to defend “the interoperability, the freedom to choose the
software that every one wanted to use, the use of free/open source software and the chance of
develop a national software industry” (Liberación Digital, 2007).
Facebook
System features
Facebook is a social networks site that “enables its users to present themselves in an online profile,
accumulate 'friends' who can post comments on each other’s pages, and view each other’s profiles.
Facebook members can also join virtual groups based on common interests, see what classes they
have in common, and learn each others’ hobbies, interests, musical tastes, and romantic relationship
7

8. status through the profiles” (Ellison, Steinfeld & Lampe; 2007).
This tool includes several services that articulate the social interaction of users, that consist on a set
of applications that meets different functions, where you can find games, tests, polls and multimedia
elements management tools (pictures and videos) (De Ugarte, 2007).
For this study effects it considered two applications: Groups and Causes, caracterized by the
reflection on some cases the use of this social tool as a generator of cyberactivism.
Groups
The Facebook Groups are social units formed on the existence of common tastes and interests such
as music, hobbies, entertainment and others. This groups are organized in various categories and
topics types, i.e.:
 Group : “¡No más Femicidios en Chile!”
 Category : “Common Interest”
 Type : “Beliefs and Causes”
Most of time exists a tendence on that associations to drive social concerns, as was watched.
Facebook Groups Working
As we watched, the working of the groups on this SNS is characterized by include various
mechanisms for determining whether there will be a stronger or relative hierarchy. This will come
from the member's role, the rules of the group, what features will be included, who will can to
manage content and who can have access.
On the first of this mechanisms is necessary to explain that exists two basic kinds of people on a
Facebook Group: Administrators and Normal Members. Administrators have power of decision and
action that the rest of members don't have or have it on a limited way.
There are two kinds of Administrators: the group creator (that we'll call it “Creator Administrator”)
and that who is authorized by the creator as administrator (that we'll call it “Designated
Administrator”). The Creator Administrator is the one that have more power on the decisions,
relative on the characteristics and features that the group will have.
Both administrators types will can take decisions on who can or not to be a group's member
(depending on the access mechanisms that will be explained later), which will be the rules and too
to expel that members that don't respect that rules. Depending on it and on the decisions that had
taken the Creator Administrator about the mechanisms of public participation and content
managing, the group's hierarchy will be more relative or harder.
The features that will have a group depends on the options “Enable the Wall”, “Enable Forum”,
“Show related events” and “Show related groups”. From this options, the two first will work about
the public participation on the inner side of the group, and the rest will work about the participation
of the group as social entity on the whole system.
About the content management mechanisms, is possible to setup administrative privileges for the
publication of “Pictures”, “Videos” and “Published Elements (Notes)”.
Finally, the mechanism related with a higher or lower degrees of freedom to get into the group will
depend on if it is configured as 1) open, this is, that “any person can join and invite other people.
Anyone can see the information and the content of group”; 2) private: “for a new member can join
the group, the administrators must approve the request. Anyone can see the group's description, but
just the members can see the wall, the forum and the pictures”; or 3) secret, that is “the group will
not appear as result of a search nor in the members profile. New members will be accepted just by
invitation, and just the members can see the information and content on the group”
(http://www.facebook.com/groups/create.php?customize&gid=61436607024).
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9. Causes
As we watched, the Facebook Causes are social actions where several people are joined following a
common goal. Those are a way of manifestations for concerns, needs and social unrest per
excelence. This actions are organized on various categories and topics types, i.e.:
 Cause :“En Concepción el ferrocarril debe ser soterrado”
 Category :“Public Advocacy”
 Type :“Chile”
The Causes are help coordinators too. That's because can rise funds, making the main difference -
between other features- from the Groups.
Facebook Causes Working
As it can stablished, the Causes working on this SNS it characterized by include different
mechanisms that allow “recruit” people, determinate which will be the mission of the Cause, the
positions or statements that support it, which will be it geographical reach and what institution will
be the “recipient” of the donations.
About the first of those mechanisms, it exists four basic ways to Recruit the people for a cause. The
first one derives from the Cause creation and is called “make a pledge”.
In this mode, the Creator Administrator of the Cause invites all their contacts as a startup explosion.
When the administrator uses “make a pledge” for recruiting, it means that he compromises on invite
all its contacts.
