Technologies for transformation? Social media before political and social change. An Introduction

Since its use as an innovative campaign tool by Barack Obama and its protagonism in the civil mobilizations of the Arab Spring, social media has been at the focus of social, political and academic debate. To what extent are these digital technologies capable of promoting and fostering social and political change? What are its limits to promote this type of transformation? This introductory article of the central section of this issue of Icono 14, has as its own objective to ponder, from a theoretical perspective, the potential of digital media to promote novelties in political organization, mobilization and information. The contributions and constraints of these platforms in the reconfiguration of the field of political communication are exposed.