Difference between revisions of "Social Media Activism"
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=Ethics Behind Social Media Activism= | =Ethics Behind Social Media Activism= | ||
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==Praises== | ==Praises== | ||
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With advances in technological devices and social media allowing more people to join in on the conversation, to be informed with what is going on in the world, social media activism has allowed for increased awareness of social injustices around the world and allowed for increased participation in social and political issues. | With advances in technological devices and social media allowing more people to join in on the conversation, to be informed with what is going on in the world, social media activism has allowed for increased awareness of social injustices around the world and allowed for increased participation in social and political issues. | ||
===Accessibility and Affordability=== | ===Accessibility and Affordability=== | ||
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| + | Internet based activism is more affordable and accessible than conventional activism in the analog world that runs into obstacles like potential danger, harassment, time constraints, location etc. | ||
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===Increased Literacy=== | ===Increased Literacy=== | ||
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==="Slacktivism"=== | ==="Slacktivism"=== | ||
Defined as “the act of showing support for a cause but only truly being beneficial to the egos of people in this so called activism” see more [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slacktivism here]. Those who criticize Social Media Activism are skeptical of the intentions behind their online activity and social and political movements. Many argue that simply clicking on a link or participating in the hashtag devalues the concern about political or social issues because “liking” “sharing” or “tweeting” a post is a low-cost effort that does not require more thought from the user, unlike the conventional modes of social activism like campaigning, marketing, raising money that required more action and initiative from the protestors. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS describes the term "slacktivist", saying it "posits that people who support a cause by performing simple measures are not truly engaged or devoted to making a change".<ref>UNAIDS, UNAIDS OUTLOOK REPORT, July 2010.</ref> | Defined as “the act of showing support for a cause but only truly being beneficial to the egos of people in this so called activism” see more [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slacktivism here]. Those who criticize Social Media Activism are skeptical of the intentions behind their online activity and social and political movements. Many argue that simply clicking on a link or participating in the hashtag devalues the concern about political or social issues because “liking” “sharing” or “tweeting” a post is a low-cost effort that does not require more thought from the user, unlike the conventional modes of social activism like campaigning, marketing, raising money that required more action and initiative from the protestors. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS describes the term "slacktivist", saying it "posits that people who support a cause by performing simple measures are not truly engaged or devoted to making a change".<ref>UNAIDS, UNAIDS OUTLOOK REPORT, July 2010.</ref> | ||
| + | ===Self Promotion and Self-Fulfilment=== | ||
| + | Self-Promotion and Fulfillment | ||
| + | Online activism has been used as a tool to exercise free speech and inform others of social injustices occurring around the world. While many people have the desire to give back to the community, a factor that plays a role in their participation is the online presence of their friends or followers. Skeptics believe online activism is pushing people to jump “on the bandwagon of social issues to become prominent figures of a movement and it can give those same people a false sense of “being ethical” or “doing what is right” with a post once a week”. <ref>/http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/publications/articles_papers_reports/770</ref> | ||
| + | ===Personal Gains=== | ||
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| + | Online activism is seen as unethical when online petitions that acquire emails sell those email addresses for a profit to other sectors online. <ref>http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/publications/articles_papers_reports/770 See “Private Gains”</ref> While asking for donations for a cause is not seen as unethical, it becomes a problem when only 1% of the donations are going towards the actual cause, while the rest is beign distributed within that organization, since that money is not being invested in social change and action. | ||
=References= | =References= | ||
Revision as of 19:34, 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.[1] Sites ranging from Facebook or Twitter to online petitions like Change.org or blogs are the common internet tools used by online activists.
Contents
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 [2] (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.[3] See more [here]
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”[4] 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.
Other Events
There are a number of other events in Social Media Activism worth noting. These include:
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’sALS 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
With advances in technological devices and social media allowing more people to join in on the conversation, to be informed with what is going on in the world, social media activism has allowed for increased awareness of social injustices around the world and allowed for increased participation in social and political issues.
Accessibility and Affordability
Internet based activism is more affordable and accessible than conventional activism in the analog world that runs into obstacles like potential danger, harassment, time constraints, location etc.
Increased Literacy
Critiques
"Slacktivism"
Defined as “the act of showing support for a cause but only truly being beneficial to the egos of people in this so called activism” see more here. Those who criticize Social Media Activism are skeptical of the intentions behind their online activity and social and political movements. Many argue that simply clicking on a link or participating in the hashtag devalues the concern about political or social issues because “liking” “sharing” or “tweeting” a post is a low-cost effort that does not require more thought from the user, unlike the conventional modes of social activism like campaigning, marketing, raising money that required more action and initiative from the protestors. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS describes the term "slacktivist", saying it "posits that people who support a cause by performing simple measures are not truly engaged or devoted to making a change".[5]
Self Promotion and Self-Fulfilment
Self-Promotion and Fulfillment Online activism has been used as a tool to exercise free speech and inform others of social injustices occurring around the world. While many people have the desire to give back to the community, a factor that plays a role in their participation is the online presence of their friends or followers. Skeptics believe online activism is pushing people to jump “on the bandwagon of social issues to become prominent figures of a movement and it can give those same people a false sense of “being ethical” or “doing what is right” with a post once a week”. [6]
Personal Gains
Online activism is seen as unethical when online petitions that acquire emails sell those email addresses for a profit to other sectors online. [7] While asking for donations for a cause is not seen as unethical, it becomes a problem when only 1% of the donations are going towards the actual cause, while the rest is beign distributed within that organization, since that money is not being invested in social change and action.
References
- ↑ http://mashable.com/2011/08/15/online-activism/#d1YGR18U7gqk
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Marketplace
- ↑ https://vivalageeks.com/tag/lotus-marketplace/
- ↑ http://front.moveon.org/a-short-history/
- ↑ UNAIDS, UNAIDS OUTLOOK REPORT, July 2010.
- ↑ /http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/publications/articles_papers_reports/770
- ↑ http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/publications/articles_papers_reports/770 See “Private Gains”