The second way for people recruiting is through a cause member's direct invitation. The third way is
through new members that help that the cause works. Finally, the fourth way is to invite directly the
members of related groups and causes.
From that derives that the Causes is possible make the difference between recruiters and recruits.
Although exists this difference, that is not a cutting feature, because practically all the members can
develop both roles. The unique exception is the Creator Administrator, that meets preferently a
recruiter role.
The mission statement is fundamental for know the cause goal, what want it creator and who wants
to benefit. The positions will reflect the mission at the same time that give more argument strength.
This consists in statements that follow ask to pay attention on more people to rise the number of
recrutis. Examples of positions are: “the drivers must respect the pedestrians”, “the student's bus
ticket must be for free”, etc.
The geographical reach of the cause will depend on the option “Which is your cause region” where
is possible to choose between 3 basic choices: “Global”, “United States”, “Canadá” and a multiple
choice, that represent the rest of countries on the Facebook Network.
The “Recipient” institution related mechanism allows to determinate what institution will receive
the fund raising donations. Exists four institution classes: “Nonprofits listed under Political
Campaigns”, “Specific nonprofit”, “Support a 2008 presidential campaign” y “Canadian charity”.
Finally, it exists an option that allows don't take a choice: “Skip this Step”
(http://apps.facebook.com/causes/causes/new?m=4b3b2e26).
Methods
Based on an ex-post facto descriptive research, driven during 2 months from May, 2008, using
participant observation and a check list for data collection, this article analyzes “Groups” and
“Causes” on Facebook with a chilean and Gran Concepción's 6 area reach. The investigation wanted
6
Gran Concepción is a metropolitan area on Bío-Bío region that bounded the cities of Concepción, Talcahuano,
Hualpén, Chiguayante, Hualqui, San Pedro de la Paz, Coronel, Lota, Penco, Lirquén and Tomé.
9

10. to describe through this analysis the use of the SNS Facebook as media for supporting social
mobilizations and demands.
The interest population was the groups and causes on the SNS Facebook, related to Chile Network
(including national interest topics) and Gran Concepción.
It conducted a systematic non-probability sampling, where was selected the top 10 groups and top
10 causes with the highest number of members, both on Chile Network and Gran Concepción's
related topics. From this sample was used a secondary checklist to relate the minor groups and
causes, called “brethren”, that share common topics with the main causes and groups..
For the data analysis was performed a summary for extract the information of description with the
basic data of each group and later can group it by intrest topic. At this point the groups and causes
were ordered on “social interest” topics and “banal” topics. The last ones didn't represent
necessarily a mayor citizenship interest.
From this resumed data it performed a search for groups and causes, related to the top 10 groups
and causes previously detected. By this way, it is possible to detect related groups and causes with
that defined as most influential by the number of users that have.
Results
The actual investigation allowed to know the characteristics of the SNS on Internet, identify and
assess the tools and potential of Facebook and, finally, analyze the specific use of two tools from
the platform, on two different geographic areas in the country. Also allowed to understand the role
of the hacker's work ethics and the abundance logic, produced by the distributed networks, had have
on the developing of cyberactivism in Chile and how this is reflected on protests and manifestations
with signs of cyberactivism.
The study of Groups and Causes on Facebook allowed too catch a glimpse of how exists a strong
canalization of social unrest on several topics that followed the results of this project. Draws
attention to how people are grouped around this social tool to change situations that, on its mind,
are wrong and that is necesary to set it on the public agenda.
From the topics collected, most important, on Chile Network, was the related with transport,
extreme domestic violence, welfare and environment. Finally, concluding it is possible to state that
there is an significant presence of actual topics on the Groups and Causes of Facebook. Aparently,
the reasons that empower this are related with the significant penetration of the SNS in Chile.
About the groups
The groups are mainly constituted as virtual social meeting spaces for whom are part of some
institution and/or organization with offline origins, spaces that allowed share opinions, preferences
and hobbies. Generally, it presents the horizontally distributed network, except on some cases where
the administrator manages more privileges, such as private and secret groups.
On groups kinds above it was found some related with topics that can be considered as “relevant”
and “banal”, highlighting on the first case actual topics and long term campaigns, such as, transport,
politics, and extreme domestic violence, and more. As counter, it exists groups that have affinity on
“banal” or comic statements, such as a soccer team or the proposal of an elephant as Miss
Facebook.
