Media Ecology - Jan 6 Smartphones

On January 6, 2021, a significant and controversial riot took place in the United States. A large group of supporters of then-President Donald Trump gathered in Washington, DC to protest the certification of the 2020 Presidential Election results, which had declared Joe Biden as the winner. Smart phones are being used in so many different things before during and after the riot happened. Smartphone can document many events that happened on January 6 documenting is one of them, many individuals in the crowd used their phone to record the event take a photo and video of violations in the capital. The content that they receive from recording or taking pictures from the event are evidence for the law enforcement, journalist, and investigator. Beside that social media also played an important role at this event they are used to spread the media that are recorded or taken by the protesters and they also used social media such as Twitter, Instagram or Facebook to share information and express their feelings. Lastly the individuals at the protestors used their phone to do live streaming to provide a real time view of the event. Protesters and participants use smartphones to communicate, allowing them to coordinate actions, share information, and stay connected with each other and the outside world .4,444 smartphones play a role in identifying and holding individuals accountable for their actions during events. Images and videos captured on smartphones have helped law enforcement identify and arrest people involved in crimes. Media coverage is the focus on sending new to the public especially journalists and media agencies rely on images from their smartphones to report on events.

Live updates, photos and videos from journalists on the ground and the protesters themselves have shaped the public's understanding of what happened.

Overall, smartphones and social media played a pivotal role in documenting, disseminating, and understanding the events of January 6, both for those directly involved and for people worldwide.

The events also raised important questions about the role of technology and social media in political protests and their potential impact on democracy and public safety.