The Influence of Social Media in the French Yellow Vests Movement

Abstract

The French Yellow Vests Movement has gained a notable prominence in the theatre of global social issues. Social media played a significant role in this protest, which served as an attempt to challenge the status quo of political power. Digital platforms have played important roles in a variety of popular movements in recent years, so it was considered that the rise of the movement should also be only possible with the help of social media. Digital platforms allow greater communication between protesters and even between protesters and police when compared to traditional media. As has shown, social media can be a valuable tool for communication and in such a way can also represent an obstacle to the authorities. Radio and television are less likely to be influenced by the actions of the authorities. The main focus of the study was to discuss the effectiveness and scope of social media in the French Yellow Vests Movement. The analysis also compares previous protests in France with the Yellow Vest protests to come up with some conclusions about the possible broader outcomes. Broad, but accessible language was used as to allow this essay’s readers to learn from its text and understand its scope. The conclusion does not elaborate as much on the limitations of the study as it does on the findings. It might prove a useful example for social activists, researchers interested in the area of 'Social Media and Politics', or the wider public. At the time of editing, the protests showed no signs of abating, while supporters from Belgium, the Netherlands or Italy emerged. An examination of the French Yellow Vests Movement seems, therefore, as a particularly appropriate topic. After nearly nine months of almost continuous weekend protests, the French Yellow Vests Movement still has an unclear endgame. Movements in France, followed by tax justice protests, were the second wave in the spring of 2019, now joined by antipension reforms. Anti-government protests also spread throughout the country, often with violence, and while in the capital Paris they are smaller – Yellow Vests’ violence is now subdued, indicating possible protest fatigue – their broad acceptance among the wider public does not seem to diminish. Paradoxically, this wavering situation may also be what distinguishes the movement from much shorter-lived predecessors.

Keywords Yellow Vests Movement, social media, protests, political power, digital platforms, communication, activism, France.