Although when on the start it thought that the more popular groups will constitute as mere social
meeting spaces supporting “banal” subjects, practically it tied the number of groups with
“important” topics (9) with those related to “banal” topics (11).
Between the “important” groups was found an important number of topics with cyberactivism
characteristics: extreme domestic violence (Chile Network), polítics (Chile Network), bad social
practices (Chile Network), delinquency (Chile Network), abortion (Chile Network) and transport
10

11. (Gran Concepción Area).
About the causes
The causes are characterized by constitute actions that most of time follows important goals and
with high social impact. Generally, this actions want to get a big number of members every time,
trying to make a bigger social pressure and constitute a change force. For this, the causes, in
general, suggest “desirable practices” for the people that integrate it, tools needed to make gestures
that demonstrate their adherence and lead to the appropriate pressure to achieve their goals.
The strong presence of “important” and actual topics on the causes give the count of the importance
of those as participation and opinion spaces for the people, and shows a participant society that
follows to make changes for the “most” benefit.
This characteristics convert it not only in ideal spaces to protest, also in the cyberactivism support
per excelence.
In spite of said, some causes didn't have cyberactivism characterísitcs. This occurred by the absence
of high social impact goals and the lack of protest tools, on the way of hacker ethics.
On the causes the didn't present cyberactivism characteristics, it been detected 5 topics related to
“banal” topics, such as entertainment and amusement. On those it found: the proposal of a chilean
alcoholic brevage as “world's drink”, the petition of instalation of a Starbucks cafe in Concepción,
the petiton to re-open a nightclub at Concepción, the demonstration the Chile can pass into the
Football (Soccer) World Championship, and the statement the Chile is lacking Rock music.
In contrast, it been watched a big predominance of relevant topics with cyberactivism
characteristics. On this topics it could found: Environment (Chile Network and Gran Concepción
Area), Politics (Chile Network), Social Assistance (Chile Network), Transport (Chile Network and
Gran Concepción Area), Culture (Chile Network), Religion (Gran Concepción Area) and
Technological Democratization (Gran Concepción Area).
Discussion
Reviewing the gathered results the following preliminary conclusions was set:
About the groups with separated topics on Chile Network
On it was watched the same number of groups with “important” and “banal” topics, don't existing
predominance on topics with any characteristic.
The topic Extreme Domestic Violence, with 55 groups and 8 causes, had at the investigation time
105,427 users. This topic didn't present derivative topics and only had one particular group: “¡No
más femicidios en Chile!” (Female murders no more!).
Extreme Domestic Violence presents clearly characteristics of cyberactivism, don't have private
organizers and exists a big proliferation of brethren groups and causes with different creators. On
this sense, striking the explosive growth that the number of users had during the investigation,
demonstring big recruitment activity and new users integration.
The topic called to get awareness about the way that que domestic violence origins most times
crimes of physical and psychological aggression and crimes against the couple, and to bury where it
is evident. The suggerence of the mentioned practices is a way to deliver tools to fight a social
problem that is a characteristic of cyberactivism.
The topic Politics, with 2 groups and 1 cause, had at the investigation time 3,494 users. The topic
didn't have derivative topics and counted just with one particular group: “Chile con Todos” (Chile
with all).
Politics presented weak characterístics of cyberactivism, because meanwhile exists some
11

12. suggestions of conduct and tryings for an identity creation, the existence of hierarchy reveals a
centralized netowrk, discarding this topic as cyberactivism.
The reason is that have private organizers, in this case Sebastián Piñera, that's because don't exist
brethren groups and causes with different organizers. Also, the low growth that the cause have
during the investigation time demonstrate a minimum recruitment and new members integration
activity.
The topic call the people to participate on the creation of a citizenship-based government plan, but
making propaganda about the candidate Piñera.
Although when the suggestion for participation on the generation of this plan, apparently constitutes
a way to combat the electoral absenteeism and rise the youth vote, have a clear propaganda goal. In
other words, this campaign didn't follow a social benefit, just electoral advantage.
The topic Wrong Social Practices, with 16 groups and 2 causes, and had at the investigation time
7,866 users. The topic didn't have derivative topics and counted with only one group: “No al Chile
Flaite” (Say NO to Naff Chile).
Wrong Social Practices present clear characteristics of cyberactivism: didn't have private
organizers and exists a big proliferation of brethren groups and causes with different organizers.
In this sense, the number of users had a big growth during the investigation, with great activity on
recruitment and integration of new members.
