Revision as of 17:48, 20 February 2017

Social Media Activism is a subcategory of Media Activism (also known as Digital Activism, Online Activism, Internet Activism and Hashtag Activism) that uses online means of communication and social networking sites to promote political or social change. Activism through the Internet can help organize people, initiate and mobilize crowds, and provide the possibility of organizing events with high levels of engagement, focus and network strength. Sites ranging from Facebook or Twitter to online petitions like Change.org or blogs are the common internet tools used by online activists.

Timeline of Internet Activism

This timeline highlights major events that have paved the way for and influenced online activism:

Lotus Marketplace-1990

The first recognized online protest occurred in 1990, when raised concerns over consumer privacy led the public to take action against product called the the Lotus Marketplace (developed by Developmental Corporation when consumers found out that the direct-mail marketing database contained the names, contact information, and purchasing behavior of millions of Americans in CD-Rom form. Consumers began organizing through email and message boards in order to contact the software company and be removed from the list. When around 30,000 people had attempted to contact Lotus, the company decided by 1991 not to release the database.

MoveOn.Org -1998

Joan Blades and Wes Boyd created an online petition about the Bill Clinton’s impeachment after the public found out about his affair with Monica Lewinsky in 1998. After feeling frustrated with the “ridiculous waste or our nation’s focus” and the partisan warfare happening in Washington D.C. to decide on the impeachment, the petition “Censure President Clinton and Move On to Pressing Issues Facing the Nation”, had collected thousands of signatures within days, helping transform a national conversation. MoveOn.org is now a 5 million-member site that allows participants to propose ideas for political change.

World Trade Organization Protests in Seattle — 1999

In January 1999, the City of Seattle was selected to host the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference in November-December 1999. Months before the conference, concerns about worker’s rights, sustainable economies, environmental and social issues led NGOs, interest groups and individuals to begin organizing through the internet in order to develop strategic routes that blocked streets and set up “dense and diversified communications network[s]” to protest the conference. The Independent Media Center was created by these organizers as a result, and is now a worldwide alternative news source.

California Immigration Protests — 2006

Colombian Las Farc Protests — 2008

Hacktivism

Anonymous

Arab Spring 2009- Present

"Where is My Vote"- Iran Election Protests- 2009

Wikileaks-2005- Present

Trends

Social trends are any type of activity that is participated in by society as a whole. With sites like Facebook and Twitter, social trends are not necessarily restricted to one particular region. Through the use of words or phrases that are preceded by a pound sign #, social movements have the potential to reach millions. Trending topics that can be found on the right side of Twitter’s home page reflect the most controversial news, which can include political updates, social events, and entertainment news. It can also push for “Social Media Challenges”. Using the # these challenges are used to encourage people to engage in an activity, for example 2014’s ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, where users nominated other users to throw a bucket of ice water on themselves as a way to spread awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as motor neurone disease and in the US as Lou Gehrig's Disease).

Ethics Behind Social Media Activism

Praises

Critiques