The Role of Individuals in the Flow of Information through Social Media: The Case Study of People’s Democratic Reform Committee Movement (PDRC) from 2014 to 2015 A.D.

Abstract

This study is a qualitative research study using textual analysis method. The objective of this research was to study the role of individuals in the flow of information through social media: the case study of people’s democratic reform committee movement from 2014 to 2015 A.D.
The results found that social media channels were used to present  information and convey opinions of the person. The patterns that individuals applied included:
1. Individual using his or her real name in Facebook had activated their accounts via Facebook page of a backbone of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee. This page seemed to be friendly with other pages in order to find supporters.
2. individual with pseudonyms activating his or her accounts via Facebook page of a representative of pseudonyms name. This page was clearly an opponent to the Thai government. It presented the information that mass media have always not broadcasted because of the lack of evidence.
Regarding the role of individuals in the flow of information through social media, it found that among political conflicts, the media played their role  by reporting movement, impact and  opinion of various parties in society, demonstrators use social media to present information and ideas to express their views and mobilize people to join the assembly.