The topic calls to avoid bad social practices associated to the term “flaite” (naff), that reach
different areas of social life, occurred on different public spaces. Also called to refuse and deliver a
social punishment to the perpetrators of these vilified practices. The above suggestions seek to
achieve a more educated society with attitudes that not cause for national shame.
The topic Delinquency, with 13 groups and 3 causes, had at investigation time 4,806 users. The
topic didn't present derivative topics and count with only one group in particular: “Mano dura con
los delincuentes en Chile, por favor!” (Tough on criminals in Chile, please!).
Delinquency presents clear chracteristics of cyberactivism. Is a topic that don't have private
organizers and exists a light proliferation of brethren groups and causes with different organizers.
The moderate growth on the members number during the investigation, counts on a light
recruitment and new users registration activity. This topic calls to criticize the Judiciary Power for
the so-called delinquency “revolving door”, that allows that accomplished criminals remain free.
For this reason, and for the growth insecurity sensation that derives from above, the active people
awareness and the manifestation of social unrest through protests. In this way, a harder law is
wanted and finish with the called “guarantees providing judges”, restoring the death penalty and
other legal tools such as the suspect detentions and the streets militarization.
The topic Abortion, with 2 groups and 2 causes, had at the investigation time 2,869 users. The
topic didn't have derivative topics and counts only with one particular group: “No a la Legalización
del Aborto en Chile” (Say NO to the Legalization of Abortion in Chile).
Abortion presents dubious cyberactivism characteristics. This because an almost null proliferation
of brethren groups and causes that allows infer the existence of a convener organization, which
breach a main feature of the cyberactivism.
Consequently, the number of users experienced marginal growth during the investigation, giving an
account of a poor activity in recruitment and integration of new users.
The topic call to combat through protests and legal actions any legal element or public health
initiative that allows the modification on the law aimed to liberalizing what constitutes abortion for
the organizers for more specific reforms relating to therapeutic abortion and emergency
contraception (Postinal, Postinor 2, Levonorgestrel, and others). This legal and civic offensive
12

13. wants to avoid to legalize this medical practice on the medium and long term.
Delivers behavior suggestions to combat pro-abortion policies. However, the poor call for this item
makes it appear that they are directed to a conservative social sector.
That poor call, considering that is a topic for all the Chile Network, maybe is caused by a lack of
social interest on the topic.
About the groups with separated topics on the Gran Concepción Area
On the groups on this area exists an important predominance of “banal” groups of students and
alumni on different colleges and high schools. Moreover, was detected the presence of important
topics that didn't presented cyberactivism characteristics.
The topic Transport, with 9 groups and 3 causes, had at the investigation time 2,783 users. This
topic didn't present derivative topics and count only with one particular group: “Licitación al
transporte Coronel-Lota !!” (Public tender for the Coronel-Lota transportation).
Transport presents clear characteristics of cyberactivism. The non existence of private organizers is
notorious as exists a big profileration of brethren groups and causes with different creators.
Is striking the low growth on the users number during the research, based on a poor recruitment and
new members registering activity. Although, the subject presents a wide call on the area where is
settled, reflecting a meaning concerning for this kind of topics.
This topic call the users to protest against the transportation businessmen abuse, as a way to
improve the public transportation on Gran Concepción's Area and stop bad manners and abusive
fees through a better control and action from the transportation authority.
In this case, the suggestion of above practices constitutes a tool to achieve that authority take
effective measures to improve definitively the transportation on Gran Concepción area.
About the causes with separated topics on Chile Network
On the causes of this area it could watch a high quantity of “important” topics, setting a clear
predominance over the “banal” topics.
The topic Culture, with 11 groups and 5 causes, had at the time of this investigation 65,170 users.
This topic didn't have derivative topics and only count with one particular cause: “Bajen los precios
de los libros en Chile!” (Reduce the book's prices in Chile!).
Culture presents clear characteristics of cyberactivism. The absence of private organizers was
confirmed by a big proliferation of brethren groups and causes with different organizers.
Reaffirming above, it watched a big growth on the number of users during the research, giving signs
of high recruitment and new members registration activity.
The topic wants to eliminate the tax over the books, allegedly the main cause on the high prices of
the original publications on Chile, generating exclusion on wide sectors of national population, that
can't afford this cultural resources and the growing of a black market with pirate copies. It
suggested, as change tools, cultural manifestations, protests against the high prices and to share
books to avoid the cultural exclusion.
