Clicktivism: Lazy or life changing?
Source: Facebook filters, 2013. From profile filters, trending hashtags and sharing articles, is social media fuelling change or enabling lazy activism? Coined Digital activism, the internet and social media platforms have fast become a new channel where activist can digitally achieve mass mobilisation to call for social and political change (Fuentes 2014). Indeed, social media can be praised for its ability to rapidly reach a global audience and easy entry point for engagement. In fact, it is widely considered the success of Arab Spring, the Occupy Wall Street and UK Uncut movements are attributed to the power of social media. However, it cannot be ignored that slacktivism or clicktivism, a process where online participation is oversimplified into online petitions, liking and sharing content (Halupka 2014) can be criticised for not only being lazy but ineffective and destructive. What’s more, critics have also claimed that social media users are shifting their discourse to safer topics for fear of being ostracised by their friends.
Source: Click to save the world!, 2016. Undeniably clicktivism is a legitimate social and political act, although critics do argue that such participation alone is inadequate. In a recent study that observes this illusion of activism versus the facilitation of real change, it revealed that of the 1 million+ people who ‘liked’ the Save Darfur Facebook page - which rallies to end genocide in Sudan, less than 3000 of those people donated much-needed funds (Gray, Lewis & Meierhenrich 2014). While this important cause gained worldwide awareness, the lack of financial traction would suggest that it is just as easy to click ‘like’ on a social or political cause, as it is to feel as though one has done their part and disengage. To which, some have also claimed this behaviour can actually be harmful to ‘the social and political causes people are attempting to support by conferring a false sense of accomplishment that forestalls more effective engagement’ (Bell 2014, p. 282). Putting aside the theory that armchair activist is achieving very little more than moral point scoring, it is worth exploring the idea that perhaps this lack of useful participation beyond clicktivism is a result of peer pressure.
Source: I’m helping, 2017? According to Pew Research (Goulet et al 2011), most users overall social media networks contain a much larger number of weak ties with only a handful of close socials ties – such as family or close friends. In considering that weaker ties can be broken more easily (Dempster-McClain, Moen & Walker 1999), an opposing opinion can be silenced feared for public shame and ostracism. Conversely, there is also reason to believe social media users are pressured into participating in clicktivism for further fear of being judged for not exhibiting human empathy and taking action.
Source: Just pretend, 2017?
Certainly, the act of digital activism and clicktivism is indeed the precursor to social and political change, particularly in rapidly raising worldwide awareness. However, with the continuous compounding evidence, it is also difficult to deny that clicktivism alone, will never achieve social and political revolution.
References: Bell, C 2013, ‘Clicktivism’, in K Harvey (eds), The Encyclopedia of Social Media and Politics, CQ Press, California, pp. 282. ‘Click here to save the world’ [image], 2016, I’ve added the hashtag, now what?, viewed 26 January 2018 <http://wpmu.mah.se/nmict162group5/category/slacktivismclicktivism/>. Dempster-McClain, D, Moen, P & Walker, H 1999, A Nation Divided: Diversity, Inequality, and Community in American Society, Cornwell University Press, London. ‘Facebook Filters [image], 2017, Baby Steps, viewed 26 January 2018, <http://submergemag.com/opinion/baby-steps/8272/>. Fuentes, M 2014, Digital Activism, Encyclopædia Britannica, viewed 25 January 2018, <https://www.britannica.com/topic/digital-activism>. Goulet, L, Hampton, K, Purcell, K & Raine, L 2011, Social networking site and our lives, Pew Research Centre, viewed 25 January 2018, <http://www.pewinternet.org/2011/06/16/part-3-social-networking-site-users-have-more-friends-and-more-close-friends/>. Gray, K, Lewis, K & Meierhenrich, J 2014, ‘The Structure of Online Activism’, Sociological Science, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 1-9. Halupka, M 2014, ‘Clicktivism: A Systematic Heuristic’, Policy & Internet, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 115-132. ‘I’m helping [image], 2017?, Pray for Paris – Your Facebook feed right now, viewed 26 January 2018, <http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/1044351-pray-for-paris>. ‘Just pretend [image], 2017?, Meme Generator, viewed 26 January 2018, <https://memegenerator.net/instance/73347617>.
I really like your point here about concerns around being ostracised by friends online for having opposing views. Social media is an echo chamber of the opinions, values and beliefs we hold, and so it is rare that we come up against many opposing views. I have an old acquaintance who I am friends with on Facebook. He recently became a born again Christian and so, me being agnostic, he has a lot of views which oppose my own. Whenever I post something which may not align with his views, he always feels compelled to post back and challenge me. Although I roll my eyes sometimes, it is refreshing to get another perspective, even if I don’t agree. Sadly though, there have been times where he’s been too afraid to reply to my posts - choosing to send me a PM for fear of reprisal from my other FB friends who don’t share his views. It is in these moments that I realise I need to expose myself to a wider range of opinions, even if I don’t like them. :)