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Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter lit up this week and conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh is feeling the effects.

Soon after Limbaugh spent hours on his talk-radio show bashing a Georgetown University law student over her support of birth control, people from around the U.S. took to Facebook, Google+ and Twitter to vent their anger at Limbaugh. With no organized leadership, they en masse called for sponsors of Limbaugh's radio show to pull their advertising.

Today, in part because of this social pressure, Limbaugh's show has lost more than 20 advertisers, according to reports, including Allstate Insurance, AOL, Citrix, Quicken Loans and Sears.

Social networking sites are quickly being seen as the new medium for protesters of all types.

"Social media has entered into a new era, which is way past the point when it was used to find the best dry cleaner or see if a certain restaurant had fresh seafood," said Dan Olds, an analyst with The Gabriel Consulting Group. "Now it's become a real tool that is being used to topple governments and even saves lives."

The latest online brouhaha began Feb. 23 when law student Sandra Fluke testified before a congressional committee about the need for insurance companies to cover birth control costs. Limbaugh then called the woman a "slut" and "prostitute" and spent hours discussing her on his radio show.

Word of Limbaugh's actions quickly spread over traditional media and social networking sites, where people were quick to voice their own support or outrage.

For instance, Andy Borowitz tweeted, "Due to remarks of his we consider unacceptable, we have terminated our relationship with Rush Limbaugh. - Satan."

And Stop Rush Limbaugh tweeted, "Please urge Capital One (@AskCapitalOne) to cease advertising on Rush Limbaugh's radio program."

Sensa Products LLC, a weight-loss system company that had been a sponsor of Limbaugh's radio show tweeted Monday: "Rush Limbaugh's comments are not in line with SENSA values so we are pulling our ads indefinitely which shud be down in the next couple days."

Originally posted here:
Social media takes on Rush Limbaugh