The topic Environment, that include a main cause and brethren groups and causes have 45 groups
and 23 causes, had at the investigation time 91,506 users.
This topic presents 2 derivative topics:
Energy Sustainability with one particular cause, “Patagonia sin Represas” (Patagonia No Dams),
with 39 groups and 18 causes as brethren. The derivative topic at the time of investigation had
38,465 users. This topic call to protest against the installation of five hydroelectric centrals and its
dams through the rivers Pascua and Baker, known as Aysen Hydroelectric Project, that will flood
13

14. wilderness lands and, allegedly, get prejudice the rising tourism industry on the chilean Patagonia.
This practice suggested it constitute a tool to get the action of authority and the Congress to avoid
the execution of project by HidroAysén (Colbún and Endesa Chile) and generate a law according
the sustainable development and the growth of nature tourism on the area.
The topic had a big growth on users during the research, with a considerable activity for recruitment
and new members registration.
Resources Saving with one particular cause, “Ahorra agua dúchate con alguien” (Save water, share
de shower with someone) with 6 groups and 3 causes as brethren. This derivative topic had 53,041
users at the investigation time. This topic strikes on the saving of drinking water getting a shower at
the same time with some other, as a policy to save natural resources and take action by saving
drinking water.
The suggested practices are constituted by tools to avoid the wasting of natural resources that
affects the capitalist society.
The topic had a big growth on users during the research, with a considerable activity for recruitment
and new members registration.
As a summary, Environment presents clear characteristics of cyberactivism. The presence of
derivative topics and the big proliferation of brethren groups and causes, reinforcing the statement
that this topic don't have particular organizers.
Generally, the topic wants to generate a environmental awareness and more effective legislation to
prevent corporate abuses in this area.
The topic Transport, that including the main cause and brethren groups and causes have 30 groups
and 3 causes, had at the investigation time 115,361 users.
This topic presents two derivative topics:
Proposals for the improvement of the Transportation services with a particular cause, “Metro all
Night Long” with 2 groups and 1 cause. This topic at the time of the investigation, including the
main cause and brethren groups ans causes had 101,720 users.
Proposals for the improvement of the Transportation services call the people to demand a
collective way that the administration of Metro extend the service of the underground train all night
long, contributing to the safety of people that work on the night and don't have transportation at that
schedule.
The suggestion of this practices constitutes as a social pressure tool to achieve the goal above.
This topic had a big growth during the investigation, showing a high recruitment and new members
register activity. Although the poor proliferation of brethren groups and causes, the high social
impact and call of this topic, demonstrate that don't exists private organizers, as don't exists
minority interests on the topic.
Protest against the fee rise with a particular cause, “NO AL ALZA DEL PASAJE ESTUDIANTE
EN LA V REGION” (Say NO to the students ticket fee in the fifth region) with 28 brethren groups.
This topic at the time of investigation counted with 13,641 users.
By one side, the main cause of this topic call the Gran Valparaíso7 area to protest against the
abusive ticket fees and exaggerated price rises for a transportation service.
By other side, on the brethren groups and causes was watched a strong national tendency to protest
against this kind of problems, also by a high unrest related with the bad manners from the
transportation employees.
7
As Gran Concepción, Gran Valparaiso is a metropolitan area that reach the cities of Valparaíso, Viña del Mar,
Villa Alemana, Limache, Olmué, Quilpué and Concón.
14

15. Protest against the fee rise experiment a limited growth during the investigation time, because a
moderated recruitment and new members register activity.
Accordingly, Transport presents clear characteristics of cyberactivism. The presence of derivative
topics and the big proliferation of brethren groups and causes with different creators, reinforces the
statement that this subject haven't private organizers.
Generally, the topic wants to improve the transportation services on Chile and stop the abuses and
bad manners against the users.
The topic Politics, including main cause and brethren groups and causes, counts with 24 groups and
3 causes, with 14,299 users.
This topic don't present derivative topics and counts only with one particular cause: “Fin al Sistema
Electoral Binominal” (Ending of Binominal Electoral System).
Politics presents clear characteristics of cyberactivism. The big proliferation of brethren groups and
causes with different creators, reinforcing the statement that don't exists private organizers.
