Will Justin Timberlake Play You in the New Social Network?

The theme of World Communications Day in May has been announced by the Pontifical Council of Social Communications: “Social Networks: portals of truth and faith; new spaces for evangelization.”

In a statement, the Council provides a worthwhile, challenging reflection:

During a time in which technology has emerged as part of the fabric of connectivity of human experiences, such as relationships and knowledge, we need to ask: can it help men and women meet Christ in faith? It is not enough to find an adequate language, but rather, it is necessary to learn how to present the Gospel as the answer to that basic human yearning for meaning and faith, which has already found expression online.

Such an approach, which will serve to create a more dynamic and humane digital world, requires a new way of thinking. It is not simply a question of how to use the internet as a means of evangelization, but instead of how to evangelize in a context where the lives of people find expression also in the digital arena.

In particular, we need to be attentive to the emergence and enormous popularity of the social networks, which privilege dialogical and interactive forms of communication and relationships.

The window the first Social Network provided wasn’t into a humane digital (or campus) world (I wrote about it here). What is your role in building a civilization of love online? What would a renewed Social Network look like?