The Huffington Post is today launching #PowerShift, an original docu-series hosted by Game of Thrones star, Sophie Turner, that captures the revolutionary ways young people are using social media to change the world.
Turner will share remarkable social media stories from across the globe throughout the 10-part series, from influencing public opinion and campaigning for social justice, to starting revolutions and making celebrities.
“Social media has amplified the voice for my generation around the world and changed the way that we communicate. I am a huge advocate of social media and thrilled to be given the opportunity to delve deep into its influence and impact on society at large,” Turner said.
The series will show how social media has become much more than a platform for the self-obsessed, and how millennials have been using it for years to create mass movements, bring down governments, change perceptions and radically alter the way we live today.
The first episode in the series looks at Black Lives Matter, a protest movement against institutional racism that was born on social media and where agitators are not aligned to any political party.
The episode features activist LeCreshia Birts who says: “Social media does put power back in the hands of activists or people like me because it allows us to tell our story.”
Opal Tometi, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, explains the importance of social media in letting people know about demonstrations that are taking place.
Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post Media Group, Arianna Huffington, said: “Even though we’ve seen example after example around the world of social media deepening connections, improving lives and making the world better, we are still only beginning to understand its potential.
“So I’m delighted that, as part of our What’s Working initiative to reimagine journalism with an emphasis on solutions, #PowerShift is putting a spotlight on real people using social media to change the world, in a way that’s both inspiring and entertaining.”
#PowerShift will live on all 15 global editions of The Huffington Post and will be syndicated through the AOL On network.
The series was made in partnership with GroupM Entertainment (GME) and produced with Broad Bean Media.