The great growth on the number of members during the investigation reaffirmed above, striking on
a high recruitment and new users registration activity. This topic suggest the manifestation of the
people to generate social pressure, becoming a tool to make effective the Congress action to modify
the Constitution and to finish the excluding of the out-congress politic forces, rising the citizen
participation and the authority representativeness.
The topic Social Support, includes a main cause and brethren groups and causes, counts with 81
groups and 5 causes, with 19,002 users.
This topic don't present derivative topics and counts with only one particular cause: “Un Techo Para
Chile” (One Ceiling for Chile).
Social Support presents clear characteristics of cyberactivism, as don't have private organizers fact
that is reaffirmed by the big proliferation of brethren groups and causes with different creators. The
cause experimented a big growth on the number of members during the investigation, striking on a
big recruitment and new users registration activity.
The call to participate on Social Support campaigns like Un Techo para Chile, constitutes as a
powerful social tool that use the network effect to recruit more volunteers.
About the causes with separated topics on Gran Concepción Area
On this area, it could watch a high number of causes about “important” topics, establishing a clear
predominance over the “banal” topics.
The topic Religion, that includes only one cause, at investigation time had 411 users.
This topic don't have derivative topics and onoly count with one particular cause: “Santuario
Ciudad para Concepción” (Sanctuary for Concepcion City).
Religion don't present cyberactivism characteristics. The null presence of brethren groups and
causes, reveal the existence of private organizers. The null growing of the members number during
the investigation, shows a poor activity.
The cause don't suggest any practice to reach the goal of build a Sanctuary on Concepción, so there
is not social pressure to create a tool for the objective achievement.
The topic Transport, that including the main cause and brethren groups and causes have 9 groups
and 3 causes, and had at the investigation time 2,741 users, presenting 2 derivative topics:
Proposals for the improvement of the Transportation services with the particular causes
“Biotren Para Coronel” with 9 groups and 2 causes and, “Licitación al transporte en Coronel-Lota
!!” with 9 groups and 2 causes.
15

16. This derivative topic includes main causes and brethren groups and causes, counting with 2,741
users.
Meanwhile, the cause “Biotrén Para Coronel” call the people to protest asking that the Biotren
service extends to Coronel, the cause “Licitación al transporte en Coronel-Lota !!” call to protest
asking the authority call to a public tender to the transportation services between Concepción and
Lota.
The relationship between both causes is not only by topic, but that it can watch the people's trouble
with the public transportation services that travel from Concepción to Coronel and Lota, generating
the need to count with alternative services.
Although, this can be watched partially, because there is not more causes or groups that ask for the
extension of Biotren to Lota, on an explicit way.
That causes had a little growth on the users number during the investigations, giving count of a
minimal recruitment and new members integration activity.
Road Infrastructure with one particular cause: “En Concepción el ferrocarril debe ser soterrado”
(In Concepción, the train must be underground) with 9 groups and 2 causes. This derivative topic at
the investigation time, including the main cause and other groups had 2,741 users.
Road Infrastructure call the people to manifest to the authority on the Public Works Ministry to
make an underground train, improving the city's territorial integration and the openess of this to the
Biobío river.
The suggested practice is converted on a social pressure tool, to achieve a definitive resolution form
the authority.
The poor growth on the users number during the investigation, give account on the little recruitment
and new members registration activity.
Transport presents clear characteristics of cyberactivism. The existence of derivative topics and the
big proliferation of brethren groups and causes with different creators, demonstrate the absence of
private organizers.
This topic wants to improve the transportation services and the road infrastructure on Gran
Concepcion area. The goals are well defined and have a high social impact.
The topic Environment, that including the main cause and brethren causes had 3 causes and in the
investigation time had 227 users, presenting 2 derivative topics:
Energy Sustainability with two particular causes, “No MATEMOS Coronel” (Don't kill Coronel)
and “No más termoeléctricas en Coronel” (No more thermoelectric in Coronel), both with two
brethren causes. This derivative topic at the investigation time, including the main cause and the
brethren causes had 227 users. In this topic the people are called to protest against the installation of
thermoelectric power centrals in Coronel, because environmental and people's health problems.
The almost null growth on the members number during the investigation indicates a poor
recruitment activity,
Environmental Conservation with one particular cause: “Salvemos los humedales urbanos” (Save
the urban wetlands) and two brethren causes. This derivative topic had 227 users at the investigation
time. It call the people to protest against the change on the building regulations in Concepción, as
this change can establish that wetlands are building zones. This can alter the biodiversity and the
nature patrimony of Concepción.
The poor growth on the members number during the investigation demonstrate a low recuirtment
activity.
Environment presents questionable cyberactivism characteristics. This is, although exists
16

17. derivative topics, the low brethren causes proliferation (just 3) with different creators questions the
absence of private organizers.
This topic wants to generate sustainable ecological awareness in Concepción and an environmental
law that protect effectively the nature diversity present on the city.
The topic Technological Democratization, that had only one main cause, having 53 users at the
investigation time.
This topic don't have derivative topics and have only one particular cause: “Coronel Digital / Wi-Fi
para todos” (Digital Coronel / Wi-Fi for all). Technological Democratization presents weak
characteristics of cyberactivism by the null existence of brethren groups and causes supports the
statement that exists private organizers. The poor growth on the members number during the
investigation, reaffirms above and shows a low recruitment and new members registration activity.
This topic calls the people to ask the authority the installation of wireless networking over all
Coronel city, allowing a major access and reducing the technological gap in Chile. Accordingly, the
practices suggestion establishes a social pressure tool, motivating the authority action.
Conclusion
The Internet's Social Networks are mainly an amplification of our nearest social circle. That's
because on the social network sites the existent links are reinforced, more than create new ones.
Internet allows the maintaining, consolidation and growing of that links. Most of times, the
directionality of the interaction on this sites goes from offline to online. This is because, generally
people don't know nor want to know others online, but want to reaffirm their familiar and friendship
links that have from its routine. Consequently, the Social Networks on Internet are formed mainly
with people that are part of the offline circle of each individuals.
Other characteristic of Social Networks on Internet is it anarchical and horizontal structure. The
lack of control over the millions of nodes that form this network allows it's organization on a
distributed way and without major controls nor information hoarding. This allows a robust
communications flow, that derives on a major access to the information and a minor probability to
limit that access.
To the above characteristics it sum the fact that the communications on the Social Networks on
Internet don't have time nor fixed space, because it can establish without physic or temporal
proximity. This means that it don't care how far away a person is from other to its nearest circle,
exists the possibility of establish communication.
In the same way, if the above example person is not available on certain hour, evenly will can know
if have some messages or to know some important information that was generated on that time.
The Social Networks reflect the way of being and the context in that each individual develops, since
they will realize that others, which circles frequented, etc. The above characteristics give the social
activism on Internet a fast and reliable way to gain adepts. The growth possibilities are exponential
and are one pass away. This goes associated with the network effect. In other words, any campaign
that be important for the nearest friends more easily for the person too.
The netwoks distribution allows moreover a fast becoming between the users campaign, so that it
will most likely be able to expand with speed. The information safety on this structure, protects the
cyberactivism action of whom oppose it.
Finally, the timelessness and spacelessness of the message allow more people have access to this
campaign, regardless of the time available or where they are. Resuming, Facebook delivers two
tools that allow the development of social activism: Groups and Causes.
On the Chile Network the groups are used most of time as virtual meeting space by institutions and
people with similar tastes and hobbies. Despite this, the groups are also used as a tool of protest,
17

18. awareness and expression of ideas. For its part, the causes, because of their innate characteristics are
consolidated, as the experience of this study, as the main vehicle for cyberactivism.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the complementarity of these tools presented in practice, suggests
the consolidation of both overall and a good support for social activism on the Internet.
More specifically, in Concepción the situation varies greatly from the already detailed. The
tendency of the groups was, however, show more instances of groups, irrelevant meeting spaces in
Chile network in general. By contrast, the trend of cases reflected a greater number of relevant
issues and characteristics of cyberactivism.
On the results discussion chapter, a correlation between two topics was found. This was
“Environment” and “Transport”. Consequently, it can to state the existence of correlation between
both geographical areas on this study. However, this statement will be limited because this
characteristic was found only in two of the eleven topics detected.
The present investigation posed different alternatives for future research. One of those is the
establishment of main groups and causes of other local areas through a country, for in a medium
term can to pose a national situation of cyberactivism, as well as identify the issues that move more
to the Chileans and should be present on the public agenda. Other alternative is to deepen only in
important topics of that hypothetical future studies. This could be done by increasing the number of
groups and causes as well as analyzed excluding those items considered banal.
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